"I'm sorry, what?" the woman said politely, looking confused.

"It's me - Atem."

Her face lit up. "Oh, my little pharaoh!" She came forward, enfolding him in a hug. He pushed her away gently, his hands on her shoulders. "My little brother… His name is Yugi, then. I was already nine, but I guess I forgot about him," he said, reminding her he had a reason to visit.

"Oh yeah. We divorced just a month after Yugi was born," his mom laughed.

"I remember you, though."

"We had such fun! I've missed you, Yami."

Yami fought to keep the smile on his face. He knew why his mom and his dad divorced - his mom was somewhat unstable. He hadn't particularly liked his stepmom or his dad, either. They were the ones to finally bring his condition to the attention of doctors in his early years of high school.

Was it any surprise he moved out as soon as he was old enough to?

"I've missed you too, mom," he said, trying to focus on the present. He wasn't quick enough - her face lit up as she heard his response. Too late, he realized she must have answered him in her birth language. He learned how to catch those moments as he grew up, the times when the lips and words don't match up.

This was because he learned that his inability to distinguish between languages - because he understood them all - caused trouble when he replied in the same tongue without knowing.

The language of people, of animals - even machinery. In fact, if he hadn't grown up reading about these things, he wouldn't have known the difference. He was incredibly lucky he had gotten away with it when he was younger.

Only certain types of noises, though. The quiet purr of a car may not trigger his condition, but the sound of a truck drowning everything else out? That certainly seemed to fulfill the strange rules his affliction followed.

She hugged him again. "I've missed my little pharaoh. To hear the words of my hometown!" He cleared his throat, and she nodded. "Of course. Yugi. He's a devil, and shies from sunlight. Still, if my little pharaoh wishes to see him…" His mother walked in, beckoning for him to come.

Yami followed her through the house. It was the sort of house with windows that let sunlight in, and no corner had a speck of dust. The kitchen and living room were both clearly empty, so Yami expected her to take him upstairs.

With no small amount of alarm did he watch her open the door next to the stairs.

He had first taken the the door to be a closet, but it revealed a set of stairs that spiraled down into darkness. His mom grabbed a flashlight that hung just inside the doorway and flicked it on, turned to smile at Yami. "This way," she said.

Below in the basement, Yugi huddled on a bench, his heart heavy.

He felt like a freak all over again.

Yet when he had been with Yami, he had forgotten all of that. He hadn't felt like a devil or some kid huddled in the alley, just trash the rest of humanity ignored. He had felt like he was loved.

Light pierced the darkness he sat in, making him flinch. Footsteps echoed on the stairs, and he worried about what mood his mother was. The light shone directly in his eyes, making him close them. "Yugi. Your brother's here to see you," his mom's voice came.

At first, he was confused. He didn't have a brother. And even when he opened his eyes, squinting, he couldn't see past the brightness.

Then the switch must have been flicked on, because the room flooded with light. Yugi had to blink, his eyes adjusting. He first saw his mom, then behind her…

Why was Yami here?

"Yami?"

His mom frowned at him. "This is Atem," she corrected him harshly. "Don't forget that, devil." She turned her back on Yugi as he shrank back, addressing Yami. "You may have three minutes, my little pharaoh. Then let us have lunch together. It's been so long."

Yugi waited until he could hear the door shut in the distance, staring at the floor.

It was Yami who spoke first. "I'm here to get you out, but I haven't the faintest idea how. Think I could sneak in at night? If I don't get lost, that is."

Yugi laughed weakly. "Who's Atem?" he asked. He lifted his gaze from the floor to look at Yami, who leaned back and shrugged. "That's my birth name," the teen admitted. He didn't look comfortable saying it.

"Birth name?" Yugi echoed, curious despite himself.

Yami made a face. "Mom grew up with grandpa, and apparently he was an archeologist. She was crazy about Egyptian culture." He shook his head. "Dad let mom do the naming, so she named me after some pharaoh. Long dead, of course - they all are - but she never let me forget who I was named after."

"Atem…" Yugi stared at Yami, his eyes wide. "Sometimes, when mom's in a mood - I mean, when she's tired, she'll mistake me for someone called Atem. So that's you."

"She still has those, then?" Yami murmured, frowning. He looked back at Yugi. "Have you ever gone to school?"

Yugi nodded. "Online courses…"

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine… Mom's not really… abusive or anything…" Yugi stared at his sneakers. "It's more like… I'm living off the bare minimum. She gives me a meal each day and all."

Yami let it go, changing the subject. "So how did you run away last time?"

"It was, uh, a robber."

"A what?"

Yugi smiled sheepishly. "I think it was one, anyway. There were some sounds from up above, and then… I think the basement door was kicked in. Someone came downstairs and turned on the light." He recalled the night it had happened, the details still clear in his mind. "I couldn't see - I was still waking up. I think I heard someone say something before leaving. When I got up and investigated, everything was ransacked."

"And then you saw the front door was open and bolted?" Yami guessed.

Yugi nodded. "It was in the middle of the night. When daylight came, I hid in alleyways until the sun went down." He looked embarrassed as his shoulders slumped. "I'm really glad you found me when you did."

Watching the boy, Yami set his jaw. "I can't take you out right now. It's too bright. I'll try to come tonight, alright, Yugi?" Yami seemed to consider something. "I have a friend… Well, two. They're not exactly - anyway, I think they'll be willing to help. Don't give up, alright?" He crossed the room and hugged Yugi.

They broke apart when the sound of the door opening disturbed the silence. Yami gave Yugi an apologetic smile just before their mother emerged from the stairway.

She took Yami's arm and led him upstairs. "I'm so happy to have you back, little pharaoh!" she chattered excitedly as she absently turned off the light, leaving Yugi in the darkness. He watched the light from her flashlight fade, then vanish entirely.

He settled back against the cold wall, crossing his arms tight against his chest.

Yugi never minded the dark. It was the crushing feeling of loneliness and abandonment that hit him hard.

He loved Yami for making him forget all that when they were together…

But that just made it worse now.