Hello everyone! I know it's been close to a year since I updated this: Sorry. This is a test chapter to see who actually still reading this after all this time.

This chapter is dedicated to tiger27- Thank you for your endless support and for correcting my ideas. I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint.

*Football=soccer or something

Keep happy and reviewing!

Much love!

….

Tears don't fall.

Beware the painted face.

Atemu.

There's nothing more human than the need to feel wanted and cherished. Too know that there will always be a light in the darkness. I suppose, over time, I forgot that.

Human instinct is hot and raw, animalistic and unreasonable. It thrives when the lights turn off and the music of the body pulses. It can be terrifyingly jealous and territorial and I know it's unafraid and boastful. I never forgot human instinct but I misjudged its ability to twist a person into a nightmare.

I glanced up at the footsteps echoing against the wooden hallway, absentmindedly twirling my pen between my fingertips. Scott kicked the kitchen door open with his foot, catching it on the rebound with his elbow. There was amusement playing on my face as he struggled into the kitchen, weighed down by countless carrier bags. With an exaggerated groan, he released the bags onto the table and let their contents rattle out. I grasped by notebook tightly to my chest as tins and fruit bounded past.

"You know, Lucy's going to kill you when she sees this." I informed him, distractedly watching the bags wobble close to the table edge.

Scott shrugged, unconcerned by the petite woman's wrath. "What she doesn't know won't hurt her."

I pointedly looked down at my watch and back up into Scott's smug face. "Better pick everything up quick then. She'll be back in five minutes."

The cocky bravado didn't dispel from Scott's face, he swaggered across the room and casually picked up rattling tins. I sighed fondly, clearing as space for me on the table and lowering my notebook to it. I flicked open the midnight jewelled front cover and ruffled through the pages.

"What are you doing, Até?" Scott questioned, pushing my wayward pen into my hand.

"Just writing." I answered, lifting the pen to swirl bold black lines across a clean page.

"Songs, right?" I nodded my reply. "You haven't done that for a while."

"I hadn't felt like it and to be honest I don't right now. I just needed something to distract me."

Scott fell heavily into the chair opposite me, concern blooming in his eyes. "Is something wrong?"

I thought there was a whisper of panic on his face but perhaps I imagined the subtle tightening of his lips and the tight fists his hands suddenly curled into.

"Nothing bad." I hurried to soothe his misconceptions, abandoning my papers for my friend. "Just a feeling I get sometimes."

"You talk in riddles too much, Atemu. What sort of feelings?"

"I just feel like someone's watching me sometimes." I confessed.

I knew then I didn't imagine Scott's reaction. Anger roared in his eyes, a wild thing, writhing and snarling. His back went ridged and his jaw locked firm. I stared at him in confusion, apprehension dancing inside me.

"Does it frighten you?" Scott questioned

I bristled slightly, crossing my arms across my chest. "Doesn't scare me. I don't like it, that's all."

Scott seemed to think through my words, weighing them up in his mind before he thawed and nodded once. He settled back into his chair, stretching is legs out under the table, playfully kicking my ankle. I dismissed Scott's repose as his overprotective nature.

"Aren't you supposed to put those away? Milk and butter are supposed to go in the fridge." I reminded him.

"Help me then." Scott ordered, pushing on the leg of my chair and making the frame shudder.

I clambered to my feet with a snarl of spirited annoyance and dragged a plastic bag toward me. The material crinkled underneath my grasp and coloured packaging spilled out. I scooped up an armful of biscuits and lively crisp bags and wandered across the kitchen. Stretching up onto my toes, I hooked open the cupboard and threw them in. I heard the fridge open behind me and the clattering of glass jars and bottles. Scott hummed gently under his breath, tuneless and wordless but comforting.

"Hey, Atemu. There's a *football* game on at the park. Wanna go?" Scott questioned, shooting me a glance over his shoulder as he methodically place oranges into the glass fruit bowl.

"Sure." I consented with a shrug. "When?"

"About three hours." I nodded, informing him that I'd heard and registered the information. "So, gonna invite Yugi?"

I span around to face him, surprise prising my jaw open and letting it hang. "R-Really? You don't mind?"

"No. It'll give me a chance to meet them all. Perhaps Kyle and Lucy want to come?" Scott's excitement was tangible and I smiled fondly.

"Yeah! You go ask them, I'll call Yugi!"

"Deal." Scott danced out of the kitchen, his feet slapping against the floorboards. I heard him call out, summon our friends to his side.

I dug my phone out of my pocket, surprised at how easily I dialled the number. I pressed it against my ear, balancing it between my shoulder my face as I tugged more groceries out of the bags.

"Hi, Yami!" Yugi's voice shone with delight, something warm stroked inside my mind.

"Hello, Yugi. Look, are you and the guys busy today?"

"Uh, no we're not."

"Great. Do you want to come to a football game today?"

"Football? What time?"

"Scott said in about three hours. Would it be ok if Scott and the gang came? They'd like to meet you without worrying about me."

"I think that would be a good idea. So where are we meeting?"

"The park."

"Fantastic! See you then! Bye!"

"Bye, Yugi."

I hung up with a click and slipped the phone back into my pocket. I turned back to the kitchen, jumping slightly in surprise to see Lucy hovering so close to me. I raised an eyebrow, smiling at the giggle that escaped her.

"We're going out? With Yugi?" Her eyes shone at the thought.

"Yeah. Sound good?"

"Totally! Should I make a picnic?" She inquired, innocent eyes staring up at me.

"If you don't mind."

"I insist."

She pushed gently passed me, reaching into an overhead cupboard and pulling down a large fabric bag. She sent me a sweet smile and ushered me out of the kitchen. I walked toward the sound of Scott's voice, hearing it harmonise with Kyle's moments later. I rounded the corner, seeing Scott leaning against the doorframe.

"So, you coming?" Scott questioned

"We both are." Jamie's voice answered, apprehension trembled inside me.

I pressed my hand against Scott's shoulder blade, stealing away his warning before he could deal it. Scott was tensed beneath my touch, I felt him lean into me. I stared around him, meeting the warm eyes of Kyle as he rested against the far wall and the cool eyes of Jamie, lying sprawled on the seats.

"Both of you are coming?" I echoed.

"Yes." Jamie's voice was firm, leaving me no room to argue. "Got a problem?"

"I never said I did. Get ready. We're leaving in two hours." I instructed.

I squeezed Scott's shoulder once, confused but silently reeling in his rambling emotions. Scott nodded his head once, blonde hair falling harshly over his face and I turned away from them.

Jamie…don't you dare mess this up for me…I don't belong to you…

Lucy danced playfully in front of us, tugging on Scott's willing hand as we ambled through the park, toward the pitch. Their laughter melded together in a song I hadn't heard for a long time, it echoed in the trees around me. Kyle strolled casually by my side, reaching up to straighten his dark glasses against the glare of the sun, blue bag swinging on his shoulder. I ignored the sulk on Jamie's face as he mirrored my footsteps exactly, always two steps behind me. I pretended suspicion and intimidation weren't swirling deep in my stomach and pushing on the boundaries of my mind. But fear had instilled itself inside me; I felt its long fingers embrace my soul. A shudder passed around my frame, despite the morning warmth. Lucy's hand slipped inside mine, pulling me forward with her, fingertips curling around mine. Scott's hand was comforting against my back; I glanced up in time to see him shot a glare over his shoulder. I followed his eyes, surprised to see Jamie staring back at Scott with malice and something close to hate in his face. I felt a tremble of warning buzz inside me; I wrapped a protective hand around Scott's wrist. At my touch, he looked away from Jamie and smiled warmly down at me. Lucy swung our joined hands between us, counting the stepping stones beneath her feet.

"What team are we seeing today?" I asked Scott.

"Uhm…The Wolves or Wolverines or something."

"You don't know? And yet it was your idea to bring us here?" Lucy teased playfully.

Scott battered an arm at her, reaching over to tousle her hair; she ducked away with a giggle and swiped playfully back.

"At least I got us out of the house. We haven't been out on an outing for months. AND I want to meet Atemu's other friends."

"That's right." Lucy enthused. "I really am looking forward to meeting them without snapping at them this time. You don't think they're upset because we yelled at them, do you?"

I squeezed her hand in mine gently. "I very much doubt that, Lu. Don't worry, they'll love you."

Scott threw his arms around Lucy's slight shoulders, she yelped in response. "They can't have her, she's mine! All mine!"

I laughed, watching Lucy slap a well-placed hand against Scott's head. He wailed in amusement, throwing his hands over his heart in exaggerated, bubbly movements.

"Oh, you wound me!" He cried.

I rolled my eyes at him before glancing away and focusing on a passing butterfly. Kyle threw his arms around my neck and pointed into the distance.

"There they are." He declared. "Under the trees."

I followed his fingers, smiling when I saw Yugi reclining in the shade of the oak trees. I increased my pace, jerking Lucy forward to follow in my strides, Scott's feet were quick and light against the ground beside me. I crossed the grass, my friends' shadows around me, burning with curious excitement. I stopped outside of their circle, smiling in satisfaction when heads swivelled around to face me. Yugi grinned, innocent and happy and gripped my shoulder in welcome.

"Yami! Hello!" His vibrant greeting was enough to make the world shine a little brighter.

"Hey, Yugi. Everyone."

"Sit down, Yami and friends." Jou instructed, patting the empty grass around him.

I nodded and slipped into place beside him, gently easing Lucy down beside me and felt Scott crash down heavily to my spare side. Kyle and Jamie folded silently beside him and Yugi curled back down to the ground opposite me.

"Introductions sound good? I questioned. I watched people nod to my words. "Ok. This is, Scott, Kyle, Lucy and…Jamie." Jou stiffened noticeably as he regarded Jamie through suspicious, hostile eyes. "Guys, these are my friends from the Kame shop. Yugi, Jou, Kiaba, Bakura and Ryou."

There was uneasy meeting of eyes and wary smiles exchanged throughout the group. Scott stretched out comfortably beside me, forcing his legs out in front of him with fluid movements. Perhaps his actions granted them permission and suddenly a friendly, welcoming air flowed around us.

"So, you're Yugi, huh?" Scott commented. Yugi nodded, a friendly smile on his face. "It's nice to be able to talk to you without screaming at you."

Yugi laughed. "I agree. But I understand, you were looking out for Yami."

"We're sorry we yelled at you when we first met." Lucy apologised, her guilt bitter in the air, I tugged gently on the hand still holding mine.

"That's ok. Lucy, right?" Jou soothed, a quirk of her lips confirmed the name. "We did barge into your home and demand to see him. We could have been more considerate."

"Considerate? You? Never." Kiaba's humour remained so distinctively different from my memories but a rumble of laughter swept around the friend's I thought I had left behind.

"Who owns that club?" Ryou questioned. "The Desert Rose?"

"It's mine. Built her up from scratch." Kyle boasted, pride blossoming in his eyes.

"It's incredible. I love the way you've set everything up."

"Have to admit though, was an awful shock to hear Yami singing AND realise he was good at it!" Bakura's compliment was mixed with weak venom.

"Thanks, Bakura. Really. You're enthusiasm never ceased to amaze me." I bit back my dry response, mirroring Bakura's smirk.

Jamie shifted in the background, his eyes fixed on my back, I wondered if he realised I'd sensed those eyes of his. But I felt the seconds his gaze shifted, darted away from me and swept across the circle and pinned onto a young man who owned my heart.

Don't do it, you fool. Whatever you're thinking. Hurt him…hurt ANYONE…and I will make you pay…

…

I'm sorry it's so short. Review if you want longer X