Author's Note: Before we start this one, I would like to say that RQ pairings will be placed in the alphabetical order with the rest. However, to save time and effort, this will only happen when we get to the point where a given request pairing should have been placed. For instance, Moneyshipping will stay exactly where it is in the contents page, until I post the pairing Mnemoshipping (Yami no Yuugi x Malik), at which point it will be moved to its rightful place, in between Mnemoshipping and Morishipping (Yami no Bakura x Hiroto) . The name of the requester will not be removed from the pairing's description.

Also: If you would like to request that a ship goes early, please check the RQing rules on the intro page before you leave your review with the request.

On with the show, hmm?

Puzzleshipping(Yami Yugi X Yugi) – requested to go early by Lover333

You know… I have a feeling that I may well get flamed for lampooning this pairing – and in particular, pointing out its flaws. All I'll say here is this: The one–shots are simply jokes, and I do not intend to bash ANYONE'S favourite pairing in the "Flaws" section.

Flaws of the pairing: Hear me out, peoples. Puzzleshipping is not totally without "backup" – after all, there's all that holding hands stuff that goes on, as well as terms such as "soul mate" being tossed around. These two become so close during the course of the series that they are like brothers by the end. They can read each other's mind (a sign of being very open with each other), and it gets to the point where Yami doesn't want to leave Yugi, because they're just such good friends.

And as you can imagine, they're very, very easy to pair up because of that. Even I giggled childishly when I read the entirety of Duelist Kingdom one afternoon – specifically, when Yami performed the "Mind Shuffle" with Yugi. You see, earlier in that arc, Mai promised Rex that they could do the "body shuffle" if he won (and yep, she did mean it in that way).

*coughs* Anyway. This ship has some quite major flaws – and they're sort of thing that can only be combated or avoided by running an OOC AU fic… or just ignoring these, either way works. I've been babbling long enough, so I'll save you the lecture, and just throw you two good flaws to chew on/flame me over.

Now, this will come up for the other two"Yami X Hikari" pairings as well – but it's a biggie, so it's included: Yugi and Yami are in the same body. Lemon's obviously going to struggle with all characters IC – but so will just about everything else. It's a pretty big flaw, if you ask me – even with the technicalities of it aside, why would Yugi want to date the guy who's living inside an object, the one he can't see?

And that leads me into another flaw, one that few people recognize: Yami Yugi isn't Yami Marik. That is to say, he isn't actually the same age as Yugi. He's not even a good–looking, slightly older Yugi. He's a 3000+ year old spirit. That's right: If you look closely at Puzzleshipping, you'll find that you're actually looking at what may be one of the most perverted pairings out there. You're pairing a fifteen/sixteen/seventeen – year old teen (who looks like he's twelve, by the way) with a three thousand year old man, who is literally living in said seventeen–year–old's body, who can see what the teenager is thinking and feeling as well as doing, and who can force that teen's body to do whatever he likes.By that definition, Yami Yugi becomes… well, pretty much the ultimate stalker.

*dives under the desk, bracing herself for the flamewar*

Warnings: Yugi is shown what is presumably lemon Puzzleshipping fanart, but the images themselves aren't really described in any detail. This one is also a lil' more serious than some of the other one-shots here. *coughBalanceshippingcough*
Time Period: The night before Battle City begins.
Names:
Yami Yugi/Yami/Atem = Yami
Yugi Moto/Yugi = Yugi

Note: I use this for all my fics – however, newcomers may not know this :
"Character is speaking normally"
"Character's dark side has taken them over, and they are speaking. A Rod–brainwashed character also speaks like this."

"Yami, I want to ask you something."
Yes?The voice resonated deep inside my mind, and I smiled. It always brought a certain sort of warm comfort with it; the sort of comfort you may have felt as a small child, when you cuddled your favourite toy in bed, believing that all the monsters would never dare come near you with that stuffed friend at your side. It was the solid confidence radiating from that voice that did it, I think.

My mouth moved, but it wasn't my own voice that spoke – it was that of my friend. "What is it, Yugi?"

Feeling my annoyance at being temporarily taken over, Yami immediately handed back the reins. I sank down on my bed with a sigh; he already knew what the question was, after all.
True, but I want you to ask it. It doesn't feel… honest, poking around in your mind like that.

I resisted the strong urge to inwardly stick my tongue out at him, and he laughed softly in my mind. A little more relaxed now, I decided to ask my question. "What happened with Anzu? I thought that seeing her… I thought that would cheer you up." I could have spoken to him through my thoughts, but talking like this just seemed more natural, more comfortable.

My friend's 'voice' went flat – in our shared mind, I felt rather than saw him avert his eyes, turn away. I got some new cards. That cheered me up.
"Oh, Yami..."

What could I have said? He evidently didn't like Anzu; I felt embarrassed for having indulged the girl and set her up with my friend, protector, comforter. Some friend I was, hooking Yami up with someone he was disinterested towards!

His voice reassured me immediately – he had felt my thoughts again. No, no. I like her -
That made me sit up. "You… Really? You didn't seem that interes–"
- as a friend.
"Oh."
A silence, then a slight tickle as he read my mind. For a long moment, all was open between us - words did not pass between us, and yet we both knew what the other was thinking. Images of both Anzu and the museum he'd been to today raced through my mind…

…then my friend broke away from me, the pictured fading away.
I… I see.

Yami went quiet for a while after that – but whether he was thinking about Anzu, or the things he learned about himself he at the museum that day, I did not know. He seemed distant from me, pensive. Not wishing to disturb him, I sat at my desk, worked on a dusty jigsaw puzzle that I'd been meaning to do for a while now, until my eyes ached and watered.

That piece goes there.

I felt my left hand move on its own, pointing to the spot. With a drowsy nod, I placed the piece; inwardly deciding to try and find out what was bothering him."What is it?"

There was no need for clarification; he already knew what I was asking about. It wasn't the mind-reading this time - we were just that close.
Yugi… Maybe I shouldn't tell you this. You are tired, and not ready.
"Hmmm?" I let out a great yawn, my chin touching the desk. "But Yami, I'm always ready."
Not… not for this.

I sighed, fondly remembering the time when the spirit had first seen a toaster. He had been absolutely terrified – suffice to say, there had been no toast in this house for a very long time afterwards.
"Do you remember that?"
Do not speak of that… that monstrosity! It swallowed your bread, and spat it out – burnt to a crisp!
"There was no need for the Shadow Game!"
Of course there was! It was an evil spirit!
I sighed. "So, what were you going to tell me?"
I wasn't going to!
"You know I would have made you tell in the end."
Yes… I wanted to ask you about something I saw.
"Shoot."
I… I wanted to know. People seem to think that… that we should…

Something flickered in the back of my head – out of focus, too blurred for me to know what it was. I closed my eyes, aiding the focus of the image – and my jaw dropped, my eyes snapped open. "Gaaah!"
Egad, it was just so wrong on so many levels…
I do not see much wrong with it. It is much like those tapes Jounouchi gives you to watch.
"N–no... It's far worse than that… I mean…" Picture after picture snapped through my mind like a slideshow on fast forwards, and my stomach lurched. They were all of me and him, my best friend, doing things that I doubted were even legal. Yami moved like a shadow, clapping one of my hands over my mouth to prevent me from whimpering as the disturbing images flickered through my thoughts – until, with a yell of outright terror, I shoved his presence out of my immediate mind.
"G–get away from me!"

But he rose inside me, easily overpowering my attempts to gain control of my own body, to take my Puzzle off. No, I need to know. Are we… supposed to do any of these things? Is it what spirits do?
An image of Bakura and Ryo floated into my head, and I pushed it aside with a sound of disgust.
"No! No! It's… it's wrong!", I gasped out. "Leave me!"
Have you tried any of these things? Try as I might, I couldn't hear any tone in his voice but innocent curiosity. With a moan, I laid my head against the desk.
"St–stop… you're scaring me…"

Yami backed off instantly, the images flickered and died inside my brain. Sorry… Did I hurt you?
"No…" I took a couple of deep breaths. "Just… I'm sorry I asked. I'm sorry."
You do not believe that we should do those things?
"Th–that's right."I hoped that my voice was firm enough to command his respect. "And we won't be doing any of those things, right?"
But you looked happy in those drawings! , he protested; and I facepalmed.
"Yami?"
Yes?
I sighed. "You'll understand someday."