Hello, everyone. It's been a long time. When I was working on "What The Hell", I had mentioned another story. This isn't the story I had mentioned xD This story started as an one-shot while I was on a bus to work. I had just left my seat to let someone else use it as they needed it more than I did and was standing there thinking how exciting it would have been if during a 40 minutes ride you could meet someone that could be your friend, someone important. It was a beautiful May day and I was feeling kinda lonely, I guess. So when I found an empty seat, I sat down and started writing the beginning of this chapter on my phone. Then, six months ago, I came back to this story and started writing again. I had come to the decision I wanted to write another long story much like "What the Hell" but with a more complicated theme, something action-like.

I'll be honest with you. This will be a long journey. I have some chapters ready but the story will be building itself, as each chapter will bring something new, especially when it comes to the characters and their relationships. I am one of these writers who let their story lead them so a great part of it is still a mystery to me. I'll try to update the story every week or two weeks so, please, be patient with me. Also, I no longer have a beta. I still have my faithful Bakura reading my chapters and telling me if something seems problematic (or entertaining me with her amazing comments), but grammar and syntax…that's all me. And let's face it. It's difficult to catch all your mistakes even if they are right in front of you xD

Anyway, that's enough of me. I'm quite nervous uploading again. Please, let me know what you think of the beginning of the story. Feel free to message me! Enjoy!

Chapter 1

The lulling sound of the engine filled the almost full bus as it rode through the busy streets of Domino. Yuugi Mutou, a young freshman in the archaeological department, was lucky enough to get the last empty seat so he was comfortably sitting there with his backpack on his lap. He had initially been surprised seeing so many people on the bus so early in the morning-it wasn't even seven. Then, he remembered that with the Christmas holidays approaching plenty of businesses had their employees work overtime, coming early, leaving late. Comforted that soon a great number of them would get off at the city center, he yawned, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, and relaxed on his seat. Even though he had a good night's sleep the previous night, he had never been one to enjoy waking up early. If it hadn't been that the next bus to the university was cutting its arrival too close to the exam time for comfort, he would have stayed tucked in his warm bed for at least another hour.

The bus stopped once again and picked up a single person from a dark bus stop. The sun hadn't made its appearance yet, hidden behind some great clouds, but even if it had, the morning would still have been cold and moody. Not having what to do, Yuugi looked towards the new passenger. It was a young man, probably around Yuugi's age though few would guess so since Yuugi had such a petite figure. As soon as his eyes took in the stranger, Yuugi was astonished to find out the young man had tricolored hair much like his own. Actually, the stranger looked much like a sharper, handsomer version of himself. It was quite unnerving. Yuugi had always been either mocked or cooed about his short stature, his soft features and his big amethyst eyes. This boy was slightly taller than Yuugi even as he was hunched, burdened by the weight of a black backpack, but something about the way his body made him look so different than Yuugi.

Yuugi quickly managed to get over his surprise seeing the young man scanning the bus for an empty seat, his arms dejectedly falling as none was found. His sun-kissed skin looked sickly pale and, as he let out a soft sigh of disappointment and exhaustion, Yuugi felt a jolt of sadness. He really looked as if he was about to crumble. The amethyst eyed boy quickly rose to his feet and smiled.

"Why don't you sit here?" He said, politely stepping away from his seat.

The young man needed a moment to process his words but then he shook his head. "I couldn't..."

"Oh, but you could." Yuugi interrupted him.

"Are you getting off on next stop?" The stranger asked, his eyes on the seat, clearly facing a dilemma.

"Nope." Yuugi cheerfully replied, "but I had a good night's sleep last night and you clearly didn't. It won't affect me if I stand for a while. On the other hand, I can't say the same about you." Yuugi didn't want to point out that the bags under the young man's eyes told him he probably hadn't slept well in a while. "You wouldn't want me to go through the rest of the day feeling guilty, right?" He pouted, using a mild version of his puppy eyes.

Spellbound, the stranger stood in front of him for some seconds and then he reluctantly took the seat. His body instantly relaxed and he placed his backpack on the floor by his feet. Yuugi smiled, only to frown when he noticed the way the lady that had shared the adjoined seat with his pulled away from the stranger. Thankfully, the young man didn't notice a thing. The lulling sound of the engine continued to fill the bus for another two stops. Then, the lady stood up and the stranger jolted up to let her pass. As she left, he took her place and hesitantly looked towards Yuugi. Smiling, carelessly, Yuugi took the seat by his side.

"Thank you." The young man whispered.

"Don't mention it." After a moment of hesitation, Yuugi added. "I'm Yuugi "

"Atem." The man whispered, his voice hoarse as of overuse.

"Oh, like the pharaoh Atemu " Yuugi blurred out excited, and then blushed.

A look of surprise passed the guy's face and then his lips shaped a beautiful smile. It was then that Yuugi noticed the red wine color of his eyes and blushed even more. When he smiled, Atem looked...beautiful.

"Aren't you cold?" Yuugi asked, seeing how the young man had only a light coat on.

"When I left home yesterday morning it was still sunny," Atem's tired voice reached him. "I didn't expect such a temperature drop. And I missed the previous bus so I had to wait for a while. But it's fine." He quickly added, embarrassed to admit that much to a stranger.

"Nonsense." Yuugi would have none of it. He took off his scarf and placed it around Atem's neck. He then fished a pair of gloves from his backpack and had Atem wear them. "Much better." He marveled when he was done while Atem was looking at him as if he had grown a second head. "What?"

"Do you always share your scarf and gloves with strangers?"

"Only if they are handsome and cold." Yuugi teased and the man blushed.

A moment of silence followed as more people got off the bus. "Where are you getting off?" Atem asked after a while when Yuugi was sure the other boy had fallen asleep.

"At the university."

"Me too."

Another moment of silence. "Why don't you sleep for a while?" Yuugi suggested. "I'll wake you up when we get there." Yuugi hesitantly offered seeing the man nodding on and off. "I promise I'm not going to mug you or anything while you sleep." he added quickly seeing Atem giving him a weird look.

The man continued looking at him for a while and then he smiled and closed his eyes. Yuugi smiled back and relaxed. The university was at the other side of the city. It would take them a good half an hour more to get there. That gave Yuugi plenty of time to wonder about Atem. Who was he? Why was he so tired? Was he a student? Why was Yuugi so interested in him? Sure, he would have given up his seat for any stranger that would need it more than he did, but share his scarf and gloves? Tease him and call him handsome? That wasn't much like him, the shy Yuugi. Was it just because Atem had the same hairstyle as him? Looking at him a bit closer, he noticed some differences there too. Yuugi's hair was composed of multiple layers of blond, black, and purple with three locks surrounding his forehead and a single one curling somewhere in between. Atem's hair was composed of multiple layers of blond, black, and crimson and his blond locks were sharp and shot upwards in places Yuugi's didn't.

Yuugi checked his watch. It was exam period and Yuugi's last exam was scheduled for that morning at 9. Taking the early bus, gave him a bit more than an hour, but it was better being early than late. He would use the free hour to enjoy a cup of coffee in the cafeteria and review his notes. He wondered if he could coax Atem into having a cup of coffee with him and maybe a snack too. The young man seemed to need both.

"We're almost there." Yuugi shook Atem awake half an hour later. His heart gave a jolt seeing the tired man sighing resigned.

As they got off the bus and Atem was about to return the scarf and gloves to Yuugi, the boy couldn't help but ask. "Are you a student here?"

"I am studying Archaeology," Atem answered and Yuugi clapped his hands in delight. "You too?" Atem wondered how he hadn't noticed before such a wonderful creature as Yuugi being in the amphitheater but then again he was usually too tired to do anything but keeping notes. Not to mention more often than not he would either reach the amphitheater too early and end up taking a nap at the last stand until the lecture would start or too late and slip in as quietly as possible taking a seat as far away as possible from the other students. He usually had to focus hard on keeping those precious notes so his whole attention was on the professor.

"Are you here for the exam at nine? Mr. Hopkins' exam?" Yuugi asked with enthusiasm. When Atem nodded, he continued. "What about joining me for a cup of coffee in the cafeteria? You think I would have noticed you in class but PFF...better late than never. "

The cheerful blabbing of Yuugi and the promise of a warm cup of coffee brought Atem to the cafeteria. He would need the caffeine if he was to take the exam. And if Yuugi was a regular to Mr. Hopkins's class, maybe he would even have the notes from the last lecture that Atem had missed because of work.

When Yuugi placed a cup of warm liquid in front of him and half a sandwich, Atem looked up surprised. He had been instructed to find a table (the cafeteria was almost empty) and sit down. Lost in his thoughts and exhaustion, he hadn't noticed Yuugi placing an order. Now he looked at the offered food as if it would bite him.

"I am not a charity case." Atem's voice came out a bit harsher than he intended it to. Did Yuugi think he needed his help? Did he see him as some kind of helpless man that needed to be sheltered and fed?

Yuugi was taken aback by the force in Atem's voice. He hadn't thought of his actions until that moment and surely he hadn't meant for his food offering to be seen as charity. He had skipped breakfast that morning knowing he would have plenty of time to check his notes and grab a bite at the cafeteria after the long ride on the bus. Knowing himself, he wouldn't eat the whole sandwich and have a full cup of coffee so he had split the sandwich, offering one half to the other boy. Yes, he had thought that Atem could use the food to boost his system, but he hadn't believed even for a moment that Atem was helpless or something.

Needing to remedy the situation and make his intentions clear, Yuugi started explaining. "I sincerely apologize. I didn't mean anything by giving you half of the sandwich. I should have asked first, but you see… I didn't want it to end up in the trash bin, and these things are so big. Before an exam, I feel my stomach shrinking so I can never eat a full breakfast, yet I can't have coffee in an empty stomach. So, I thought of sharing it. I'm really sorry. Of course, you couldn't know what's on my mind. You don't even know me. But, really I didn't mean to offend you." His voice softened, almost a whisper. "I'd never think you are a charity case."

Atem's tensed body relaxed hearing Yuugi's explanation. It was obvious by both the boy's body language as well as the anxious tone in his voice that he hadn't meant to hurt his feelings. Yuugi's amethyst eyes had gone wide with surprise before turning misty with worry, his body had tensed and his hands had unconsciously clenched his coffee cup. Wanting the boy to relax again, Atem got a hold of the sandwich and took a bite. It was for sure a good size and it tasted good, so it would be a pity to end up in the trash bin, especially since Atem was so hungry. Really, he couldn't remember when was the last time he had a sandwich. His meals lately had been coffee, energy drinks and chips from work.

Seeing Atem eating, helped Yuugi relax, too. He took a bite of his half sandwich and a sip of his coffee. Still, it took him a while to gather his courage to speak again. "So, are you ready for today's exam?" It was a safe topic.

"I'd like to answer yes with certainty, but I can't," Atem admitted taking a sip of his coffee. "I mean, I'm positive I can write a full essay about any topic the professor chooses, but I'd really love it if I could narrow the topics down to a reasonable number so I could check my notes one last time."

Yuugi thought about it. "Didn't his last lecture help you do that? I think the time he spend on certain topics was quite enlightening." Upon further thought, he added. "Or maybe that was just me."

That was the perfect opening for Atem. "Well, if I want to be completely honest with you, I was hoping you could share your notes of the last lecture with me. I missed it, you see." His voice was a bit strained. He didn't like asking people for things, especially if he couldn't give something back. But he needed the notes.

Understanding that the other boy wasn't just casually asking for his notes out of curiosity but rather needed them and hearing how strained his voice was, Yuugi sighted theatrically. "Ah, so that's it. And I was wondering why such a good looking guy would join me for a cup of coffee in an empty cafeteria so early in the morning. I should have known he was after my notes."

Yuugi caught himself shamelessly flirting with Atem and being unable to stop it. Sure, he had meant to use humor to lighten the mood but calling Atem good looking, no matter how true it was, hadn't been part of the plan. And on the bus, he had called him handsome! Yuugi wanted to kick himself. Sure, Atem was quite handsome but that wasn't the point. He had just met him for Christ's sake. What was wrong with him?

"I mean, this rules out the possibility of being followed and murdered," he tried lamely to save himself. "Eliminating the competition and all. One day, I may steal your job."

Atem blinked. Then, he blinked again. His caffeinated yet still tired brain took a while to process Yuugi's words and add them to the flustered look of the young boy. When his brain finally decided to work, Atem started laughing. His laughter was rich and booming. Eliminating the competition, he had said. The boy was for sure funny.

Yuugi was a huge surprise. In the short time Atem had known him, he had showed him he was smart and funny. He could be shy but also assertive and ready to do things that other people usually wouldn't do. His actions and words carried an innocence that was quite refreshing. He was a real mystery, so different to the people Atem mostly dealt with that he wanted nothing more than to know this young boy better. That surprised Atem a lot. Usually, he was indifferent towards strangers.

"I simply want to steal your notes for a while." Atem said when he stopped laughing. His eyes were full of tears of mirth. He hadn't laughed in a while. "Then again, if they lead me astray, I may end up coming back to hunt you down."

As Yuugi busied himself with retrieving the right notes from a folder in his backpack, Atem saw a soft smile resting on the other boy's lips and his body being once again relaxed. As Atem skimmed through the precious notes relieved to find out he perfectly knew all the material the professor had discussed, another part of his brain helped Atem into a revelation. What if Yuugi wasn't flustered because of his joke and how it would be received by an almost stranger? What if he was flustered because he had called him good looking? Was Yuugi flirting with him?

It was so subtle that it could be easily missed. Atem was so used to people openly throwing themselves at him that Yuugi's soft approach was more like a single raindrop falling at the surface of a lake. Thinking he was overthinking the situation, Atem focused on the notes, occasionally sipping his coffee. Meanwhile, Yuugi worked his way through his half of the sandwich without bothering the other boy. He didn't feel the need to fill the silence with chatter. He chose to go through his mental notes, proud to find out he could ski his way through the different topics without any problem. By the time Atem returned the notes with a thank you, he was ready for some talking. The two boys spent the remaining minutes discussing their favorite topics and speculating which ones would make the cut.

A few moments before nine, they left the cafeteria and walked together towards the amphitheater the exam was taking place in.

"Good luck." Yuugi wished the other boy.

"You, too." Atem wished him back with a soft smile.

When the topics were given, Atem was relieved to see he could easily pass the exam and that Yuugi's notes were spot on. He had everything he needed. Smiling, he started writing. When he was satisfied with his answers, he stood up and walked towards the old professor who smiled at him. The old man had often noticed the crimson eyed boy, always so exhausted yet attentive, in his classes.

"Do you think you did well?" the professor asked, politely.

"I think so, sir." Atem answered. He had rarely talked to the professor, even though he recalled a heated discussion he had taken part in about a month after the beginning of the semester. It was probably one of the very few moments he had joined a class well rested.

"Then, enjoy your few free days until the results are up." The professor said back, placing Atem's paper on top of a pile of papers.

As Atem made his way to the exit, his eyes met those of Yuugi. The young boy was also about to hand in his paper. Yuugi smiled at him before he turned his attention to the professor who greeted him cordially. They started discussing something, probably the exam, in hushed voices, trying not to disturb the other students. Once again, Atem wondered how he could have not noticed Yuugi was his classmate for a whole semester.

When Yuugi walked out of the amphitheater some minutes later, he found Atem waiting for him. "Hey!" Yugi greeted him, brightly. His excitement on seeing the older boy waiting for him was palpable. "How was it?"

"Pretty easy, actually. Thank you for letting me borrow your notes. They helped a lot."

"It was nothing really. Anyone would have done the same. Plus, you clearly knew all those things. You simply needed some reassurance."

The two boys leisurely walked towards the bus stop knowing too well they needn't hurry since the next bus was schedule to pass by in more than half an hour.

"You seemed really at ease with the professor." Atem mentioned at some point. "Were you really active in his lessons? You'd think I'd recall your voice." It was true. Yuugi's voice was so melodical.

"I wasn't an active participant most of the times. You see, this is the second time I'm taking this class. I knew a great deal of the material so it wouldn't be fair for the other students." Yuugi admitted, much to Atem's shock. Had Yuugi failed to pass the exam the previous semester? Seeing Atem's shocked expression, Yuugi added. "I had to drop all my classes in the middle of the previous semester due to my hospitalization. I was involved in an accident and spent two months in the hospital. Even after that, things were a bit difficult. When the new semester started, I chose the same courses including this one. However, about a month into the semester I started missing classes again because of an infection. After that, when I came back, I'd simply sit at the first row and take notes. That's probably why you hadn't seen me." After a second, he added one more thing. "I guess it also helps that my grandpa personally knows Professor Hopkins. I was in one of his lectures in the National Museum of Nature and Science some years ago."

It took Atem a few moments to process what Yuugi had told him. Taking a closer look at Yuugi's skin, he noticed that even though the boy's complexion was really fair as if the moonlight could be reflected on his skin, he didn't look sickly. His cheeks were rosy and his eyes sparkled with life. Then, he remembered how Yuugi mentioned he knew the professor because of his grandfather.

"Didn't Hopkins or the other professors offer you an alternative way of finishing your classes? Online lessons? Writing some papers?"

"Well, most of them did. Professor Hopkins even visited me in the hospital once. But it wouldn't be the same. I wanted the full experience. The excitement of the amphitheater and the contribution of the students in a discussion are part of the learning experience. Anyway, repeating one semester isn't that bad." Yuugi shrugged as if it didn't worry him at all.

"No, it's not." Atem agreed. "I was out for a semester too." He didn't offer an explanation as to why, though.

The two boys reached the bus stop. They moved to take a seat at the bench when Yuugi noticed the yellow car parked by the sign signaling the stop. Then, unexpectedly he started laughing. Atem raised an eyebrow but before he could question him, the front door of the car opened and shut with a bang and a tall blond guy walked towards them. In seconds, he had Yuugi in a headlock messing with the boy's hair while said boy was choking out some words Atem couldn't make out. Caught between the need to laugh and interfere, Atem took a step forward.

The blonde immediately noticed him. Surprise registered on his face taking in Atem's appearance and he finally released Yuugi, much to Atem's relief.

"Yug', you didn't tell me you had a twin, a taller twin." Upon a closer inspection of Atem, he added, "A taller twin with freakish red eyes like a vampire and cooler hair color than you. Quite goth."

"Joey!" Yuugi groaned. "You can't call people's eyes freakish."

"But, Yug'…"

"No. Apologize."

Joey pouted, but he apologized anyway. "Dude, it was a joke. Your eyes are pretty cool, actually. Freakish, but cool."

"Thanks, I guess." Atem replied, not sure what to make of the blond boy, while Yuugi face palmed. "I'm not his twin." Atem felt the need to clarify, even though he didn't know why. Really, being thought as Yuugi's twin was disturbing.

Yuugi gave Joey a look. "He knows I don't have a twin."

"Just making sure." Atem grinned. He briefly wondered if this guy was Yuugi's boyfriend, but he immediately dismissed the idea. Their greeting was more brotherly than romantic. And anyway he didn't know if Yuugi was into boys.

"I'm Joey Wheeler, by the way. I know he doesn't have a twin. I'd have noticed a twin walking around our apartment."

"Atem Sennen." Atem introduced himself, taking in the new information. A roommate maybe?

Yuugi hadn't said a word during this exchange. He simply allowed the two boys to interact with each other, his lips shaping a smile. He liked what was happening. Yuugi knew he was getting ahead of himself but he actually liked the idea of Atem and Joey getting along. It was at that moment that Yuugi realized he wanted to get to know Atem better and befriend him.

"So, Yuugi, do you want a ride home?" Joey asked, turning to look at the amethyst-eyed boy; the very quiet amethyst-eyed boy.

"Since you came all the way here for no other reason than to give me a ride even though I didn't ask for one, I guess I can't say no." Yuugi grinned.

"Cheeky. That's what I get for being thoughtful for once." Joey complained, never losing his smile. Having Yuugi being so confident was a real treat. He liked it. There was a time that Joey thought he wouldn't be able to spend any more time simply teasing the young boy anymore, getting such smart replies back.

"Thank you, Joey. You're being your awesome self. You're a lifesaver." Yuugi lied it thick with enthusiasm and Joey stuck out his tongue at him.

Yuugi and Joey moved towards the car teasing each other. Yuugi was just about to open the back door when he noticed Atem hadn't moved.

"Well, I think crimson eyes wants a private invitation." Joey joked, raising an eyebrow.

"Come, Atem. We'll drive you. You can tell us where you want us to drop you off." Yuugi said softly.

Atem looked at them with wild eyes. Why were they offering him a ride?

"Joey, I think he knows all about your driving." Yuugi pretended to whisper, his voice playful. "Reassure him."

"Dude, I'm an excellent driver!" Joey complained. "It was Tristan who threw his bike on the bug! It wasn't my fault!"

Atem bit his lip.

"What about that old lady?" Yuugi pushed, trying not to laugh at Atem's bewildered look.

"She threw herself in front of me like a cheetah. These old ladies can move when they want to! Have you ever seen them when they try to snatch the last baking powder from the shelf at the supermarket?" Joey was full mode defensive but his words and Atem's reactions were so funny that Yuugi started laughing. "Get in!" Joey fake growled.

Yuugi smiled at Atem beckoning him once again. He was pleased to see Atem following him in the car, taking a seat by his side, a bemused smile having replaced the shock in his crimson eyes.

So, that's it. This is the longest chapter I've written so far for this story. Probably because it was so fun writing all these interactions between Yugi and Atem or Yugi, Atem and Joey. Or because almost nothing in this chapter is as complicated as the following chapters. Let me know what you think of the chapter. See you soon.