It was midnight, but Kaiba had too much work to do to fall asleep. With his upcoming tournament, he never had time to do anything for himself those days.

But the tournament is for me.

So I could gain back my title.

And win as many rare cards as possible.

Including all those God cards.

He smiled to himself as he put in the finishing touches to his plans. Everything was set. Now, he just needed to finish the list of invited duelists. He only got to the fifth one before someone knocked on his door.

What is Mokuba doing up at such an hour?

"Come in, Moki."

"I ain't Moki, Kaiba."

Kaiba's eyes immediately snapped to the doorway, where his puppy stood, blushing slightly with a look of pain etched on his face.

"Joey…" he started, not knowing what to say. Asking the blonde why he was here would imply that he didn't want him around, which wasn't true. Telling him to come in would be too formal. Going to him would be pathetic. So, Kaiba waited for Joey to speak.

"Did you...mean what you said?" Joey asked, then continued when Kaiba tilted his head in confusion, "when you told me I was worthless, a-a dog, a third-rate duelist, th-that I was nothing? Did you mean that? Were you with me despite those things or something?"

Kaiba closed his laptop screen, not liking the look on his puppy's face one bit. He decided not to ask Joey what was wrong. If the blonde wanted him to know, he would've said something already. Instead, Kaiba answered the questions as honestly as he could.

"I never said you were nothing, Joey. As for the other things, I was just teasing you. I thought you were fine with it since you always did the same. I'll stop if you're not."

For a second, his puppy looked surprised, then he shook his head with a slight smile.

"Nah. You don't have to stop...as long as you don't mean it."

"I don't," Kaiba said firmly. The two of them looked at each other in silence for a second before the brunette spoke up.

"If this is about that Devlin guy, I've already terminated all Kaiba Corp relations with his shop. It took a large hit as a result. He understands perfectly well that if he doesn't remove all the videos on youtube and declare that his duel with you was an unofficial one that shouldn't affect your rank as a duelist, there will be hell to pay."

Joey's eyes widened and his mouth hung open for a second.

"Y-you would do that for me?" he asked quickly, then shook his head and said, "I mean, thank you, but he wasn't the one who put the videos online. It was his fans."

Kaiba huffed at that.

"He is the one who chose to humiliate a person who didn't deserve it for no reason. As far as I am concerned, he is to blame for everything that happened after that."

"I don't want to stay at Yugi's tonight," the blonde blurted out, "and - and I don't want to go back home. I am grateful that Yuge won to get me outta that dog suit, but I just wish that…"

You wish that you didn't need him to fight your battles for you.

I understand.

I feel the same way about that runt.

But I can't be too upset about it.

He did save Mokuba.

"You can stay here for as long as you want, puppy."

Joey smiled, but continued to stand there in the doorway, saying nothing. Kaiba decided he would extend the olive branch this time, but it would be the last time for a decade.

"You won't believe what happened to me in this museum a few days ago," the brunette started, gesturing for the blonde to come in, then continuing, "So I met this crazy woman named Ishizu…"

"Who are you? And what do you want with my millennium puzzle?" Yugi asked the scary-looking man with a hood who has stolen his puzzle and led him to an abandoned warehouse. He should've trusted his instincts and not given the puzzle to everyone. Now, his friend was in danger and it was all Yugi's fault. He had to get the puzzle back!

"There are ancient secrets buried within your puzzle millennium puzzles that neither you nor even the spirit of the millennium puzzle are aware of," the man said with a threatening voice.

Yugi's eyes widened.

He knows about Yami's presence?

How?

What does he know?

What will it take to get him to tell me?

Yami had been down ever since his talk with grandpa.

Maybe this man's news might help him feel better.

"I accept your challenge!" Yugi said confidently, but, inside, he was trembling with fear. Yami was telling him that he couldn't help, that Yugi would have to do this alone. It's always a disaster when Yugi duels alone. Now, his puzzle was at stake. If he doesn't win, he'll lose Yami forever. He can't let that happen. Yami was starting to be his closest friend. He needs Yami!

Aibou, it's going to be alright.

You can beat him, just trust yourself and your deck.

Be very careful, though.

I sense a great evil within this man.

Much like the one I sensed in Bakura.

I don't want you to get hurt.

Yugi looked at every card he drew and remembered how Yami played it. He used the same tactics and combo moves that his other self did. Iit looked like he would win. That was, until Bandit Keith went insane and ran across the field to where the puzzle was.

"If I can't have this puzzle, no one can!" the man yelled, smashing the puzzle to pieces. Yugi's blood ran cold. The man had just put Yami in a coma, and if Yugi doesn't solve the puzzle again, his other self will be gone forever.

YAMI!

NO!

He had to find all the pieces. If he misses just one, Yami would be gone forever. Yugi couldn't lose him! Yami was everything to him! Yugi didn't stop adding the pieces. He didn't stop solving the puzzle, even when the entire warehouse was set on fire. The last thing he remembered before he passed out was Yami calling out his name.

Yami jerked awake again on the floor of his soulroom, unable to remember how he had been put to sleep.

Yugi!

He received no answer. What had happened?

Did Yugi take the puzzle apart?

No...that doesn't sound like something he'd do now.

What happened?

That's when the spirit remembered that the young boy had handed over the puzzle to a stranger who wanted to duel him for it.

Did Yugi lose?

Oh god, was I taken from him?

Why did this new owner take the puzzle apart?

Are they even aware of my presence?

Taking a deep breath in an effort to curb his anxiety, the spirit got up off the floor and opened the doorway to his soul room. His new owner's soul room would give Yami some hints about what kind of person owned the puzzle now. He relaxed entirely when he saw that the door across the hall was Yugi's. But, then, why was the puzzle taken apart? Yami knocked gently and only heart a pained moan from inside. He immediately burst in and found that the entire soul room was on fire.

His heart stopped beating for a second as he searched for his aibou. He immediately pulled Yugi into his arms and ran out of the room when he saw the small boy. There was only one problem. No matter how hard the spirit yelled, shook him, or tried to communicate, Yugi wouldn't wake up. Yami felt completely useless. He didn't know what was happening and he couldn't do anything to help his aibou. Yugi's skin was too hot, but Yami wouldn't let go, even when he felt it would burn his own. He couldn't let Yugi go; he stayed there, holding the small boy on the floor of his soul room, until he felt Yugi's soul disappear. His heart stopped. Yugi couldn't be dead. What was happening?

Yami, are you there?

Yugi's voice was too distant, too low. It was barely above a whisper and, in no way, reassured the spirit. Yami immediately exited the puzzle in spirit form only to find that there were multiple people in weird, white coats surrounding Yugi, placing bandages and cream over Yugi's palms, which were completely burnt. The young boy was barely conscious, his eyes fluttering open and closed dozens of times in one minute.

Yugi! Stay awake!

His aibou's eyes finally snapped open for good and focused on him. Yugi smiled slightly, though he flinched in pain multiple times. What were these people doing to him? Why are they hurting him?

They're helping me.

I am so glad you're alright.

I was so worried.

Yugi's voice was still low, but it was more coherent than the last time the boy had spoken. Yami was shocked. Worried about him?! What was Yugi talking about? His aibou was the one that was dying a few seconds before.

I am not dying, silly.

Don't worry so much.

Yami gave Yugi a sad smile, knowing his negative emotions were reaching the younger boy through their mind link, but the spirit was too frantic to control it. He still had no idea what was happening.

The warehouse was set on fire.

Thank god you made it out.

What about you?!

What are they doing to you?

Aibou?

Yugi lost consciousness again. Yami retreated into the younger one's soul room once more to hold him. It didn't help Yugi in any way, but Yami just needed to do it. He wanted to be with Yugi even if he wasn't aware of the spirit's presence.

Yami forcibly took over Yugi's body when he was more aware of what was happening to his aibou. The burn treatment was painful. Yugi shouldn't be in pain. Yami could take it better, or, at least, that's what he told himself. Every movement of his hands was agonizing and the spirit didn't know how Yugi had managed to endure the doctors applying bandages on his palms. His aibou appeared in spirit form and sat down on the bed next to Yami.

You're overreacting

Please let me take over.

It's not that painful for me.

"I am very comfortable, Yugi," Yami reassured, forcing a smile and hoping Yugi didn't see through his act. Of course, the younger one did and glared at Yami.

You're lying.

Please, just-

"Alright man, now that everyone is gone, you and I are gonna have a little talk, Yuge," Joey said, coming into the room without knocking. Yami felt Yugi's anxiety through their mindlink.

Is everything alright, aibou?

Yeah, everything is fine.

Can we just switch really quickly?

This is kind of a private conversation.

I'll tell him it's me and ask him to come back later.

Yami hid the hurt that he felt at Yugi wanting to keep something from him, but he respected his aibou's wishes. He was about to tell Joey about his identity when the blonde spoke.

"Don't even try to wiggle out of this, Yuge. What were you thinking? You almost died! You could've left the puzzle. Yami would've been fine. The fire wouldn't have done anything to the puzzle. It could've done a lot to you, though. It did do a lot to ya! How could you do that?" the blonde snapped. Yami blinked and looked to his right, where Yugi's spirit form had been. His aibou had retreated into his soul room.

"Are you saying that I could have escaped but stayed back because I didn't want to leave Yami?" the spirit asked carefully, knowing Joey was too furious to notice the strangeness of the question. He didn't even feel guilty about manipulating the blonde or going against Yugi's wishes. How could his aibou have done something like this? What if he had gotten hurt or worse?

What were you thinking, yugi?

"Yes! I-" Joey shouted, then stopped. His eyes widened and he cleared his throat, then continued, "You're not Yugi, are ya?"

Yami shook his head with a scowl. God, he wanted to kill Yugi!

"That's not what happened. I am just too upset. I was worried. He didn't stay behind that long. The fire wasn't even that big. He would've made it out, either way. I-" Joey started frantically, trying to cover up his slip. Yami interrupted him.

"It's alright Joey. You don't need to lie to me. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to have a conversation with Yugi," Yami said, then quickly retreated into the puzzle before Joey could answer him. Yugi's soul room was closed. Surprisingly, though, when Yami tried the doorknob, it opened. If Yugi knew how angry he was, he would've locked the room.

"Yugi-" Yami yelled as he entered the room. Yugi was sitting on the floor with his toys, smiling up at the spirit with a worried expression on his face, "What were you thinking?"

At that, Yugi instantly frowned. He got up and walked towards the spirit.

"You don't understand, Yami. Bandit Keith had shattered the puzzle. If I left you in the warehouse and it burned down, I never would've found all the pieces in the rubble. You would've been gone forever."

"I don't care!" the spirit yelled. He wasn't really listening to what Yugi was saying. He was too angry at his aibou to be rational right now, "You could've died. Why don't you understand that?! I know you're a child, Yugi, but death is real. It's permanent and it's not fun. You shouldn't be taking foolish risks like this."

"I am not a child! I just care about you. Why do you not understand that?" Yugi screamed, tears rolling down his cheek. Yami didn't look his aibou in the eye. Yugi's expression was too sad. The spirit would forgive Yugi in an instant if he looked at him now. He didn't want to forgive him. What he did was unforgivable.

"UNFORGIVABLE? Why are you acting like I killed someone, other me? I was just helping out a friend that I care for-"

"If that care leads to your death, then it shouldn't exist!" Yami yelled back. He didn't mean it, of course. He was just frightened by the thought of Yugi dying or getting injured or anything, really. His emotions were getting the best of him.

Maybe it's because of my crush.

"What crush?"

Yami froze, his eyes wide. He didn't mean for Yugi to hear that. He needed to change the subject, fast!

"You should've left the puzzle behind, aibou."

Yugi was now smiling widely, apparently forgetting their earlier fight. He started jumping up and down around Yami, asking him all kinds of questions that the spirit absolutely didn't want to answer.

"Ohhhhh, you like someone!"

"Who is it?"

"Were they around the building when it happened?"

"Is that why you're so upset?"

"It's Tea, isn't it?"

"You know, I think she likes you, too. "

"I told her about you and she didn't seem that surprised that there were two of us."

"Anyone who is that attentive probably had very intense feelings."

"If you ask her out, she'll say yes. I am sure!"

Calm down, aibou!

Yami internally sighed in relief. At least Yugi wasn't onto him. His aibou thought he liked Tea. He can play along with that.

"Yugi, she's not the reason I'm upset!" Yami said firmly, glaring at Yugi, who had stopped jumping around, but was now grinning widely.

"But you do like her! Admit it! Is that why you've been so down lately? You can still kiss her and stuff with my body. I don't mind."

"Yugi!"

His aibou ignored him and declared that he would help his other self out. Before Yami could ask what that meant, Yugi reclaimed control over his body. The spirit blinked, confused, and hoped that Yugi wouldn't do anything that would embarrass both of them.

When Yugi opened his eyes, he found that Joey was in the room with him, sitting in a chair next to his hospital bed and rubbing his temples as if he had a headache. The blonde looked up once he saw that Yugi was awake.

"Er...Sorry about that, Yuge. I didn't know it was him. I am glad you're up. I need to tell you something about Yami's past."