Chapter 14
The Shop's New Keeper

The phone rang. Yugi opened his eyes and broke the darkness. He sat up. "Yami..." He said quietly, feeling guilty that he hadn't believed his Yami. Yami Yugi wasn't wrong very often. What if Bakura really was out to betray him?

The phone rang again, bringing Yugi back to reality. Yugi picked up the receiver and put it up to his ear. "Hello?"

The voice on the other end was familiarly and goofy, "Hey, Yug!" A nickname that Joey had given him.

"Oh...hi, Joey." Yugi said into the receiver.

"Hey, Yug, me and Tristan..."

"Tristan and I."

"So what? I didn't fail English for nothing. Anyways, Me and...I mean, Tristan and I... were thinking of going to the diner for lunch tomorrow, and then going to the ice rink to go skating."

"Oh really? That ought to be fun. But I can't skate..."

"Me and Tristan can't either. 'Bout time we learned, huh Yug?"

"Sounds great! What time?"

"We meet at the diner at noon. Oh, and tell Tea, it would be great if we could all be there."

Yugi thought about what Joey had said for a second. "Funny you didn't mention Bakura..."

There was a pause of silence before Joey answered again. "I didn't think he'd be up to it."

"Joey...I think Bakura is very lonely and very depressed. Why can't we let him come along?"

"Do you think his aunt will let him?"

"Joey, Bakura isn't with his aunt right now. He's staying here, with Grandpa and I for a little while."

"He is? Why? What happened?"

"I don't know. He didn't tell me much. He just walked in and said he couldn't stay with his aunt right now, and asked if he could stay with us."

"Oh...okay. Well my mom is practically beating me with a broom to try and get me to mow the lawn. I don't see why she makes me do it. I always screw it up somehow."

"Okay," Yugi said with a laugh, "talk to you later. Bye!"

"See ya tomorrow, Yug."

There was a click and then a dial tone on the other end of the line. Yugi hung up shortly after.

Yugi picked up the remote control and turned off the television, which was now displaying a commercial for dog food. Yugi got up and trotted into the kitchen. Salomon was sitting at a card table, drinking a cup of coffee. Yugi walked over to the other end of the table and sat down.

"Hey, Grandpa. How is your training going with Bakura?"

Salomon took a sip from his coffee cup and placed it back down on the table. He smiled at Yugi pleasantly, "The boys' a natural. He caught on very quick and he is very polite. He seems like such an intelligent young man. Why didn't you invite him over more often?"

"Grandpa, he's just a school friend. I've only known him for a little while. And he's usually very busy..." Yugi thought about all the work that Bakura did for his aunt.

"You should hang around him more often. He could really teach you a thing or two. Why can't you act more like him?"

Out of embarrassment and anger, Yugi said the first thing that came to his mind. "I don't want to act like him, he acts weird!"

Salomon looked at Yugi wide-eyed. Salomon didn't move; he just stared at Yugi in his surprise. Yugi usually never lashed out like that, and if he did it was never something mean about someone else.

Yugi quickly drew himself back to think about what he had just said about Bakura. Bakura never wanted to act weird. He had kept himself mostly isolated from social contact with others because he feared for their safety; he hadn't wanted Yami Bakura to hurt them. He didn't have many friends because he refused to get too close to anyone. Yugi remembered how hard it had been to become friends with Bakura because he refused to get close, and refused to trust anyone, and refused to talk.

Yugi thought hard about this. Bakura was, trying to keep others safe at his own expense. Who was Yugi to badmouth a friend just trying to protect others?

"Grandpa...I didn't mean to say that...I'm sorry..."
Salomon didn't say a thing. He just raised his coffee mug up to his lips and took another sip, all the while, still staring at Yugi. Something in Salomon's eyes told Yugi that he should check on Bakura. So without another word, Yugi left the kitchen and descended downstairs to the shop.

"Hello." Bakura greeted Yugi with a forced smile.
Something in Bakura's eyes and in his tone of voice told Yugi that Bakura was hurting on the inside.

"Hi, Bakura...What's up?" Yugi said trying his best to be cheerful.

"Nothing really..." Bakura looked back down at what he was doing.
Yugi watched Bakura clean the surface of the glass counter. Yugi watched Bakura for a few minuets. The way Bakura moved was so agonizing. The slow jerking motion he used to wash the counter. As much as it seemed Bakura was trying to hide his inner pain, Yugi could easily see it.

"Bakura?" Yugi said softly, walking to the edge of the counter and looking up at Bakura.

"Yes?" Bakura said in an even softer voice, his pained tone still showing through. He did not stop washing the counter

Yugi moved closer to Bakura until he was right next to Bakura. Yugi placed his hand on Bakura's working hand. Bakura stopped his hand immediately but did not look up at Yugi.

"Bakura...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you." Yugi looked up at the side of Bakura's face.

Bakura didn't look back. "What are you talking about Yugi? You did nothing wrong."

"Bakura...please...I know you heard what I said. I'm sorry I said it. I didn't mean it. I was angry because, grandpa was comparing me to you. I suppose he's right. You are a much better person than me." Yugi frowned as he said this to show his remorse. "Please forgive me."

"No, Yugi..." Bakura said still looking at the counter top. He no longer tried to hide his agonizing tone. "It's not your fault. It's mine. I am weird...and I haven't been a very good friend either. You've done so much for me, and even now, you accept me into your home. I've done nothing for you. And here I am, forced against you by that demon..." Bakura halted. Even his breathing stopped.

Yugi looked confused, "Bakura? What are you talking about? You've done a lot for me and you're helping Grandpa and me out. And what do you mean by demon?"

Bakura exhaled and continued with his work of cleaning the counter. "Noting...nothing at all."

Yugi took Bakura's arm in both hands and pulled him away from the counter. "Bakura..." Tears began to well up in Yugi's eyes.

Bakura didn't look at Yugi; he just stared down at his feet.

Tears slowly did tumbles down Yugi's rosy cheeks. "Bakura...please...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you like I did. And I would most appreciate it if you found it in your heart to forgive me."

Bakura didn't move.

Yugi sniffed loudly and let out a small sob. More tears found their way out of his eyes, down his cheeks, and onto the floor, or Yugi's shirt. "Please...please..." Yugi let out another louder sob and buried his face into Bakura's chest, almost too high for Yugi to reach. Yugi's tears soaked Bakura's shirt with salty water.

The tears just kept coming, until Yugi felt someone rest their hand softly on his head. He looked up into Bakura's dark eyes. There was a small smile on his face. Even with the pain, Yugi found the smile warm and comforting.

Yugi smiled slightly too and looked at Bakura with his teary eyes. "I didn't mean it when I said that mean thing, Bakura. I don't think that about you. You aren't weird."

"I trust you, Yugi..." Bakura said.

"Thanks Bakura...you're the best." Yugi wrapped his arms tightly around Bakura's waist and hugged him.

"Yugi?"

"Yeah?"

"Please don't take this offensively, but perhaps you should stop...People might see and make rumors..."

Yugi let go of Bakura's waist. He then looked over at the big glass windows and door that took up most of the front wall of the store. "You're right!" Yugi said with a laugh. "I have to call Tea anyways."

Yugi was back upstairs and on the phone in a flash. Bakura was back to work in the store, cleaning, organizing, and whatnot.

Yugi dialed Tea's number. The phone rang. Yugi waited for Tea to pick up. Yugi heard a click on the other end of the line and then the voice of Tea, his love interest.

"Hello?" Tea said sweetly.

"Hi, Tea!" Yugi said, happy that he had reached her and was now talking with her privately. Tristan and Joey both really knew how to kill a conversation.

"Oh, is this Yugi?"

"Yeah, it's me." Yugi said with a slight laugh.

"Hi, Yugi! What's up?"

"Well, Tristan, Joey, and I, were all thinking of going to the diner for lunch around noon, and then we were going to go ice skating. Want to come?"

"Do I?! I love to skate, although I'm not too good." Tea sounded excited.

"So, is that a yes?"

"YES! See you there! Bye!"

There was a click on the other end and the dial tone. Yugi held the receiver at in front of himself at arms length and stared at it blankly. 'Girls...' he thought to himself and shook his head.