Title: Tender

Author: DJ

Rating: PG

Summery/Notes: Very, very short fic. Might be part of a series, but it was me testing out the waters with pairing Joey with other people. I think the two blonds look good together and seems to be a very under used coupling. Marik (as I prefer to call him, because I think it sounds nicer than Malik) gets paired with either his Yami or Bakura so often that you have to wonder if that isn't just a straight jacket. Plus, Joey hardly gets paired at all, but usually with Yugi/Yami Yugi or Kaiba. Or Tristan...or Duke. Um... Next, I want to try a Mako/Joey!

His arms wrapped around me and held me close. His blond hair was soft against my bare chest. I felt his fingers trail down my arm as he whisperers, "I could loose myself in you, Joey."

How did I end up here? Good question. I don't even really know the person in my arms. His tan skin stands out against my pale, creamy skin. His blond is different from mine. He's more of a platinum, while I guess I'm a gold. It looks more like un-woven silk in my arms. Sometimes he glances up at me, and I can see his soft, gentle violet eyes. No, lilac. Everything about him is familiar, and yet not. Like a forgotten dream or de ja vu. He inches closer to me, whispering something that I don't understand. I like his voice. It's soft. Yet strong. And yet so passive and scared. He's seen something terrible to be like this.

He's a mess. He was sobbing in my arms only minutes earlier. He was probably looking for his...brother or servant or whatever. Rishido. He stares up at me, breaking my thoughts and I gently stroke his cheek. "Joey..." he whispers, bringing me into a kiss.

As his tongue works over mine in a mindless motion of lust and need, I get lost in the moment, forgetting who and what I am. Forgetting who he is.

He is.

That's all I know.

He is neither friend nor enemy.

I gasp, feeling his warm tongue run over my cold skin. A small moan escapes my lips as I begin to loose myself in him. But I know I can't. I keep my hand grasped in reality as the rest of me falls.

My hand trails down his back as he gasps, pulled from me. "Joey...no...no!" He holds his head in his hands, breathing heavily.

"Na-- Namo...?" I tried tentatively. That's not his name, I know. But I'm not sure what else to call him. He turns to me, staring at me through those eyes that are now so filled with pain. "What happened?" I whisper before I realize what I'm saying.

"Please save me from him..."

I stare at him, confused. "What?"

"Him. Y-Yami..."

"Yami?"

"*My* Yami," his insists. "I only wanted to be pharaoh. He...he wants to kill...everyone."

"You don't have the Rod anymore. Yugi took it."

"No...he's different. He comes out when I'm angry. Or weak. I don't want...I don't want him to come out."

I take him into my arms, holding him close. "Shhh..." I breathed. "Don't worry. No. Don't. I'll help you. He won't come out." I began petting his golden silk for hair, hearing his soft sobs. "He won't come out..."