// blah // = Yami

/ blah / = Yuugi

I know Ryou has brown eyes, that is why the bad guy is not Ryou or his Yami

Onward!

"I had a wonderful day guys, thank you." Yuugi said sincerely with a bow as the trio got ready to leave him at the game shop. "I couldn't have asked for more."

"No problem Yuug'!" Jou exclaimed using the now popular nick name. "Swing by anytime!"

"Yes, anytime." Anzu repeated cheerfully. Honda bowed and smiled, slinging his bag over one shoulder and walking after the others. Yuugi watched them go with a fond and faraway look.

//You miss them all ready, don't you Aibou? //

"Yes..." Yuugi heaved an inward sigh and placed tremulous fingers on a chilled doorknob. "Brace yourself, Yami." The boy whispered the warning under his breath and gave just enough time for the Egyptian to wonder why before he swung the door open.

"Yuugi!" A shrill scream pierced the dead air of the game shop. "Oh my, I'm so glad you're home!" In no time at all cold arms were wrapped around the changed boy, smothering him in antiseptic. "Never do that again! You here me young man?" She yelled as she shook him hard. He coughed, choking on the sickly smell, and his mother thought this meant something else.

// Aibou? // Yami screamed, alarmed. // What is she doing? And what is that revolting smell? // He added, reeling in his soul room. //I think...I... // Yuugi listened for anything else while his mother bundled him up in thirty layers and whisked him into the car all the while muttering how he had probably caught his death.

/ Yami? / The boy asked worriedly, / are you all right? Yami? / He searched his mind for any sign of the other being he had come to befriend. / I hope you're okay... / he whispered, staring with loathing at the blue hospital signs. He knew better then to object.

The red and white emergency doors swung into view and his mother stopped the car, pulled him out and ran through them.

"I need a doctor!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. "My son is dying!" Yuugi hung his head in embarrassment as at least three nurses and two doctors ran to them in a blind panic.

"What is it ma'am?"

"What happened?"

"Is he ill?"

"Injured?"

"Dead?" They all yelled in unison. Yuugi could feel his anger rise, he had had enough of it all, the coddling, the protection, the health food...it all became too much.

"Stop it!" He bellowed, drowning everyone out, waking Yami and causing all the people in the waiting room to look up. "I. Am. Fine!" He roared in measured words. "Everybody just leave me alone!" Yuugi began stripping off the blankets, scarves and sweaters, stepping carefully out of the thermal underwear, sweat pants and knitted shorts leaving him in a pair of jeans and a baggy sweatshirt.

"Yuugi!" His mother said, appalled.

"Shut up, mother!" The boy replied, shoving her away. "I am sick of you..." he murmured weakly, wanting to just disappear into a hole where he stood. In his mind he whispered hurried pleas.

/ Yami, get me out of here, please, just make me leave, I can't move, help me, help, please Yami... /

// I'm coming Aibou. // The Egyptian responded to the feverish chanting. Yuugi felt the accustomed pull as Yami quietly took over. Instantly he knew what Yuugi had been so terrified of. People were everywhere, surrounding him, closing in, suffocating! The sounds, the scents, the heat, the fear! An emotion he was so new to. Get away! His mind shrieked, must get away! Slowly Yami began backing out of the circle, pushing away the people behind him, the ones pressing him, causing the fear, the claustrophobia. A break, a chance, spying the only escape Yami dashed through the opening in the throng of bodies and ran as fast as the combined strength of Yuugi and himself would allow him. Through the people, around the desks, across the hall. An arm, seemingly out of nowhere crossed his field of vision. Protect your Aibou from the enemy!

"Eye of Illusion!" He howled feeling the comforting power flood from his forehead and explode from his finger tips in a glittering mass of energy. It knocked away the arms and suddenly everyone backed away. Yami stood, panting, taking one last look at all the astonished faces and took one step back, two steps, turning around and running all out through the doors leaving the masses quivering behind him.

The cool air refreshed his senses and he stopped his panic driven feet. "Aibou?" He talked out loud, wanting the comfort of a voice he knew while he waited for an answer that seemed to take longer then usual to receive.

/ Yami? What happened? Your heart is racing? / The Egyptian slumped to the ground.

"They were everywhere Aibou, it seemed as hundreds, numerous as the fish in the Nile. They kept reaching towards me, I panicked, it was all too much! I, I think I hurt, I hurt someone!" He yelled finally, burrowing his face into his arms. "I've never felt so out of control. It scared me Aibou..." he trailed off, his heavy breathing the only sound in the deepening twilight.

/ It's all right Yami, I promise everything will be all right. I shouldn't have reacted like that...it's the strangest thing though, I think I passed out as soon as you took over, I can't remember any of it. /

"What should we do?" Yami could feel Yuugi yawning and saw the muddy colors swirling around his mind, he wasn't as calm as he was pretending to be.

/I don't know... / he replied tiredly. / We can't go back home... /

"Would you mind if I walked around a bit? I need to clear my head." He felt a laugh bubble up from somewhere like a new spring.

/ Sure, as long as you don't mind me taking a nap. /

"Of course Aibou, you need rest after such a long day." The only response was a quiet snore.

Yami drifted the near-empty streets like a weary spirit. His mind was whirling in a thousand different directions and he was helpless to stop the chaos. He felt ashamed and proud at the same time, ashamed that he had acted so brashly and proud that he had been able to help his Aibou. But he was confused as well...too much was too new. Tiredly he looked up to see where his disgruntled feet had taken him. Jou's house. Knowing he couldn't, and shouldn't for that matter, knock on the door he sat on the step and waited; for what he didn't know.

Angered shouting made his snap awake, blinking away the sleep dimming his vibrant eyes.

"Yeah? Well, fuck you too pops!" Yami winced as he heard a solid fist connect somewhere, fully aware that it probably wasn't Jou doing the beating. He felt the same power trickling through his body, eventually becoming a full fledged torrent that he couldn't control. In his anger the door burst off it's hinges and revealed the bloody scene. Jou lay panting in a corner, huddled in to protect himself, while his father held his broken nose. They both looked up in pained surprise.

"Yuug'...?" Jou asked weakly. He couldn't believe his eyes. Before him stood a side of the quiet child he had not yet seen. He seemed...bigger...for lack of better explanation, emanating power few had seen, his eyes glowed white piercing the dim light while a third threw brilliant colors into the air.

/ Yami? / Yuugi whispered, feeling his other jump. The light disappeared and Yami stood confused in the middle. Jou clung to the wall staring at his unconscious father. / I'm taking over now Yami. / Yuugi stated. The silent one didn't acknowledge anything.

"Jou? What happened? Are you all right?" Jou shook and turned his gaze to Yuugi regarding him with slightly different feelings. "Jou?"

"What did ya do Yuug'?" He murmured falling to the floor. Yuugi had to struggle to hold him up.

"Are you hurt badly?" He asked, fearful.

"Nah...jus' a little..." His brown eyes closed and Yuugi felt very alone and scared. He stared warily at the other unconscious man.

/ Yami? / When he got no answer he could picture his other passed out in his soul room. Yuugi was beginning to feel frightened in the near darkness of the foreign home. The only light was the flickering and sickly yellow of the single bulb swaying from the ceiling and that was only god enough to deepen the shadows creeping around his mind. He felt sapped of strength and resolve, reduced to a quivering shell of what he once was able only to hide in a world as black as pitch.

Sorry it was so short but I ran out of stuff to write. Thanks to all who review! Ja!