Sasami: I finally figured out how to finish off this chapter! I wanted to post it yesterday, but I wasn't sure how to finish it off. But, I did it! hahahaha *^^

Nijuu: Forgive my manic hikari. o.O

Sasami: Hey! *^^ Anyhoo…let's get this story going. Yami-chan, disclaimer please!

Nijuu: Neither of us own Yu-gi-oh…I want it…I will get it…Sorry, lost myself for a minute. o.O

Sasami: Looks like I'm rubbing off on you. tee hee

The song is Fear from Sarah McLachlan's CD Mirrorball. I don't own it. I would like to own a song as pretty as this, but I don't unfortunately. My songs aren't quite this talented…*^^

Nijuu: They aren't that bad…Don't be so hard on yourself. o.O

Sasami: Thank you. *hugs yami*  Now! On with the story!!!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Fears of the Stone

Chapter Four: Fear

morning smiles like the face of a newborn child, innocent, unknowing. winter's end, promises of a long lost friend. speaks to me of comfort. but i fear i have nothing to give. i have so much to lose here in this lonely place. tangled up in your embrace there's nothing i'd like better than to fall. but i fear i have nothing to give.

Yuugi was dreaming, though of what he could not recall, when Yami's face flashed through the images behind his closed eyes. It felt like part of the dream, but the words that accompanied Yami's face were too real. //Forgive me hikari.// Had he heard correctly? Maybe he was still dreaming. Down stairs, he heard the front door of the game shop close and lock.

'I wonder where he went.' Yuugi could have asked. Inside his mind, no, in his soul, he could feel their connection. All he had to do was reach out for his Yami's own. Yet, he withheld his thoughts; something within would not allow him to link. Pain. Fear. Disappointment. The story of Yuugi's life. His entire life he had sought solace among people whom he thought could be trusted, but each relationship left him broken further than before. Even among his true friends, he found grief. Jealousy. Loneliness. Heartbreak.

Jou, his best friend in the world, had a new reason for his life. No longer did he need to protect Yuugi, as Yami was there. Besides, Jou had Kaiba now, and apparently, Jou preferred to be the one protected. Even Jii-chan offered little comfort anymore. The man was often away on business, whether it was game shop or archaeology related, leaving Yuugi at home with his Yami more often than not. He chided himself for blaming his family and friends. Business trips and love were things they could not control.

Love was uncontrollable, as Yuugi knew from experience. Shortly after Yami had become part of his existence, Yuugi had fallen for Anzu. Things were going favorably at the beginning, but everyone, Yami especially, saw that the relationship was doomed the minute Anzu laid eyes on Mai. Less than happily, Yuugi accepted his defeat and continued with life, offering forgiveness as always. Now, three years later, it was happening again. There was only one person in the universe Yuugi wanted to spend his every moment with, but it seemed his dark spirit shared no such sentiment. He simply could not lay his heart on the line only to have it broken again. He felt wretched in every possible way.

Still, hope held a place in his heart. Ryou and Bakura seemed happy. Granted, Bakura was a violent maniac at times, but he loved Ryou unconditionally, and the younger boy felt likewise. Yami on the other hand, showed no violence towards his hikari, and yet Yuugi could not find the courage to set aside his past. He rolled over in bed, feeling worse than when he woke before. Thankfully, he had not dreamed that particular dream during his short sleep.

That dream was a different matter entirely. It was so close to the end, Yuugi felt it. What lay at the end he could not be sure, but he was ambivalent about reaching it. Curiosity drove him towards it while fear held him back. Terrifying recollection of a cold stone corridor flew through his mind, lit torches upon the walls casting an eerie glow about the scene. Yuugi shook his head violently against the images he knew came next.

'Maybe I should at least tell him about the shadows.' The shadows had begun speaking to Yuugi, whispering words of discontentment. They wanted Yami back. He was theirs, and Yuugi had no right to take him away. Their murmurs alarmed Yuugi, and he contemplated revealing the truth to Yami. However, the possibility of exposing the nightmare stopped him. He needed to clear his head, knowing that sleep was futile at this point.

Yuugi trudged downstairs to the living room, for the second time that morning, to turn on the stereo. The cool voices of two women filled the room as Yuugi cranked up the volume in an attempt to drown out his own thoughts. Flipping through the songs, he found that it was impossible to ignore the emotions that pounded through his body.

…I long for you to hold me like your boyfriend does, and though my dream is slowly fading I long to be the object of your passion, but it's hopeless…You shut your mouth! How dare you say I go about things the wrong way! I am human and I need to be loved, just like everybody else does…How did we ever get this far? You touch my hand and start the car, and for the first time in my life, I'm crying…Mother. Looking at me, tell me what do you see? Yes, I've lost my mind. Daddy. Looking at me, will I ever be free? Have I crossed a line?

Every song that resonated from the speakers betrayed his thoughts, until he shut off the CD in anger. There had to be a CD he owned that would not drive him to dwell on emotions best left buried.

…'Cause even if I am half way 'round the world, that won't stop me from loving you. Half way 'round the world, I'll still be feeling the way I do. And now, I want to hold you baby, 'cause I'm gonna miss you like crazy. Even if I'm half way 'round the world…Next…Am I your one and only desire? Am I the reason you breathe or am I the reason you cry?  Always, always, always, always, always, always, I just can't live without you. I love you. I hate you. I can't live without you…Damn.

Yuugi suddenly found it difficult not to cry and scream out of sheer frustration. Violently shutting off the stereo, he stalked off to the kitchen to find something to appease his stomach and sidetrack his brain. Much to his disappointment, he found that the cupboards and refrigerator were nearly empty. He put some bread in the toaster and removed what was left of the butter from the fridge, hoping that Yami had gone to the store.

He munched thoughtfully at the toast, glancing at the clock that read 10:30 a.m. on the wall above the table. '10:30 already? I should get dressed.' Yuugi felt uncomfortable in the silence of the house, and decided to risk his sanity by turning on the stereo once more, leaving his toast unfinished on the countertop. His collection of music from America was broad, as was his understanding of the language, so picked the one CD he believed to be free of heart wrenching lyrics.

Yuugi climbed the stairs and began flipping through his closet. He pulled on a close-fitting pair of deep blue jeans, as always, and continued rummaging for a shirt. Just as he selected a loose, button-down, white shirt, the music downstairs caught his attention.

…Something has been taken from deep inside of me, a secret I've kept locked away no one can ever see. Wounds so deep they never show, they never go away. Like moving pictures in my head, for years and years they've played…

The volume of the music and the overwhelming emotions that it caused left Yuugi unaware of his yami's presence in the house. Even such angry music contained the words to make Yuugi's head spin and his heartbreak. Still holding onto the shirt he had yet to don, the young man sank to the floor, allowing the emotion that had been threatening to overtake him for weeks do just that. Tears streamed down his face, tears of frustration, anger, and fear. All of the rejection he had felt and was afraid of from his yami surged through him.

'Why do you do this to me Yami?' he screamed within himself. Before he sensed the presence of his other, two strong arms had wrapped the trembling man in an embrace…

wind in time rapes the flower trembling on the vine and nothing yields to shelter from above. they say temptation will destroy our love. the never-ending hunger. but i fear i have nothing to give. i have so much to lose here in this lonely place. tangled up in our embrace there's nothing i'd like better than to fall. but i fear i have nothing to give. i have so much to lose. i have nothing to give. we have so much to lose…

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sasami: Better? I know it's not much longer, but I promise that it's the last of boring chapters. I felt that I had to clear up some emotional confusion between the two of them, and each having their own chapter seemed appropriate. *sigh* Now I can get to the important stuff…namely fluff. *^^

Nijuu: Fluff, hn?  No lemons? o.O

Sasami: I'm thinking about it…geez. I write fluff not lemons, but we'll see. What do you all think? Should I have a Y/Y lemon??? Okay. R&R! Let me know!

Nijuu: Tell them about the music hikari.

Sasami: Oh yea! The songs Yuugi was listening too are…actually, does anyone know what they were??? Scroll down if you want to know…I promise that you don't have to make a wish or anything. *^^

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

The first section is t.A.T.u.. Malchik Gay, How Soon is Now?, Stars, and All the Things She Said. The second section is: A*Teens, Halfway Around the World, and Saliva, Always. The last song was Linkin Park, Easier to Run.

Ja ne minna san!