AN: Final chapter! Hope everyone enjoys. There will be a few one shots uploaded before we post season 0 so look out for those!

When Yami comes to next—he's stopped calling himself Yuugi a long while ago, it didn't feel right, didn't fit—he's in his room, lit up only by his desk lamp with a book on possession underneath his left hand's fingertips. In his right he clutches a pencil, the eraser tip tickling his nose.

He lifts his head up, one hand going up to rub away the foggy sleep from his eyes. The pale, flickering light dances in his vision as he slowly awakens. He must have been studying for so long that he had fallen asleep, but he doesn't remember studying at all. Nor did he remember when he got home from school that evening.

All he remembers is holding onto Anzu's hand, and those girls, laughing, mocking them. Remembers darkness as it leaches from the Puzzle and drives its whispers into his head. The crackle of electricity is vague but he remembers it, too. How he reached out, tugged on it, strangled it. Flickering lights, bursting light bulbs. And his spirit; remembers manipulating objects without touching. The girls' shrieks as they ran away, haunted by him.

The rest is a blur of fading darkness and fading strength and his world turning black.

And now he's here.

He didn't know what to make of it, really. But he knows, as he stares down at the book on his little desk, that it's abnormal. He's abnormal. What he's able to do is beyond human capabilities.

A picture of a coffin on the page before him mocks him, but all he feels is numb.

"Yuugi! Are you in there?" Grandpa's voice and the creak of the door rouses him from his thoughts. The smell of freshly baked sweets wafts into the room–Mom must have been baking again–but as Grandpa enters holding a plate piled to the top with cookies, his normally happy, carefree expression schools into something more thoughtful. Somber? "I see you're reading my book about possession and the history of burial rites. Studying for a class?"

"Yes," Yami answers, tongue heavy at the lie. It's better this way, he thinks, so I don't bother them.

His answer does nothing to brighten up Grandpa's expression, however. "I see," he says as his frown only grows. Slowly, he walks over to the bed and sinks down, setting the plate next to him. "You are not my grandson, are you?"

His mouth dries. He stares at the old man with wide eyes, breathing short. "I don't know" —he curls his hands on his thighs, pencil cracking between his fingers— "who I am. I might be, but I suspect I'm not him. How did you-"

"I've known for a long time that that Puzzle held some sort of power. That it would be released when Yuugi completed it," Grandpa explains.

It's strange to see him so serious, Yami notes. Understandable for the situation, but all too wrong in his eyes. "How?"

"Well, when I was still wandering the world, trying to master every game in existence, I heard about the Millenium Puzzle." He takes a cookie off the plate but doesn't eat it. "It was only a rumor back then, but when I asked my friends in archeology about it, they confirmed its existence, as protected as it once was. So I hired some young guides to bring me through the tomb and found it. I nearly fell while looking for it but, well, it's thanks to you I'm still here I suspect."

"Me?" Yami breathes out. He stares at Grandpa, one hand shaking on his thigh. The other hovers over the Puzzle protectively. He doesn't remember this. Only darkness, isolation, loneliness. Even now the confines of the Puzzle, the nothingness, is crawling at the edges of his vision. Threatening to overtake his reality.

Grandpa continues talking, but his voice is faint in Yami's ears. "You helped me that day. Maybe you don't remember because it's been so long. Or,"—he snaps the cookie in half, handing one half to Yami who takes it instinctively—"maybe your memory is fractured because the Puzzle wasn't complete then. But I'm sure it was you." He sets his piece down onto the plate and reaches out to put one hand on Yami's knee. "And now, ever since my grandson completed that Puzzle, I thought he was acting weird. You only just confirmed my suspicions by claiming that research is for school when I know and he would know that no such subject is taught."

"I'm sorry," he says. For lying, for not saying anything, and for not remembering you. They all remain unsaid. "I don't know what my purpose is, or why the Puzzle chose your grandson. And I can't fully control when we switch, yet." The room is fuzzy and while he can feel (not his) Grandpa's hand on his knee, the feeling is muted. Muffled. Like he's not fully there.

From within, another heart, another soul, beats alongside his own.

"It's fine. I don't expect anything from you. All I ask is that you take care of my grandson for me," Grandpa says. "And you can start by trying to communicate with him. I'm sure he's very confused."

Those words are muffled, like they were said underwater. He can barely understand them, even as he strains to listen. But he can't pull his attention back, not when the world is blurring around him and a figure, hazy, so hazy, is appearing like smoke.

Black hair, tips halo-ing a faint violet color despite being undyed from the desk lamp's light, brushes against the figure's shoulders as violet-red eyes stare at him from under blond bangs. His pale skin, familiar to him. He knows this person. Not in any personal way, but by the way his appearance mirrors his own, the way their outfits match and their faces are shaped the same. "You're Yuugi," he says, breathless, and the world snaps back into place.

With Grandpa no longer in the room.

Had he left?

The other boy, Yuugi, just blinks at him. Taking in the almost mirror image of himself, except for the crimson that has nearly overtaken the violet in Yami's eyes. "Are you whoever's been...I guess possessing me? Sorry if that's rude. What's your name?"

"I don't know my name," he answers. "Or who I am. For a time, I thought I was you. But Gran— your grandfather confirmed with me just a few minutes ago that that's not the case." He threads the string of the Puzzle's necklace between his fingers while placing his piece of cookie onto the plate, opposite of Grandpa's piece. "You can call me 'Yami' if you want. It's what Jonouchi has been using."

Yuugi frowns. "So you have amnesia?" He asks, but Yami can, somehow, sense the unspoken one. When had he talked to Jonouchi? the other is wondering. He wonders if Yuugi can sense his thoughts, too. "It's nice to meet you though, Yami. Why do you take over sometimes?"

"I don't always mean to," Yami confesses. "This is the first time I've"—his gaze flits between Yuugi and the Puzzle—"possessed someone. The times I do mean to is when someone is hurting me—us? You? It's not right." The bully. Those girls. The whispering students behind their backs. So many injustices. So many times Yuugi has been hurt.

A snap and the pencil drops to the floor in two. "It's not right!" He repeats, a dangerous, almost manic, glint in his eyes. "And then to hurt a friend—! I can't stand idly by while it happens. I won't." Not again bubbles, unbidden, to his lips. He doesn't allow himself to say it, unsure of where the thought had come from in the first place. All he knows, all he sees, is red. Staining sand, staining stone, staining cloth, staining himself, and it makes him sick.

Yuugi takes a step forward and reaches, hand trembling, for Yami's. He flinches minutely when he first contacts Yami's skin and Yami is surprised himself when Yuugi's able to take his hand into his own despite not being fully there. "None of our friends have been hurt since you've been with me," He starts softly. "I'm sorry if someone was before you got attached to me... Thank you for protecting us."

While Yuugi's touch is a mere vestige, a whisper of contact against his skin, it's still warm. Still chases the images away and brings a ghost of a smile to Yami's lips. "I can tell you have a kind heart, Yuugi." He doesn't know who he was, doesn't know why he is here. But if he is to be attached to Yuugi, well... Maybe it won't be so bad. "I only wish I knew if mine was the same as yours."

"Thank you?" Yuugi offers a small smile back. "But it's okay. We'll be okay. W-we're friends now, right?" He asks tentatively. "So we can help each other whenever either of us have a problem." He smiles shakily. "If it's worth anything, I-I already think you have a kind heart."

Oh. Smile widening, it becomes a little more real. "Friends." Although, "Thank you. I know how to help you. But I'm unsure you can help me with my memories." He wasn't even sure he wanted to remember.

Yuugi brightens. "W-well I can still try! If you want me to at least. Otherwise, if you have questions about modern times or just want to talk, we still can?"

"Thank you, Yuugi." He intertwines his fingers with Yuugi's, marveling at his ability to do so. Yuugi's a mere ghost, and yet that's not quite the truth. He's in the body, sure, but Yuugi was the one living. Tied to nothing but his body, resting in a bed at night and waking in the morning and living a life.

Meanwhile, he's a spirit, tied to the Puzzle, and his body…?

The sarcophagus calls for him, the gold glittering invitingly. Promising safety, familiarity in this unfamiliar world. The body within it is not his, but the posing and wrappings he knows.

He really is dead. In body, at least. "I suspect I might be Egyptian, but that's the only lead I have. The exhibit Gr—your grandfather showed me on Ancient Egypt was familiar to me, and I believe the Puzzle is Egyptian in nature as well, right? It's what makes the most sense." His eyebrows furrow. "Sometimes when I look at objects, the name I have for them differs from its modern day counterpart. Or I lack a name at all. For the longest time I didn't know what a wardrobe was called, as an example. But I knew what a chest was and paper was 'papyrus' to me."

"Of course! And that would make sense then…" Yuugi trails off in thought. "Do you want to maybe go to the museum again at some point? I know you said you've been there already, but maybe there's something there you missed?"

He stares just a little bit longer at their hands before pulling away and turning back to the desk. The book—still open, still taunting—stares at him. Picking it up, he runs a thumb over the pages' edge. "Someday, maybe. But I don't know how much I can learn about my identity that way." Even if he was Ancient Egyptian, was he even anyone of note?

Yuugi frowns. "I guess that's true. If you have any ideas at some point though, I'm willing to try them!" Biting his lip, Yuugi shifts his weight. Yami catches it at the edge of his vision. "You know I never thought you meant ill with the possession, right?"

Yami winces, because he knows that's true despite also knowing just how much confusion and fear he's inflicted on his new friend, and drops the book onto the table with a thud. "We can still go if you think it will help. But before we do we should practice switching first."

"S-sorry... We don't have to, i-it's just the clearest lead I know. You're right on switching though..."

That was his fault, too. Upsetting Yuugi just now. Wasn't it? "It's not you. You didn't do anything wrong." He frowns. He wants to be friends, they are friends, but how much should he open up when they just properly met for the first time? There was so much he was confused on, so much unknown about himself and the Puzzle that it…worried him. And it was affecting Yuugi, too, by the way it was influencing his own actions. Causing him to scare Yuugi with his retribution, as justified as they may be. He can't tell him about it, can he? "I should be the one apologizing. For scaring you."

Yuugi shakes his head. "N-no it's okay! I… I know you didn't mean to."

Silence lapses between them. Yami runs his hand over the book, still reading the pages but the words slipping by him. He senses Yuugi behind him, pacing, hand to his chin.

"Y'know," Yuugi says, finally breaking the silence. "If something is ever bothering you, you can tell me. Because…we're friends. And friends help each other, right?"

He's probing, Yami is sure. At the same time, he knows the sentiment is sincere and smiles all the same. "Right. The same with you, too."

The tense air passes, then, and they slip into easy conversation.

They spend the rest of the evening chatting idly and reading through the book. The book was thick, thick enough that they assumed it would be of some use, but that thought was quickly proven false. Even still, they continue to look through it even as the light of the sun slips through the windows.

Unfortunately, Yami has little to say on the matter as well. Most of what he knows is guesses and conjecture born from what little experience he does have.

("I don't exactly know how I switch with you." He folds his arms across his chest. "All I remember is sensing that something is wrong because you're upset or scared. Then I see your memory of what had happened and we switch. Or I 'wake up', I guess." He hesitates for a long moment, gaze flickering between the Puzzle and Yuugi. He bites his lip and then admits, quietly, "Eventually I feel drained and 'wake' back up in the Puzzle. But I've never collapsed before. Today was a first. Did I overexert myself?"

Yuugi hums softly. "I guess you have your own level of energy somehow... Do you think you did more than...whatever you normally do? If so, then it would make sense that you overexerted yourself."

"I think so, but it wasn't all that much." His frown deepens. "Or that's what I thought." His voice peters out to below a whisper, barely audible at all. If Yuugi can hear him, he's not sure. "With the Puzzle the way it is, it's hard to tell."

Yuugi sighs. "Maybe it's because you're still getting used to it then? I guess we might have to just test things." Preferably not in dangerous situations.

"Right," he says.

Whatever may be the reason, it continues to elude them both.)

When Grandpa finds them in the morning, Yami is still in the body and seemingly unaware of the dark circles under his eyes or his sluggish movements as the body's energy dwindles, he merely sighs. He also thanks the heavens it's a Sunday and sends them off to bed.

A ball strikes the ground next to Yuugi as he winces from where he's seated. With his ankle still healing and being on crutches, he couldn't exactly play dodgeball. Which would be fine, but apparently it didn't prevent others from aiming for him anyway. Two balls already slammed into him, and four others had just barely missed him. He believed their apologies the first two times until he caught all the glances shot his way.

Just as he's thinking it may be time to simply ask to go to the nurse's office, a ball slams into his chest and he rocks backwards with it, winded.

It's then that Yami materializes, lunging and steadying Yuugi before he falls off. "Your classmates are unnecessarily cruel," he says. "To aim for someone who cannot participate because of an injury is heartless."

Yuugi gives a slight cough. "Thanks Yami... And you're probably right, but it wouldn't be that bad if I was better at sports." At least they hadn't hit his leg yet. Though he admits he can't tell if that's intentional or not.

"Then that is even worse. It's exploitative and shows their lack of respect. Even if you were able to play, there is a difference between targeting you because it would be the best play for their team versus targeting you because they want to belittle and mock your abilities." He frowns. "It's obvious it is the latter since you cannot play at all this time. Such cowardice." And his demeanor darkens. Even out here, and not within the confines of the Puzzle's maze, he can still feel the widening maw of darkness from within. Calling for retribution, for harming his vessel, his friend. "I can take care of this, if you want."

Yuugi reaches back and lays his hand on top of Yami's. "That's really not necessary. You might have a point, but—" his response is cut off on a gasp as searing pain courses through his foot and leg.

"Boys! That's enough!" The teacher roars. "If you keep that up—"

"It's okay, Mr. Fujisaki." Yuugi uncurls from holding his leg, a dangerous glint in his eyes. He smirks. "If they want me to play, I can play." As Yuugi stands, crutch under one arm, the teacher is stunned into silence.

A natural reaction, considering he was no longer Yuugi. And he was no longer content to play nice. "Let's play a game."

"The game is simple," Yami explains. "One versus three. Just like dodgeball, you can't get hit. You catch the ball, I'm out. I catch the ball, you're out. Simple. Only thing on the line is our pride, since we have an audience." He tips his head to where the rest of the class sits. "We each start with a ball."

Anzu tosses the balls: first to Yami who catches it while leaning on the crutch, and then one at a time to the three boys on the other side. Yami smiles at her briefly.

"One last thing: if the ball hits a ceiling, wall, or floor then the ball is 'dead' and safe to touch. Otherwise it's considered 'live' and, unless catching it, touching the ball means you are out."

She's never seen Yuugi like this before: commanding and almost regal. Back at the school, and again at the arcade, he had been different then, sure. But not like this. Intensely confident and so justice-driven that it bordered on maliciousness and mania. But not regal.

It didn't seem to matter to the three delinquents, though. They just rolled their eyes. "To give you a fair shot," the one in the middle says, "only one of us will throw first. Just to show how nice we are since you're crippled."

Anzu makes a face at the distasteful remark and goes to speak up, but Yuugi does so first. "Very well, then." Two of the delinquents move to the side, leaving the middle one in place. "We'll go in three…two…one…"

It happens so fast Anzu is barely able to catch what happened. Yuugi chucks his ball, which the middle one dodges easily just as he tosses his own. Whipping up his crutch, the ball collided and ricocheted. A devilish grin from Yuugi and it hits the other kid in the nose, knocking him down.

The two on the sidelines shout as Yuugi merely chuckles darkly. "Never said I couldn't use my crutch."

"You motherfucker!" One screams, hurling the ball.

The crutch flies out from under his arm and he's thrown to the floor. "Yuugi!" Azu cries.

As the echo of her cry fades, though, she hears Yuugi say something strange. "The doorway to darkness has been opened," just as he catches the ball on its way back down, eyes glowing crimson.

Another angry scream from the other kid, launching his own ball only for it to be blocked by Yami's. He tosses both in rapid succession, the second one hitting the other kid in the leg.

All three out.

The class is silent, stunned.

Anzu is the first to rush over to her friend as he makes to stand.

It's quiet, Yuugi realizes as he opens his eyes, unsure of when he closed them or for how long. The second thing he realizes is that he isn't outside at PE. Instead he's surrounded by toys and games, which is odd until he realizes that they at least all look familiar. Including building blocks and even stuffed animals from years ago, along with game systems that he still presently has.

"Where am I? And how are all of these here?" He looks around again, taking in the stone wall and door. As he steps towards the door, he also finally notices that he's standing, no crutches and no pain. "Is this...in my head?"

Curiosity pushes him forward and he walks to the door, opening it. Whatever he was expecting, it wasn't a long, stone hallway with a metal door directly across from his. "Wait a second...this has to be for Yami." If nothing else, the golden Eye of Wdjat would indicate it.

As he walks towards Yami's mind room though, he tenses. He knows what Yami feels like at this point, so why does his room feel different? Something is just out of place. Too sharp, guarded.

And dark.

He raises a hand to the door, and, suddenly, light blooms, blinding him.

When it fades, he's back in the body once more.

Some of the kids, the ones targeting him, are wincing. Half the class looks confused. Did Yami get worn out, or was he just done getting his sense of justice?

"Wow, Yuugi! I didn't know you were good at dodgeball." Anzu rushes over, eyes sparkling with excitement. "Using your crutch to hit the ball back was so cool too! Your ankle is okay though, right? It was horrid how they acted, knocking it out of your arm."

Violet eyes blink. "I...more or less?" It definitely twinged some now, but not as much as it had before Yami took over. "Was I really that good?" What all had Yami done? And beyond that, they might need to talk to Anzu soon, or he needed to not black out.

"You weren't just good. You were amazing! You got everybody out, even when you were knocked over!"

"O-oh. I'm glad..." He tries reaching out to Yami, to see if the other is unconscious. He's only met with silence.

"Next time you should be more careful. I don't really care that one of them hurt their nose or head but if it happens again the teacher is going to be mad." Anzu says.

Yuugi frowns. "Yeah...I'll try to watch that." So Yami had gone for more retaliation, and presumably exhausted himself. He'll have to ask about Anzu after then, though he really doesn't want to keep it a secret from her. Not when it was starting to become more obvious something was up.

If he didn't tell her, he'd upset her. He didn't want to hurt her, even if this might make her leave. Besides, she might anyway because of it.

He doesn't get anymore time to ponder as the school bell chimes.

"I thought you were afraid of telling Anzu. What changed?" Yami floats above the bed, legs crossed, frowning. Red permeated the violet of his eyes, stronger now more than ever. He wasn't opposed, always considered Anzu a friend himself, but how could he not be confused when the echoes of Yuugi's fear still rings true in him any time they switched?

"I-I still am," Yuugi admits. "But I don't know for how much longer we can hide it either. Every time you do something, I come back having no idea what happened. She knew about the blackouts in my memory in general, but at some point I'll slip up due to not knowing or something. Especially since so far I haven't consciously switched with you."

It's been weeks since the dodgeball incident but that didn't lessen the rumors surrounding it. Everywhere they went, kids whispered behind his back. It was more intense when they were still on crutches, though. (If Yami was in the body during, he'd shoot the kids glares as sharp as daggers. They usually quieted after that.)

"Hm, well I'm not opposed to telling her," Yami replies thoughtfully. "So if you're sure then I will support you. The real challenge is how. We don't know who I really am, so there's not much we can give her in the way of answers."

Yuugi nods. "I appreciate it, Yami. And I know it's a chance...just going for it seems better. Maybe we can try the museum or something again? Or just tell her here?" It's a long shot, but maybe something new would pop up. Or it would make it easier to talk at least.

Crossing his arms, Yami thinks a bit for replying again. "I think," he starts, slowly, "that we should tell her in private. Here, preferably. But the museum would be okay, too, as long as we're in a secluded area. It's probably best that only a few people know that I exist."

"That's a good point...maybe this weekend then?"

"Sounds good," Yami says. "No matter what, I'll be here for you."

Yuugi smiles brightly. "And I'll be here for you!"

Yuugi's words bring a smile to his face. Did he have someone as kind as Yuugi in his life when he was still alive? They suspected he was probably higher ranking or at least better off since his Puzzle was found in a well-trapped and protected tomb. But they weren't sure, and asking Grandpa felt...weird. Not to mention a little difficult to do so when Mother stayed most of the time.

If they didn't find any answers at the museum, though, they might have to ask him. Even if he didn't want to burden anyone with this. It was his memories, therefore, his responsibility.

Hopefully telling Anzu about him wouldn't complicate things.

Of course, it wasn't that easy.

"So you're being possessed by a spirit?" Anzu asks in a soft voice as they huddle up in the furthest part of the museum, just past the Ancient Egypt exhibit. The bench is hard under them, cushions unforgiving. Somehow fitting for this conversation.

Yuugi squirms in his seat, trying to find a more comfortable position to no avail. "Yes? B-but also not really? Yami possesses the Puzzle technically. Though we can switch…"

Yami floats behind Anzu's head, legs crossed. "Not that we mean to," he mumbles, looking down and away. Anzu couldn't hear him, they discovered during this conversation when Yami tried to show himself. It made sense, even if it was a little disappointing. "It would be more convenient if we knew how." And unsettling. Unable to be seen or heard when he was right there. Like he didn't exist.

"And he's the one who saved me back then?" Anzu asks.

"Mn." Yuugi nods, and looks to him. "Do you want to try to switch?"

"How would we?" He frowns, "It's not just concentration." He mumbles under his breath, "it must take something more. But what?"

Anzu, watching from the side, says, "What if I helped you guys learn how to switch? I don't know how to myself, but surely three heads is better than one. Or, well, two in this case."

Yuugi shrugs at Yami. "I'm not sure…but it'd probably be better to figure out sooner than later, right?" He turns to Anzu. "I'm honestly not sure what we can do to trigger it, but I'd appreciate any help we can get…and thank you, for still being our friend."

"Of course!" Anzu smiles brightly. "I don't really understand it all too well, but I believe you. And it's not like Yami is bad, right?" She tips her head to the side. "He's always protecting us. So he can't be bad."

Yuugi beams at her. "Yeah! He's always switched to try to protect one or both of us."

"You two are both so kind," Yami says with a small smile. "I hope I had friends like you when I was alive."

"I'm sure you did Yami!" Yuugi exclaims.

Maybe, though Yami's unsure of that.

"Did Yami say something? What did he say?" Anzu asks.

"He said we're kind and that he hopes he had friends like us before," Yuugi replies.

"That's so sweet!" Anzu exclaims. "I bet you had a lot of them if you're this nice!"

Yami blinks, quite clearly at a loss for words. "Why thank you?"

Yuugi smiles at him. "I think he's a little confused but he says thank you. It's a good thing Yami, we trust you is all."

"Oh." He takes a second, a small, soft smile forming on his lips. "I trust you guys, too."

Yuugi relays this and, for the rest of the evening, they explore the museum together.

The thought that this might not last lingering in the back of both Yuugi and Yami's minds.

Yami peers over Yuugi's shoulder as he writes, conscious of the time and that it was to be lunch soon. They promised Jonouchi last week they'd meet him on the roof, and while Yuugi was a touch warier than him about it, Yami couldn't wait to meet up with him.

The lack of noise from their right, however, serves to remind them both that Jonouchi failed to show up for class today despite lingering outside the school gates earlier. It's with a tight frown and balling of his fists that Yami turns back to Yuugi's workbook. They were planning on going anyway, but it still bothers him. Hopefully, whatever was holding up their friend, it wasn't anything serious.

"What's that word?" Yami asks as he points at a particularly long one.

Yuugi blinks and shifts his gaze to the word on the next page. '未確認飛行物体'. "Ah. It's shorter in katakana, it's the same as 'UFO'. I guess it's good practice."

"Hmm, and what's a UFO exactly?" Maybe that was a silly question, but if he was going to be stuck like this he wanted to know as much as possible.

"Unidentified flying object. People usually mean things like spaceships for aliens, creatures from outer space and so on. But a plane could be a UFO depending on the video it was caught on, or angles."

"Huh. Your classes are…interesting." Why was that sort of thing being taught in a children's class?

Yuugi smiles. "They're not necessarily teaching us about them. It's more so vocabulary and writing practice. And sometimes characters in books will bring up words or topics we don't know."

"I think I used to do something similar in my school," Yami murmurs, eyebrows furrowed in thought. "I don't remember anything concrete, but that sounds familiar."

"Hm...that might be a lead. If you can remember any specifics, I think Grandpa's talked to me before about the level of education different people received."

"Well mathematics is familiar to me as well. Multiplication, division, geometry," Yami says. "A lot of your classes are somewhat familiar. Not all, but many of them. I…don't think there were as many kids in my class as there are in yours, though."

"Maybe it could mean you were in priest classes or something else with the upper echelons? The human population has also skyrocketed though."

He frowns. "Maybe. We should look into this more later."

Yuugi nods. "We can maybe do it after school today?" Maybe after trying to check on Jonouchi though.

"Sounds good."

With that, their conversation is cut off by the chimes indicating the end of class, and finally, the start of lunch. Hopefully, it would also mean seeing Jonouchi.

Yuugi takes a deep breath to ready himself and exits the classroom, walking towards the rooftop stairs.

The spring breeze greets Yuugi as he steps out onto the rooftop. Yami, trailing behind, is quick to notice how it is just a tickle compared to its normally brisk chill when he's in the body. It was still a marvel to him, even though it's been a few weeks since they first learned how to do this. The world, so muted like this, is almost unreal. Another thing to highlight the fact he's not of the world of the living.

(And yet, somehow, he feels more alive now than he ever did during his time in the Puzzle's walls, in that place of nothingness. If he's dead, that place is oblivion. A world beyond the afterlife, as peaceful as he finds it still.)

But, even after all this, it only takes him a second to realize Jonouchi is missing from the roof. And, instead, someone else stood in his place. A delinquent Yami had frequently seen him around lately. "Yuugi, I don't like this," he says to his friend. If only he knew how to better control their switching. "Be careful. I don't know how to switch with you yet unless you're in real trouble." And even then it wasn't guaranteed. Waking up in the body with new bandages once in a while proved that.

"Mm." He doesn't like it either. There's a chance this was just a coincidence, but he sadly doubts it. "I'll try..." Taking a breath, he speaks up, "Hello, h-how are you?" He doesn't know what's going on, but this was probably safer than immediately prying, right?

The delinquent rolls his eyes and scoffs. "AJ talked you up, said you were a perfect fit. But you're nothin' but a big wimp. Stupid exchange student doesn't know what he's talkin' about. 'Took a bunch of kids out in gym single-handedly' yeah right. But, well," He grins, lopsided and toothy, his face lighting up with malice, "when that weak ass Jonouchi tried to talk me out of it I just had to see who he was protecting. No idea what the boss sees in that kid."

So Jonouchi didn't want to get them involved… "Where is Jonouchi? A-and you can't just badmouth him!"

For what was once merely crisp, the air turns downright icy at the disparaging mention of Jonouchi and the sky appears to darken. Festering shadows worm their way in and around Yami like parasites, unleashed from the Puzzle via Yami's anger. "He's not weak," Yami grinds out.

Even though it's aimed at the delinquent, only Yuugi is privy to his retort.

That said, the delinquent shivers at the sudden change in temperature, looking up at the darkening sky. "Stupid weather. Guess it's going to rain." But, as he turns his head to look at Yuugi again, he grins once again. "Guess we have'ta do this quick." And, with that, he pulls out scissors and lunges.

Brain blanking, Yuugi stumbles backwards as he tries to keep his eyes on the scissors. Yami shouts and the world tips and his hands sting, scraping against concrete. He winces.

And then pain, blossoming, as the scissors knick his neck. Blood seeps out slowly but all Yami sees is red.

Red and grey as a shadow overtakes them. The delinquent towers over, one hand by theirs as he's on all fours. "Oh, sorry! I was aiming for your hair. But if you're as tough as I hear you are, this shouldn't be an issue either."

"Where's Jonouchi?" It's not a question but a demand. Somehow, his voice—Yami's voice—is even. A deadly calm that is barely a thin veil holding back the darkness swirling within.

When had he switched into the body? He didn't know.

Yuugi was still there, somehow. The lines of his body faint and transparent. Barely there, but there nonetheless. Wide-eyed and frozen.

"Shouldn't you be more concerned about yourself—" He yanks on a clump of hair, pulling it tight in his fist, "right now instead of that idiot? Tell ya what? If you can stop me from cutting off all your hair then maybe I'll tell you and you can join our gang."

"Unhand me. Unless you want to pay the consequence for not doing so," he commands, voice strong and eyes shining red. "This is your only warning."

"Don't talk to me like you're some king. You're just a stupid—" snip— "little—" snip— "punk!"

Yami grabs hold of wrist, hard enough that the skin under his fingertips pales and he feels bone. "I said unhand me." And twists.

The delinquent howls and pulls back, the scissors clattering onto the rooftop and tufts of black hair blowing in the wind. The minute he's freed, Yami scrambles away and stands. "I warned you. That was a command, not a request."

"Motherfucker!" The other screams, holding a limp, twisted and rapidly purpling wrist. "You fuck!" He backs away slowly, towards the rooftop entrance. "You'll pay for this." And the scissors.

"Shit." Yami lunges.

Just as the delinquent flinches back and pulls something out of his jacket.

The world blurs, stained with red and stabbing pain; and Yami stumbles, clutching onto his side. Silver scissors dripping red with blood clattering to the ground.

Along with the kid, his own stained switchblade tumbling out of his hands as he does so.

"Serves you right," Yami slurs, swaying on his feet.

Yuugi stands frozen at the side, shaking. This is the first time he's been aware during a switch and it's odd. He can feel a bit of the rain, but it's muted. More than that though, it's bizarre and a little terrifying to see himself—his body really—get stabbed and not feel anything. But that more than anything wrenches a scream from him. "Mou hitori no boku!" He doesn't even know where it comes from, knows Yami is his own person. But he panics at the thought that this could make him leave.

"I'm okay," Yami slurs some more, falling to his hands and knees. "I'm…fine…"

The last thing he hears is Yuugi, screaming for him, for help, for anyone to hear him, and a door squealing open.

"—gi. Yuugi! How are you feeling?"

Yami stirs, surrounded by white, Jonouchi's worried face hovering over him. At first he figures he must be back in the void, with the hallucinations. Jonouchi wasn't supposed to be here, probably held hostage by his gang, and he usually isn't the one who wakes up with the body. But when his mind finally catches up to him, he sits straight up. Doesn't flinch as the action tugs at the new stitches in his side, dark against Yuugi's skin. "Jonouchi! You're okay."

"Speak for yourself, man. You got stabbed for me." Jonouchi says, his voice soft, almost…sad? "You didn't have to do that."

He didn't have to, but what a funny thought that was. Jonouchi was his friend. What else was he supposed to do? Abandon him? Jonouchi was the one preaching that pain went a long way in becoming stronger, anyways.

"Look," Jonouchi continues. Had Yami replied? He didn't know. He felt barely tethered. "I'm sorry for what happened. It's all my fault. I should've been there, but I got arrested for stealing some shit for my old man. I'm not even sure why I did it. I wasn't planning on giving him the money, and Shizuka would never forgive me for using stolen loot on her. Even if she wouldn't have minded, I…I shouldn't have."

"It's okay, Jonouchi," Yami says. "It's not your fault. You didn't know this would happen."

"No." He shakes his head. "No, I should have realized what he was planning. He's always been a violent shit-for-brains. But that's not what I'm actually here for." He sighs. "You protected my honor and got hurt for me when I wasn't even here for you and have been treating you like shit. So…thank you. And, I was thinkin' maybe we could, uh…be friends?"

"I've always considered you a friend, Jonouchi." So does Yuugi. Though he doesn't voice this thought.

"Huh." Jonouchi smiles, his eyes glassy. "Well, take this as it finally being official then."

"Alright," Yami nods, hiding his own smile. He'll have to tell Yuugi about this later.

They really do have such good friends.

"So, who's Shizuka?"

AN: And that's it! See you next time for the one shots! We have a Jonouchi-centered one and a Halloween one lined up. Also tense stuff near the end where it blends from Yuugi to Yami is on purpose! That said any criticism is welcomed, though we reserve the right to follow through with it.