Ch. 1

Yugi sat on his bed, looking out the sky light window in his ceiling. He didn't know where he was going anymore, or what the point of his being was. In truth, he was no longer wanted. It was Yami. Everyone wanted Yami, not little Yugi. No one wanted little, poor, defenseless Yugi, and he knew that. No one but Grandpa wanted Yugi, not even Yami, though he pretended to. Only Grandpa truly cared about Yugi any more. Even his friends didn't care. So, what was the point? He sighed, trying to release his depression.

Yami appeared beside the little one. Yugi didn't look at him. Yami studied Yugi, trying to read what he was thinking. He watched Yugi's face and body, but could conclude nothing. When he found that he was getting nowhere, he tried to scan Yugi's mind through their mindlink. What he thought could be picked up by Yugi and vise versa. This didn't work, however, because he found the link blocked.

"Yugi, what's wrong?" Yami asked in his rich, rumbling, soothing voice after all other methods had failed and he was left with no other choice but to ask..

"Nothing," Yugi replied, not looking at Yami and keeping his eyes on the stars.

"Yugi, why aren't you alseep?" Yami tried a different question in hopes he'd get better results.

"Can't," Yugi answered shortly and sharply.

"Yugi, you have a test tomorrow, you need sleep," Yami pressed, knowing of Yugi's concern with his grades.

"I know," Yugi nodded, still keeping his answers short and blunt.

"So lie down and relax, it'll come," Yami instructed.

Yugi sighed in defeat and laid down and closed his eyes, allowing sleep to overcome him. He figerued that his dreams would bring him some comfort. Sleep didn't come easily tonight though. There was so much going through his head. He couldn't get it to calm down. Even so, sleep finally claimed Yugi. When he had fallen asleep, Yami nodded in satisfaction and went back into the puzzle.

The next morning Yugi woke and oozed out of bed to take a shower. Yugi thought in the shower, what would happen if he were to fade away? What would happen if he let Yami have complete control of the body they shared and he hid away in his soul room, never coming out again? Would the rest of the world be happy? Would he be happy? Sure he would, he concluded. He would be happy because he wouldn't have to watch Yami control his life.

And then, another thought tugged at his mind. What would happen to his grandpa? Yugi meant everything to his grandpa. If he could, Yugi knew that Grandpa would give him the moon and all its stars. That's why Yugi had never done anything before, and he couldn't yet. Not until Grandpa had passed away, which Yugi hoped wouldn't happen soon.

Realizing he was just making matters worse, Yugi finished showering and dressed.

As Yugi pulled on his boots in his room, Yami watched. Yugi was quiet today. Too quiet, in fact. Yugi almost always talked to him. But lately, it seemed to Yami, they were pulling apart. What had been a happy union between them seemed to be fanishing. Yami couldn't understand it.

"Yugi, is something bothering you?" Yami asked smoothly.

"No," Yugi answered in a short-clipped stlye.

Something was wrong though. Yami stood and materilized his hand and pressed it against Yugi's forehead to check for a fever.Yugi jumped a little when he had done that. Yugi had forgotten that Yami had learned how to soldify his body for short periods of time, and then parts of his body. He chalked that up as one more thing to hate.

"You're not ill," Yami stated.

"I know," Yugi snapped as he shoved Yami's hand away. "It's not that."

"Then what is it?" Yami questioned.

Yugi's mind curned and he sighed and lied, "The test today. I'm nervous, and I remember the last test. You talked to me through the whole thing. I can't afford that today Yami. I have to make up for the last test you messed up."

"Okay," Yami stated, knowing that Yugi was lying but giving him the benefit of the doubt, "if it concerns you that much, then leave the Puzzle home today."

Yugi nodded and pulled his school jacket on as he left the room. Yami watched him go, his neck hairs prickling.

"He just needs a day alone," Yami assured himself, but fearing, knowing, there was more to it than that.

Shadu: To any sick little minds out there, this is NOT yaoi. Look on my profile, I do NOT write yaoi. Please review.