-As I have stated in the past, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

-Okay, on to the new chapter!!!

Yami groaned as he awoke the next morning to the sound of little Yugi's alarm clock. His eyes narrowed in irritation as he looked over at the small device, slamming his fist on the 'off' button.

Yami's frown changed to a smile, however as he looked down at the Kawai teen snuggled up against him, still soundlessly asleep. Feeling regretful, yet knowing he had to, he began to shake his aibou ever so slightly.

"Yugi…common Yugi, you need do wake up. We have to get ready for school" Yami said, his voice soft.

Yugi's amethyst eyes slowly fluttered open, looking up at the former pharaoh, his eyes looked both hurt and afraid at the same time as he clung against Yami.

"Can't…can't we call in sick…please?" Yugi begged, his eyes wide as he stared into Yami's crimson orbs.

Yami knew instantly why the smaller had asked him this, and understood the anguished fear in his hikari's eyes. Shido would likely be at school today, and he could tell that Yugi didn't want to see him. Yami's resolve melted as he felt Yugi tremble against him and he brushed a lightning bolt bang out of Yugi's face.

"Just this once Yugi…" Yami said placing a soft kiss on Yugi's temple.

Yami climbed out of the bed and walked down the hallway to the phone, picking it up and dialing the schools number. When the secretary picked up Yami explained that the family had "come down with a case of the flu." The secretary looked up their records and offered her regards as she marked it down, Yami and Yugi both had perfect attendance, so no one would suspect if they skipped a day. Yami thanked the woman, faking a very believable moan as he hung up the phone.

Yugi laughed as Yami set the phone back on the cradle, his eyes lightly amused at Yami's display. Yami turned to Yugi with a smile on his face, sticking his toung out at his aibou. This made Yugi laugh harder.

Yami and Yugi walked into the kitchen, rustling around for something to eat as they came across some eggs and pancake mix. Shrugging they both set to the task of whipping up some breakfast, Yugi's eyes drifting every so often to the couch in the living room across the hall. Yami's eyes softened with empathy as he followed Yugi's gaze and shook his head, his anger at Shido quickly flooding him. Someone so worthless was placing his sweet Yugi through mountains of pain that Yugi didn't deserve.

Yami took hold of Yugi as once again the boy began to cry, this time the tears came swift, yet soundless as two rivers streamed down his face. The pharaoh simply held his hikari against him, brushing his hair as the younger sobbed, wrapping his arms tightly around Yami's waist.

"Yugi. I promise, I won't allow for anyone to hurt you like that ever again…my hikari." Yami's voice was soft and loving, laced with hurt for all the sorrow the younger was struggling with.

After a time, Yugi managed to collect himself and returned to the task of preparing the eggs as Yami finished with the pancakes. He excused himself and walked out of the kitchen to the telephone and, swallowing his pride, dialed a number he'd just as soon forget. He waited patiently as the call rung through, finally biting back an annoyed grunt as a woman picked up the phone.

"Yes, Kaiba Corporation, Tsumomo speaking, how may I help you?"

"Hello, could you connect me with Seto Kaiba please…"

"Just one moment. Please hold."

Yami growled at the phone as slow elevator music drifted into his ear, waiting with thinning patience, when finally a cold voice came over the phone.

"Seto Kaiba speaking."

"Kaiba…"

"Yami, I'm surprised you called, and what do you want of me now…another favor I suppose?" The voice asked, silently mocking and, Yami could tell, reveling in the fact that Yami had to ask him for anything…

Yami growled as he quickly explained everything that had happened with Shido and giving him a rough idea what had happened on the couch, and told him how Yugi had walked up to it and just started crying last night. As Yami finished he sighed.

"Kaiba…would you happen to have a sofa you don't need anymore that we could have…"Yami mumbled, just loud enough so he knew Kaiba wouldn't have him repeat it.

"I'll pay you for it once we get done with sales at the shop for this month, but we're barely getting by as it is, and I can't get a job until grandpa gets back…"

Kaiba sighed. Yami twitched, what Yami didn't know was that on the other side of the phone Kaiba's face had become softer at Yugi's sorrow and tightened in anger when he'd heard about what the young mister Shido had done to the young duelist.

"Don't worry about it. I'll have someone drop by with a new couch today, but Yami, once all of this is resolved, You owe me a duel, for King of Games title…." Kaiba drawled.

Yami nodded, bidding a thank you to his rival as he hung up the phone and walked back into the kitchen, taking his seat across from Yugi. Yugi looked up at him, a question in his eyes and Yami smiled.

"Don't worry aibou, I just spoke with Kaiba to see if he'd gotten any further information, after all, I promised you that I wouldn't let anything else get a hold of you, and I intend to keep that promise."

Yugi's eyes shone with tears, and for a moment the pharaoh panicked, thinking that he had said something wrong.

"Thank you so much Yami…For everything you've done for me…" Yugi choked out, biting his lower lip. "You always did know how to give me strength when I needed it, and let me be weak when I needed as well."

Yami shook his head, looking at his hikari.

"It is I who should thank you, for five millennia I sat in darkness with nothing to look forward to and nothing to love. Once you solved the puzzle, you set my spirit free, and taught me to love again, You showed me life's wonders and I saw the world with new eyes. You shone a light into the dark abyss in which my soul had been locked away. I laughed and enjoyed life, simply because it felt good to be alive when someone truly cares about you. You showed me what it was to have a friend and be a friend. You are the one who saved me. If not for you I would've never experienced so much. No little Yugi, I need to thank you. Though I have only my love to give you in return." Yami said, his eyes soft, then he realized that he'd let the L word slip out and suddenly turned eight new shades of red, shooting up from the table, muttering something about needing to was off his plate.

Yugi's POV

Yugi sat staring at the spot where Yami had just been sitting, unable to believe what his ears had picked up. He'd been indescribably touched by everything Yami had said, and in that space of time, he hadn't felt so pathetic and worthless, like there was actually something he'd done to genuinely help someone, and he could feel unspoken words well within him, though he kept them to himself, knowing it was too soon to give them to anyone just yet…and then…Yami…

Could he have meant it…could he really love Yugi…in the same way that Yugi loved him…it had sure seemed like it lately, the kiss, Yami being so tender and keeping close to Yugi since things with Shido…and he'd felt the rage in Yami's heart as he'd sobbed his story to him, and he'd seen the hatred and fury behind Yami's crimson eyes, though the former pharaoh had tried to hide it. He'd also sensed Yami's pulse race during their kiss, and Yugi had to admit that he too had enjoyed it….

Yugi stood, carrying his plate into the kitchen, looking to a very visibly shaken Yami leaning against the counter, muttering about how he couldn't believe he'd let that slip out. Yugi laughed as his darker half jumped when Yugi turned on the water to rinse his plate.

Yami looked at him and blinked, his hand on his chest as his heart had momentarily jumpstarted. Yugi giggled as he turned off the water and walked to Yami, flinging his arms around him, nuzzling up to his neck.

He felt Yami's mood pick up, and saw out of the corner of his eye as the darker half smiled tenderly and hugged Yugi closer to him, kissing his temple. Yugi felt a small blush rise on his face and he backed up, giving a kawai smile up at Yami.

"I'm gonna go take a shower" Yugi said, racing up the stairs, leaving a rather confused Yami behind. Yugi giggled. He'd let Yami have that to chew on.

Yami's POV

Yami watched as his aibou raced up the stairs, shaking his head. Maybe…perhaps letting that slip out hadn't been such a bad thing…it had certainly warmed little Yugi up a bunch.

Yami turned as the doorbell rang, he smiled as he opened the door to reveal Kaiba with a moving truck behind him bringing in a brand new set of living room furniture.

"…Kaiba…we really only needed a couch…" Yami said slowly as he backed out of the doorway.

Kaiba shook his head.

"It be ridiculous to give you a set of unlatching furniture, after all, do you want him to look at the love seat and remember a couch…"

Yami sighed, holding his hands up in defeat.

"Have it your way."

Yami watched as people came in and out, removing and bringing in furniture, finally smiling once the task had been completed, when the movers had filed out and driven off, Kaiba turned to Yami.

"How's the little guy holding up?" Kaiba asked, his voice seeming a little softer.

Yami shrugged.

"I can't really say. Sometimes he seems so melancholy, while other times he seems alright. It's really hard to say at this point."

This was the point Yugi chose to come scampering down the staircase, his eyes widening as he saw the couch and such in the living room…

"What did you do Yami?" Yugi's eyes swung to Yami, the question intense. Yami looked his aibou in the eyes.

"Yugi…I couldn't leave it there…not when you tortured yourself with it…I hoped…maybe it would relieve some of your pain, though I know I more than likely made it worse…"

Yugi shook his head with a sigh, walking into Yami's arms.

"No Yami…I would've always been tortured by that couch…those memories…were so vivid…I'll adjust…thank you for thinking of me" Yugi said as he pulled back, looking up to Yami with tears in his eyes.

Yami leaned down and kissed the corners, licking up the salty tears, then leaning in, placing his lips over Yugi's. He nibbled his hikari's bottom lip. Yugi sighed and opened his mouth, granting Yami entrance. Yami didn't hesitate to slip his toung into Yugi's welcoming mouth. Yugi responded with fervor, his toung tangling with Yami's in their kiss. Yami's breath escaped in small pants as he remembered to breath, yet refused to break the kiss. Yugi was just as determined as he. Yugi smiled as a small moan escaped him and he rubbed up against Yami, his hands trailing over the pharaohs chest. Yami suckled Yugi's toung, running his hands down the boys body, grasping him under the buttocks, pulling his aibou closer up against him, so that the friction became nearly unbearable.

Kaiba cleared his throat, reminding the two that he was still here. The two broke apart in a frenzy of apologies and blushes. Kaiba could barely restrain the urge to laugh as he watched Yami try to pretend like nothing had happened.

Yugi smiled and scampered back up the staircase, mentioning that he would allow the two to talk and he'd be in his room as he gave one last glance over his shoulder at Yami.

Kaiba waited until Yugi was out of site, grabbed the pharaohs attention, and then pulled out a stack of papers from his brief case.

"I was looking through some files on this Shido that Yugi's been seeing after we got off the phone and managed to stumble across this." Kaiba said as he located a death report. "This was sent in a few months ago, shortly after we got back from duelist kingdom…I was about to dismiss it when I saw that the picture matches up with the young man Yugi's been seeing…" He shook his head. "They're sure they buried the body, and I myself went to see the grave. The young man had hung himself, and they'd found a picture of Yugi in his pocket, along with this." Kaiba shuffled until he found a photocopied letter.

Yami took it from Kaiba and skimmed over the words.

Yugi,

For as long as I can remember, I've watched you from a distance, a longing in my heart, that I knew well I could never share with you. I pinned my hopes and fantasy's on you, and each day I could feel this love grow ever stronger, and I longed to tell you of my desires, but, you had eyes for another, for I could see it in your eyes when you spoke of another that you knew at the time. Alas, the unfulfilled ache in my heart finally became to much for me…In the end, I couldn't hold out. If by chance you should ever find this letter, I want you to know that I loved you and life, and will continue to do so, even in death. I wish that you find happiness, and, should the one you love ever cause you pain, I will find a way back to you, to dry your tears.

Love Always,

Saiyonji Taikoushi

Yami's eyes widened as he finished the letter, his eyes bolting to a picture in Kaiba's hands that looked exactly like Shido.

"…there absolutely no way…" Yami said, even though he of all people should no better than to doubt the possibility.

"Oh, there must be, because you don't see many people that look like that, and very few of them inclined to fall in love with another male…"Kaiba said dryly putting the papers away.

Yami sank down on one of the kitchen stools, looking at the letter again and again…could it be possible….

Could Shido have returned to save Yugi from the heart ache Yami knew he'd inflicted upon the young lad when he'd left to go find himself…

Was it possible…that Shido was actually…dead?

Kizna: And yet again, another chapter.

Yugi: ::blink blink:: Shido's…dead…

Kizna: ::looks at Yugi:: I'm really sorry Hun but, ::smashes a glass bottle on his head, knocking him out.:: you're not supposed to know that yet…

Yami: ::runs over to Yuki, all worried:: Aibou….aibou speak to me…::tears begin to well in his eyes:: Aibou….AAAIIIBOOOUUUU!!!!

Kaiba: ::rolls eyes:: He's just knocked out Yami…

Joey: ::looks at Kizna all puppy eyed:: You mean….::sniiiiiffff:: I'm not in this chapter?

Kizna: ::sighs:: fine.

Joey ran through the house, screaming something about doughnuts.

Kizna: ::raises an eyebrow:: better?

Joey: ::growls::

Kaiba: ::laughs:: that's just like the pup too.

Tristan: ::nods:: It is! He did it just yesterday!

Joey: ::glares:: SHUT UP TRISTAN!

Tristan: MAKE ME!!

Tristan and Joey begin brawling…

Kizna:…Kaiba…call your dog down before I have him neutered

Joey: ::stops dead and runs to hide behind Kaiba:: Save me.

Kizna: ::smiles to the reader:: Have fun. Thanks for dropping by!