YD: Yes, yes, I am evil. My friends and ex-friends continually tell me so. Doncha think I'd know by now?

HS: I locked her in her soul room with a computer and murderous plot bunnies. All she had to do was write a chapter.

YD: I was afraid of the things my hikari might do while she was in control. She's twisted, hence me. Yes, she's more lenient but when you piss her off…

HS: Stop talking about me and start the story!

Disclaimer: I own Yuugioh. (lawyers surround me and start suing) I GIVE! I GIVE! Now penniless, I say: I don't own Yuugioh.


Chapter eight, Betrayal

Yami forced himself to breathe as he summoned the last drop of Magic he had. He didn't have enough to stop the blade or teleport, so he redirected it. Yami knew that he couldn't aim it at Yokoshima or Anzu; they'd just redirect it toward Yuugi again. So, he aimed it toward himself…

Yuugi screamed.


Yami was rooted toward the spot, watching the blade draw nearer. If he died, what would become of Yuugi? He knew his responsibilities, but he couldn't even blink.

"YAMI!" His heart stopped, his breathing hitched, he could feel Death beckoning to him. "I WON'T LET YOU DIE!" Yuugi screamed his frustration and Light surrounded Yami. Life returned to him. Yami collapsed, sucking in glorious oxygen to satisfy his lungs.

"Pity you didn't die, baka Pharaoh. It would have saved you so much pain."

"What happened?" Yami choked out. Anzu looked at him like he was insane.

"You have no idea what happens when you run out of Shadow Magic?" Yami glared at her.

"If I did, then I wouldn't be asking." Yami snarled.

"You lost too much Magic, so when you tried to use it; you used your life force. Yami, if you die, I'd die. I can't live without you. Since I have minimal control over the Shadows, I used Light. My Light gave you enough energy to fight off Death." Yuugi explained.

"You should've just died!" Anzu leapt forward, ready to kill Yami. Light shielded Yami.

"Unlike you, Yami, I still have Magic." Yuugi remarked.

"I'm indebted to you, koishii." Yami stood up slowly and rubbed his arms to get the circulation going. Yuugi smiled slightly.

"Just get me out of here, and we'll go home."

"Will do, aibou, will do." Standing straighter, he glared at Yokoshima and Anzu. "Let's get on with it."

"Fine, because you failed to answer the third question, and because it was the first time, you get a second chance. Have you ever dreamed of anyone besides you little Light?" Yami gritted his teeth and stared at his hikari. Yuugi watched him silently. Nothing shone in those amethyst depths. Yami decided to take a shot.

"Yes, I have in the past." Anzu scowled darkly. Loopholes, gotta hate 'em. "I choose the chain around his right wrist." It disappeared and his arm fell limp against him.

"Fourth question, Have you every doubted Yuugi's love for you?"

"NO." Anzu smirked triumphantly and pointed at Yuugi. Once again, the Shadow flames consumed Yuugi. His scream echoed in the depths of Yami's mind over and over again. "Stop, please, stop." Yami whispered, unable to take any more of the mental torture.

"Wrong answer, Pharaoh. You shouldn't lie you know, it only makes things worse." Yami tried to block out the hurt look Yuugi was giving him.

"I'm so sorry, aibou. I'm sorry." His voice was barely above a whisper yet everyone heard him, even the people outside the dome.

"Fourth question over again, when did you doubt Yuugi's love for you?" Yokoshima asked cruelly.

"…I never truly doubted him but he didn't want to… so I jumped to conclusions. I still kept on loving him through it though."

Silence

"I'm sorry, Yuugi. I don't deserve you, truly. I love you with all my heart and soul but I know I don't deserve someone like you. I choose the chain around his left ankle." He didn't see it, but the chain melted away. Yuugi had silent tears falling and hitting the floor beneath him.

"Pity we don't care or else we'd be heartbroken." Anzu taunted. Yami didn't look up, only stared at the ground, tear trails probably permanently stained.

Yami answered the next question without fail. Yuugi used the last of his strength to hang on the chain still encircled around his left wrist.

"Last question, how many times have you slept with your hikari… in your imagination?" Yokoshima asked. This was their last chance to make Yami fail.

"…" Yuugi stared at Yami imploringly. Yami had a million images flashing before him. Yuugi beneath him… Yuugi screaming his name… Yuugi, Yuugi, Yuugi.

"Yami, please, help me." Yami looked up at his koi. Yuugi's pleading amethyst eyes bore into his. He took a breath.

"Too many times to count." Yami replied softly. After all, he was only a teen, a sex-deprived teen at that. Yokoshima and Anzu scowled, they had lost. "The last chain around his left wrist can disappear now." Yami shot forward to catch Yuugi before he hit the ground.

"Yami…"

"Yuugi, oh Ra, Yuugi, I'm never going to forgive myself for this. I'm so sorry, koi. I love you so much, sweet hikari."

"So sorry that we have to break up the reunion but the deal is still in place."

"I love you for always and forever." Yami whispered. He stood, leaving Yuugi leaning against the Tablet.

"Well, Pharaoh?" Anzu sneered.

"I'll go as the volunteer and I choose Anzu to go to the Shadows with me." Yami said, looking at nothing in particular. Yuugi jerked his head toward Yami.

"What?" He asked incredulously. Yami refused to look Yuugi in the eyes.

"It's the only way for me to make sure Anzu will never hurt you again." Yami whispered. Yuugi leaned forward and pulled Yami down.

"I just got you back and I'm not letting you get away from me again!" Yami pressed his lips against Yuugi's in a desperate kiss. It was the exact feeling of the kiss in his dream. Only now, Yuugi would probably never see Yami again.

"Trust me, aibou. I wouldn't be doing this unless I loved you." He nuzzled Yuugi's neck, his vulnerable point. "I love you so much, koishii. Don't ever forget me." He stood up again. Yuugi reached for him one last time.

"Don't leave me, please! You promised that you'd never leave me, you promised!"

"I'm sorry, Yuugi. I love you." Shadows encased Yami and Anzu swiftly and silently. Someone inside screamed bloody murder. Yuugi winced.

"YAMI, DON'T GO, PLEASE!" Yuugi's pleas went unnoticed as the Shadows began to clear. "I love you too, Kkwy." Yuugi sobbed openly and the Shadows vanished. Nothing was left, no soul, no body, not even the Sennen Puzzle. The dome disappeared, letting the others enter.

"Yuugi," Jounouchi called. "are you ok?"

"What do you think? I just lost the only person I ever loved."

"You bakas, my avatar may be gone, but I still live. I'll kill you now, hikari." Yokoshima yelled furiously. Yuugi stared at her silently, tears still falling.

"Please, go ahead. Yami is dead and I have nothing to live for. Just kill me; I don't want to feel pain anymore." His friends separated him from the blood-thirsty demon.

"Don't you know that when your vessel disappears, you go with it?" Bakura mocked. "You clearly don't know the rules of living in the Shadows. Yokoshima screamed as her soul was shredded by the Shadows. Whatever was left was sent to the Shadow Realm.

"We're safe now." Ryou murmured. Bakura and Marik sank to the ground. They were tired and drained. Nothing would be better than a nice bed and a kiss from their hikari. Unfortunately, they couldn't. Their hikaris would want them to help Yuugi.

"Yuugi please, let us help you." Yuugi pushed Ryou's hand away.

"Just let me die." Jounouchi stared at his friend sadly. He recognized this state of mind. Depression was a serious thing. Usually Yuugi's Grandfather would cheer him up but he was in the United States or in Egypt. It had been years since Yuugi was depressed. Yami had always made sure that Yuugi was happy.

"Get up, Mutou." Seto ordered. Jounouchi placed a hand on his arm.

"He's depressed and the only thing that can bring him out of it is Yami." Seto looked understandingly at Yuugi. He knew depression very well.

"What do we do?" Malik asked.

"First off, let's get home." Jounouchi picked up Yuugi. Yuugi struggled; the only person who could hold him like that was Yami! Marik pooled his Magic with Malik's Light Magic and sent Yuugi into a state of harmless, dreamless sleep.

"I have to rest if I'm going to have enough Magic to help Mutou." Marik said. Bakura nodded in affirmation. Ryou looked at Bakura surprised.

"You're volunteering to help?"

"You would keep nagging me to help so why not do so willingly and avoid your wrath?" Ryou hit Bakura lightly.

"I love you, Yami." Bakura hugged his hikari.

"I love you too, tenshi. Let's go home." Together they group set out toward Yuugi's home. Only one wasn't happy. One guess who.

To Be Continued


YD: You don't think I'd actually kill Yami off do you?

HS: …yes

YD: Why do I bother? Honestly, I don't know why I bother to explain things to you.

HS: Shut up and update. Threats are starting to build up.

YD: Save the flames, this story isn't done yet and there is still plenty of time for Yami to return.