The Job

Yuugi blinked his eyes groggily at the invasive sunbeam, his gaze turned to the Dark Magician clock ticking beside his bed. Somehow it was morning, though he didn't remember getting ready for bed. The Sennen puzzle was lying next to the clock reflecting the suns rays with a golden gleam.

Yuugi sat up feeling strangely weak and tired. Someone knocked on his bedroom door before sliding the door open and peeking inside.

"Yuug, you awake buddy?"

"Yeah, when did I fall asleep?" Jounouchi entered the room and sat down on the bed.

"After school Honda and I came by to see why you were away from school, you were asleep on the sofa so we woke you up but you fell asleep again. I moved you up here soon after that and we crashed downstairs."

"I'm still tired though…"

Jounouchi frowned and raised a hand to Yuugi's forehead. The smaller boy rubbed his eyes and glanced up at the blonde.

"I'm fine, Jounouchi-kun, just a little sleepy."

"Yeah, but Yuug you've done nothing but sleep for ages. Maybe you're coming down with something?" Yuugi batted Jounouchi's fussing hand away from his forehead and sat up, flinching as his vulnerable skin met with the cold morning air.

"Why's it so cold? Hasn't Jii-chan put the heating on this morning?"

"He isn't here yet, he phoned last night to say he was staying round a friends; haven't you heard there's a killer on the loose? He struck again last night at our school! They wouldn't show any shots of the corpse on TV though…apparently they still haven't identified the body, it was that mangled!"

Yuugi was less than impressed and felt slightly sick to his stomach, his mind drifting back to the body he had found in the alley on the way to school. Jounouchi didn't notice, but paused from his description of the body to ask a question.

"How about breakfast?"

"I think I'll pass…"

-

The morning passed uneventfully, as Jounouchi was convinced his smaller friend was sick and therefore wouldn't let him out of bed. Honda was flipping through television channels while Jounouchi kept watch over Yuugi – who was sleeping again. Jounouchi leaned back in his chair and yawned, glancing at the clock that told him it was past lunchtime.

He considered waking the sleeping teen, but decided against it; he hadn't been very enthusiastic about food earlier this morning. Sighing Jounouchi rubbed his eyes and leaned back in the chair, his arm brushing against a damp patch on something. Yuugi's blue school jacket was hanging on the back of the chair; and there was a scarlet damp patch on one of the arms.

'Is he being bullied again? I'll have to ask him…"

Jounouchi glanced at Yuugi, just to confirm that he was still asleep. Yuugi was laying very still, his face pale but strangely calm. Jounouchi picked up the jacket and brought it to the small upstairs bathroom. He ran some warm water into the sink and began to scrub at the bloodied patch. He'd been in enough fights to know that blood stains didn't wash out very easily; and that Yuugi's grandfather would have another heart attack to learn his grandson was being bullied again.

His fingers ran over the crimson stain, and watched the water turn pink. His thoughts drifted to Yuugi, and he found his actions quickening. He couldn't stand to be away from Yuugi; that was how Yuugi got this blood stain in the first place…

-

In his bed Yuugi's calm sleep was interrupted; his mind was plagued with nightmares about a long dark corridor with two doors on either wall. One emitting light and warmth, the other darkness and solitude.

Unfortunately something from within the dark chamber was calling out his name, and wasn't going to let him get away…

To be Continued

Please review.

Sorry for the macabre chapter before, it had to be written though. You'll see why. Also apologies for the short and pretty damn boring chapter; things pick up next time though when Yuugi finally meets his 'protector'...

Big hugs and carrot sticks (lower in fat than cookies!) to my wonderful reviewers: Snow Angel; thanks for reviewing every chapter, and I promise Yami is done with the organ stuff! Silvershadowfire, Rikainiel, KrystalMountain, sadistic-darkbitch, Neko Yugi's Hikari, Black-Flare-Shadow, Ms Hobgoblin, YumeTakato, Strega, Rikkune, Wings of a Phoenix, Saiyan Jedi, Luthien-Defender; I've already given you a Yuugi plushie replacement...but have another! inuyasha0001, shadowcat22, yamijennimoto; Gross was spelled correctly! And Yana5.

Completed: 4th December 2004

-Dagger