I'm so ashamed it has been almost six months since the last time I updated this fic.

Nothing I say would change the fact that I made you wait this long. All I can say is that I'm sorry.

I had a bit of problem with this chapter, but I'm satisfied with how it turned out in the end.

Without further ado, I'll leave you now to enjoy the new chapter.


Chapter 10: Different Scars, Different Meanings

The first morning rays slipped through the little window above the cranky door, lightening up the dark room and blinding momentarily its only occupant. A tricolour-haired teen sat on the only bed; slim hands gripping a thin, green comforter in a useless attempt to calm the storm of emotions that was about to break loose. The way the slender fingers curled into white fists showed the great amount of distress and anxiety lying beneath the alabaster skin.

A sound broke the silence. A mere whisper, that soon dissolved into the thick air of the closed room.

"Yami…"

Just a word, but the only one responsible for the jumbled thoughts and contradictory emotions surging through Noah's veins. In some way, "Yami" would summarize everything that had been Noah's life before he decided to leave it all behind. All the memories locked within that word made the young man feel both excited and sad. Excited, because the bearer of that name had showed Noah that true love did exist. And sad, because that love hadn't last long enough to be enjoyed.

A tear ran down Noah's pale cheek. It still pained him… It hurt to remember that the other half of his soul, the one he had so desperately fallen in love with, was dead. Or to put it lightly, gone to the afterlife. What was the difference between those terms, anyway? To the former duellist both meant the same thing: they (whoever they were) had ripped his darker half away from him.

And, somehow, it still hurt.

Deeply.

Unconsciously, his fingers flew to touch the scar running along the underside of his right arm, and mentally winced as he remembered the day in which the, now white, mark had come to mar his skin. That scar was hot proof that Yami would no longer be there when he needed him…that indeed, his other half was gone forever.

-----

Yuugi climbed the stairs to his "small mousetrap" - as he so fondly called the place where he lived - , taking two steps at a time. He had found a job as a cashier in a coffee shop. Not what anyone would expect from a boy who had been three times world champion. But what did it matter?…It was a job!

The young man had been very worried. What little money he had managed to save was already waning considerably, and he was sure he'd found himself sleeping on the streets in no time. Back then, he had had two options: return to Domino before he ran out of money, or stop moping around and find a job. The light half did considered the 'go back to family and friends' choice, but pride injected it's sometimes evil venom in Yuugi's heart and so, the former duellist had found himself looking at the ad's section first thing every morning.

Unfortunately, most than half of the jobs available were far away from his possibilities: they asked for a curriculum vitae (which Yuugi didn't have nor could he show a fake one without raising any suspicions), or the applicant ought to have finished high school (which Yuugi had dropped off in the middle of his sophomore year) or some references were needed (which was definitely out of question).

Three weeks and twenty six ads later, his first real opportunity arrived.

'Coffee Shop. Help Wanted.
631.27.87
No references needed
Ask for Jenny S.'


He had called the coffee shop and talked to Jenny. Both of them had agreed to meet the following day so that she could decide if Yuugi was qualified for the job. That night the former duellist was so nervous, he couldn't sleep.

Most persons, when having an interview with their 'hopefully' future bosses, expect a "Good morning. Take a seat please." Or in the most unnerving cases a head-nod and a quick shake of hands. But Yuugi had gotten a blunt:

"You?"

It turned out to be that Jenny knew him! She had been the waitress waiting to clean his table that morning, when Yuugi had first arrived in the city. She had been so shocked when he appeared… almost as if she didn't expect him to be alive…Ok, Yuugi himself called his own home "small mousetrap", but it didn't have to be taken too seriously. Anyway, Jenny had been promoted to 'head of personnel' and now that the former cashier had retired, she was in charge of finding a new one.

It had only taken twenty minutes of Yuugi's natural charm to make Jenny decide he was the best one for the job. Polite, kind, somewhat shy, and above all, honest. Maybe it had been that child-like aura radiating off him, or maybe the innocent look in those amethyst eyes…but Jenny somehow knew he could be trusted.

"Very well. You've got the job." Jenny had said, standing up and picking his small red purse. "You'll have the afternoon shift, so we'll be expecting you around three o'clock…ehrmm…"

Yuugi had smiled to himself. He had once made the mistake of telling Earl his real name, but that time he had been caught off guard. Unlike then, the former duellist was now prepared for that question, as he had spent the past week choosing a new identity. If he went around as 'Yuugi', it wouldn't take too much for Kaiba's high technology and contacts to catch up with him. So that's why he needed a name the CEO would never think of tracking down. A name that would make Kaiba cringe at the sole mention of. A name like…

"Noah…Noah Vailo"

Yuugi hoped that choosing the name of Kaiba's former stepbrother wouldn't be too cheeky for his own good. But it did provide a good cover. After all, what were the chances of Kaiba realizing the connection between Noah Vailo and Yuugi Mutou?

"Well Noah, I'll see you on Monday. Make sure you're early."

And that was the reason why Yuugi had skipped all the way to his building. Half of the happiness faded away though, when he reached the top of the stairs. Strangely enough, the door to his small living was wide open and there were sounds coming from the inside. To his surprise, he found the room in a total mess and in the middle of that chaos stood Earl.

And the fat, cruel man was ripping off every single page of his precious notebooks. Anger flared up inside Yuugi, and before he could stop himself, he strode over to the landlord and snatched his sketchpad away.

"OUT! YOU GET OUT!"

Earl looked startled by the appearance and sudden outburst of Yuugi, but the shock in his face was soon replaced by a maniacal laughter.

"Oh s- tha spiky haired kid decid' to show up…" Earl slurred. It was obvious he was totally drunk as he swayed towards Yuugi with an empty beer bottle hanging dangerously from his arm. For each step he took forward, Yuugi took one backwards; but the room was small and the teen found himself pressed against the cold wall with Earl looming over him like a depredator.

"Now, what where ya sayin'?"

"Those are my things. Y-you have no…no right to touch them…" the former duellist choked, trying to snap away the stubby fingers closing around his Adam's apple.

The landlord gave a snort. "I own everythin' in my buildin'. Ya liv 'n my buildin' and that means-s…" the hand clenched around his throat gave a particular jerk as Earl leaned forward "…I own your things, squirt."

Earl's breath reached Yuugi's nostrils making his stomach lurch in revulsion and it didn't help the fact that he couldn't get any air into his lungs. Desperate, he raised his leg to kick the landlord, but Earl, guessing his intentions, pressed his body more fully against Yuugi's.

"I'll show ya w-what I do to littl' things like ya." To the duellist's horror the hand in his throat travelled down to sneak under the hem of his shirt, pulling the garment up.

A blood curling scream tore Yuugi's throat.

Immediately, the hand in his chest moved up to cover his mouth, but Yuugi was quicker and bit down harshly on the open palm.

The landlord yelled profanities as he shook his hand, trying to get rid of the pain. Yuugi saw this as an opportunity to escape, but Earl yanked his arm back and threw him against the wall. The light half screamed in anguish.

"SHUT UP!" Earl bellowed as he raised the bottle of beer above Yuugi's head "I TOLD YA TO SHUT…"

Yuugi let out a cry of agony. In an act of reflex, he had covered his face when the bottle came crashing down, shattering as it made contact with his right arm. Yuugi felt the shards of glass cutting his skin open and the blood sweeping out of the deep wound. Earl stumbled backwards, but the light teen didn't notice…

It hurt…his arm hurt so much…

Yuugi slid slowly down the wall. The pain was unbearable…his vision became blurred and his head grew dizzy as a loud buzz filled his ears.

Earl, terrified, was still screaming.

Terrified? …

Yuugi's world went black.

-----

The former duellist had woken up some hours later to find the place engulfed in darkness. Night had fallen, the room was a total mess, and his arm hurt like hell, but fortunately, Earl was not anywhere near. What's more, the cruel landlord had disappeared - as Noah discovered a few days later-, leaving no trace behind. The light teen had cleaned and bandaged the wound as best as he could which made it heal correctly, but a white thin line had remained. A silent reminder that his life had been in stake.

Wiping his face on the sleeve of his sweater, the teen threw the comforter aside and stood up. It was still early, but he knew he wouldn't manage to fall asleep once again. Not with his legs shaking so terribly and his heart hammering wildly against his ribcage. Noah frowned; maybe he was coming down with some kind of illness. Just two days ago, he had woken up with a painful migraine and an awful stomachache. Not to mention the voices he thought he had heard inside his head. But that was not possible…Noah knew that those deliriums were caused by the fever he had developed.

The bathroom – if it could be called bathroom- light flickered three times before the old bulb dared to illuminate the small place. His bare feet padded softly through the worn out, tiled floor as he reached the sink and opened the faucet. The cold liquid, mixed with the tearstains on his face caused goose bumps to rise up in his skin. His mind cleared a little, but the shaking in his hands and legs wouldn't stop. Coming to think about it he also felt a little nauseous. What was happening to him? Leaning on the edge of the sink and waiting for the dizziness to pass, Noah gazed at his reflection in the half broken mirror.

The young man looking back at him was not very different from the one that ran away from his home two years ago. Maybe a couple of inches taller, but it was hard to tell the difference. He had also lost some of his baby fat – though Noah suspected it was more for his lack of healthy nourishment than for the wonders growing up made on one's body. His hair was still the same crazy tricolour mess, only a little longer and wilder; framing his pale face and bringing out his eyes, which had sharpened a little around the edges and, if possible, grown more intense in colour. The purple shade of his irises had deepened considerably, and anyone looking at them would think they were gazing into an endless pool of liquid amethyst.

The real and noticeable changes had taken place inside Noah. His manners and movements changed from shy and clumsy to confident and graceful. His voice had deepened a little as well, but still conserved that smooth sweetness to it. The former duellist no longer searched for comfort and safety in the company of others, as he found them too noisy and naïve. Instead he enjoyed every single minute in solitude and cherished every moment he was allowed get lost in his own world. Some people would define him as cold and indifferent, but those few who knew him better would say he was a charming and gorgeous guy with an exotic personality. Too bad a smile had never been seen upon his face.

Noah's heart had grown colder and he knew it. Yet sometimes, the Yuugi he had once been - the one whose day would brighten up with the smallest and simplest thing - dared to escape the prison where his emotions had locked him in. It was then when Noah was the most vulnerable. His years in Domino would flash before his eyes, remembering him of what he had left behind…making him wonder if he had made the right decision. The carefree Yuugi would beg to be taken back to his Grandfather, but the cold Noah would squash down those pleads, ignoring his own intense longing.

Look what we've achieved! Noah would yell. We don't depend on anyone. We won't be hurt anymore! Why can't you understand? The carefree Yuugi would then break down in sobs, retreating back to his prison as another layer of ice closed around Noah's heart .

But then…

But then, that night, a simple dream had turned his whole world upside down and allowed some feelings, he had buried deep inside, to resurface. His pale skin still tingled with the kisses and caresses the - dream - Yami had worshipped his body with. And what's more, for the first time in two years, the carefree Yuugi had stopped crying, and instead, purred and snuggled contentedly inside Noah's mind. The dream had soothed his inner - real - self in a way he'd never thought possible.

Damn The young man released a shaky moan, mentally berating himself from his lack of control. It was only a dream, for Ra's sake!

Yet, if he closed his eyes, he could imagine and almost feel Yami's larger frame moving in time with his own, pressing them both into the silk sheets beneath. The whispered promises made between moans and cries that coated the already lust-filled air, as their bodies arched, trying to get deliciously closer and deeper to the other while seeking their own personal heaven. The tender and desperate, but possessive way, in which the darker half had loved and cradled him, making sure every inch of their skin was in full contact, as their hearts and minds joined in a sensual and intimate dance. That deep and alluring, breathless voice chanting right into his ear as they became one:

You are mine Yuugi, and you'll always be.

Noah shivered.

Yami was a ghost of his past. A ghost that had appeared in his dream to make him realize that, after three years, he still longed for the ancient pharaoh. Noah hated to admit it, but the memory of Yami was slowly fading away. It all started one morning, when the light teen discovered he couldn't recall the sound of his partner's voice anymore. He had panicked to the point of tears, because he knew what was happening. As an unconscious mechanism of self-defence, his mind had always tended to lock away and forget everything that had hurt him. Since Yami's departure had opened a deep wound inside Noah's heart, his mind was forcing the memory away.

Through the following year, the darker half's touch was forgotten and the colour of his vibrant eyes erased from his mind. … only a dull image of the ancient pharaoh remained. A lifeless image without face, without voice, and without the warmth and comfort the presence of the darker half brought to the light teen's soul whenever he appeared in the teen's thoughts. Anyone who had known Yami, could think there was no logic in Noah's situation. How could he forget someone that had been practically a clone of him? But Noah knew better; he and Yami had been complete opposites; different halves of a similar soul. And those differences had been the ones that brought them together in the first place.

His hand reached out to touch his reflection in the mirror, snapping him out of his thoughts as the tips of his fingers came in contact with the smooth, cold surface. For a second, he thought he had seen a red prick of light flicker behind his irises. He immediately shook his head…the last thing he needed now was to lose his mind.

Turning off the light and stretching his back, Noah made it back into his room and opened the cranky door to let some fresh air sweep into the place. The images of his most recent dream came rushing back to him. Thanks to it, Yami's eyes, his skin, his body, his voice… everything was fresh in his mind. An idea pooped in his mind and for the first time in two years, a true smile illuminated Noah's face. He looked at his watch, realizing he still had about eight hours until his shift at the coffee shop started. Plenty of time for what he wanted to do.

Kneeling down on the floor, he reached beneath the mattress and pulled out a canvas and a set of oil paintings. He had found the canvas in a trash can, when walking home from the coffee shop, just a couple of weeks ago. It was practically new, as only three brown lines crossed diagonally the white surface. Noah guessed the previous owner had gotten frustrated with his painting and thrown it away; a great opportunity for Noah, since this material was rather expensive for the duellist to afford.

Tired of his colourless drawings, Noah had decided to buy a set of oil paintings. They were not professional, neither were the best ones, but they did took a fair chunk of his savings, so he hoped they were worth their value. They were new, as he had promised he'd only used them when he felt truly inspired. They were perfect for a morning like this; in which inspiration had replaced the blood in his veins.

With a spatula, he scraped the canvas to get rid of all the old pigment. It wasn't a difficult task, as the paint came down without much effort, but he had to be very careful not to damage the fragile fabric below. By the time he finished, it was already eight o'clock, and the daylight fully illuminated the small room.

Noah settled the canvas against the wall, adopting a comfortable position on the floor. He tilted his head to the side, looking intently at the white surface as a picture began to take shape in his mind. There were so many emotions tingling under his skin and pulsing through his veins; all wanting to come out at the same time.

Where should I start? Noah asked himself.

Start with him, Yuugi giggled merrily, start with Yami.

And so, the former duellist picked up the brush and dipped it in 'Alizarin Crimson'. The cold Noah was put to sleep and the carefree Yuugi took over as the brush made contact with the canvas; gliding over the smooth fabric and leaving a deep red line behind.

-()-()-()-

Malik tossed and turned around restlessly on his bed. For some reason he couldn't find the right position to sleep in. Not that he wasn't tired, - after all he hadn't gotten any sleep the previous night thanks to Ishizu's reprimand, - but it seemed that his mind was too content wandering off in space to let him get some rest.

The green numbers in his digital clock read 2:37. The Egyptian groaned, burying his head in the pillow. It was going to be another sleepless night.

And how could he sleep when some many things had happened in the last few days? The return of Marik, Atemu and Bakura had reopened a gap he had thought closed. He had to admit he didn't mind the ancient pharaoh coming back, but with Bakura and Marik, things were completely different. Both spirits – former spirits, Malik corrected himself – had brought nothing but trouble to their lives.

But Atemu had said that Bakura and Marik did gain their right to have their lives back. Whatever that meant.

Malik shrugged and turned on his side, his eyes locking into a figure almost hidden by the shadows. Marik, deep in thought, was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest and his gaze focused – to Malik's surprise and utter embarrassment – on his light's naked torso. Unconsciously, the light Egyptian drew the covers up to his chin to hide his naked frame. Out of habit, he always slept shirtless since he found the nights in Domino to humid and warm to stay clothed. How could have he forgotten there was someone else in the room?

Noticing the change in his field of view, Marik's eyes shifted to those of his lighter half and studied him closely.

"What?" the blond Egyptian snapped.

Marik didn't respond; neither did he blink. Irritated, Malik rolled his eyes and turned to the other side. His darker half's presence was awfully intimidating, but Ishizu had made it clear that he'd have to look after his evil counterpart since he was the one who summoned him all those years ago. Just his luck…

The clock read now 2:58. Malik frowned. Come on… I need to sleep…

The light teen almost jumped out of his skin when he felt his covers being thrown aside and then a deft finger touch the ancient patterns carved on his back. He would have turned around and push the person away, but there was some kind of power tying his limbs to the bed.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Malik tried not to shiver as the finger traced up his spine, following the thin lines. "Atemu said you weren't allowed to use Shadow Magic!"

"Wrong." Marik responded, "He said that Bakura wasn't allowed to use Shadow Magic. Not me."

Malik's body tensed considerably. There he was, trapped in his own body with a maniac fingering his back in a way that made him shiver in both pleasure and fear. Wait…pleasure? Where was Ishizu when he needed her?

"Your back… it's full of scars."

"Oh… really?" Malik shot back "If you hadn't told me, I'd never had known."

"These scars," Marik continued, ignoring the sarcasm in his light's voice. "…your father was the one who carved them on your back. He knew the ritual could have killed you, and yet he insisted on finishing it. He didn't stop when you cried, nor did he when you begged. What's more, he totally ignored the pleas of your mother and sister. You were loosing a lot of blood…and yet he wouldn't stop."

Malik blinked quickly, trying to get rid of the sudden stinging sensation in his eyes. Why… oh why did his defences have to come down whenever someone talked about the ritual he had to put through? He'd never admit it to anyone, but sometimes he'd wake up in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat, as he remembered the pointy knife carving all those ancient hieroglyphs on his skin, the pleads of his mother and the fear in the eyes of his sister…but most of all he remembered the indifferent tone of his father's voice, oblivious to the pain his son was suffering…

"What's your point Marik?" the light Egyptian hissed; trying to get away from the images he dreaded so much.

"Why do you hate me?"

Of all the answers Malik had been expecting, that one was at the bottom of his list.

"HATE YOU?

"Yes, you hate me and I want to know why. Your father was the one who put you in this misery, and yet, you hate me. Why? You created me…"

"And you tried to destroy me!" Malik couldn't take it anymore. "You killed my father, tried to kill my sister and if that wasn't enough, the moment you took control of my body, you almost banished me to the Shadow Realm! You sick lunatic!"

The finger stopped abruptly, and Malik knew he had pushed his luck too far. Marik temper would flare at anyone who dared to insult him and the light Egyptian had a slight suspicion he'd find himself with a one-way ticket to the Shadow Realm. His gaze fell on the Millennium Rod, dangling on the edge of his bedside table. Maybe, if he tried stretching his arm, he could grab the item and knock Marik with it. In any case, the noise would alert Ishizu and Odion, and then they would get help…

"I'm sorry."

Malik was too furious to notice the sudden change in his darker half's voice and the tender way in which the slender fingers had resumed their stroking.

"Sorry isn't going to change what you did. Who says you aren't evil right now? Do you expect me to trust you, after all that happened in Battle City? I DON'T BELIEVE YOU. "

"You have my word…"

"Your word means NOTHING! Do you expect me to forgive you for killing my fath-"

"Your father?" Marik interrupted his temper rising, but the fingers didn't stop moving. "Don't be hypocrite. You were his only son, and even though you were young and full of life, he forced you to live underground. You say I killed him, but have you ever stopped to think HE COULD HAVE KILLED YOU? You were nothing more than a slave to him, a useless mole of flesh to use for his advantage and I set you free."

"DON'T you dare talk about him like that! He…he was…he did..."

But words failed Malik. He wanted to defend his father against Marik's accusations, but to his horror he found that a part of him agreed with what his darker half was saying. NO! How could he be thinking like that? He had been taught to respect and worship his ancestors. Hating his father would be like going against everything he believed in. But he didn't hate his father! He hated Marik for killing his father…the father who had almost killed him.

That was logical, right?...RIGHT?

"It was unintentional…i-it was my fault. I was so weak." the light Egyptian's voice came tiny, but the quiver in it showed he didn't fully trust his words. "It was a tradition I had to follow; he was only doing what he had to."

"He had the opportunity to choose: carve the pharaoh's secret in a rock or carve it in his son's flesh." Marik extended his palm; stroking the wing-like drawings near Malik's shoulder blades and feeling the tense muscles twitch under his fingers. "We certainly know what his choice was."

"Father was caring."

"No, he was selfish. He made you suffer all the pain he went through when he was a child. He didn't let you have a normal life and NEVER asked what you wanted to be, but took for granted that you'd follow his steps. You were a prisoner until I appeared.

Back then, I was nothing more than the personification of your feelings: hate, anger, pain, mistrust and-"

Marik stopped abruptly and silently shook his head. It wasn't the time. Right now, he could feel anger and betrayal pulsing through the other's veins in powerful waves. He'd had to wait for Malik to come in term with his feelings before he even began to explain why the Shadows granted him a second opportunity at life. He just hoped the blow wouldn't be too hard for his other half.

"I won't let you hate me." Marik finally said; giving one last caress to the light Egyptian's back. "Not if there is something I can do to redeem my mistakes. You've got that?"

No response.

The light Egyptian wasn't listening; his mind too preoccupied with other matters to acknowledge whathis darkness was saying. Suddenly, the weight that tied him to the bed was lifted and Malik was able to turn around, guessing his darker half had finally left the room due to his lack of response.

Wrong.

Marik was still there, leaning over and looking at him with unreadable lavender eyes. He was close, so close that he could feel the other's breath brushing against his lips. Malik's stomach knotted uncomfortably and his heartbeat increased. The warmth of the other's body was somehow alluring, and swept right into his chest, making his skin tingle slightly.

I'm back Malik." The dark half stated, his lips almost touching those of his other half. "Whether you like it or not."

Before Malik had time to fully comprehend what the other had said, the Shadows engulfed his body and made him fell into a dreamless sleep.

Marik drew the covers up to his light's chest and walked back to sit down on his spot near the window. He felt somewhat guilty, for using his powers on Malik, but otherwise, the Egyptian wouldn't have been able to get some rest. They'd need every ounce of strength for the following days. Controlling the "farrow's" temper was never an easy thing, and with that little brat nowhere to be seen and no clue to were he could be, things would get really ugly.

With one last glace at that strange and sometimes irritating machineof doom above Malik's bedside table, he let sleep overtake his senses.

The green numbers read 3:31.

Just a couple of things:

I may have exaggerated the deeds of Malik's father; but I needed it to be that way so I can bring Malik and Marik together. You'll se how in later chapters.

And a little riddle for all of you: where does 'Noah's' surname come from? The winner or winners will get a free ride on Kaiba's personal jet (you know the one that look like a blue-eyes white dragon).

Till next time.

Review Responses:

I'm not planning on giving up on this story. Sometimes it'd take me a little longer to update, but I promise you'll get to see how it ends.

An author, friend of mine, told me we aren't allowed to answer to our reviewers (I find the idea quite stupid); so this time, I won't do it personally. However that doesn't stop me from giving a huge massive thank you to:

LosingReality, Lechan, Nine Tailed Vixen, Raskanii, Gohanzgirl , Aislynn Goldleaf, Kya-chan, Inuyashas' Plaything, Shader, Serena the Hikari of Love, storywriter10791, Jas, Ryu Meijin, Yami Adritha, ryuu no ketsurui , yamiyugifanadic, Kuramalovergirl, Stéphanie, Hikari's-dark-side-08, xXDesert RoseXx, shitsumon, LadyAlisyn , SoulDreamer, harleydbabe222, citrus luver, i love athrun, Feebeefi, Hikari Skysong, Atemu Yugi Lover34, Dangelic Fantasy, redconvoy and crsg.

Thank you so much for all your reviews. I'm really, really grateful! (bows).