Chapter 8 – Friends

The taxi pulled up outside the shop and Yugi and Yami were greeted with a big surprise.

"So that's what Mokuba was up to." Said Yugi and grinned in delight.

Outside of his house waiting for them was Mokuba as well as Joey, Tristan, Tea, Serenity and Duke.

The taxi driver opened the door and Yugi got out before turning round and gathering Yami into his arms.

Mokuba paid for the taxi much to Yugi's relief because he couldn't get to his pockets.

"Hi guys." He said as they crowded round him and Yami.

"Lets go inside." Said Mokuba, I've got a surprise for you Yami."

Puzzled, Yugi carried his dark indoors and into the living room.

"How did you get in Mokuba?" Yugi asked and Joey waved a key at him.

"You don't mind do you?" said Mokuba suddenly looking worried.

"No it's fine." Yugi smiled; glad to see his friends again. He would apologise profusely to them later for shutting himself away for so long, but by the looks on their faces, they didn't seem too bothered.

Yugi carried Yami into the living room and stopped short. In the middle of the room was a very expensive looking wheelchair.

Yugi knew that his friends couldn't possibly have afforded such a chair and he looked at Mokuba.

"You got this?" Yami asked amazed by their new ally's generosity.

"I did, it was nothing really and I wanted to do something to help after you've been kind to me I was just trying to return the favour a little."

Yugi carried Yami over to the chair and place him in it. It truly was a great chair with a special cushion under him and good supports so his back wouldn't ache.

"This is a very special chair." Mokuba explained. "If you press this button here," he pressed a button and a whirring noise could be heard. "You can duel!"

The group watched as a Duel Disk came up from the side of the chair and slotted into place.

"Awesome!" said Joey "Hey can I have a go?" at which Tea poked him hard in the ribs. "Ow! What was that for?"

"For being immature, honestly sometimes I wonder what I see in you!"

"Because I'm so unbelievably handsome?" Said Joey striking a pose and everyone laughed.

"You two are together?" Asked Yugi. He was even more sorry he hadn't kept up with things.

"Yeah, we figured you were busy and would catch up with us when you were ready."

"I'm sorry, I've ignored you all." Yugi said and hung his head in shame. Yami's heart went out to his Koi. Because of him Yugi had ignored his friends.

Serenity walked up to Yugi and gave him a huge hug.

"It's all right, really we knew you'd find a way to bring Yami back and we were just waiting for you to find it. We knew as soon as you did then we could all get together again."

"You really don't mind?"

"Of course not silly!" Serenity grinned at him and he grinned back.

"Alright them, but I'm still sorry."

"Don't be." Said Joey, "anyway you'd only be moping round with a face like a wet weekend." He teased and Tea poked him again "Ow! Uh sorry Yugi, it must have been hard for you huh?"

"Yeah it has been hard." He admitted. "But in the end it was worth it."

"Mokuba told us what you had to do Yugi." Said duke making a pained face. "That must have hurt."

"Oh state the obvious why don't you." Said Tristen "Course it hurt!"

"Guys! Guys it's fine really. I wanted Yami back so badly that it didn't really bother me." This was a lie because the pain had been excruciating but he didn't want all his friends being hugely sympathetic about it.

"Oh okay." Said Tristen not really believing it but accepting it anyway. They all felt for Yugi's pain when Yami had gone and were so pleased for him now. They felt for Yami's loss too though they wouldn't treat him any different than if he was fully able bodied.

Joey was still inspecting Yami's chair and Mokuba was grinning, pleased that his gift had helped. It had been a prototype that Kaiba Corp had been asked to make. The son of a rich guy who was into Duel Monsters but was wheelchair bound, had asked them to do it and this was the chair meant for him but as Mokuba had pointed out to his staff who had protested that the guy was waiting for it, Mokuba had ordered them to make another right away and apologise for the delay. His staff had scuttled off like lab rats to make another chair and Mokuba had had this one sent to Yugi's house. That's what he had spent the remainder of yesterday and today sorting out so it would be ready for Yami.

Mokuba watched as the group of friends laughed and joked with each other. He joined in too and he thought to himself that he couldn't ever remember a time when he had laughed so much. He didn't think he ever had laughed like this. Seto had always been so dead pan with little humour, even when they were kids, his ambitions were high and laughter didn't come into the equation. He really wished then that he had been born Joey or Yugi's little brother rather that Seto, even Tristen would have been okay!

Yugi noticed that Mokuba looked a little uneasy and wasn't laughing as much as everyone else. He left his spot next to Yami who had been holding his hand, and went to sit next to Mokuba.

"Everything okay?" he asked and Mokuba's eyes sparkled with unshed tears.

"No I'm not really, you guys are all so happy and it made me think that I've never had this kind of relaxed time to just have fun with friends. Seto, he always made me fiddle with the electronics of his inventions and designs and never laughed or even smiled hardly unless it was over something he had won or crushed someone he didn't like. He never smiled out of pleasure. I, I hate him!" he finished and then the tears came running down his face in a never ending rush as all his misery flowed out of him.

Serenity left Duke's side and came over to Mokuba. She sat down and gave him a hug. Mokuba clung to her shirt and cried as if his heart would break.

"I hate him, I hate him." He sobbed as Serenity patted his back.

Yami watched from his chair and felt so sorry for him. What a rotten life he had had! And here he was upset about having to sit in a chair! 'There were more ways than one to disable a person.' He thought 'No laughter is a horrible way to have to live.' He was glad his hikari made him laugh as well as his friends.

Mokuba dried his eyes and sniffed.

"Thanks guys, I guess I really needed that."

"its okay we understand." Yugi smiled "besides you're friends with us now and we have a good laugh a lot of the time – well we used to. Nothing's changed though, not really."

The group nodded. Now they were back together again and nothing was going to change that.

Mokuba smiled round at everyone truly happy for the first time in his life. He would deal with his so-called brother when the time came.

Later on there were empty pizza boxes lying around the room and everyone was full and contented. Joey had gone off to hire a movie and it had just ended. Yami yawned loudly.

"Oh sorry." He said and giggled, "guess I'm more tired than I thought."

"Yes it's time us lot got going and left you two in peace," grinned Joey and Yugi blushed slightly. But then Joey yelped as Tea poked him again.

"Ow! I'm going to have a bruise there now." Complained Joey and everyone laughed.

They grabbed their coats and left. Quite suddenly Yugi and Yami were alone in the house.

Yugi stood in front of his dark taking in the fine features of his face and the lean muscled body that lay under his clothes. In spite of his body having been dormant for so long, it had recovered fast and was perfect. He licked his lips in anticipation. Yami saw him and noted the hunger in his eyes.

"I want you Yami, I want to show you just how much I have missed you, needed you, wanted to feel you close by my side, holding me in your arms."

Yugi walked up to him and Yami slid his arms round his light's neck. Yugi lifted him and observed the mess on the floor. 'Ah it can wait till morning.' He thought, he didn't think he could wait another minute and he pressed his lips down onto Yami's making him part his mouth to allow his tongue to explore inside. Yami moaned into the kiss and slid his own tongue inside Yugi's mouth to explore.

Still kissing Yami deeply, Yugi made his way upstairs to the bedroom and laid his koi on the bed. He lay next to him and they resumed the kiss, fingers wondered roaming, exploring and entwining themselves in each other's hair. Years of pent up desires and passions were flooding out of them, fuelling their passion until they could stand it no longer.

"Get these off me!" Begged Yami indicating his pants and Yugi obliged before whipping his own clothes off and kissing Yami all over his chest while his dark moaned loudly.

Passions rose as they found each other fully and made themselves whole and one with each other. All tiredness forgotten it was many hours later when both of them spent and blissfully happy lay in each other's arms asleep, with smiles on their faces.

Yami & Yugi: Whee we got a lime!

Yami Seirei: yes you did, like it?

Yami: Yeah!

Yugi: (puppy dog eyes) I wanted a lemon pweeeeeeese can we have one?

Yami Seirei: Not in this ficcy! Remember I promised you a lemon in another fic okay?

Yugi: Okay…so long as it's a promise.

Yami: well when she does, watch out! I've seen her lemon fics.

Yami seirei: YAMI! You read my fics?

Yami: Yeah you really shouldn't leave your computer on when you got into town…but I had a great time!

Yugi: Hey! I never got to read one!

Yami Seirei: (prints off a ficcy) here go read!

Yugi: Ohh goody (bounces off to read it)

Yami: Heh…There'll be no stopping him tonight you know!

Yami Seirei: Serves you right for reading my other stories!

Yami: bah just get on with the next chapter!

Yami Seirei: yep I will soon if people like this enough (hint-review-hint) hehe

Yami: Subtle aren't you….

Yami Seirei: Yep!