Disclaimer: (sigh) still not owned by me!

Chapter 5

Yugi closed the door behind him and turned to face his one-time best friend.

"Well where were you? I've been worried sick." Joey was scowling at Yugi but the smaller of the two didn't flinch. He'd been through enough of Yami's drunken rages to balk at such looks.

"I needed to get out for a while, clear my head." He said his voice completely calm and not showing an ounce of the turmoil he was feeling inside. "I'm sorry I worried you but please don't worry about me I can look after myself."

"Is that why you stayed with him for so long?" Joey spat venom clear in his voice. Yugi's anger rose but he kept his face neutral.

"I stayed with him because I knew he would realise what he was doing sooner or later."

"He nearly killed you Yugi and still you love him. I can't understand it, never will but still you should move on with your life now, forget the past."

Yugi smiled. That was exactly what he was doing but not in the way Joey thought.

"Yes I am looking forwards to the future." He said completely truthfully. Joey walked over and gave him a hug.

"I knew you'd see sense one of these days, just don't scare me like that again okay? Next time you want to clear your head you tell me."

"I will, I promise." Yugi said wondering how on earth he was going to sneak out and see Yami every night, which was what he wanted. He couldn't very well need to clear his head every night! He would have to be patient and just see his love when he could until such time as they could go and start their new life somewhere.

They had discussed at length what to do and it had been Yami's suggestion that they bide their time until they had saved enough money to afford plane tickets and find somewhere to stay. So for now Yugi wasn't going to mention to Joey about his lies and besides Joey would know he'd seen Yami if he mentioned it.

"I need to sleep now." Yugi said and Joey gave him another hug before letting him make his way up to the spare room that Joey said he could use while he stayed.

Yugi rested his head on the soft pillow and his thoughts drifted to Yami.

"Soon we will be together." He whispered before falling into a deep sleep and dreaming of a time in the future when they could be together with no one to tell them they couldn't.

Yami woke from the most peaceful sleep he had had in many years. He hugged himself wishing Yugi was there, but knowing that his koi was somewhere and was probably thinking about him. He decided that he was going to do everything in his power to save enough money so they could leave and start a new life.

He needed to be at work so he rose and dressed quickly. He was surprised to discover he was humming and it made him smile. Life was finally looking up for them and there was a spring in his step as he left his apartment building for work.

He saw his boss as soon as he arrived and asked if there were any more hours going.

"Actually yes." His boss told him, "You work hard and I was thinking of making you full-time if that would suit you."

"Yes thank you so much." Yami said overjoyed at the prospect of being able to save much more quickly. He whistled as he started his shift planning on telling Yugi the good news when he saw him later.

As Yami was starting his shift, Yugi was out scouring the city for a job. He had to find one so he could pay his own way. He didn't want to rely on Joey for longer than he had to and getting a job meant that he could move out and hopefully find his own place to live preferably closer to Yami than he was. Then maybe they could see each other more but they would still have to be careful in case they should be seen by anyone especially Joey. Yugi knew that Joey would report Yami given half the chance and he couldn't risk that.

A few hours later Yugi returned home, feeling pleased at having some application forms to fill in for several places. His background in the gaming business he found to be a good place to start. He spent the rest of the day filling them in before sealing them in some envelopes Joey gave him.

"Just going to post these forms Joey." He called and left to find a post box. His task done he wondered if he had enough time to go quickly and see Yami. He looked at his watch and shrugged. Oh well he could always say he'd gone for a walk, which wasn't a lie he would just omit the fact that his walk was going to take him to Yami's apartment.

Yami was just eating his beans on toast when his buzzer went. He knew even before he answered that it was Yugi and his heart leapt. After he let him in he put his unfinished beans on a side in the kitchen before gathering Yugi into his arms for a long lingering kiss.

"I've missed you." Was all he said before the two of them collapsed onto his bed to re-awaken their passions once again.

It was late when Yugi tore himself away to return home and he fretted all the way thinking that if they weren't careful then Joey was going to suspect. He had told Yami as they had lain in each other's arms spent and happy, that he wouldn't be able to see him too much. Yami had hugged him and told him not to worry and that they would see each other as often as they could without rousing too much suspicion.

Arriving back home, Yugi let himself in and found Joey watching a movie.

"Took your time posting those." He said accusingly and Yugi swallowed nervously. Did he suspect something?

"I went for a walk afterwards." He said hoping that his voice didn't give him away. He hated being deceitful but he would do anything to spend time with Yami.

"Where did you go?" Joey said and his voice reminded Yugi of an annoyed parent. Feeling slightly annoyed at the interrogation he sighed.

"Just round the area, went to the park and just round about really."

"Really? So you didn't go to him then?"

"No." Yugi responded the direct lie not bothering him as much as he thought it would.

"Okay, well your dinner is in the oven if you want it."

"Thanks I think I'll eat it in my room if that's okay with you."

"No problem." Joey said before turning and smiling at him.

Yugi retrieved his dinner and made his way up to his room. When he was done he didn't bother to go back downstairs choosing instead, to go straight to bed. Tomorrow he would slip out to see Yami while Joey was at work.

Joey sat for a long while on the sofa swirling his coffee round in his mug and thinking. Yugi had seemed much happier since he'd got back from being out the previous night and Joey had his suspicions about exactly where his spiky haired friend had been. If Yugi had been to see Yami then whether they liked it or not, he was breaking the retraining order and that was something Joey couldn't let slip. 'Next time he goes out,' Joey thought 'I'm going to follow him.'

Satisfied with his plan, he downed the rest of his drink and made his way up to bed. Yami didn't deserve Yugi and he was going to do everything he could to stop their relationship from starting again. He wondered if he should ask Seto to hire someone to follow Yugi but knew if he followed him himself he could be sure without bothering anyone else.

The following day Joey left for work and having waited for as long as possible to make sure he wasn't going to come back and catch him, Yugi left and headed straight for Yami's apartment building. He didn't sense the figure following at a distance. Didn't know that he was being watched as he rang Yami's buzzer and didn't see the figure turn and walk off in the direction of the Police Station when he was sure Yugi had entered the building…

TBC