Disclaimer: I don't own Yugi-Oh.

---Rating: PG13---

"" is talking
~ ~ is for thinking and reminiscing
** is for coughs or sighs
--- --- is for mental conversations or mental voices
--"( )"- Sacred Ancient language used by Shadi
--( )-Same as language except in mental conversation.
"+++++++++++" - Usually a language that is spoken by someone but the person listening doesn't understand.

---MAJOR WARNINGS---

Yaoi - As in homosexuality - gay
Cursing

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE - Suffering Together

Malik scrutinized Yugi who stood in front of him, shaking and shooting terrified glances at Yami and Ai in turns. Yami was attempting to stand but the robed guard meticulously shoved him back down to his knees. Ai simply watched.

"There's something that I want to know little Yugi" Malik purred, gently pushing a strand of bang from Yugi's trembling lip.

"Don't tell him SHIT, Yugi!" Yami snarled, earning himself a vicious cuff from the guard.

Yugi made to turn to Yami's aid but Malik gripped his shoulder painfully and dragged Yugi back to face him. "Both you and your doppelganger have this idiotic tendency of ignoring me when I speak to you." He lowered his voice and gripped Yugi's cheeks painfully between his index finger and thumb. "How did Yami summon Black Magician? Or was it you who did it, little one?"

His cheeks burning, Yugi tried to speak and Malik released him to listen. "I don't know he just came to help us." He lied.

Malik's eyes narrowed angrily. "You're both lying. But I will find out, even if I have to rip Yami's mind apart to do so!" He turned to face Yami and pulled out his millennium rod. "Last time, your mind shoved me out but I am slowly learning those pathways. This time I will get through." He raised the rod.

"No!" Yugi cried. "PLEASE, NO!"

Malik froze and slowly fixed his eyes on the smaller boy. "Then tell me what I want to know!" he snarled.

Yugi broke down and pulled out the Black Magician card out of his pocket. "It's thisit came from this." He whispered.

Malik in one smooth movement snatched the card out of Yugi's hand and glared at it. "This is a ripped up playing CARD! Nothing but a game! Are you making fun of me?"

Yugi shook his head frantically. "He came out of it when we were in trouble!" he insisted.

Malik threw the card to the ground. "What you say is impossible! Every monster that the Pharaoh ever sealed is in that archway that you opened. The Black Magician should be in there as well!"

Yugi crawled towards the card and gingerly picked it up. "I don't know about that but I know the Black Magician is in this card."

Malik's voice was icy when he grated out. "Prove it."

Yugi frantically gazed down at the card. "Black Magician?" he whispered.

"Boy is mad." Ai said suddenly, eyes bright. "Opening chamber has made boy mad."

Malik narrowed his eyes and said nothing. Waiting.

"Black Magician, come out, I need your help." Yugi whispered, shaking the card slightly.

Malik's expression became one of contempt. "Perhaps you are right, servant. He HAS gone mad."

Yugi went red and stared down at the card in disbelief. Why wouldn't the Black Magician come out?

Malik turned once again on Yami. "Take the little brat back to his chambers, I suppose I will have to work on this one instead." He pressed the palm of his hand against Yami's forehead and grinned sadistically as he wrenched Yami's mind open.

Yami gave a strangled cry of pain and Yugi stared at the card in desperation as Ai came to help him to his feet. " Black Magician! Please!"

Yami gave another cry of pain.

Yugi pulled his arm out of Ai's grasp and ran at Malik. "LEAVE HIM ALONE! STOP IT!" he screamed, grabbing the hand Malik was using to press against Yami's forehead, dragged it back with all of his strength.

Surprised, Malik released Yami and the tri-coloured teen collapsed on the ground. Furious beyond words, Malik turned on Yugi, kicking him savagely across the room.

"Yyou dare!" Malik snarled, looming over the boy like a wraith.

Yugi painfully rubbed his bruised ribs and stared up defiantly at Malik. "I dare!" he yelled back and groaned when Malik kicked him again.

Yami painfully pushed himself up to see Malik kick Yugi across the room. Yugi slammed into a wall and lay there, his frightened but determined eyes fixed on his abuser.

~Wha?~

~Yugi!~

"Malik! You asshole! Stop it!" Yami snarled.

Malik casually strode up to Yugi again and slammed his foot into the smaller boy's chest. "He needs to learn a lesson Yami. He has been continuously pissing me off, maybe more than even you. It's time he learnt his lesson."

Yugi choked, pushing at Malik's foot. All the age-old pain from the chest wound came back, stabbing at his lungs like pieces of ice.

"MALIK!" Yami roared, stumbling to his feet, his rage at seeing Yugi abused this way made his blood boil. "STOP IT NOW!"

Yugi continued to push at Malik's foot, but Malik only pressed down harder and the pain only got worse.

The robed figure grabbed at Yami's arm, holding him back and Yami fought him off with all his strength but Malik's grip on his mind was still there and his bones felt numb. "NO! YUGI! LET HIM GO MALIK!"

Malik pressed down harder and suddenly there was a crack from Yugi's chest.

Yugi screamed.

Yami stopped in mid-threat, his blood roaring in his ears. All his rage poured out of him in one guttural roar and mingled with Yugi's scream.

And finally, Black Magician came.

The proud magician stood there, his staff crackling right at Malik's ear. "Release him." He growled in a low, dangerous voice. "Your idiotic human games are getting on my nerves. Release him NOW or I will blast your bloody Head off to Ra."

Malik lifted his foot from Yugi, who was now softly sobbing on the ground, curled in a ball. His expression was one of mild amazement.

"So the little runt was telling the truth was he?" Malik purred. "The legendary Black Magician."

The Black Magician narrowed his eyes. "You are Malik? The fool who released the Blue Eyes from his slumber."

Malik's own eyes narrowed with anger. "I do not like being called a fool"

Yami who was still straining against the robed figure, glared at Malik. "Kill you! I'm going to fucking KILL you!"

Malik smiled darkly. "So you keep saying, here" he kicked Yugi in the direction of Ai. "He's done his job; take him back to his chambers. I do believe he's broken his ribs again."

In one swift movement, Ai scooped a softly crying Yugi up and left the room. Shooting Yami a glare.

Black Magician continued to scowl at Malik. "Your quest is futile human. Stop while you have your life."

Malik raised a brow. "Advice from a Shadow Monster. How touching."

The Black Magician body flared with battle aura. "An Idiotic human who has lived for barely a decade and a half should not mock me." He raised his staff. "Release the two boys."

Malik smiled. "I can't do that, you see one has something I want and the other" Malik shot Yami a smug look. "Is my means of getting it."

The Black Magician's attack was so sudden that Yami barely saw him move. A flash of light and sharp crackling energy raked over Yami's skin. Blinking quickly, Yami squinted in the direction of Malik. Had the Black Magician got him?

His eyes finally adjusting to the sudden change in light he gaped in horror at what was in front of him. The Black Magician and Malik were standing there, Malik's rod and the Magicians staff straining against each other and crackling loudly.

The Black Magician was staring at Malik in numb shock. "How did you"

And then Malik shoved the Black Magician back with a sharp thrust of his rod. The Black Magician collided with the wall and changed back into his card form. The card swooped through the air and Yami managed to grab it out of midair.

Malik turned. The insane smile on his face again. "A fool if ever there was one. A Shadow Monster against a Shadow Item?! He is lucky I did not destroy him."

Yami glowered at Malik, furious at the defeat of the Black Magician. For some reason he took the loss personally, and

Yugi.

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Yami snarled and strained against the robed figures hold. "YOU HURT HIM AGAIN! WHY THE HELL WON'T YOU LET HIM GO!?"

Malik smiled. "I can't let him go until I get that millennium item, Yami."

Yami continued to shoot death stares at Malik.

Malik seemed to consider for a moment and then slowly, purposefully walked over to Yami. "Now that I've seen that the boy was telling the truth and that you two are indeed capable of summoning the Black MagicianWhere was I?"

His fist slammed into Yami's lower stomach and painfully close to the groin.

Yami gasped silently and slumped.

"Oh yes, I remember" Malik cooed.

***********

Shadi gently ran his hands over Yugi's shattered ribs, healing slowly as the boy whimpered. "ShadiShadi is Yamiwhere's Yami?" He gripped the hem of Shadi's gown.

Shadi shook his head slowly. "Still with Malik. Do not worry, he will return. Malik yet has a use for him now that he has discovered you both can summon the Black Magician."

"I don't want him to hurt Yami anymore" Yugi whispered, his grip still tight on Shadi's robe. Tears slowly trickled down his cheeks. "make him stop Shadi."

Shadi paused. "I cannot YugiMalik's rod is far stronger than my key. It is taking all my strength just to keep him from finding out who I am."

Yugi's response was a small sob.

***********


Yami pushed the door open painfully. Gripping his sides he stumbled through it and stood there just breathing deeply. Malik had beaten the living shit out of him. Every bone in his body still ached. But he had only one thing on his mind at the moment.

Yugi.

His ribs, Malik had broken his ribs again.

"Stupid back?" Ai's voice said from the depths of the room.

"Shut up, old man" Yami groaned. "Where is he?"

"Sleeping." Ai replied.

"Show me."

Ai led Yami to a section of the room he had not seen before, what he had thought was a wall hanging, opened to a small room and inside Yugi lay, sleeping deeply on a pile of cushions.

"Is he?" Yami asked, stooping beside the sleeping boy, searching for any signs of hurt on the boy.

"Little look-a-like healed. Let sleep for now." Ai said softly. "Stupid hurt?"

"I'll live." Yami growled. "Get out."

And slowly, Ai retreated.

***********


Yami gazed down at the beautiful sleeping face of Yugi. And caught himself.

Had he just thought of Yugi as beautiful?

His eyes softened and he gently touched Yugi's hand.

~Yes~

~Yes, I suppose I did~

"II'm sorry about all this, Yugi." Yami spoke, breaking the deadly silence of the tomb-like room. "I don't know why you won't just use that damn item you've got around your neck and get out of here. I've seen you do it beforeuse it's power I mean...why won't you just go?"

~He won't~

Bringing Yugi's hand to his cheek he felt the softness of the skin and sighed deeply.

"You're wasting your time YugiIn trying to be my friendI meanlook at me! I couldn't even save you again today!" He winced as his stomach throbbed from the after effects of a very vicious punch.

"Every time we get lucky"

He brought up his other hand to cup Yugi's own. "ButI'm going to help. I'm going to get you out of here. I promise."

And softly, hesitating for a moment, he kissed Yugi's palm.

Breaking the kiss, he placed Yugi's hand back and stood, gazing down at the small boy, wrapped in a single white sheet.

"I promise."

And slowly he walked out.

***********


Yugi slowly opened his eyes, lashes heavy with tears. Bringing the hand Yami had kissed to his face, he squeezed it in a fist.

"I love you Yami."


--------------
To be continued

AN: (sniffs) ah manI hope that was okay guys. Short I know but the next chapter- which is gonna be a build up - its going to be pretty long 'cause I have a few more things to do before the romance - which MIGHT be pushed back a chapter if I don't get everything worked out by next chapter.

People were surprised by Ai being Shadi!? Wow! ^____^ I really expected people to sorta go, 'well that was lame!'

I love surprises in my fics ^^.

Thank you all for your support with the rude commenter. I really appreciate your encouragement and kind words! (cries)

Ur Some people think that the art from my fansite is in fact fanart I've received, just to clear it all up - The art marked 'mosskat' is drawn by me. Yes, I draw too ^^* Oh and guys if you have a question and want to me to reply to your reviews and such, please leave your email in the review.

Geocities.com/Dark_Game_Addiction has been updated again! Oh and chapter 22 is up now as well (two chapters in one night! wow^_^)