Summary, Warnings and Disclaimer: Nope. No new characters, no stolen lines, just a decoration pilfered from a restaurant downtown. Oh, and the Relena-bashing is devoted to Crimson89, who let me use her insult!

* * * * *

/…/ Duo and Shin

[…] Ryou and Bakura

{…} Yugi and Yami

One is a hikari, two is a yami.

::…:: flashback

* * * * *

He sighs and looks in the mirror

And he can't tell anymore

Who he really is and who they believe him to be

And he sighs and walks a thin line

Between what is and what could be

He's getting closer

To something he can't understand

-Lifehouse, "Fairytales and Castles"

* * * * *

Yugi sighed in relief as he settled into the café booth, sliding over to make room for Bakura and the blonde kid. Heero, Duo and Wufei sat on the other side, while the last kid, what was it…Trowa? Yes, Trowa leaned against the back.

The hikari looked out the window at the nearby spaceport. He knew it was silly, but he kept expecting to see Anzu come tearing after them.

He returned his attention to the others as Bakura looked at Duo curiously. "Okay, I know why we ran, but what about you?" the former thief asked.

"We just…saw someone we knew, that's all," Duo answered. "Someone we don't like very much."

Yugi wasn't sure, but he could have sworn he heard someone mutter 'Amen'. "You know Anzu?" he asked, surprised.

"Who?"

"Oh." Yugi blinked. "So who did you recognize, then?"

"Relena Dorlian Peacecraft." Yugi definitely saw all five of the strangers shudder. "Also known as the Pink Menace, the High Bitch, and other, less…savory titles." The braided boy grinned sheepishly. "Not to mention she's a complete idiot."

"Duo!" Quatre admonished. "Not that I don't agree, but that's no way to talk about the Prime Minister."

Yugi and Bakura both choked, as Duo scowled. "When she actually does something worthy of respect, I will give it to her. Being obsessed with Heero doesn't quite count."

Obsessed with…Yugi glanced at his Item suspect, seeing for the first time an actual expression cross his face. In this case, the appearance that he was about to be ill.

Bakura smirked sympathetically. "That sounds almost as bad as our Anzu-"

{{Aibou? Where are you?}}

{This little café outside the spaceport, the one with the rearing horse outside.}

{{Why aren't you at the spaceport? We've been looking for you for half an hour!}}

{Why didn't you just contact me?}

{{…Because Ryou only just suggested it.}}

Yugi gave his eyes a mental roll. Just don't ask. {Well, we left because Anzu was there, and we wanted to save our sanity.}

There was a moment of silence. {{Aibou, you know that's impossible. Anzu's been dead for over four hundred years.}}

{Her reincarnation, then. I know what I saw. Bakura recognized her too.}

{{Now there's a reference.}}

{Yaaamiii-}

{{I know, I know. Old habits die hard, okay?}} His 'voice' lowered, until it was almost…timid. {{Are you sure it was her?}}

The hikari sighed. {Yeah. I'm sure.}

They shared a moment of unhappiness, before Yami shook himself and threw them back on subject. {{Anyway, the Itemholder must have already left town. We've been everywhere, and not a sign.}}

{Crap.} Yugi blinked, as he realized Bakura was still verbally cataloging Anzu's sins. Then he grinned as he thought of something. {Well, then, you might as well come join us. I'd feel safer if you did. Bakura's joined up with his accomplice from school, and a few friends.}

{{Oh?}} He could practically see the lifted brow. {{They haven't blown anything up yet, have they?}}

{Yet. Though, Duo actually seems kind of nice. Despite his taste in friends.}

{{What do you mean?}}

{That boy I told you about is here. His name's Heero Yuy, and…if anything, that feeling he's involved somehow has grown. Or maybe it's just that they're all important.}

{{All? Just how many are there?}}

{Five.}

{{Bit outnumbered, aren't you?}}

{That's part of why I'd like you to come.} Yugi replied seriously.

{{…Alright. We're on our way.}}

{Thank you.} The hikari returned his attention to the conversation just as Bakura at last finished his little tirade.

Duo let out a low whistle. "Damn. You're right, that is bad." A considering look crossed his face. "I suppose there isn't much to choose from between peace and friendship rants, is there?" Sneaking a glance at Wufei, he added with a grin, "-or justice rants."

The Chinese boy started up, indignant. "Injustice, Maxwell- " He stopped in chagrin as the others laughed, and Duo leaned over to him.

"You do realize you can't call us both Maxwell, right? It'd get confusing," he whispered. "You'll have to start calling me Duo."

Wufei scowled. "True enough," he muttered back. "Though I could just call one of you 'idiot' all the time, and it'd be just as accurate."

The 'idiot' grinned. "You do, and I'll sic Shin on you," he warned. "All those pranks he pulled on you were just for fun. You don't want to know what he can do when someone annoys him." He gave the slightest of shudders, and suddenly all the play was gone from his eyes, though the deceiving grin remained. "You really don't want to know."

"Ah. I'll…have to remember that."

* * * * *

Trowa listened silently to the conversation, though tempted to join in the Relena-bashing. If he openly insulted the girl, no matter how much she deserved it, he knew Quatre would be upset. And upsetting his…friend was something the L3 teen hated to do.

He smirked mentally. Not to mention the other three pilots would most likely faint to hear him offer an opinion of his own free will. Rather like their reactions would be if Duo suddenly started expounding on philosophy.

Although, the braided boy had been acting noticeably…odd, ever since he'd met them at the spaceport. Or ever since they'd hooked up with the two civilians.

And yet another mystery was those fading bruises on Duo's face. The civilians had noticed them, too, if the concerned looks they had sent him in the spaceport were any kind of judge. He'd have to ask about them later.

The albino seemed incredibly like Duo, if a bit more cynical and down-to-earth. Trowa didn't think it was him who'd spooked the American, but the other…Even the experienced ex-mercenary had done a double-take when he saw the boy. It wasn't every day you came across hair like that, after all. The mess of tri-colored spikes added at least six inches to his admittedly diminutive height.

The hair, combined with the black choker and gold jewelry, practically screamed punk, but the boy seemed more like…like Quatre, except more…innocent. And yet…not.

Trowa was confused.

He could tell his fair-haired partner was, too, by the way he was covertly studying the two strangers and Duo, who was currently whispering something to Wufei with an infuriating smirk. Judging by the sour look on the recipient's face, he was just being his usual annoying self, but…

But. It always came back to that, the feeling that something was just a tad…off.

Silently, as always, he resolved to wait, and watch.

* * * * *

Bakura laughed along with the others, while in the back of his mind he conferred with his hikari. He couldn't understand why Yugi was so nervous; Duo and his friends seemed perfectly normal.

But then, he had to admit he hadn't known them for all that long, even Duo himself. Hell, this was only the second time he'd met the kid, but he liked him. He reminded the thief of himself, back when he was still…well, not innocent, but young, at least. Kinda like he thought having a little brother would feel like.

He was abruptly torn from his thoughts as Wufei leaned forward, studying his small companion. "Excuse me, but…have we met before? I could swear I've seen hair like that before."

Yugi frowned thoughtfully. "Really? This is the first time we've met, so…" A look of comprehension passed over his features. "You must have seen my…brother, then. We're practically twins."

Bakura winced at the nearly imperceptible pause, as the hikari hesitated over his slight fib, and hoped the others hadn't noticed it.

[Shit!]

The yami tensed. [[Ryou? What's wrong?]]

[The Ring. It's finally reacting.]

[[…shit. Where's it pointed?]]

[At the café you're sitting in. Congratulations, you found our Itemholder.]

[[Here?! But I don't see one!]]

[Well, of course he's not going to just show it off to anyone, genius!]

[[We do.]] Bakura smirked at his hikari's temporary silence. [[What else do you call wearing it in plain sight?]]

[…Urusei. Look around, would you? Who's in the café?]

[[Already did. Besides us, it's pretty deserted. There's a middle-aged couple in one booth, and three pre-pubescent kids on the other side of the room. I hope you're not suggesting it's one of them.]] Memories of the…remains from the alley flashed through his mind.

[I hope it's not either. Okay, we can see the doors from here. We'll be there in a minute.]

[[Good.]] He knew Yugi had gotten the message, as the smaller man tensed, and looked towards the door. The gazes of their table companions followed his, and the yami was stunned to hear, not one, but three intakes of breath as Ryou, Yami and Isis walked in.

Surprised, he glanced back at the three boys sitting across from him, to see shocked realization in the faces of the two Asians, and…

And Duo, looking directly at him with an expression of such pure, unadulterated joy…

"You…you're like…me…"

* * * * *

urusei- shut up. That most necessary of phrases for teenagers to know.

* * * * *

A/N: Sorry, sorry, sorry, I know this took forever, but I have an excuse: my house burned down. What? It's true! In fact, you almost didn't get the last chapter of this, 'cause seven and a half hours after I posted it was when the fire started. And since my darling father is a technological dinosaur, who refuses to get Internet access even though he has an e-mail account of his own, I had to wait until we set up the new computer at my mom's and got the modem working to post. So there! It's not my fault. *pouts*

And yeah, I know it's short, too, but I figured the ending made up for it a bit. *the audience glares at hoshi* Not even a little bit?...Crap. Forgive me?

You wouldn't believe how hard it is to write from Trowa's viewpoint. Maybe it's because we're too much alike. (according to personality quizzes, at least) Has anyone else ever run into a problem like that?

Review Responses:

Thx to: Chibi-claire, gundam06serenity, Kurai Kaiba, kyoudragon, Sailor Bluestar, and yamiangie.

Crimson89: No, no, no! I'm not going to hurt you! I like you too much! Of course I forgive you!

And thx for letting me use the nicknames.

Hikaru: The vote was…rather conclusive. 1+2 won by a landslide, so you don't have to worry about that.

And Heero saw her first; it was his turning green that made the others look.

Kaori: Thx, that's a load off my mind (and my neck).

And nobody in this fic knows what they're getting into!

Lady SallyRose: There probably won't be a prank, cause I can't think of anything good. Any ideas?

Luki Dimension: ^_^ Really? Thank you! You really think everyone's in character? I thought I was way off the edge of the map by this point.

Melissa45: Yeah, that was my first reaction when I thought of it…then I realized if I put her in I'd have two annoying people to play with…

mithros: Of course you're insane! Everyone on this website is, myself included.

And thx, too!

Shinimegami_Rin: O_o Really? Which one?

Shino Ryu: O_O Eep!

Y401-FAN: *grins* Way ahead of ya there. I would have posted sooner, but we only got the Internet set up two hours ago.

C'mon, reviews for the new year?