Disclaimer: I don't own (sticks tongue out)

Chapter 2

Yugi looked at the scene in fear. The thugs were holding Yami as the one who seemed to be the leader held the knife to his throat.

"Let him go please we have nothing to offer you." He said quietly.

"Dig deeper small one." The leader sneered. "Or he's dead."

Blood was seeping from the small wound on Yami's neck and he choked out.

"Please Yugi run and leave me, I don't want to live anymore anyway."

Yugi was torn with what to do. He knew he had some power he could use but he didn't want to reveal it. If he did, he would be breaking every law set down for angels on earth. On the other hand he couldn't risk Yami's life.

"You have one minute to decide." The thug said.

Yugi saw the fear in Yami's crimson eyes and his own reflected it. He had to think of something and quickly or he was going to fail before he had even started.

/Fear not./ a voice in his head said. /You passed the test, what you need has been granted./

Yugi felt something appear in his pocket and putting his hand in again he found a pouch. Drawing it out he put his hand in and felt what was inside. Instantly he knew what to do.

"Yami close your eyes!" He shouted and taking a handful of the pouch's contents, he threw it at the thugs.

They screamed and clawed at their eyes as the powder burned them and Yugi grabbed Yami's hand pulling him away from the threat and running down the road.

They ran until they were a long way from the thugs and could no longer hear their screams.

"What was that?" Yami panted as they slowed to a walk.

"Something I had forgotten about." Yugi said. "It worked fine didn't it? But we must get to where I live and see to your wound.

"You saved my life." Yami said and Yugi looked at him. His crimson eyes seemed to glow in the dark with his thanks.

So beautiful…Yugi thought and then shook his head slightly. What am I thinking?

"Are you okay Yugi?" Yami asked suddenly looking concerned.

"Yes I'm fine." Yugi said smiling. "Come on we're nearly there."

They walked round the corner and came to one of the apartment blocks. Yugi took the keys out and let them in.

He looked round the apartment and liked it immediately. Yami was staring round in awe.

"Wow Yugi this is…amazing." He finally breathed. To Yami this place seemed to almost glow with something he couldn't quite put his finger on. Everything seemed new and never used. It took his breath away seeing everything so perfect.

Yugi smiled at Yami's pleasure.

"Would you like to clean up? I am sure I can find you some clothes and you can wash."

"Are you sure? I mean I don't want to dirty your lovely apartment." Yami said still awestruck at his luck at meeting this wonderful person.

"Maybe he's a guardian angel or something." Yami thought to himself not realising just how close to the truth he was.

"It's fine really you can stay with me as long as you like."

"Oh really, I couldn't…" Yami said protesting but Yugi held his hand up.

"Really I insist." He saw those crimson eyes looking at him with such gratitude and he felt a warm glow on his cheeks.

Yami saw the blush and looked away.

"Come on." Yugi said wondering what the heat was in his cheeks having never felt anything like it before, "I'll show you where you can clean up."

"Thank you." Yami said again still unable to get over how lucky he was.

Yugi grinned and led him through to the bathroom that was all set out with everything needed to make one presentable enough to see a king.

Yami looked down at his threadbare clothes and felt embarrassed to be there in such a pure clean bathroom. He felt dirtier then than he had ever felt before.

"I don't deserve this." He said softly but Yugi shook his head.

"Look don't worry about it please? It really is my pleasure to help you."

"But I don't deserve it." Yami said tears springing to his eyes at the generosity of this person he had only just met.

"Yes you do." Yugi said firmly. "Now I'll get the first aid kit and we'll patch you up. Mind you it has stopped bleeding. Maybe we could wait until you have a shower and then see okay?"

"Okay." Yami mumbled and Yugi left the room closing the door behind him.

Yami stood under the wonderfully warm water as it cascaded down him washing him totally clean for the first time in months. As he washed, all his troubles seemed to melt away and by the time he was done and stepped out to wrap a towel round himself, he felt a hundred times better than he had done earlier.

Looking at the sink he saw two toothbrushes there and wondered if this wonderful person had a partner. Disappointment flooded him though he didn't know why and as he looked at his almost unrecognisable clean reflection in the mirror, he could almost see Yugi's bright amethyst eyes looking back at him caringly. He blinked and they were gone. He remembered the blush he had seen earlier on Yugi's cheeks, what had that meant? He had no idea but he decided that when he was dressed, he wouldn't stay and take advantage of Yugi's hospitality any longer.

He looked for his clothes but they were gone. He frowned surely he had left them right there on the floor? But there was no trace of them.

Wrapping a towel round himself, Yami left the bathroom and went to find Yugi who was humming in the kitchen as he made some drinks.

Yami watched him for a moment amused.

Yugi was trying to work out how to switch the kettle on and it looked to Yami as if he had never used one before in his life.

"Here let me help you." He said his laughter clear in his voice. Yugi jumped in surprise as he hadn't heard the other come in. He was feeling frustrated because knowledge such as how to use earthly everyday objects such as a kettle and cooker, had not been granted to him. Here he was with a brand new apartment kitted out full of food and gadgets and not a clue how to use them.

"Thanks." Yugi said relieved and hoping that Yami wasn't noticing anything unusual.

Yami gave Yugi a puzzled look when he turned his back. How was it that a young man such as Yugi who had this wonderful apartment with what seemed to him to be the latest gadgets, be unable to use something as simple as a kettle?

He brushed it off for now and making sure his towel was tight, he busied himself with making drinks.

Yugi caught sight of Yami's body and felt that heat rising to his cheeks again.

"I'll um…get you some clothes." He stammered and fled the room to look for some.

He found the wardrobes in both of the apartment's bedrooms were filled with an array of lovely clothes and he selected some that he thought Yami would like and laid them on the bed.

When he returned he tried not to look at Yami directly. He had no idea why he felt hot and bothered when he looked at his eyes and more recently his bare back and he didn't want to keep feeling like that. He had to concentrate on his assignment.

"I put out some clothes for you Yami. I hope you like them."

"Oh yes, I was going to put my own back on but when I went to get them, they were gone."

Yugi feigned innocence though it was his powers that had disposed of them from the bathroom floor the minute Yami got in the shower.

"That's strange." He said and shrugged. Well you are welcome to have the clothes I put out for you."

"Really are you sure? Yugi, why are you doing all this for me? All my life no one has ever been so nice to me." Yami said grateful tears shining in his beautiful eyes.

"Well it's about time someone did." Yugi said and smiled. Their eyes locked again and they found themselves moving closer to one another. Suddenly they were right in front of each other. Eyes locked and gazing almost into each other's souls.

Slowly they moved closer until they were millimetres apart. Yugi realised what was happening just in time and looked away clearing his throat and breaking the spell.

He backed off and smiled but didn't make eye contact again.

"I hope you like your clothes." He said airily trying to make light of what had just occurred. He sounded as if he didn't have a care in the world but inside he was churning.

Yami left the room to find the clothes wondering what on earth had just happened. He felt drawn to this person but he had no idea why.

What is happening to me? What are these feelings I am getting? Yugi asked himself because while he was locked in eye contact with Yami, he wanted something that he had never wanted before or felt the need to do in his entire existence.

He had wanted Yami to kiss him.

His soul reeled in shock and he felt weak at the knees. He sank into a chair and put his head in his hands.

"I don't know if I can do this assignment." He whispered and a voice inside his head came back.

/Yes you can, your feelings are not allowed. You must bury them and continue with your assignment./

Yugi sighed and knew the voice was right. He must bury any feelings he had for Yami and carry on helping him to get his life onto a normal track. He would help Yami get a job and this apartment would become his. Then Yugi would leave and return to heaven where he would await his next assignment.

Yugi pushed his newly discovered human emotions behind a door in his soul and mentally locked the door. No matter what, they would not resurface again.

Yami stood in the bedroom in the clothes that had been laid out in front of him. What had happened in the kitchen? He had been inexplicably drawn to Yugi and he had wanted to reach out and hold him close and…kiss him? Yami shook his head. No he couldn't possibly do that! It would be taking advantage but in those amethyst eyes had been something that told Yami that the other had wanted him to do it.

He couldn't, he would have to squash the emotions that were whirling round in his head and leave as soon as he could.

He left the bedroom and returned to the kitchen where he found Yugi patiently waiting for him. All trace of what had occurred was gone and Yami was relieved and disappointed? No! it couldn't happen, Yugi was not for him and he had to leave.

"I should go." He said sadness edging his voice.

"No don't." Yugi said looking at Yami imploringly. "You should stay, honestly it's fine. The bed in that bedroom is for you."

"No really, you have been far too generous already."

"It's fine really, stay…at least for tonight." Yugi said his tone almost begging.

Yami thought about it. He really didn't to go out into the cold of the night and spend it sleeping in a doorway or a smelly alley that people used for a toilet quite often with him being the receipt of that.

"Okay I'll stay." He said quietly and took his coffee that was just about right to drink now.

They drank in silence and Yami looked at the clock that read past midnight. He yawned.

"I'm tired." He said smiling when his yawn ended. Yugi grinned and found he was yawning too. Was this what it was like to feel tired?

"So am I, come on we should get some sleep." He said and downed the rest of his drink and placing his cup in the sink.

"Goodnight Yugi." Yami said and left for his room. He found to his surprise that pyjamas were laid out ready for him and smiling to himself, he put them on and crawled into the wonderfully soft and comfortable bed falling asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow.

Yugi got into his own bed but lay awake thinking. He wished Ryou were there with him right now so he could talk to him. Ryou had already been on an assignment on earth but had come back to heaven saying he didn't want to do it again. Yugi hadn't asked him why but now he wondered. Did Ryou experience the same thing as he was now? He would ask him when he returned to heaven.

He fell into a restless sleep until something disturbed him.

"No please mother, don't hurt me." A voice came to him from Yami's room and Yugi sat bolt upright in his bed.

Yami was having a nightmare, he could feel it and Yugi longed to go to him. Getting up, he padded through to Yami's room and saw him tossing and turning on his bed whimpering as though in terrible pain.

"Did your mother beat you as a child?" Yugi thought sadly and he went over to the bed to shake Yami gently.

"Yami wake up, it's okay it's just a bad dream." There was no response and Yami continued to toss and turn. Yugi shook him harder.

"Yami! Wake up!"

This time Yami did wake up. He was sweating and panting and pure fear was expressed in those crimson eyes.

"Yugi? Oh I'm sorry did I wake you?"

"It's okay I wasn't really sleeping."

"I was so scared, my mother…"

"Hush it's okay." Yugi said and drew the shaking figure into his arms stroking his hair until he calmed down.

Yami felt so good in his arms, so warm and so right. Yugi didn't want to let him go and was afraid to leave him in case he had another nightmare so he lay down next to him and wrapped his arms round him protectively.

"I'll stay with you." He said and Yami didn't protest. He was glad of the comforting warmth of Yugi's body so close to his own.

They fell asleep like that, Yugi spooned round Yami who slept peacefully and free of nightmares for the first time in four years.

TBC…

Aww Yugi being the protective one for a change how cute is that? I know they seem to be falling for each other very quickly but there is so much I want to put into this story that they need to lol! And besides they are made for each other aren't they?