NIGREDO 1.2


Before he realized it he was lifting his head from his desk, but everything hurt. There was a deep feeling of dread over his shoulders and he felt dissociated from his body on a new level. "Urgh…" He groaned, lamp light casting over him and his clothing casting shadows that spun on every surface of his room. Soreness stung his throat as he wrung his hands through his hair. The greasy feeling had him hanging his head limply.

With this he could see the Millenium Puzzle in all its glory hanging by his neck and forgot about the uncomfortable anguish in his bones. /The puzzle..! That's right, I finished it!/

Clutching it desperately as if it would disappear he closed his eyes with a tightly wound smile. I'm so happy…

"…Hm?"

He jumped up and launched the puzzle, and thanks to the rope keeping it tethered to him it came right back towards him. The bottom corner nailed him right in the stomach and he squealed in pain frantically scooping the puzzle back up. Looking around his room he searched for the source of the hum of confusion.

Nothing. No grandfather, no mom. It was dead night as well. I…I guess it was just my imagination…

Relaxing, he looked back down at the puzzle. He couldn't really remember what happened after putting in the final piece nor looping it around his neck. He really must have passed out from tiredness from the other night. Sheepishly Yuugi, stretched his hands high above his head and yawned. Him and his bad habit of staying up late would truly bring his downfall and as much as he'd like to take a nap he knows that he may wake up a bit too early for tomorrow if he sleeps too early.

/I'm so excited to show off my puzzle tomorrow at school! I'm sure Anzu will love it!/

Of course she would, she and him were close friends and-

"...Who is Anzu."

Screaming, Yuugi looked around frantically. There it was again! What in the…!

"Hello..?" He asks aloud and almost feels stupid hearing his voice ring out in a room that clearly has no one in it. Unless someone's in his closet-!

"Hello.." Scrambling over to his closet he forces the door open and gawks. Nothing, nothing! Oh God, he was going crazy! Gulping a lump of dread he wraps his arms around himself, hesitant to say more. "W-Who are you?"

"I don't know…"

Rejecting the fear in his heart his sympathetic nature reared its head into his brain. Actually speaking of which… "Wait…Where are you then!?" That really should have been his first question.

"The puzzle." The voice answers more confidently then his previous statements and he gapes down at the golden artifact. /No it can't be….The spirit of the Millenium Puzzle..!?/His grandfather was always saying outlandish things about this puzzle and he always stalked it up to him trying to scare him from when he told him as he was a young kid but…If he could believe in the wish, why couldn't the spirit be real?

"Perhaps.." Yuugi ground his lip on his teeth before abruptly realizing he hadn't said anything aloud. In fact…He had responded to the thought that was in his head.

/…You don't know..?/ He tested out and he got his answer quickly.

"Indeed."

/You can hear my thoughts!?/

"I think so, yes…"

/How!/

"I don't know…"

Yuugi sat on his bed with an exhale of stress completely unaware of what to do. It seemed that this…voice was a spirit and it was baritone so he couldn't help but think it was a guy but…If he was anything to go off of he couldn't assume.

/Um…Well…You- You are a guy right?/

"..Yes?"

/O-Okay…Well, um spirit I…/

He couldn't do this. Spirit?! What kind of name is that!? Shoving that thought away he took the off and looked it directly in the eye.

/I really don't understand what's going on right now but if you're the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle then I must have unleashed you once I finished it..?/

"...Yes. Yes, I remember now. Yuugi…?"

Yuugi's eyes widened. The spirit knows his name, but how? As if sensing his confusion and frozen state the voice elaborates.

"That is what I've heard you be called. Is that not your name?"

/It is but…How have you heard it? Have you been listening and watching the whole time?/

He really hopes his grandfather doesn't stumble into his room staring so intently at his puzzle…

"Watching, no…Listening? Occasionally…And I recognized your voice."

Oh God… This whole situation was just…

"You have completed the puzzle. I believe you have saved me from the darkness, little one."

/Yami/

"I beg your pardon?"

He rubbed the material of the puzzle feeling a little sub conscious of his stream of thoughts.

/You don't remember your name, and I felt Yami was fitting/

"...Is that meant to be a name for me?"

He flushed. You don't have to use it-/

"No. I like it, Yuugi." The reassurance had him swiping at his forehead. "Thank you…"

/No problem! Haha…This is so crazy..Yami

I really can't believe this…One minute I was worrying about Ushio then-/

He sat up panicked shuttering, abruptly letting go of the puzzle and let it hang from his neck. "Oh god..! Ushio…" A gander at the analog clock left him reeling. He'd been out for…2 hours!? It was now 11 PM…

"Ushio…?"

/He's this kid at school Yami, and if I don't pay him he's gonna…!/He can't even finish his thought as he clutches his mouth. What could he do…? It all felt inevitable…

"Yuugi…"

"Do not give up hope, perhaps there is a loophole…"

He felt the spirit stir at his tense thoughts. "I must tell you this Yuugi, when I first awoke I was in control of your body."

/Huh?/

"I could move your limbs and move your body so I had put the puzzle around your neck. But it didn't last very long as you stirred and kicked me out."

/Y-You possessed me!?/

"I'd say it's more of a takeover…I have no intentions of possessing you Yuugi."

/Really?/He's trying to remain positive, maybe Yami had the best intentions like he hoped but a spirit being able to take over him…No wonder he had felt so apart from his body when he awoke.

"Yes…Yuugi, I wish to help you. You saved me."

/But how can you help me?/

There's a solid silence for a second as it seems even Yami is considering. "Let me take over and deal with Ushio for you."

/H-Huh!? But…/He couldn't just hand his body over to a spirit no matter how friendly he seemed. Yuugi paced around the room, footsteps falling along the carpet. He didn't want Ushio to be harmed, but he also didn't want to be hurt…

"I will respect your wishes, little one…I just wished to put out that I can help you and keep Ushio from bothering you for a long, long time."

/Are you going to kill him!?/

"...If you don't wish me to, then no. But I think I've heard that lug talk and hurt you. It upsets me greatly, and I can feel your pain, your soreness."

True to his words Yuugi felt a rush of unease and worry that was not his own.

/…We can test it out first./

"Really? I don't wish to push you."

/I am sure Yami…I…I trust you/

"I see. Please let me know if this hurts."

He steadies himself and moves to the bed again, so he or Yami wouldn't collapse. After a solid second of waiting Yuugi parted his lips to ask a question but was hit with a pulse of emptiness and suddenly his vision went black. "Urk…!" Grasping at nothing he can't help but feel…Shapeless. Then it all fades in again and he finds himself face to face with himself.

"Yuugi." He says but then he realizes he didn't say it at all, instead it was the spirit's voice. "Hah…!" He sputters when he realizes he's not in his own body. "What the…" He looks down at his own hands which hold an opaque quality before focusing back on Yami. "Spirit..?"

"You appear in front of me, little one." He reasons aloud and finds himself- Yami standing with his legs. Once he's fully on his feet Yuugi realizes that it wasn't his body, at least not in appearance. The first noticeable feature was his face shape much sharper, masculine and defined and he bites back the envy that courses in his veins. "You look like me but different." He observes Yami who twists as Yuugi looks over his body.

"Our hair is different, see you've got strands sticking up. Oh and your eyes, they're red…" Yami's jaw is taught as he looks over Yuugi's own eyes. "Yes…Yours are a brilliant amethyst, unlike mine. What else do you see?" He pushes curiously as he also looks at his own hands. "You look a lot taller and masculine…" He whispers, overcome with a sense of jealousy.

Sensing his feelings somehow, Yami's eyebrows furrowed. "I feel this was a bad idea…" Yuugi felt the spirit stir in guilt and he shook his head. "No! It's okay…Yami…I really don't care…You're trying to help me…" He takes a shallow breath.

He looks at him gently with a deep frown. "What do you plan on doing?" Yuugi uncomfortably shifts midair, feeling cold as he peers over at Yami. "I…Will not kill him." He declares broadly before grabbing the puzzle. "My- Our puzzle shall aid me Yuugi. A shadow game…" At first he looked unsure but then he grew certain. "Yes, a Shadow Game. I'll teach Ushio a lesson."

"And you won't kill him?"

"No. I promise you I will not kill him."

"... Okay Yami…I trust you."

Sneaking out of the house, Yuugi was back in possession of his own body while Yami floated behind him, watching. He gently laid his feet on the floorboards, going over the plan they had come up with in his head.

The 400,000 ¥ in his pocket was something he had found in his barren backpack and when he pondered about it Yami had choked it up to his grandfather's doing. "I don't wanna lose jii-chan's money…" He mutters feeling the very cash in his pocket and feeling the reassurance of the spirit. He couldn't believe the burden he was putting on his grandfather, this what he wished to avoid in the first place. "We won't lose any of it."

Unable to argue he walks up to the telephone box and slips a few pieces of money in it. If his memory survived him correctly the bus would be coming around in a few minutes so he had time to call up Ushio himself. Thank God for public transportation, even at the darkest hours of the night. Pressing the 3 by 3 dial buttons he wrings the cord around his finger, throat parched. /Oh Yami…What do I even say..? I'm calling him in the middle of the night and…!/

"Do not fear little one. Allow me to take over." He proclaimed and Yuugi's concerns were vivid but he relented just as the phone clicked. "Hello?" It was a much deeper voice somehow and he could assume it was a father figure. "Is this the Ushio residence?"

"Yes, why?"

"Can you put Tetsu on the phone? I'm from his school…"

"Sure…Just make sure you don't call so late at night again, alright?"

"Of course."

Yuugi was listening in and heard some discourse from within the line and then there was another voice.

"Damn it, who the hell is this?" The Ushio son answered and Yami bit back his frustration. So this was the punk… "Ushio, this is Yuugi."

"What the hell do you want, runt."

"I have the money. Meet me at Domino High School tonight at a quarter past 12."

Ushio shook his head from the other line, could this truly be Yuugi Mutou?! He sounded so different…Well it didn't matter! If he had his money then he didn't care if it were Yuugi or his damned dad! "Okay…I'll be there then. And if you decide to show me up…Tomorrow will be hell on Earth for ya' Mutou."

With that he hung up and Yami couldn't keep the wild grin off his face. "Anything you can tell me about Ushio?" Yami asks the one next to him, wishing to know his next victim. His plan involved a game but one where he would have to force Ushio to cheat in his Shadow Game. "Well he's really tall and big…And he's always taking advantage of those around him, carrying around a knife.." That he threatened me with… He added in his head, thinking deeply of his personality while Yami used his body to walk to the bus stop. "And he's greedy, selfish, doesn't care about those around him to get what he wants…"

And as the bus pulled up, Yami pondered the game he would drag Ushio into. He didn't have to force him… \I'll appeal to his greed\ He tells Yuugi through their mind link as Yuugi blinks in surprise. Clambering onto the bus and dropping a tip in the transportation tip jar he shoves hands into his pockets. "Domino Highschool, please."

Moving to the back Yuugi stares at the spirit in interest before the shadow continues with his stream of thoughts. \Ushio wants money. We can trick him into my Shadow Game with the money. With the money…And dagger…\ "Dagger?! Yami!" Yuugi wails from his side and Yami sighs, looking up at the startled violet. \I promise Yuugi, no one will be harmed. Neither I, you or him.\

With a trembling lip Yuugi nods, feeling helpless. /I can't do anything to help…I'm so weak…/Yami looked at him with an unidentifiable emotion. \You aren't weak, little one. I am just helping you. Please allow me to do this for you.\

\A game of chance, one with much wiggle room to cheat.\Yami says through closed eyes, tapping his chin. \We'll have to coerce and have him cheat. Have trust in me, saviour. I'll save you this time.\ He swears and takes Yuugi's hand who looks at him through wet eyelashes. \We'll do this together…\

/R-Right…/ Yami… /Thank you…./

Yami nods, unused to being the warm one in this situation as his fingers laces Yuugi's own. His first day being back in a corporeal body…And he was going to have to use the Shadow Games already to aid him. He knew not much of his past, everything broken and splintered in his shadow. But through all the chaos, Yuugi picked him up and put him back together. It was his turn to help.

The moment the bus stopped was nerve wracking as Yami bounded off the public transport with a nod to the random driver. In Domino High School, everything felt sort of familiar. As if it was his school just as much as Yuugi's when he recognized everything. And right at the front there was a Pommel Horse that was instead made for those in gym class.

Sitting right on the edge of it he folded his legs and held the puzzle in his hands with closed eyes. He could feel Yuugi's shaky soul and opaque form looking around in worry. Yuugi…I'll protect you…

Seconds ticked by, tension thick enough to breathe in as they waited for the quarter to begin past the witching hour. Yami was a little nervous and rusty, but he felt like he'd done Shadow Games before. He was the spirit of the puzzle and he knew the Millennium Puzzle like the back of his hand.

He would come out of this unscathed. For Yuugi, the one who had saved him from the puzzle's darkness.

/Other me…I think that's Ushio over there…/

Yami holds the pendent on his chest in comfort as the brute walks up through the shadows of the night. So this is Ushio… He certainly does fit Yuugi's description, and he looks greedy and self confident as well… Something inside of Yami lit up this whole scenario and he couldn't help the splintering mad grin on his face when he finally made out Tetsu's face. "Thanks for coming, Ushio." His voice carved its way through the atmosphere and he can hear both Ushio and Yuugi swallow in nervousness.

"I knew you'd be a good boy, Yuugi. I really have to hand it to ya' callin' me up in the middle of the night to give me my money! You're lucky I was already up!" The thug peered down as 'Yuugi's' smile gained an impossible width. "I don't like the costume…But that's alright.." In fact, Yami was wearing a leather suit underneath his school uniform.

It held studded straps each looking fit to burst with the muscles that corded along its seams. Was it just Ushio or did he seem…Different? The way he held himself, the way he talked, the way he looked. Little Yuugi couldn't be seen in that kinky leather outfit a day in life. Not to mention he had ankhs strapped to his sleeves. And were his eyes a different colour too? Ushio looks stunned before shaking his head rapidly, reminding himself what he said earlier. Whoever this was Yuugi, his brother or his cousin twice removed, as long as this guy had his money.

"C'mon! Hand over the money! 200,000 ¥, Yuugi!" His voice boomed with demand as Yami left his spot from the Pommel horse peeling the wad of yen from Yuugi's pockets. "It's right here…And! I've raised it to double that!" He demonstrates this by spreading them all out in one hand, showing all 400,000 ¥ to Ushio who gleams at it. "400,000 ¥!" He mutters in glee. This kid is loaded! I shoulda came for him years ago!

"But this much money just wouldn't be fun to just hand over…Let's play a game, you and I." He offers Ushio with a conspirator's smile. Ushio makes a sound of unease at this so Yami continues to pull him in further. "But it's not just any game, it's a Shadow Game! How about it? You win, you get more than 200,000 ¥. Not bad, hm?" Hook…Line…And sinker. "Interesting…" Ushio mumbles, cracking an interested grin. "And all we need is a tool to play the game, that knife you've got hidden Ushio. You must have it, right?"

Ushio sniffed, a little amusant playing on his face as he relented. Taking out the knife from his own uniform there's no usual gleam in the dark from its sleek material. Conjoining opposite sides of the Pommel, Yami lays down the cash and Ushio plants the knife right on the leather beside it. Yuugi watches from behind with an uneven pulse, unsure and scared. Scared for the spirit… /Be careful Yami/

The spirit closes his eyes, feeling the shadows along his skin and hearing Yuugi's encouragement gives him his nerves back. "It's all set up. Let me explain the rules!" He lies one hand down, places the cash upon the backside and grabs the knife in a quick second. Ushio regarded him in curiosity when he held the blade over both the money and his own hand. "The player takes turns laying the money on their hand, and each turn they will stab the money with the knife."

"The player can only keep the money the knife stabs, and they must take more than one bill." Feeling like he gave a good enough explanation, Yami put them back in place. "The goal is to take money until it has run out! The player with the most money wins and gets it all. But if they try to take the money by hand or quit in the midst, they forfeit all the money!"

He pushes his hands in his pockets, feeling the paranoia dripping off Yuugi. Determination lines his unparalleled cheshire cat smile, when Ushio chortles. "So it's just a test of courage, hm?" The thug then narrows his eyes. Is this really Yuugi…? Folding his arms, Yami can feel the darkness and shadows lick his body. He can feel how eager they are. Which reminds him… "But if you break the rules, as a punishment the penalty game will decide your punishment!"

Ushio pauses at the unusual smile and sighs, getting kind of used to his freak manueverisms. "Interesting! Let's get started then!" Yuugi shakes his head, wondering how he was ignoring the red flags. /Ushio…! I'm sorry…/He sulks, feeling a little regretful. /Yami I believe in you but…This is so scary..!/

Unable to answer, Yami's grin falters and the shadows tame out a little. "To see who goes first, let's Ra-Sham-Bo for it." They both extend hands, size difference obvious but Yami's paper ends up winning against Ushio's rock. Please… How obvious, of course he'd choose rock… Yami thinks teasingly in his mind as Ushio chokes out a 'D-Damn…'

"Then I'll start." Yami shrugs as if it were no skin off his back and then focuses in. He lucked out that Ushio even agreed to this instead of just trying to beat up him and his host's body. Looks like Ushio's a gambler… Heh…. Following his previous example he felt two sets eyes on him as he laid the blade over the paper lying on his hand. Getting it right was important, his goal wasn't to get the most money unlike what Ushio may have thought.

His goal was to get Ushio to cheat and lose his Shadow Game, even if he had to bluff and poker face his way through it. And despite his seriousness and genuine dislike for hurting Yuugi and his body, he couldn't deny the adrenaline rush. Pushing the blade in he carefully got barely any, and the longer the game went on the harder it would be not to stab his hand. So that's what he put all his effort into.

The blade sunk down and he instantly brought it back up, looked over at his prize and smiled with a feigned sheepish look. "Phew…I hadn't even gotten ten bills. I thought I put decent strength into it but they're not easy to stab…" He warns pointingly. All his words had to get Ushio to cheat…Everything he said would have meaning and were meant to edge the taller male on.

Laying the money on his side of the Pommel he put down the main stack in the middle and extended the blade to Ushio by the brunt of the heel.

Ushio grumbled and took it with a strained look, using 'Yuugi's' display as a token example. Finishing his set up, sweat gathered on his brow. Uncertainly, he held the knife in one hand over the other unaware of the building shadows. "Tch..!" He grunts, hand shaking. "If you use too much power you'll stab yourself. The point of this game is to control your greed." Yami speaks up, shit eating grin painting his features.

Ushio snaps, "Shut your mouth!" And takes a stab in the dark, literally.

Shukk…

He pulls it back up with a much larger amount than Yami had and explodes with giddiness. "Haha! Look, over 100,000 ¥! And not a single mark on my hand, phew I shoulda stabbed harder…" The turn then goes to Yami who just smiles, sparking a disgruntled feeling in the large hulking man. "Not bad! But it gets harder to control your strength with each turn! Hehe…" Soon…Ushio…

He comes back with once again barely anything attached to the knife and Yuugi looks down in confusion. Is he not trying to win? Or… He zeroes in on the prideful look on the spirit's face, unsure. Yami…What are you planning?

The turn was soon over and back to Ushio who spun the blade and eyed his crossheirs, the money that he so desired. A feeling burned in his heart, eager and wanting. There's nothing to this game! All this money's mine! Heart beating through his chest his hand starts to shake profusely, straining and gripping tightly. What's wrong with my hand! I can't control my right arm…It's completely out of my control!

Ushio pants unable to hear the laughing and glee the black void around them displays as he realizes his lack of control. My arms are going for the money and my hand, altogether! Both Yami and his host watch in morbid curiosity, as the once centred and stable man was struggling not to impale his own hand. \In the Shadow Games, the person's true nature is revealed!\ Yami unveils to Yuugi who twists over to his dark side, scared. \Ushio's arm is being controlled by his own greed!\

/Yami!/Yuugi wails in despair. \Shhh…I swore to you Yuugi and I will not break my promise! Watch.\He gently directs their attention back to the macabre display of Ushio panting and shaking with heavy breaths. Ushio looked up for a split second and made his decision with a wicked grin. "Ha…Haha! There's a simple way I can win this and not stab my hand!"

Yami gazes and tenses, prepared to move as Ushio turns the blade on him from an angle. "You let me hold this knife which is why you lose! Die, Yuugi!" The blade is inches away from his nose but doesn't meet at all. In fact, 'Yuugi' sidesteps the sharp point with a dark chuckle. Suddenly behind Ushio, Yami burst into a hysterical laugh. "Just as I thought, you couldn't control your own greed! You cheated and didn't follow the rules, Tetsu Ushio!" He stood alongside rabid and unruly shadows, his hosts incorporeal form shaking.

"What…The…" Ushio's heart rang through his own ears, blood gushing in his veins. This time…He could see the shadows and…The eye that awoke on Little 'Yuugi's' forehead. It highlighted the area around them as insane laughs encapsulated the area. "This is only seen by those who trespass me and my aibou's soul! Who hurt him, his friends and try to take his money!"

The bright eye grew in luminosity and Ushio watched in horror as a single digit was pointed his way. What lay beyond the male's index finger rushed Ushio.

"Penalty game! THE ILLUSION OF AVARICE!" Ushio screamed, envisioning shapes of inky blackness coming straight for him. A mess of patterns took over his sight and as he screamed and begged for mercy it soon faded into nothing.

Yuugi watches in horror as Ushio lands right on his knees, eyes glazed and pupil completely dilated. His once normal eyes were now fully blown and cloudy and horror was written on his face. /Yami! What have you..!-/ "Ah…Money! Money! Oh my god, it's money!" The thug grasps at nothing, a wild and disheveled grin on his face. Yuugi however, saw nothing of the sort. /Illusion of Avarice…/ He pondered at the triumphant look on Yami's face.

"That's right Yuugi. It's an Illusion, and once it fades he won't bother you." Ushio paid no notice to his voice even if it was a whisper. But it was directed towards his aibou. And even if he had done what was promised…Yami felt his gut twist at the look of fear on Yuugi's face. The way his eyes were wet and weary of the spirit… "I'm sorry, I went too far, haven't I?" He ground his teeth, at the pure look of anguish on Yuugi's innocent face. That look wasn't to be for someone like his saviour…It was meant for individuals like Ushio.

"I…I'm sorry.." Yami bowed a little, guilt lining his face. He may have gotten a little carried away… /Yami…!/Yuugi buried his face in his hands, shoulders shaking. "Can I…Hug you..?" He asked, hesitating to touch him without asking. As the insane wails from the brute didn't die down Yami took the tiny nod his aibou gave in stride.

Holding his invisible partner, he closed his eyes in regret. \I've scared you, little one…I'm truly sorry.\ Yuugi cried into his neck and after a few moments he lifted his head up. "No, it's okay Yami…I get what you were going for and you hadn't lied to me. As long as Ushio will be okay then…I forgive you.."

"Do not worry, the illusions do wear off as I said. It may take a couple days but the moment it's over he'll never go near you again and he will have learned his lesson. I swear on my life." Yuugi nodded, and turned to see Ushio picking up leaves and huddling them to his chest.

"Should we really leave him like that?" He mumbles in guilt as Yami picks up the money and pockets it. "He'll be fine…" How can you worry about someone so awful, aibou..?

Yuugi gingerly followed him as they both walked away from the one whose fate was to be rolling on the ground and seeing money that was never there. Guilt gnawed at Yuugi, how he let this happen but Yami assured him it'd be fine…

And that night he laid in bed with his puzzle around his neck. Yami wasn't in sight, in the puzzle and regaining his energy from the Shadow Game he brought. He should be grateful…Yami dealt with his problem without needing to, could've possessed him and done much worse…

It was almost as if he had a friend…

Someone who was willing to help him when he needed it.

The thought lulled him to a peaceful sleep, arms cradled around the puzzle.


Was this weak? Idk, I spent forever wondering if I even wanted Yuugi to notice Yami 100% like in the manga but I figured it'd be easier to get it out of the way and there'd be a helluva lot more Puzzleshipping content. Honestly I may crosspost this to Wattpad, just cause I feel like it. I know this one was shorter but technically the last chapter and this chapter were all whole and together in the manga.

I wish I could've made Yami be a little evil gremlin like was in the manga/toei season 0 anime but unfortunately none of that collaborated with who Yami was after he got retconned into the actual story and wasn't just an alter ego that Yuugi had. While it could be Yami being messed up from being trapped in a puzzle for so long I feel as if Yuugi and his bond would be much more skewed.

Also I stuck with the manga's Shadow Game as I preferred it. Ushio was going off to the ward anyway, so it doesn't really matter how it gets done right?

Anyway thanks for reading

-Kyle