Since his transformation over five millennia ago, the Immortal ruler Yami had been virtually alone. His throne snatched from him and his father assassinated, Yami had decided it best to remain solo, instead finding fulfillment in his duties as ruler. He had dodged his own share of murder attempts, and killed even more—all in the name of peace, of course. His power was unmatched; his senses were keen and sharp, his speed was unsurpassed, and he could easily destroy a human army without breaking a sweat.

So what was the all-powerful king of Immortals doing? Well. He was pouting.

Maybe pouting was a bit exaggerated, but he was certainly bummed out. It was odd. Never before had he found himself so emotionally dependent on a person, especially not a human. It was equally surprising that he had become so accustomed to his and Yugi's routine. Walk him to school, spend as much time with him as possible, walk him home, spend all night with him. It was that simple. Now that he and Yugi were apart for the first night in a while…Yami couldn't help but feel deflated. He missed his little one. He craved just being in the other's presence. Nonetheless, Yugi had made it clear that he was busy that night, and Yami had no choice to respect that.

That didn't mean he was any less irritable.

For one, Yugi was lying about having homework. That hurt Yami to his core. It was the first day back to school, for goodness sake. No teacher ever gave out homework on the first day, and if they did, it certainly was not enough to bog Yugi down the way he made it seem. However, Yami trusted his Yugi, and he knew that if Yugi felt the need to lie, that he probably had a good reason to. Yami didn't want to seem overbearing; the last time he had, he and Yugi had split up, and things had ended badly. Maybe Yugi just needed a little space. Perfectly understandable. They spent every minute of the day together.

So…why didn't Yami feel better?

Maybe it was the fact that Yugi had started acting weird at the library earlier in the afternoon. He was distracted, and no amount of prodding could make him open up. What's more, Yami still felt incredibly uneasy about that Joey kid. He wasn't sure why. The blonde was nothing more than a pesky human who seemed to have some sort of thing for Yugi, and Yami knew undoubtedly that Yugi did not return his affections. Was Yami—dare he say it—jealous? Pfft. Hardly. But something sent off alarms in his body whenever Joey was around, and he would not let him keep touching his little one. Yugi had recovered from his ordeal with Marik, even though he sometimes had nightmares that Yami had to kiss away. The whole matter made Yami especially observant about who hung around Yugi. Everyone became a suspect.

Yami glanced at the clock on his kitchen wall. It was almost eight at night. He had yet to hear from Yugi, not even a phone call. He sighed deeply. Even if Yugi had loads of homework, it wouldn't have taken him almost four hours to complete. He should be done by now. He nodded to himself to justify his reasoning. Surely Yugi wanted to see him, or at least talk to him as much as Yami did. Besides, Yami should at least check on his little love. Feeling reassured, Yami left his apartment complex and began the semi-long walk towards the game shop, picking up speed as he got closer without meaning to. Just one little pick-me-up from Yugi—that's all he needed. He shook his head as the shop came into view. Geez, he sounded like a drug addict looking for a fix. He guessed he was in a way. He was undeniably addicted to his sweet Yugi. Finally, he approached the front door, knocking on it sturdily three times, expecting Yugi to answer. Instead, he was surprised to see Yugi's Grandpa, steaming cup of tea in his wrinkled hands. He smiled politely at Yami in greeting, but then frowned slightly.

"Yami? What are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry it's a bit late, Mr. Motou," Yami said with a slight bow. Grandpa dismissed his apology quickly.

"No, no, I mean, what are you doing here alone?"

Yami looked perplexed. "Should…should I be here with someone?"

"Yugi left here almost fifteen minutes ago. He said he was heading to your apartment." Grandpa's frown deepened. "Did he lie to me?"

Yami's eyebrows shot up in alarm. "T-to my apartment?" He thought quickly. "Oh, right, my mistake. I thought I told him I would meet him here. It's my fault, Mr. Motou. I bet we walked right past each other and didn't even notice…" The lie just tumbled out of his mouth, but his brain was in overdrive. "I better head back home before he has the chance to leave. I'll see you tomorrow." He turned to leave.

"Yami."

Yami released a shaky breath, but turned back to the older man. "Y-yes."

"I don't know what's going on, but please bring Yugi home safe and sound." With that, he closed the door, leaving Yami a confused wreck.

Yugi had lied to him and his grandfather. Neither of them had any clue why.

Where the hell was his little one?

After the first day of school, Joey didn't remember much. Yet again, the entire day had been one big blur. The presence in his mind was growing stronger and stronger, while his own will seemed to be dwindling by the hour. When he was in control, he felt tired and indifferent, as if a leech was lapping up his energy. When he was tired, he was weak; and when he was weak, he lost control again. It was a never-ending cycle, it seemed. What was worse was the fact that despite the holes in his memory, he knew he had killed his best friend the night before. He didn't know how, but he knew he was the last one to talk to Tristan, and he had been found so close to his apartment. He wanted to turn himself in; besides, it wasn't his fault. In fact, it technically wasn't even him that committed the crime to begin with. However, he thought better of it. How would he ever explain that to the police? "My hands did it…but not my mind"? No. Hell no. This presence…it seemed to have some sort of weird obsession with that Yugi kid. Whenever it took control, it always seemed to scope out the spiky-haired teen. Joey needed to know why, but didn't know how to find out. This thing had proven itself to be dangerous, and not only did Joey not want to risk his own life by somehow angering it, but he also felt some weird innate duty to warn that kid if he was in potential danger, too.

When he got home after school, he was unsurprised to see his father gone and the apartment a mess. He was probably out getting an early start on the hangover he would undoubtedly have the next morning. Whatever, it didn't really concern him. Joey had other plans for the evening. He was determined to get some answers from this thing. He had finally accepted that he was not crazy, and that something was seriously wrong. He had to get to the bottom of this before someone else ended up like Tristan. He didn't know a better way to get to the bottom of what it wanted than by just talking to it. He tossed his backpack to the worn sofa and slipped off his shoes. Ordinarily, he'd grab an after school snack, but he had no appetite. Plus, knowing his father, the cupboards and fridge were probably close to empty anyway. He made his way towards his room, the door creaking close behind him. Sitting down slowly on his bed, he ran his fingers through his blonde mane.

"Look," he began softly but sturdily, "I-I know you're in 'dere, in my head." He paused, waiting for a response he was sure he wouldn't get. He cleared his throat and continued. "Whaddya want from me? I ain't even do nothin' to ya'." Joey waited somewhat impatiently again. "Answer me, dammit! If you're gonna vacation in my head, then you damn well better answer me when I talk to ya'!" He was greeted with yet another disappointing silence at first, then suddenly he felt a burst of energy leaving his body. He fell forward, catching himself, using one hand to keep himself steady on the bed and the other to grip his chest. His breath came out raggedly, but he forced himself to sit upright and look around his room. He was no longer alone; something was with him. "Sh-show yourself!"

"Who are you to demand anything of me?"

Joey gasped at the sudden deep, menacing voice that filled his head, searching frantically for the owner. "Who are you to just camp out in my head without my permission?!" he demanded. "I said show yourself, you coward!"

A chuckle. "Watch your tongue, human. You haven't a clue who you are talking to. I could destroy you without breaking a sweat!"

Despite the situation, Joey smirked. "Yeah, you probably could, but then that would destroy you, too. You need me. Face facts."

Yet another chuckle, but this one was filled with amusement. "You really are simple, aren't you?"

"If I'm so 'simple,' then why the hell are you usin' me?" Joey argued. "And what the hell do you want from me? What did you do to Tristan!"

"I have used you as a vessel for that very reason—you are simple-minded and easily controlled."

Joey got to his feet immediately, hands balled into fists. "Come out here and say that to my face, ya' yellow-bellied ghost!" Before he could utter another word, his arm was twisted in an unnatural angle behind him by some unseen force. He screamed out, teeth gritted in pain, as he fell to his knees.

"Know this. You are dispensable. You'll do well to respect me, Joseph. Understood?"

"Gah—yes! Stop, let go of me!" Joey yelled, his teeth gritted in pain. The grip on his arm tightened in one more act of superiority before releasing him all together, leaving him a crumpled mess on his bedroom floor. So obviously…he wouldn't be able to deal with this thing in the way he would handle any punk. Force wouldn't work. He had to be a bit more tactful or he'd end up like Tristan. He regained his composure, getting off the floor to sit on the edge of his bed. "Well then," he said after takin a deep breath, "if you're gonna be rentin' out my head, can I at least get a few questions answered?" There was no response, but Joey felt the presence still there, and he took the silence as a yes. "Who are you? What do you want with that Yugi-kid?"

"That is none of your concern." Joey resisted the urge to growl in frustration. This was getting nowhere…but at least he was still breathing, which is more than Tristan could say. Okay, so Yugi was off-limits for now. Maybe if he took a different approach?

"You know, it don't have to be dat way," he started cautiously. He felt the intensity of the presence subside ever-so-slightly. "I know what you're doin'—threatening me to make sure I do whatcha want. I'm pretty familiar with that strategy myself, ya' know?" There was no reply, urging him to continue. "We don't have to do dat. I mean, you scratch my back, I scratch yours." Joey wasn't exactly sure where he was going to go with this, but maybe if this thing thought that they were partners, in a sense, rather than the parasite-host thing they had going on, then he could ensure that he'd come out of this unharmed while he figured out how to evict it from his head. Again, he was met with a brief silence, but before he could continue again, he was suddenly feet of the ground, gagging and sputtering as if he was being strangled in mid-air. His hands fumbled to the unseen grip around his throat, eyes snapping closed.

"Do you take me for a fool?" The voice barked sharply as Joey squirmed and thrashed about in the air. "I can read your mind, you daft buffoon. You believe that you can get rid of me just like that?" The pressure around his throat tightened even more, and Joey could feel that he was on the brink of unconsciousness. He fought frantically, knowing that if he passed out now there was truly no telling what would happen to him or anyone else that got in this thing's way. There was an inhumane snarl before he was dropped unceremoniously to the hard ground, bringing his clammy hands to his throat and gasping for ragged breaths. His vision cleared slightly as he looked up with wide, frightful eyes, still finding no one in the room with him.

"Listen to me, boy. You will do what I command of you whenever I command it. You are but a vessel—a physical dwelling for our souls. I have kept you around thus far simply because you make it easier for me to accomplish my goal. But you will do well to remember that it is only your body that I require to do just that. I could shred your soul to bits with a simple command."

Joey wheezed, greedily swallowing lungfulls of air, narrowing his eyes. "W-what are you?" There was a haughty laugh before the unnerving voice of the twisted presence filled his head.

"A king regaining his throne."

In the short amount of time that it took Yami to pick up on Yugi's scent, dozens of scenarios of what could have possibly befallen his love had crossed his mind. Though he knew Yugi had lied to him about his homework, he would never lie to his grandfather. Yami knew that. At least, not without a very good reason. Suppose Yugi had decided to come surprise him at his apartment…but never made it there. That would mean someone was hurting him, had probably already hurt him. Yami felt his blood boil at the very thought. Think rationally, he told himself. If Yugi had gotten anywhere near his apartment, Yami would have sensed him.

No, Yugi had indeed lied to Solomon, for his scent led him in the completely opposite direction from the city. In fact, he was in the park that he had first taken Yugi to the night after they'd met. Yami swallowed thickly, something not settling well in his stomach. Why would Yugi come here at night without him and lie to his grandpa about where he was going? Unless…Yugi was meeting someone else here? Was Yugi cheating on him? Yami's eyes burned unexpectantly. No, stop, he thought. Yugi loved him. He knew that. So then what? Why come here? Yugi's scent was getting more intense as he neared the lake, away from anything and anyone. He slowed his pace and cleared his mind, inhaling deeply. He sensed Yugi…but there was someone else. Someone familiar. Yami's eyes flashed to red as he moved closer to a tall bush and took in the scene before him.

"I just wanted to come tonight to make it clear for once th-that we can't do this…this…whatever this is." Yugi's small but determined voice said to the much taller Joey as he began to inch closer. "I wanted to tell you at the library, but it just seems like every time I look into your eyes, I—" Yugi stopped, startled purple eyes taking in just how close he and the blonde were. "I…" Joey's hands shot out and gripped Yugi's wrists, bringing them snugly against one another. Alarms rang in Yami's head, ricocheting around his skull, but he was frozen from shock. Yugi was staring wondrously into Joey's eyes as if under a spell. Tears sprung to Yami's eyes without warning. Did Yugi…feel something for this kid?

"You…?"

"I…can't look away." Yugi breathed, Yami's eyes closed sadly. What was happening?

"Can't, or don't want to?" Joey asked with a smirk. Unfortunately, Yami wondered the same thing.

"J-Joey, please," Yugi whimpered as Joey began to lean in closely. Yami looked on in confusion. He could have sworn he saw a flicker of—what, fear?—in Yugi's eyes before they seemed to cloud over again. Didn't Yugi want this? "Joey, stop, p-please! Don't…mmph!" Joey forced his lips onto Yugi's, and Yugi looked as if the wind had been knocked out of him.

The last thing Yami heard before he lost it was an animalistic roar escape his lips.