Masami: Welcome back, cast and crew! Ok! The first act has been edited and everything's ready for the next act! We don't have to do that one again!

(Everyone cheers)

Damion: Get into place everyone! Let's try to get this in one shot!

Yami: Yeah right! With Jou playing Jounouchi? HA!

Jou: (growls)

Seto: (glare)

Masami: QUIET ON THE SET!

Yuugi: OO

Yami: (blink blink) but we're not on the set.

(Jou, Seto, and Yami were in fact standing beside the director's chair where Masami sat)

Masami: (eye twitch) just get in place people!

Seto: hey wait. Can I go home now? I'm not in any of the scenes in act two so-

Masami: Yes you are! Look! (points to script) Act one, scene seven! "Seto Kaiba makes his fancy entrance"! Now get in the car and wait there!

Seto: T.T

Bakura: I like scene one. n.n

Yuugi: Why?

Yami: Because it's a change room scene

Yuugi: Oo

Masami: (rolls eyes) ok! let's get into places people!

Haga: Masami! I don't know my lines!

Masami: Insector Haga? What the hell? You aren't in the script! Get out!

Haga: T.T (leaves)

Masami: PLACES! Background action!

(Everyone started moving except for the main characters)

Masami: And! . . . action! Roll Camera Damion!

Damion: It's rolling!

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Duel Two: Presence Of Friendship And Love

Tuesday

Yami was silent, as he got undressed. He just had gym class and was glad he was leaving it behind. Anything that involved physical interaction was not something he enjoyed.

He sighed. "I wish it was the weekend. I am so exhausted!"

Bakura scoffed. "What are you complaining about? You didn't do jack squat against the other team. So as usual, I had to-"

"No you baka! I was talking about Mai."

"Oh! Could have fooled me!"

His eyebrow twitched. "Thanks Jou. Seriously, I think she's trying to kill me. She was chucking the balls at me worse then a cannon!"

Jou laughed. "Yeah. Who would have thought that a girl would be so strong!"

Yami giggled a bit. "Hey come on, now. Just because he's a bitch doesn't mean she can't try to murder me."

Laughter echoed through the change room.

But it all stopped as soon as the door of a shower stall opened. Yuugi walked out of it and closed it behind him.

Yami bit his lip. 'Kuso! He heard that! He's going to tell on me! Damn it! Why the hell did I have to go blabbing on like that?'

Yuugi was clutching his gym clothes to his chest, just like his binder. Still not making eye contact, he looked up at Yami a little bit.

"I'm . . . not going . . . t-to tell on you . . . Atemu-san."

Everyone blinked. He wouldn't rat them out? Why?

Yami simply nodded.

"Um . . . I'll see you . . . later then."

He quickly ran out of the change room and leaned against the wall. His breath came out in short, quick gasps. His heart was pounding like crazy against his ribs.

'Kami . . . I can't believe it! Yami didn't have a shirt on! His body is so . . . amazing!'

Yuugi could tell his face was flushed. 'Can it really be true? Was Juro lying?'

He slowly made his way up the stairs and back into the gym to wait for the bell and for Mai.

'Whenever I'm around Yami . . . I just fell so . . . warm and light. Like I'm floating on a cloud in summer. It's so strange. I don't understand it. But maybe this is something I'm not supposed to understand.'

He sighed and looked up. Yuugi paled. Ushio was standing right in front of him with a twisted grin on his face.

"So shrimp, where's your little friends now?"

"Right here."

Ushio turned around and growled. "Atemu, this is none of your business."

Yami put a hand on his hip. "No? Well, it seems I've already made it my business."

He made a rumbling noise deep in his throat. "You'd better watch what you say, Atemu. One day you won't be able to save your little bitch."

Yami's eyes narrowed and he grabbed Ushio's collar. "What did you just call him!"

"Atemu! Ushio! Break it up, you two!" Sakamoto-san yelled.

Yami had no choice. He didn't want to get in trouble right now so he let go.

"Taking orders from a woman, Atemu?" Ushio turned on his heals. "I didn't think you could get any lower."

He wanted so badly to take the knife he knew the other carried in his pocket and stab him with it.

'First he insults Yuugi and now he's insulting women? That bastard!'

Taking a deep breath to calm his fury, he turned to smile at Yuugi.

His mirror image bowed. "T-thank you again, Atemu-san. I'm sorry I'm so burdensome."

Yami lost his smile and lifted Yuugi's chin. "Don't apologize to me, Yuugi. You are in no way a burden to me. I care about you. We are friends after all and friends look out for each other."

He winked at him again receiving another red-hot blush. He cupped Yuugi's cheek but pulled back when the boy looked away.

Yami cursed himself. 'Damn it. What am I doing? Yuugi and Mai are together. I can't flirt with him. He's straight and . . . and I'm not. That's all there is to it.'

"I'm sorry, Yuugi."

The bell rang for the end of the day.

--

Yami shook his fist at the ceiling when no one was looking. 'Damn you, Gods! Stop tormenting me like this!'

Just to his luck, Yuugi and himself were assigned to tidy the halls of the second floor together as their part of the daily clean up.

The good news is that they were on their last hall.

The worst part of it was Yuugi kept bending over and twisting into certain positions that made Yami's imagination run wild.

So as a way of not getting turned on, he looked away and turned his back to the boy. But after a time, Yami couldn't stand the silence.

He sighed and turned around.

"Um . . . Yuugi?"

The boy flinched a bit, but slowly looked up. "Y-yes, Atemu-san?"

"I'm sorry for insulting Mai earlier. I didn't mean it . . . I was just upset about something."

He smiled a bit. "I-it's ok, Atemu-san. I told you I w-wouldn't tell her. B-besides, if you get her a-angry again, she won't let you come over. S-she can get pretty s-scary when she's mad."

Yami laughed. "You're telling me! The way she was whipping me with those balls I could have sworn she was trying to kill me!"

Yuugi laughed a bit and Yami felt his heart soar. It sounded absolutely beautiful.

"Y-you'll have to e-excuse her . . . Atemu-san. Mai . . . can get rather violent."

Yami smiled. "It's ok. So how long have you two known each other?"

"S-since my mother and her father married."

His crimson eyes bulged from his head so much it looked like they would fall out. "So you two aren't together!"

Yuugi cringed at his sudden outburst. "N-no. She's my step sister."

Yami sighed. 'Thank the Gods! I thought . . . eww . . .'

A whimper brought him back. He saw Yuugi shaking slightly.

Yami cursed himself and dropped the broom. He walked forward and held him. He felt the boy tense and started rubbing his back.

"It's ok, Yuugi. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell. And I most certainly didn't mean to scare you. Can you forgive me?"

Hesitantly, he nodded and let himself relax. Through his insecurities, he wrapped his arms around Yami.

"Thank you, Atemu-san."

He frowned. "You don't have to keep calling me that, you know. You can just call me Yami."

Yuugi looked up at him. "Are you sure?"

The teen smiled. "Of course. Like I said I am in no way superior to you and I don't demand respect. Besides, calling me 'Atemu-san' makes me feel old."

The boy laughed. "All right. I won't say it any more."

"Hey you know what?"

Yuugi echoed his last word.

"You're not stuttering any more."

He blushed a bit. "I guess I don't do it . . . as long as I feel safe and . . . happy with someone."

Yami winked at him to increase his blush. 'He's so cute! It's almost inhuman!'

(Me: I know exactly how he feels! Sometimes I just wanna beat Yuugi with a stick! Yami, Yuugi: O.O)

Someone to their left cleared their throat. Yuugi gasped and stepped away from Yami.

Mai had folded her arms and leaned against the wall. "Mind explaining yourself, Atemu?"

But Yuugi answered for him. "N-nothing happened, Mai. He didn't do anything."

"Oh? Is that so?"

Both of them nodded.

The teen slanted his head a bit. 'Why doesn't Mai trust me? Even Yuugi said that I didn't do anything . . . which I still don't understand. Why would I have done anything to him?'

"Fine." She stood up straight and let her arms drop but put one hand on her hip. "Yuugi, go get your homework, ok?"

He smiled and nodded, heading off to his locker.

Mai glared at Yami. "Look, I don't know what you're planning, but you better not hurt Yuugi."

She walked turned around and said,

"By the way, you had better get your things as well. You are coming over to work on this project, right?"

Yami nodded. "Un."

He heard her sigh. "Great."

The teen glared at her retreating back. 'Does she have to be so . . . enthusiastic about this?'

He headed off to the nearest payphone in the halls. (A/N: I don't know if there's payphones in the schools of Japan, but there is in mine! Mind you, I am in Canada so ………:P)

Yami inserted the coin and dialed his home number.

It rang a few times before someone on the other end picked up.

"Moshi Moshi." The voice said. "Atemu residence."

"Hi okaasan."

He could tell she was smiling. "Hi Yami-chan. What is it?"

Yami started to wrap the cord around his finger. It was a sign that he was nervous. And right now, he had every right to be. His mother hated it when something was brought to her attention at the last possible moment.

"Well . . . um . . . you see, I have to do this project with a kid at my school. It's for history and I just found out today! Plus he's new and he needs a friend so please can I go over to his place to work on it!"

Hiroko (his mother) sighed. "All right. But why not just do it here?"

He blushed a bit and shook his head to get it out of the gutter. "Well, his step sister is really bossy and protective so I have to work on it at their place."

She sighed once more. "Fine. But I want you home by seven. No later, all right?"

"Hai. Thank you, okaasan!"

"You're welcome. Have fun!"

The two hung up and Yami turned around. He jumped when he was Mai and Yuugi standing behind him.

Yuugi bit his lip to keep from laughing. Yami playfully glared at him but Mai gave him a warning look.

"So who were you talking to?" She asked.

He blinked at her accusing tone. "I just told my mom where I was going. Why does it matter?"

Yami noticed Yuugi was sad when he mentioned his mother. 'What's wrong with him? Did I say something wrong?'

Mai put an arm around his shoulders. "Do you have your things yet?"

"Oh. No, I'll go get them."

She nodded. "We'll wait for you outside."

--

The walk to their apartment was quiet. But the silence started to wear down Yami's nerves.

"So where do you live exactly?"

"In an apartment."

"That doesn't tell me very much."

"That's all you need to know."

Yami blinked. 'What the hell is her problem? I was just asking. I'm going to see where they live any way so why not just-'

A car honked their horn at the three. "Hey boy. You want a ride?"

Mai glared. She picked up a rock and threw it at him. "Fuck off you ass hole!"

He gave her the finger and drove away quickly.

Yuugi whimpered as his body shook. Mai was by his side in an instant.

"It's ok now, Yuugi. He's gone. Are you ok to go on with your project?"

He nodded and looked up at Yami apologetically. The teen smiled down at him with a look of 'it's ok. I'm not mad' on his face that made Yuugi smile a bit.

They continued on in silence.

Yami was very concerned. He saw how that man was staring at Yuugi and it disturbed him.

Worst of all is how Yuugi reacted to it. He couldn't know what that means right?

He sighed. 'I hope not. Yuugi's so . . .'

A shiver went up his spine. He felt like he was being watched. Or more like glared at.

Who else would it be but Mai?

He looked at her and mouthed, 'what?'

Her glower intensified. Yami gulped. Yuugi wasn't kidding when he said Mai gets scary when she's angry.

He let Mai win the staring contest. In stead, he let his eyes watch Yuugi. Only out of the corner of his eye of course.

Yami saw that the boy was hunched over a bit and always staring at the ground. His hands gripped the straps of his backpack in a tight hold. It looked like Yuugi was absolutely terrified.

"Yuugi? Are you all right?"

He shakily nodded.

Mai looked at him concernedly. "Yuugi, what's wrong, hunny?"

Tears built up in his eyes. Mai told me to stay here as she took hold of Yuugi's hand and led him to a private place to talk.

Yami's heart clenched.

'Why did Yuugi start to cry? What could have upset him so badly?'

Whatever it was, he swore to protect the boy with everything he had. No one would hurt Yuugi ever again if Yami were around.

About ten minutes later, Mai and Yuugi returned.

Mouthing it to me, she told me not to say anything. I agreed, not wanting to upset him again.

When Yuugi looked up at him, Yami smiled in a reassuring, kind way.

In his eyes, Yuugi could see emotions that said 'don't worry. Everything will be all right.' And he believed it.

--

Finally, the three arrived at Mai and Yuugi's apartment. They lived on the second floor on the very corner of the building.

The apartment wasn't huge, but it was big enough for two people. There was a living room with a fireplace, a small kitchen and a dining room just beside it. From the entrance, that was all you could see.

"Nice place."

Mai's face . . . was sad? Yami blinked. 'What did I do now?'

"Thanks."

They took off their shoes and went into the living room. Yami sat down on the couch.

He moaned. "AHHHH! This is soo soft! I feel like I'm sinking into it!"

Yuugi laughed at bit, which surprised Mai.

"Can I steal this couch?"

His look-a-like sat down beside him. "No! We need it! Besides, do you know how hard it was to get this thing up here?"

He whined. "But going down is so much easier!"

Yuugi laughed. Mai gaped at the two in shock. How did Yuugi become so close to Yami all ready?

She turned away in disgust and went into her room.

"What's wrong with Mai?"

Yuugi half smiled. "Don't worry. She gets like that sometimes."

"So what exactly do we have to research on?"

The boy bit his lip. "That's the thing. It's about Japan's agricultural habits before technology was available. But we don't have a computer."

Yami blinked. "You don't? Well then how are we supposed to get it done?"

Yuugi lifted his backpack onto his lap. He opened it up and took out three textbooks.

"Mai asked Morita-san for some information so he's letting us borrow these."

The teen felt a pinch of annoyance. 'She dragged me all the way here just so Yuugi and I could work on a major project with limited supplies? She must really hate me!'

Regardless of how little their information sources were, Yami and Yuugi read every last page in the textbooks and wrote down anything that could be usefull.

Since each of them had read a textbook themselves, Yami composed an idea for the last one.

"Why don't you and I read this one together, Yuugi? I think it would be much more . . . helpful that way."

He blushed. "A-all right."

Yami slowly advanced and sat right next to Yuugi. He felt the boy's body squirm a bit from the nearness but knew he didn't mind.

The teen picked up the textbook and opened it, placing half in Yuugi's lap and other half in his own.

(A/N: just incase anyone was getting confused, Yuugi and Yami are the same age! Yami ain't no pedophile! They're both about 15, ok? I'm just saying 'boy' and 'teen' as a way of identifying them with out having to use the same noun.)

Yami gently placed an arm on both of Yuugi's shoulders. He went at a slow pace so that if his crush was unwilling to have this contact, then he could quickly pull away and apologize.

But it seemed Yuugi didn't mind at all. He cuddled into Yami's side a bit, letting his head rest against the teen's shoulder.

Yami smiled at him even though Yuugi didn't look up. Through out the entire reading, the teen only paid half attention to the book. He just couldn't take his eyes off of Yuugi. So what if it was just the top of his head a little bit of his face?

It sure didn't matter to Yami. He was just so glad to have Yuugi in his arms.

--

Mai had witnessed the whole intimate scene with anger and disgust.

She knew about her stepbrother's sexual orientation for a long time. She wasn't disgusted with it at all! As long as Yuugi was happy then it didn't matter.

'I just wish that he chose someone else! I know Yuugi likes Atemu and I suppose he isn't all that bad. But I can't trust him alone with Yuugi just yet. For all I know his only intrest! I'll keep an eye on him for now.'

She continued to watch the two and glared at how Yami kept staring at Yuugi. So far, he hadn't touched her stepbrother in an improper way. But she wasn't about to let her guard down even if Yuugi would.

--

Yami rested his head against Yuugi's. The boy was blushed so hard he thought his face would explode!

It was harder to concentrate now, but he didn't mind at all. Somehow, it just felt so right to be like this with Yami.

'I always feel so . . . safe and happy when I'm with him. I don't know how he feels for me . . . but I think . . . I think I love him. Oh Kami, I want to be in love so badly. I'd do anything to prove Juro wrong. I wish I could rub it in his face! Then again, I don't want him here. It's better just to be in love and not have any one try to smother it.'

"Hey, Yuugi?"

He blinked and lifted his head to stare into the warm crimson pools once more. "What is it, Yami?"

The teen half smiled. "Gomen, Yuugi. But I got to get home."

"Do you have to?"

He nodded. "Sorry. I wish I could stay longer, but I can't."

Yuugi reluctantly nodded. "All right."

The two got off the couch, instantly missing the delicious warmth of the other.

Yami put on his shoes and his backpack. He was just about to leave when his eyes caught site of amethyst orbs of absolute beauty. Yami was trapped in their magnetic pull. It's as if they were hypnotizing him into submission. Their only order was to never look away.

Yuugi was in a similar predicament. He didn't want Yami to go. He wanted the teen to stay here forever. That way, he could look into the warm, passionate eyes without end.

Yami could also see Yuugi's lush, pink lips.

'Would it be weird if we kissed?'

He wanted so badly to taste the boy. Yuugi just looked so . . . tempting. His beauty was more alluring then anything he had ever known in his entire life. Yami slowly leaned forward and his eyes started to close.

Yuugi tilted his head up a bit, wanting to meet Yami's lips with his own for the first time. His eyelids closed at the same speed as the teen. He wanted to look into his eyes until the last possible moment when-

"Ahem!"

Yuugi took a step back as Yami straightened his posture. The boy stared at the floor in shame and didn't watch as Yami left the apartment.

His eyes met his stepsisters but only for a moment. He ran into his room and cried into his pillow.

'Why? Why can't something go right for once!'

--

Yami stopped walking and leaned against a fence. 'Yuugi . . . couldn't even look at me. What was he so shameful of? He did nothing wrong. Maybe it was me. Could it have even been Mai?'

He sighed. "It doesn't look like I'll ever know. Sure, Yuugi's slowly warming up to me . . . but Mai just won't let us get close."

A car horn honked. A blue sports car with two white paint strips going the length of it pulled up in front of him. This was a car he knew all too well.

The passenger window slid down to reveal the driver.

"Yami-kun? What are you doing here?"

He smiled. "Hey Seto-kun."

Seto blinked. "Uh oh. What's wrong?"

Yami batted his eyelids a few times. "Nani?"

"You only call me Seto when something's troubling you." He leaned over and opened the passenger door. "Get in."

The teen was, to state the obvious, confused. 'I only call him Seto when something's bothering me? What the hell is that supposed to mean?'

But he'd ask questions later. He needed the company anyway, so he accepted the ride.

He drove on down the road. "So what's wrong?"

Yami sighed heavily. He spilled every last feeling he felt since History class.

Seto learned about what happened since this morning until just now when he picked him up. To say the least, the CEO wasn't surprised.

"So you finally found that special someone, eh? It's about time!"

The teen groaned. "Kaiba . . .!"

"Now that's more like it!"

He glared. "Kaiba, this is serious. I don't know what to do!"

He shrugged. "All ways a first for everything, ne?"

Yami wined. "Stop it!"

"Here." He handed his friend his cell phone. "Call your mom and tell her that you're going out with me. You and I have to talk about this."

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Masami: CUT! That's a wrap!

(Everyone cheers and leaves)

Damion: well that was fast

Masami: anyway, get the film to the editing room, Damion!

Damion: Don't worry I'll make sure it's perfect

Masami: you damn well better!

Yami: hey Masami? Why haven't Yuugi and I kissed yet?

Masami: It's not the in script yet. But don't worry. You will.

(Yuugi and Yami smile. They leave)

Masami: See you later guys! (leaves)

I would do review responces, but since I'm improving the chapters, I can't since they aren't allowed any more. But thanks to any one who reviewed and read!

Make sure to review this chapter too!