Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or its characters or the song lyrics to "Running up that hill" by Bush (the version I used as inspiration was the cover of this song by Placebo)

Authors note: Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving! I personally hate turkey, but there are a lot of other food choices thankfully! I can't wait to hear some feed back about my OC story. Don't be upset, I am still working on Salvation. Just gotta work a few kinks out of it and then a new chapter shall be posted. I promise.

Chapter 1

Running Up That Hill

"Akila! You're going to be late for your first day of school!" A lump under a big comforter moved a little at that. As if the incessant buzzing of her alarm clock wasn't enough, but her mother was now screaming at the top of her lungs at 6:30 in the morning to get her going. With a grumble and a sigh Akila pushed off her comforter and hopped out of bed, her wild and tangled hair flopped into her face as if it too thought it was too early to be up. She walked into the bathroom and stared into the mirror at herself. She was relieved to see that her face was no longer puffy from the crying fit she had the night before. She wasn't looking forward to starting this new school. She was afraid that she hadn't learned the language well enough to survive in a Japanese school. Not to mention who really jumped for joy at the idea of picking their lives up and moving to a completely new area where they didn't know anyone?

"Well, it's time to face the music." She muttered in Arabic, her native language. It had been so long since she had muttered her home lands tongue, and at the same time it was so familiar and sweet to say. She was glad the accent stayed over the years. With another deep breath and an acceptance for the inevitable, she jumped into the shower, ready to start the day.

Once she was done with her shower, which thankfully helped wake her up a bit, she put on her new schools uniform, fiddling with it uncomfortably. She wasn't one for wearing skirts. If she had to wear dressed, they were long ones. She felt so exposed right now. After she gave up with trying to magically making her skirt longer, she went back into the bathroom and brushed the tangle out of her long black hair before tying it back and putting it in a bun. She didn't have the time or the patients to dry it this morning. She put on her reading glasses and looked into the mirror one more time before she would decide to go down stairs for the morning. As she stared at the girl looking back at her, she couldn't help but chuckle. She didn't look anything like herself. She was a beautiful girl, and she knew it. This girl looking back at her looked like a girl that didn't care about her looks. Her hair tied back and her thick rimmed reading glasses. She looked like a nerd in her opinion. But she didn't have time to worry about her looks anymore. She ran back to her room and grabbed her book bag that contained everything she would need before she ran down stairs to be greeted by her mother, who was waiting for her in the kitchen with a bowl of cereal and a brown paper bagged lunch.

"It's amazing how you can scream so loud so early in the morning, mom" Akila said again in Arabic, knowing her mom would get at her about that. Her mother was American, but thankfully took the time to learn the foreign language when Akila was adopted to help bond with the young girl. Right on queue though, she heard her mom clear her throat, as she took a bite of cereal waiting for the remark.

"Could you please use Japanese some time? You need to get used to it considering where we live now, you know?" she said as she watched her daughter eat her breakfast, knowing she wasn't listening to her. "I realize this is tough for you, sweetie, but your father has a good job here making more money then before, it would help if you would be a little supportive of him." Akila sighed. This was the millionth time she had heard this speech and it made her feel bad that her mom thought she wasn't being supportive of her dad. She was proud of him, she really was. It wasn't every day that your father gets acknowledged for his work and asked to work on the restoration of some artifacts, scheduled to be showed to the public. In fact, he was supposed to be honored at the museum in Domino for his work. She was proud; she just wanted to keep part of her past with her.

"Mom, honestly, I am proud of dad, ecstatic in fact. I can't wait to be with him on that stage when he shows everyone his work. I can't wait. And now, I have to go to school." She said scooping up her backpack, and hurling it onto her shoulder with an exaggerated smile. "Dewa mata atode" She said, running out of the door. Hopefully that would be enough to satisfy her mother for now. As she walked to school, she put in her head phones on to listen to her ipod with a sigh, attempting to block out all the strangeness that surrounded her. She had walked the path to her school a few times the last few days to make sure she wasn't late today because she got lost. She had only missed a few days of the school year, so she was confident that she would be able to catch up pretty easily. As she was getting closer to school, she noticed across the street from her, walking out of what looked like a small shop; she saw a group of teenagers her age walking towards her school. She stared at them for a moment and smiled. Maybe soon she could be like them. Joyfully walking to school instead of dragging her feet, wishing she could dodge the dreadful first day awkwardness. She even giggled to herself, noticing two boys in particular. It wasn't like she could really avoid looking at them; their hair was so obvious and noticeable. Both were spiky and out of control, and tri colored. Red, black and blonde seemed to make the spiky mess even more unique. Though, the boy that seemed to be the tallest had blonde going up into his hair like lightning bolts. She figured it as their way of looking different from each other. She must have giggled too loudly, due to her partial deafness from her ipod, and drew the attention of one of the boys who seemed to stop and look at her. He was tan, and handsome. She smiled at him and waved a little, blushing slightly at being caught staring. She thought he was about to say something when she noticed the brunet in the group grab at his arm and stole his attention away, hugging him close. 'Must be his girlfriend' she thought and went back to walking to school, walking a bit quicker then the group beside her. She went back to focusing on her music a bit, singing along "And if I only could, Make a deal with God, and get him to swap our places, be running up that road, be running up that hill, be running up that building. If I only could, oh..."

"Atem! Atem, you have to wake up, we're going to be late for school!" Ruby colored eyes shot open when he realized that his alarm clocked hadn't gone off for the morning. He looked over at his clock and realized he only had maybe fifteen minutes until his friends would be here to walk with them to school.

"Shit" he cursed to himself, throwing his blankets off his bare-chested self before he ran out of the room, almost knocking down his double gagger. "Sorry Yugi!" The smaller look a like heard from behind the closed bathroom door. Yugi shook his head with a chuckle. This seemed to be becoming an every day deal. Atem would forget to set his alarm clock to the night before, he would have to wake him up, the other would rush to get ready while Yugi sat down stairs eating breakfast at his leisure. Speaking of which, Yugi started heading down stairs where he could hear his uncle shuffling about trying to help the two get ready for school.

"Is he awake?" Yugi heard his grandpa's voice as soon as he walked into the kitchen. Yugi smiled and nodded and the older Motou couldn't help but chuckle himself. It had only been a few months that the Pharaoh had come to live with them in the modern world, and he could tell the former royal was having trouble adjusting to life once again. However, he could help but be proud of the teen for his decision. After all, he could have gone to the afterlife and be with his family, but he realized he had family here with him that he was just starting to get to know. He and Yugi had become very fond of each other, became very close friends and he knew his grandson would be a mess now if he other had decided to leave. Despite the fact that the old mans reasoning for the Pharaoh's choice to stay and live with them was selfish on his part, he was thankful that his grandson wouldn't have to suffer a loss as big as that. Especially after all they had gone through. "Don't worry, Yugi, I doubt you'll have to do this forever. He's just not used to everything yet. He'll get it soon enough." He was delighted to see Yugi chuckle to himself at the comment instead of sighing with worry like he was so used to. It seemed Yugi was getting back to his old carefree self now that he didn't have to look behind his back every two seconds and wait for the next evil attempt to harm him.

"I know, I'm proud of the progress he has made already. I have a feeling he was watching my life a bit more then he led on though." Yugi smiled as he ate his breakfast. Life was finally back to normal, and he couldn't be any happier. His best friend decided to stay in this world with him, and the Gods allowed it, and granted him his own body. The same one he had five millennia ago, so he looked like himself and not necessarily like Yugi. He had his own identity as well thanks to Ishizu and Kaiba's help. Atem Hasan, cousin to Yugi Motou, under Solomon Motou's guardianship. And what was best of all, they seemed to still have their mind link. It made it easier for Yugi to explain things to Atem during class that way, so they wouldn't get in trouble for talking.

"Thank you Aibou!" A baritone voice came from behind Yugi as the former Pharaoh. Yugi turned around and smiled at the still damp Pharaoh. He had to rush with his shower it seemed, but he was almost on time to eat breakfast today. He sat down next to Yugi while Solomon gave him a bowl of breakfast. "Thank you Mr. Motou." "It's no problem. How did you sleep, Pharaoh?" Solomon only added Atem's title because he knew it irritated him so much. Since his arrival, Atem made it clear that he didn't want to be referred to as Pharaoh. The only people he accepted it from were the Ishtars, only because he knew he'd be fighting a losing battle. They had been raised to serve him and would probably feel like they were disrespecting not only him but their heritage by addressing him so informally. "How many times do I have to ask you to call me by my name?" He asked the old man who had so graciously opened his home to Atem. After all the bad things he had to go through and had to watch his grandson go through because they were tools for others to get to Atem, he was glad the old man let him in so openly as if Atem was part of the family.

"Around the time you stop calling me Mr. Motou and start calling me Grandpa." He joked. He and his two Grandsons shared a laugh together before the door bell rang signaling for Yugi and Atem to get their things and head to school. Yugi was the first to answer the door to greet his three best friends: Joey, Tristan, and Tea with big smiled while Atem was in the background grabbing his school books he had forgotten to put back in his backpack after trying to hours to tackle his homework he ended up stubbornly allowing Yugi to help with at the end of the night. He couldn't wait until he got the hang of all this school business. The five of them left the games shop after a quick goodbye from Grandpa and headed off to another day of school. As they started walking, Atem started to get this feeling that he was being watched, and as he looked around his eyes crossed paths with a shy looking girl. He could tell she wasn't from around here by her clearly uncomfortable posture and her looks.

//Hey Yugi, who is that?// He asked his partner though his link, hoping not to gain too much attention from his friends as he received a shy wave from the now embarrassed girl. He felt like if he made any sudden moments she would be scared away like a deer that crossed paths with a person. Yugi looked towards where Atem was looking and saw her. He couldn't place her face or anything, but he knew she went to their school considering her uniform.

//I'm not sure, perhaps she's a new student.// yugi pondered as Atem felt Teas arm slither around his. He could feel his partners pain at the sight of this. Yugi liked Tea, and Atem knew it. He himself had no interest in her, but she for some reason wouldn't take no for an answer. //It's okay, Atem, don't feel bad. I know you don't want to hurt me and I know she doesn't either. She just doesn't see me that way.// It hurt Atem hear Yugi admit defeat so easily when it came to matters of his heart. Atem wanted Yugi to be happy.

//Have you told her your feelings yet? Perhaps she just doesn't think you like her?// Atem said, feeling Yugi's spirit lift a little.

//No, I'm too chicken to.// Yugi chuckled to himself. Joey looked at him, curious, but figured he was saying something to Atem. The three of them had long since accepted Yugi and Atem's link with each other. It was all just a matter of getting used to the random laughs, or sighs, or whatever reaction the other would express from time to time without realizing it.

"And if I only could, Make a deal with God, and get him to swap our places, be running up that road, be running up that hill, be running up that building. If I only could, oh..."

Atem's attention went back to the foreigner once again when he heard her singing. She was obviously oblivious to how loud she was. She didn't seem to be the type to just sing in public, considering how shy she came off as.

//Why are you so curious about her?// Yugi question, finding it odd for someone to catch Atem's attention so easily. Atem shrugged and watched as she sped away.

//I'm not sure…// Yugi bit his lip at this. He hoped this wasn't the start of a new and dangerous adventure that would put his life and the life of his friends in harms way. Atem sent his concerns to Yugi as well, hoping for the exact same thing.

Author Note: "Dewa mata atode" If my translation is indeed correct means "See you later" Please review! I can't wait to hear your input. Tell me if I should continue or should I stick to puzzleshipping? LET ME KNOW! I would love to hear from you! Much love!