OooOooOooOooO

After seeing to it that the boys that were with Yugi could make their way back to their own homes, Yami scooped Yugi himself into his arms. The small boy curled up into his chest, latching on to him. He adjusted his jacket over him, almost but not quite wrapping Yugi in it, and began carrying him home. There were bruises and cuts all over his face. His lip was split and his right eye was swollen shut- not that he could see out of it anyway.

"Yami..."

Yami looked down at the boy in his arms, but Yugi was still unconscious. If he were anyone else, he would've found it cute that Yugi called out to him in his sleep, but he was himself, and really didn't care about that one way or the other.

With a sigh, Yami walked up to the game shop and held Yugi closer as their father cast his worried gaze upon him.

"Yami- what happened? You didn't do this, did you? If you did, Ra help me I will-"

"Tou-san. I had no part in it. He would've gotten hurt much worse if I hadn't intervened."

"What do-"

"Aahhh! Yami-san! Yugi-chan! Wh-What happened? Bring him inside!" Kisara ordered firmly, not allowing the father and son to argue in front of the store she was watching after.

Quietly, internally thanking her, Yami breezed passed his father and carried Yugi inside. Though he hadn't been here since jii-chan had first fallen into a coma two years ago, he still remembered the layout well enough to take Yugi into the bathroom- Kisara following- and grab the first aid kit from the shelf behind the mirror.

"Now, what happened when you found him?" Kisara asked as she began wiping at Yugi's injuries.

"He was getting beaten up," Yami began, hearing Akhnamkanon come up the stairs, " though it looked like he was trying to defend two other boys from this kid. Or maybe they were trying to protect him first?" He shrugged.

"In any case, I intervened after Yugi was slammed into a wall. Then I took on the bully myself-I didn't hurt him too bad. Just enough to remind him not to pick on disabled kids not even a fourth his size," he added quickly, as Kisara looked ready to hurt him. Seemingly assured, she returned to disinfecting Yugi's wounds.

"Wouldn't surprise me if he did..." she said softly after a moment.

"Eehhhh maybe. Brutes like that seldom change."

She chuckled.

"I meant Yugi-chan," she said with a smile, "he's always been like that, at least since he came here. He always offered to help with the shop, even though he knew he didn't have to." She started stroking his hair with a fond look in her eyes.

"We knew he was getting picked on- me and Mutou-jii-chan- but we didn't know it was so bad. Mutou-jii never let on that he knew, but I know he did. I asked Yugi-chan why he didn't tell him, and he said 'I can't tell jii-chan about it, or else he'll get worried, and then I'd feel bad'. Such a kind, sweet boy...and he was always talking about you, Yami-san." She gave him a pointed look and he raised a brow.

"Me?"

She nodded, her mouth set in a thin line.

"Yes. He only ever spoke good about you- how cool and mature you were, and how he really, really loved you just because you're his brother. I can't imagine why though. He knew even back then that you disliked him," she finished with a bitter tone. "But he never hated you. Never."

Yami looked down, feeling something in his chest twitch. He steeled his gaze.

"...he should hate me, though."

He stood and exited the room, once again brushing passed his father, who'd been silently listening from the doorway.

OooOooOooOooO

Yugi woke up early the next morning, sore and tired, but not as much as he'd expected. Ushio wasn't holding back, and he distinctly remembered the pain of each kick to his body.

Haha. He didn't even have to use his hands. How funny was his height.

Dimly, he remembered the fragments of a dream- moonlight, fingers combing lovingly through his hair, and a face that looked like someone he deeply cared for. But different.

Yami's face...right? No...that person...his eyes were bright red. And...I could see that...his teeth were sharper, too. He seemed so real, and yet, I could see his features clearly...was it a dream?

He shook his head.

Never mind. It's Sunday. I should check on jii-chan.

He opened his eyes and hissed at the bright lighting of his room. He quickly closed them again.

"Ah! Yugi-chan! You're awake! Thank goodness...we were really worried when Yami carried you home."

Hm?

"Nii-sama...carried me? Wait- he's here?"

He could hear Kisara-chan's smile as she answered, "Yes. He saved you from quite the beating and then carried you home- he even had you bundled up in his gakuran jacket."

"Oh...I see...I should go and thank him, then..." Without opening his eyes, Yugi sat up with a soft grunt and swung his legs out of bed. It hurt, but not enough to stop him. He could feel Kisara hovering nearby, ready to support him as she had jii-chan two years ago, but he was able to stand up and make his way to the door on his own. He had a mental map of his bedroom due to all the time spent there.

"Careful-I'll help you downstairs."

Kisara took his arm gently and led him to the stairway. It wasn't as bright from here down, so Yugi felt fine opening his eyes, though it hurt to put pressure on his ankles as he walked down the wooden stairs. He bore it silently, though his shoulders tensed up every now and then, and soon they were downstairs.

Akhnamkanon and Yami were already in the living area- which was really just a small alcove separated from the main area of the shop by a swinging arm at the end of the counter. There was a tense silence between them, but not as tense as what Yugi remembered seeing between them when he first left Domino.

"Yugi. You're awake. How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling alright, tou-sama. A little sore, but otherwise okay. Thank you for asking. And," he turned towards Yami's figure, "Nii-sama...thank you so much for what you did yesterday! I'm really sorry you had to go through all that trouble for my sake!"

Yami hmphed and Akhnamkanon lightly kicked his shin. The teen turned to look at Yugi, his majorelle blue eyes hard-but not cold, Yugi noted- and his voice simultaneously soft and callous.

"If you're truly sorry, then learn to defend yourself."

Yugi nodded his head firmly.

"Hai. I will."

"Yes, you will, but not yet," Kisara interrupted, getting between them and bending down to Yugi's height, "I need to check for a concussion, so hold still."

She shone a light into his eye, noting the dilation of his pupils and the prominent wince. She was hardly a nurse- in fact she was a DL assistant for the elderly- but she knew enough to recognize a concussion.

She nodded her head, her mouth a grim line.

"Mhm. Yugi-chan's concussed. It probably would've been worse though if whatever entity healed him overnight hadn't shown up."

Yugi blinked. "Entity?"

"Well of course," said Kisara with a grin, "Your injuries were really bad when Yami-san brought you home, so for them to have healed so much so quickly, I don't doubt some sort of cosmic power was involved."

"Oh...I see...I wonder if my puzzle has something to do with it..." he muttered curiously.

"Puzzle? You mean," began Akhnamkanon, " you solved it? You solved the Millennium Puzzle?"

Yugi nodded, allowing a prideful smile to grace his face.

"What did you wish for?"

Yugi hesitated.

Should I tell him..? It sounds like a really childish wish now...

Why is that a bad thing? Surely your father would appreciate such an innocent and humble wish.

The voice in his head wasn't one he could consciously recognize, but it was comforting all the same. Perhaps he'd dwell more on it later- but not when tou-san and Kisara-chan were waiting so patiently for an answer.

"I wished..for friends- true friends who wouldn't let me down, and that I also wouldn't be able to let down."

Kisara ruffled his hair affectionately. "That's just the sort of thing I'd expect from you, Yugi-chan!"

"Indeed. Such an innocent request will surely be granted," said Akhnamkanon proudly, "now, head back up to your room and rest up. I won't have my boy wandering around with a concussion."

The blond nodded his head and turned back to the stairway. "Hai."

As he walked back up, using the wall for support, he heard his father call up, "I'll have Seiryuu-san bring something for you to eat later!"

"Ha~ai!"

OooOooOooOooO

The spirit, still nameless and content to remain that way until Yugi-ue gave him a name, watched as said master flopped down onto the bed in the small attic room. The endearing sight of his master, so tired and small and bright, made him smile, a content sound leaving his lips soon after. His master stiffened, and the ancient spirit decided to reveal himself.

"You are...!"

"Yes. I am the spirit of the Sennen Puzzle, and as you have solved the puzzle and freed me from my prison, I am bound to serve you, Mutou Yugi-ue."

His poor handicapped master took a moment to process this, and then his face took on a curious expression.

"Is something ailing you, master? I have healed the worst of your injuries, but could I have neglected something?"

"No, no, it's not that- I'm perfectly fine. It's just..." he seemed to struggle with his thoughts, so the spirit patiently waited.

"What should I call you? Just 'spirit' or 'servant' would be rude..."

"I am Yugi-ue's servant, so you may refer to me as you wish."

"I see..."

Yugi bowed his head, thinking. The spirit could've peered into his mind to understand his thoughts, but this was a matter he felt would be best left private. After a few moments, Yugi spoke.

"Then I'll call you...Pharaoh."

Pharaoh? How curious.

"Master would name a spirit as humble as I after ancient kings of old? I am...honored, to be held in such regard. Truly, Yugi-ue is a kind master."

Yugi shook his head, a fond smile on his face.

"No, no. Don't call me that. I'm no 'master'. As soon as I solved that puzzle, you became my friend. That means we're equals, so you can come up with a name you can call me, too."

The spirit, now named Pharaoh, hummed.

"As you wish mas- Yugi. I shall take my leave, and inform you when I have found something suitable."

Yugi nodded his consent and Pharaoh faded away, returning to his own soul room. It was dark and empty save for an undecorated stone throne. Maybe one day it would become less empty, when he remembered what he was missing, but that day was not today.

And that was fine.