Maybe the wait wasn't too bad this time. I tried to hurry without rushing, if that makes sense.

One Day

Chapter Eight

Maybe

"Get up now." The voice was practically growling in his ear. Yami yawned, holding the phone out a bit when the person on the other end, Bakura, decided to start yelling.

"Alright. What's the problem, already?" Yami asked, sleepily.

"He knows. Ryou is afraid he's about to do something stupid. Get here now."

Yami's blood ran cold. "I'll be there in two seconds."

--

Yami tore through the school like a tornado, frantically searching for Yugi, not knowing what to expect from him. He finally gave up when it became apparent he was not going to find him on his own and went to look for Bakura and Ryou. He found them in the cafeteria, in a corner. Bakura was talking softly to Ryou, who looked like he had been crying.

Ryou jumped up as soon as he saw Yami. "You!" He pointed at him accusingly. "I told you this was a stupid idea! That you can't play with people's feelings."

"Ryou, where did he go?"

He shook his head and sat again, looking defeated. "I don't know. He wouldn't tell me. He just said he wanted to be alone."

Yami suddenly knew where he was, or at least, had an idea. He turned and ran away without another word.

--

It had been about a week ago, Yami had unexpectedly shown up at Yugi's house, and caught him in a bad mood. He was very depressed on this particular day, and had led Yami up to his roof.

"Sometimes," he had said, looking up at the clouds that were turning as orange as the sun hanging low on the horizon, "I just feel bad, so I come up here."

"Why?" Yami was lying on his back, looking up at Yugi's dark outline against the sky.

"Just so I can be alone." His smile had been so sad. Yami put his arm around him and was glad when Yugi rested his head against his shoulder.

--

By the time he finally made it to Yugi's house, he was spent. Leaning against the front of the building, he tried to catch his breath a little before he went in. It probably wouldn't do to have to explain to his grandfather what was going on and why he had ran from the high school halfway across the city.

When he was finally ready to go in, he found Yugi's grandfather behind the counter of the small shop that he ran in the front of their house. He smiled when he looked up.

"Well, now. You look familiar. What is going on today? Shouldn't you kids be in school?"

"Ah, well. I'm actually looking for Yugi. He forgot something."

"Oh, well. He's upstairs…or he was anyway. I haven't heard anything from that direction recently. If you're going up though, I don't guess I'll have to check on him." He smiled and nodded for Yami to go on. "Just be careful."

But Yami was already halfway up the stairs. The panic that had clenched his stomach didn't let go when he threw open the door to Yugi's room. He wasn't there. Yami pulled down the stairway to the attic, scrambling up another flight of stairs, not bothering to check any of the other rooms. He couldn't say exactly why he was so completely desperate to find Yugi, he just knew if he didn't something bad was going to happen.

The panic ebbed, but didn't disappear when he leaned out the window on this floor and spotted his little boyfriend on the far side of his roof. Yugi had his back to Yami, his legs swinging off the edge carelessly, like a child sitting in a chair that was too tall. Yami swallowed hard, ground his teeth and stepped out onto the slanted tiles.

"Yugi?" He called gently. He didn't want to frighten him and cause him to fall off the rooftop. Yugi looked up. He looked alright, if a little pale. It didn't even look like he had been crying.

"What are you doing here?" he said, looking back down at the ground again.

"I came to talk to you."

"Yeah. We need to talk I guess." His voice was flat, emotionless. "So, was I that easy?" He sounded bitter now. Yami carefully made his way closer, staying away from the edges as much as possible. He hated heights.

"That's not how it was."

"Then how exactly was it?" No anger, no bitterness, nothing. Yami was starting to become afraid. Why was he refusing to be angry?

"It did start out as a joke." Yami muttered, hurt flashing in his chest from the glance Yugi gave him. The pain was there in his eyes. "But it became a lot more."

He sat down behind Yugi, not touching him, afraid to touch him. "The more time I spent with you the more I realized how much I want to be with you. I would understand if you never want to speak to me again, but Yugi, I don't want that. I really don't."

Yugi sighed, leaning forward so far Yami gasped and grabbed the back of his shirt, certain he was going to fall. Yugi turned and gave him a small smile that came nowhere near his eyes.

"You really are afraid of falling, aren't you?"

"You know that."

"Then why don't you leave?"

"Not a chance."

Yugi rolled his eyes, trying to pull out of his grip, but there wasn't enough room. He ended up moving backwards at Yami's gentle insistence, taking a slow breath when he wrapped his arms around him. "I'm so sorry, Yugi." He whispered in his ear. Yugi shivered. It wasn't fair that he could still make him do that with just a touch. "No one can blame you for not being trusting of other people, can they?"

"You don't know the half of it."

"What do you mean?" Yami asked, pulling back slightly so he could look Yugi in the eye.

"Everyone important to me ends up hurting me in the end." Yugi murmured, barely above a whisper.

"Who?"

Yugi dropped his head, said something Yami couldn't make out.

"Tell me."

Yugi cleared his throat. His voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper. "I knew that my mother was feeling a little down, but I had no idea she wanted to kill herself. I also knew my juice tasted a little too bitter that morning, but I didn't pay it any attention until I started to feel funny."

Yugi looked up, surprised to see tears in Yami's eyes. He didn't want to see him cry.

"She poisoned me on purpose. You know how I survived? My mother suddenly came to her senses when I started to scream and called for help."

A tear finally slipped down Yugi's face. He wiped it away angrily. "She was worried that there would be no one to take care of me if she wasn't around. Can you believe that?"

Yami wiped the tears that ran down his face freely now. He had no idea what to say.

"You see, Yami, that's why I try my best not to feel. If you don't care you won't make mistakes, if you don't make mistakes you won't get hurt. I'm tired of feeling hurt." Yugi looked down, defeated. Every one of Yami's heartbeats suddenly felt like a knife stab. He felt incredibly guilty. Would it have been so bad to smile at Yugi every now and then? He did see him everyday. No, it took Yami's own selfish wants to even take the time to notice Yugi existed.

"I'm so sorry." He whispered. His heart was suddenly in his throat. Yugi looked up, meeting his gaze. "I'm sorry I hurt you."

"I try to stay away from things that make me feel." Yugi whispered. "But I can't seem to just leave you. Why is that?"

Yami shook his head. "I don't know. Especially considering I'm a cold hearted bastard just like everyone else."

Yugi touched a tear on his chin that was ready to fall. "I don't think you're that bad."

"How am I not?"

"I just don't think so. I think I believe you when you said you are sorry. Of course, if you ever hurt me again…."

"I swear that will never happen."

Yugi smiled, a bit more genuine this time. "I knew this feeling I get whenever I see you had to be love." Yugi whispered. "Even though I was mad enough at you I was ready to cry, as soon as I saw you I didn't want to jump anymore."

Yami still didn't know what to say. So, he settled for a quick 'I love you' a kiss and a long embrace that lasted until the sky turned orange.

There is chapter eight, a bit short, but I felt bad about making you guys wait, cause there is no telling when you'll get chapter nine. Next Saturday is my boyfriends b-day, and I have plans all weekend. So, I might get ambitious and have it up by the beginning of this week, or it may be next week before you hear from me again. Sorry. Thanks for all the reviews and have a good week at school or work or writing or whatever it is you do with your time. Cx