Still Standing.

Authors note.

Okay, here we are. At the final chapter at last. I hope you have all enjoyed my fic and that I haven't disappointed anyone with this last chapter. I am surprised no one praised Ryo in chapter 3 when he dragged Yuugi out of the road; I personally thought he was all heroic. Anyway let's try to go out on a big a bang as when we came in…

Disclaimer;

Hold on I think it's over here… rustles through paperwork no… that's a bill… that's not it either…I'm sure it was around here somewhere… Ah… Wait… Nope. I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Damnit, I really thought I did.

Chapter 6: Together Regardless.

Yuugi was glad summer vacation was almost over. He wanted to get away from all the fuss and tension his moving was causing. The usually quiet and peaceful household had been a mass of activities for the last 6 weeks, and, to be frank, Yuugi was fed up with it.

Yami hadn't been making it any easier for anyone. Yes, he had been making an effort to be polite and helpful, which was a surprise in itself, but all he'd managed to accomplish was getting in the way. Every sentence he'd been subjected to involved 'get out of the way' or 'Yami, once again, you're under my feet!' Even this moment, while Sugoroku was minding the store, and Omocha was in the kitchen preparing food for Yuugi's leaving party, all Yuugi could hear was his mother shrieking at the other boy.

Yuugi was in his bedroom, he lay stretched out upon the familiar, if rumpled, blue sheets and he threw one arm over his eyes. His suitcases sat open on the carpet and the contents of his wardrobe strewn unceremoniously about his room. He barely even stirred when he heard the door open.

"You're mother really needs to relax more, aibou." He held a pork bun out to Yuugi whilst chewing on a second.

Yuugi peered up at Yami from under his forearm. "You need to stop winding her up so much." He murmured, gratefully taking the bun from Yami. "I mean, who's going to prevent you two from killing each other while I'm away? I would like to come home to a house where everyone is still breathing." He nibbled on the bun slowly.

Yami snorted and cocked an eyebrow in amusement. "If you ever get away." He swept a hand around the room indicating the mess. "I see packing is going well. Though I believe your aim could use drastic improvement." Placing his half eaten pork bun on his bedside table, Yuugi huffed. "It's going fine Yami, I'm right on schedule…"

The ex-Pharaoh cast a sceptical eye over the ransacked room, an amused smirk twitched at the corners of his mouth. He swallowed the last of his bun and placed his hands on his hips. "So I see." He paused. "Hello. What are you doing behind there?"

He bent and scooped a small stuffed Kuriboh toy from behind the bedroom door. "I assume Kuriboh is accompanying you to Tokyo International University and that the only reason that the poor thing is wedged behind the door is solely because of your appalling aim." He padded over to the bed and flopped onto the mattress at the head of the bed. His back pressed to the wall and one leg tucked under him while the other dangled over the bedside and scuffed the carpet.

Yuugi swung his legs down and twisted around to sit at the opposite end, facing Yami. "No. I am not taking him. He's staying here. Someone has to look after you while I'm away."

Yami smirked, holding the Kuriboh on his chest. "And a stuffed Kuriboh toy can do that?" He raised his eyebrow and rotated the toy in his hands, inspecting it carefully. "I don't see how that's possible aibou."

Yuugi groaned and fell back onto the soft mattress, his arms flung helplessly above his head. "One of these days you'll understand, Yami."

"I find that highly doubtful."

A warm content silence filled the room and Yami stared at the brown fuzz ball intently, his jaw moving as he contemplated something. "I think," he paused and eyed Yuugi carefully. "I think he'd be happier going with you. Someone needs to keep an eye on you while I can't."

"I am not taking Kuriboh to University with me."

Yami chuckled and pushed himself onto his front, lying alongside Yuugi. He waddled the toy up over his others stomach and chest until he stopped it just before his chin. Confusion clouded Yuugi's face as he stared at the wide, expressionless eyes of the toy. Slowly, he slid his gaze to meet Yami's. "What on earth are you doing, Yami?"

A mischievous light glinted in the rich crimson that stared back at him.

"Please, Master," Yami said, his tone high and squeaky as he spoke for the toy. "Please. I want to go to University with you. I want to sit and stare at all the pretty freshman girls with you."

"YAMI!!" Yuugi spluttered, choking on his laughter. "That's so very, very wrong."

"I know. Amusing thought though." Yami grinned delightedly, released his grasp on Kuriboh and pushed back to his original position at the other end of the bed, and leaving the toy perching on Yuugi's chest. "Come on aibou. You need to finish packing. Otherwise, your mother will kill us both; you can't be late for your own leaving party."

Yuugi sighed and shoved himself to his feet, sending Kuriboh tumbling to the floor as he did so. He half turned to face Yami. "I know. But it's sooo hard. Packing the last 18 years of your life into boxes and storing them. And leaving everyone behind." He whined softly.

Yami smirked softly, closed his eyes and folded his arms behind his head, propping himself from the wall. "You made the choice aibou. You can't go getting cold feet now."

"I thought you'd like it if I stayed."

The older boy shrugged. His eyes remained closed as he said. "I'm looking forward to getting my own room. My own space." He cracked an eye in time to see Yuugi sticking his tongue out at him. "Very mature, Yuugi. Definitely of University standards."

"Immaturity is fun."

He ran a finger absentmindedly over the studded band around his left wrist. "Seeing as you're here and all, you can give me a hand."

Yami groaned and pulled Yuugi's pillow over his head. "Do I have to?"

"You can always go help mom or Jichan."

"I'd rather kiss Kiaba."

Yuugi snorted with laughter. "Now who's being childish?"

"I'll just get in the way."

Yuugi sighed and threw his hands up in defeat. "I couldn't have been given a helpful yami, could I? Nope. I get ex-royalty; I get one who has never completed a hard days work in his life. How is that fair?

Yami cracked an eye. "Just lucky I guess."

He glared at Yami in soft affection and tugged open his top drawer, grabbed an armful of underwear and turned, thrusting them carelessly into the suitcase. He pivoted back round and rummaged deeper in the drawer. Yami chuckled at Yuugi's enthusiasm. "What on earth are you looking for?"

"Something." Yuugi said. He wasn't really paying attention as he began tugging out the rest of his boxers and balls of rolled up socks, tossing them over his shoulder without looking up. Yami shook his head and closed his eyes again.

"I do hope there are clothes in that bag somewhere." He said his tone light and teasing. "I know it is informal wear but, I'm pretty sure they draw the line at semi-nakedness."

Yuugi had moved to the piles of clothing that lay scattered around the room and began folding them. "They're in there somewhere." He paused and looked up helplessly. "Please Yami. Help me out here. Help me pack"

Yami groaned and rose from the bed. "Fine. But you owe me."

Yuugi just stood there and stared. His mouth open but no words came out. There was a pause where they just looked at each other. His, an incredulous look and Yami's, one of complete seriousness. The pause stretched. Yuugi was aware of a sudden, completely inappropriate impulse to laugh. Then he realized that Yami was fighting desperately not to break into a smile. Yuugi bent and grabbed up a balled pair of socks and threw them at Yami. "You are such a jerk." He cried as the socks bounced off his chest.

Yami shrugged. "Be nice or I won't help."

Tiny tremors were snaking their way through Yuugi's shoulders. Choked-back laughter. He gave a wild whoop and dived at Yami, his left arm wrapping around his hip, holding him in what was almost an embrace, and hooking his foot behind Yami's leg just below the knee, and brought him crashing down as he pile-drove him into the mattress. Then Yuugi sat on him. Not pinned him, just sat on his stomach and smiled a wickedly playful and seductive grin. Yami felt his Adam's apple rise and his stomach flip; he'd never seen that smile before.

"Do you give?"

Yami swallowed hard, forcing the lump back down. "Wh- what?"

"Do you give?" Yuugi repeated and rolled his eyes.

Oh, God, yes. His mind screamed. "I-I give." He stammered quietly. And just that moment he realized just how much he would miss Yuugi when he left tomorrow and his chest tightened at that thought. At the thought of him not being there when he awoke in the mornings, or there to cheer him up after another mind-numbing day working in the shop, or even his bright smile that made even his hardest day seem worthwhile. Yuugi slowly started to move away and Yami's instant reaction was to encase him in a tight hug. He pressed his forehead to Yuugi's temple and whispered. "Not yet."

Yuugi froze, confused. "Yami…?"

"I just want to hold you… Just for a little while…"

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Silence is indeed a funny thing, Yami mused. There are times when it's defining and times when it is meaningless. There are times when it is deafening and times when it is simply there. But no matter the silence, it always becomes a stepping stone to a higher plane in life.

Yami just sat there. Lost in thought upon Yuugi's bed. The room lacked the usual noise that he had become accustomed to whilst living with the Mutou's. No Omocha calling for Yuugi to get up for school. No Sugoroku poking his head round the door to simply see what the two boys were up to. And no Yuugi giggling or studying or even trying to wrestle the TV remote from him. The whole house felt empty and subdued since Yuugi's departure for Tokyo International University yesterday morning, almost like the dawn snuffing out the last star of the night.

Yami slid his crimson eyes to the little stuffed Kuriboh that seemed to stare at him from the bedside table. He shifted and reached for the toy, pulling it tightly into his chest, he closed his eyes and buried his face into the soft fur, breathing in the lingering scent of Yuugi. A single tear rolled from the corner of his eye. He opened his eyes once more and carefully caught the tear on his fingertip. He lifted his head and gazed to the sky-light window, he had watched the inky darkness of night lift to the faint lavender hush just before dawn, and now, he gazed at the first light of morning streaking its pink and palest green through the sky. He smiled and pressed his face back into Kuriboh, inhaling the comforting scent once more.

Yes, silence is a funny thing. Yami thought as he snuggled down on Yuugi's bed, enveloping himself in the security of the familiar. Silence is both a beginning and an end. But, the best thing about silence is, and forever shall remain…

… Silence can always be broken.

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Okay. Not the best ending in the world, but if I went into too much detail I would have had to type a 7th chapter, and as much as I'd have liked to, I have kinda milked this story of chapters. And I wanted to end on a nice point and focus it on Yami. I hope you guys enjoyed it none-the-less… and I know it was another short chapter, but it does even out. Please review, even if you have already. I do love hearing from you guys.

xxx