Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or any of it's characters - Kazuki Takahashi his artists and affiliates possess it instead. Of course I am not jealous or anything...

This is a longer chapter so be prepared... yay! And sorry for any spelling/grammatical errors: I have just spent 4 days travelling through France and Belgium on a school trip and am suffering from severe sleep deprivation so have fun noticing them.

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It's just another day in the life...

The alarm sounded shrilly, drilling into Yuugi's fatigued mind as he groped unsuccessfully for the off switch. 7:00 am, why did he always have to get up at 7:00?

'Uuuuuggggh,' he groaned. Opening one bleary eye he managed to locate the source of the disturbance and slam it grumpily. Silence. Lying back on his pillows, Yuugi started to once again drift off, swearing to himself, just five more minutes…only another five, then I'll get up…Yuugi rolled over and fell back to sleep.

It was twenty past when the door slammed open.

'Yuugi, get up! I got some chocolate milk for breakfast! It's French… if you get up quick enough I'll heat you some up in the microwave and you can have it before school.'

Yuugi moaned and sat up, confused. What? No rice, or miso soup? Yeah, sure, sometimes they ate yoghurt or toast, like in America, but since when did they have French food? Guessing this was his Grandfather's latest obsession developed from his love for travel and archaeology, Yuugi shrugged and started to shift himself. His Jiichan was always so damned active.

'I'll be right down,' he mumbled to Sugoroku Mutou's retreating back, making a concentrated effort to find his scattered school clothes. Why hadn't he placed them neatly on the chair? He did normally. It wasn't in his nature to be so messy… What had he been thinking? Traipsing into the bathroom he finally discovered his white undershirt that had so far eluded him; wrapped around the back cistern of the toilet. That brought back the hallucination from last night. And a blush too. Yami…his mind whispered.

Yuugi couldn't help wondering… maybe it wasn't a dream…maybe... it all seemed so real…Shaking his head he washed quickly and turned in order to make his way downstairs - then nearly had a heart-attack when he saw just who was leaning against the open bathroom door, holding, of all things, the Sennen Puzzle.

'Losing the faith already, little Yuugi?' Yami smirked, raising an eyebrow at him. Yuugi quivered in shock. It seemed that he was a little too easy to read. It also seemed that his hallucination might be here to stay - indefinitely.

'W-W-W-What are you doing here?!' Yuugi gasped, unintelligently. The spirit's amusement seemed to increase.

'Why, what I told you last night, Yuugi, I fully intend to find out more about you. And, you should be warned, what I decide I want, I make sure I get.' Those sensual lips closed in a firm line. A line that told Yuugi that Yami was definitely going to get exactly what he wanted. He shuddered helplessly, but he couldn't help himself from looking over his double again in the daylight.

Yuugi's eyes travelled up and glanced over Yami's stylised crown of tri-coloured hair, so similar to his own. No, it wasn't his imagination. In the dark and drowsy shock of last night he had missed the subtle differences between him and his mou hitori no boku. Yami's hair had extra blonde bangs standing as illogically vertical as the rest of his black and crimson tipped mass of locks, whereas Yuugi's fringe simply fell around his face. Somehow the same extreme hairstyle that looked so overwhelming and klutzy on him looked impossibly … appealing … on Yami.

…Wait, did I think appealing?!…

Yuugi's eyes then wandered down, silently taking note of Yami's attire. Those PVC trousers clung sinfully close to a pair of well-shaped legs and impossible snake hips. Yami's black tank top and fitted black blazer hung effortlessly off his svelte torso. He looked like an advert. The elegance was completed by the arrogant stance Yami had taken up, leaning lazily against the door, one leg crossed over the other, arms folded loosely in front of his chest. Did he work out? Because Yuugi sure as hell didn't have that toned physique. He couldn't help feeling a jealous twinge as he caught a peak of some seriously tight abs pressing through the shiny fabric at the front of Yami's top. He also felt a twinge of something else.

Really though, he is a bit… effeminate... Is that the word?

Even the choice of shoes, pointed pirate boots, seemed to scream of a threatening, unveiled sexuality at Yuugi. As for the face. Oh, that face. Long sooty lashes, a darker parody of his own, brushed seductively against overly pronounced cheekbones, framing a high aquiline nose. A nose made too narrow by the large, mysterious eyes that burned above it. They were purple, and about two shades darker than his own amethyst, with strange red lights shining somewhere deep in their depths, so that they often glinted suggestively. That face… that lovely face was contorted right now with what seemed a perpetual smirk as Yami gazed unabashedly back at Yuugi.

Yuugi had been staring. He knew Yami knew. He also knew that Yami was well aware of the burning flush on his face. He couldn't help feeling powerlessly enraged at the whole situation. Unfortunately, that just contributed to Yuugi's strawberry-red complexion.

Just who does this Yami think he is? He can't just barge in here, acting all sexy and make me feel like more of a fool than I already do!

'Like what you see?' Yami asked in an innocent tone.

Yuugi looked down, humiliated, unable to cope with the situation any longer. He'd never been more uncomfortable in his life. Well, apart from when Ushio and others used him as their daily punch-bag. But this was a different kind of uncomfortable. Was- was- Yami flirting with him? Surely not. Yami was humiliating him, just like everyone else. Just like everyone else who called him faggot and gay and stole his games. Biting his lip, Yuugi felt a strong urge to do something about that. Surely if he could just get a girlfriend then maybe, maybe the gay taunts would stop. Then maybe the physical beatings would stop too. Ushio was going to beat him up again today. He'd almost forgotten.

200, 000 ¥. Yuugi just simply did not have that kind of money. Even thinking about it made him feel sick.

Tears welled up beneath his now closed eyelids, threatening to spill over and make him feel even more hopeless as a person. He always had to cry.

Please, please, please, don't cry. Please. Don't cry now. Don't cry in front of him…

Cold metal was thrust into his hand suddenly, making him jump. Then he felt surprisingly gentle fingers pushing his own smaller ones closed around what was shaped suspiciously like an upside down pyramid. Yuugi screwed his eyes up; desperately hoping that if he kept them closed it might make this new torment disappear. It is a method commonly adopted by ostriches - keeping the head buried in the sand in the hope that what they can't see is therefore also unable to see them - often to little avail. Unfortunately for Yuugi, it did not work too well for him either. As if he hadn't known.

Yami had now closed his hands around Yuugi's smaller ones, which were holding the puzzle and proceeded to speak, but in a softer tone,

'Please wear it. I am not here to hurt you, however it might appear. In fact, I can help you change the things that you don't like in your life… but I need to be able to reach you to do that. I need you to wear the puzzle.'

Yuugi opened his eyes slowly, first one then the other, taking in the slender hands that covered his own. They looked and felt like those of royalty. So soft, and perfectly proportioned. Yami couldn't have ever worked for his living, considering of course, the possibility that he hadn't spent his entire life inside a golden pyramid. The insides of Yuugi's wrists started tingling at the contact.

The hands moved and Yuugi felt his chin being lifted up gently, yet inescapably so that he was forced to meet Yami's gaze. The spirit looked serious for once, and his eyes, although as unreadable as ever, seemed kind. The expression was not one that Yuugi had ever seen chance upon any of the faces of his bullies.

Yuugi blinked and Yami disappeared.

Eventually it occurred to him that he had been standing staring into space for some time and that he had to get to school, so he made his way downstairs to the kitchen, where a warm bowl of chocolate milk stood steaming on the table. His Grandfather had his back to Yuugi, sorting through a load of new super yo-yos that had arrived for the Game Shop that he ran. Dubiously, Yuugi raised the spoon to his lips, unsure about the new substance and still weirded-out by his second meeting with Yami, but soon he was downing the mixture at lightning speed. It tasted like chocolate milkshake, and it was sweet. Yuugi loved anything sweet. This was no exception.

'Yuugi, I think you may have taken too long upstairs,' Mr Mutou chuckled in his gravely voice, 'You may want to run or you're going to be late for school.'

Yuugi didn't wait to be told anything further. Wiping his mouth on his sleeve he grabbed his bag and bolted for the door. If there was one thing Yuugi hated, it was being late for lessons. The teachers were the only possible allies Yuugi had at school, and Yuugi found the idea of them yelling at him distasteful - he got enough of that from the bullies. The very thought of being in trouble with Mr Nakamura, his English Teacher who he had first, made him speed up to a sprint. Mr Nakamura was so strict!

As Yuugi ran he was aware of the heavy weight of the puzzle on his chest; he had decided, despite the voice of reason screaming in his head, to wear it. Things couldn't really get worse now, could they?

Somehow Yuugi managed to get to school just as the bell rang. Diving into Mr Nakamura's classroom Yuugi let his shoulders slump in relief and collapsed into his seat, one row from the back of the class. All the major trouble makers sat at the back; his row just generally got ignored, which was what Yuugi had been aiming for when he chose his seat. He wasn't being ignored today, though. Yuugi heard a nasty snigger behind him and glanced backwards towards a tall blonde. Jonouchi… Jonouchi had been bullying him a few days ago - he'd stolen his Puzzle, but Yuugi had been saved by Anzu. Anzu was the only person who was ever nice to him. She had got it back, and then she had gone to have a go at Jonouchi about his childishness. He had called her a busybody, but Yuugi still felt grateful towards her. They never hung out. She was too cool for that, and she had all her girlfriends, Ribbon and so on, so they wouldn't really want Yuugi around, him being a boy and all. But still, she was always nice to him. She wasn't here now, though. She didn't have the same English Teacher. Sighing, Yuugi kept his head down, trying to ignore Jonouchi's sniggers. It was not going to be possible.

A pencil was dug into his back. Several times.

'Hey, girlie, why are you so late today?' Jonouchi snickered some more. Yuugi felt his cheeks heating up for about the zillionth time that day and mumbled incoherently.

'Sorry, didn't catch that Yuugi.' His cheeks once again truly on fire, Yuugi spoke up a little louder, 'I just was a bit late getting up, that's all.'

Still hoping Jonouchi might get bored and leave him alone, Yuugi started to pile his English textbooks up on his desk, head bowed low.

'Come on Yuug, ya never get up late… were you up watching porn last night or something?'

'N-NO!' Yuugi shouted out in embarrassment.

'Well, Yuugi, I think you should get some, you look a bit too sheltered, seem to need it, hmm? How 'bout I lend you one of my DVDs… of course they're all straight, so it might not turn you on that much, but anything's better than nothing right?'

Yuugi wanted the belly of the Earth to open up and swallow him so much at that moment. He could hear Jonouchi's friend Honda laughing hard in the back row as well.

Why -oh- why was Anzu not in this class? She wouldn't put up with this…

'I don't- I mean- I'm not gay.' Yuugi's voice was a hoarse whisper, and he could feel his eyes getting all teary again. He was going to have to do something about the crying...

'Yuugi, you're really gonna have to start speaking up,' Jonouchi taunted, 'What did ya say again?' He cupped a hand behind his ear and leant forward, his gold chain-link necklace (which was so not school regulations) swinging forwards with him towards Yuugi's desk. Yuugi caught a whiff of some sort of strong aftershave. It made him gag. He was seriously fed-up of the teasing. He'd had too much stress today already and he hadn't even made it through first lesson yet. Yuugi snapped.

'I AM NOT GAY!' Yuugi screamed out, leaping to his feet, fists clenched tightly, unshed tears fogging up his vision. 'I - I, I LIKE GIRLS, OK?'

'That is very nice, Mr Mutou, but if you could refrain from talking about your sexuality in class it would be greatly appreciated. Otherwise I might need to send you to a senior member of staff, and I doubt any of them would be amused!' Mr Nakamura had walked in, one of his dark eyebrows had disappeared into his hair and his lips were tightly pinched into a scowl. He did not seem pleased. The entire class, however, was sniggering. Yuugi bowed and sat down quietly, trying to imagine being dead, and whether it was worse than this. He didn't think so. Jonouchi had succeeded in completely humiliating him, and Yuugi didn't have to look behind to know about the self-satisfied smirk that was plastered on his insufferable face.

Yuugi kept his head down as much as possible throughout the rest of class, only answering questions when called upon, and then trying to remain as insignificant as he could. At least he was good at English. The other lessons went by in a similar fashion, and Yuugi found himself mostly ignored, which was better than usual. Although, considering the events of the morning, Yuugi felt he really deserved a break. His luck couldn't stay bad all the time. Surely.

As for Yami, he had failed to make any appearance at all, and this made Yuugi both extremely nervous and also relieved at the same time. He wasn't even sure what would happen if Yami just appeared in the corridor. Would the teachers accuse him of breaking in, or would they assume that Yami was some sort of older brother or cousin or something that had randomly turned up, due to his uncanny resemblance to Yuugi himself? Yuugi had no idea.

He had no way of knowing that Yami would be invisible to everyone except himself. He had always appeared solid before Yuugi, because, of course, Yami was linked to him through the Puzzle, and that meant that to Yuugi he would just be like any other person. Yuugi was so far unaware of the true nature of Yami's self. Yami, however, was learning a lot about Yuugi, and he was not pleased with the circumstances. He was going to be even less happy come the end of school.

It had only been a matter of time. Yuugi had dawdled after his last lesson, science, hoping that Ushio and anyone else likely to attack him would have gone home by the time he finally started walking back to the Kame Game Shop - his home. He was not so lucky. Ushio cornered Yuugi as he tried to sneak out using the exit at the side of the school, pulling him around the building to a corner next to the hill, which descended into Domino river.

'So Yuugi, I hope you have managed to bring the 200, 000 ¥ you owe me… I didn't have time to catch you at lunch, I was busy dealing with another, ah, situation, but I am sure you can give me the money now.'

'Uh, Ushio, that is to say I, uh, I…' Yuugi's voice gave out. It wouldn't be the first time that happened today, but he knew that this time he was in much more dire trouble.

'Oh, yes, you'll want to see the work my behaviour monitors did for you, is that it?'

'Y-yes?' Yuugi stuttered. What was Ushio talking about? Bodyguard duties…

Ushio dragged Yuugi further around the side of the building, into a secluded section beneath a pergola and away from all prying eyes, in order to show him, of all things, Jonouchi lying in a crumpled heap next to Honda, who seemed to be unconscious. There was a huge bloody mark on Jonouchi's forehead, and he had a black eye. Yuugi scanned the rest of his body quickly with his eyes and tried to overcome the sudden instinct to gag; Jonouchi's shirt was ripped and bloody. His legs were bent uncomfortably under him. How badly had Ushio beaten him?Moaning sickly, Yuugi turned back to face Ushio, his face now devoid of all colour. He felt quite faint.

'I d-don't under-s-s-stand,' he managed to choke out. Ushio cocked an eyebrow at him.

'He was bullying you. I caught him in the corridor talking about it. I took care of him. Feel free to kick the baka. Vent your anger.' All the sentences Ushio uttered were a sharp staccato. It was seriously threatening.

Yuugi went, if it was humanly possible, paler, as Jonouchi glared up at him hatefully from his position on the ground, using one good eye and a rapidly swelling slit.

'So, it was you, was it, Yuugi, kisama?' Yuugi felt his jaw drop in shock. 'Well, I hope you're satisfied.'

'Jonouchi! Surely you don't think I could do anything so cruel?!' Yuugi cried out, horrified. Jonouchi simply glared back balefully. Ushio chuckled deeply.

'Go on Yuugi, get your own back.' Yuugi felt completely out of his depth. Yes, sure, Jonouchi made his life a living hell, but he didn't deserve this! It looked like he might even have broken bones! Yuugi hated violence, partially because it always seemed to be directed at him, partly because he just felt that it was unnecessary. Ushio stepped forward, kicking Jonouchi in the stomach again. Blood welled up from within his mouth and trickled down his chin. The only sound that he made was a small grunt as he doubled over. His hands came up weakly to nurse the most recent damage done to him. Yuugi could feel his head start spinning. Soon he really was going to pass out, but he had to do something about the situation. Running in front of his fallen classmates, Yuugi stood resolutely barring them from Ushio.

'STOP IT! STOP! HOW COULD I DO THIS TO MY FRIENDS?' the words came out in a throat-tearing scream. Ushio's eyebrows were in the sky.

'You do not wish to punish these, these idiots who have made you suffer? The ones who stole your precious Puzzle?'

'Jonouchi didn't steal it,' Yuugi answered, thinking back to the day it happened, 'He was teaching me to be more of a man.'

At least that's what he said. So what if it's not true? Ushio won't care.

Ushio did not believe it. He simply snorted in disgust.

'Suit yourself, you weird child. You still owe me 200,000 ¥.'

Jonouchi was sitting there, watching the exchange in horror. Something wrenched at his heart upon hearing Yuugi's words. So, Yuugi thought of him as a friend, and all Jonouchi had been doing was making fun of Yuugi for being so, so, well, so damned stupid. All the time. He was like a naïve child, and this was no better. Why couldn't he understand that this world was just full of bastards? Yuugi made him sick. But Yuugi, Yuugi was the one protecting him from Ushio, despite all he had done, despite the fact that Yuugi was going to get the crap kicked out of him. Jonouchi looked away in shame.

'I don't have 200,000 ¥, Ushio,' Yuugi pleaded weakly, 'I really don't. Maybe I could get it to you in a couple of months, but only - only if you stop this. Stop hurting my friends-'

Ushio's fist pounded into Yuugi's soft stomach without warning, and he crumpled, feeling the breath snatched from his body. His head was ringing and he couldn't get any air. Another fist, or possibly a foot, followed up the first assault quickly, slamming into his head, his chest, his legs.

During the assault it had started to rain, and that was what saved Yuugi from further punishment. Ushio looked up at the small droplets coming down, cussing under his breath.

'I'll finish you tomorrow,' he muttered darkly, hitching up his anorak closely around his neck as the drizzle turned into a heavy downpour. Yuugi only heard it faintly, echoing in his mind as he lost consciousness. However, he did not pass-out due to the obvious; the fact that Ushio had completely pulverised him. No, he lost consciousness instead because a certain someone had possessed Yuugi's body, and he was angry. VERY angry.

Ushio had already turned his back on Yuugi and was starting to walk away when he was stopped by an icy-cold voice.

'Saa, let's play a game. If I win, you leave Yuugi and these two alone. If you win, you may choose your terms.'

Confidence rung from every syllable, but it sounded a bit like…

Ushio turned, the hairs at the back of his neck and along his arms prickling. Yuugi was somehow standing up, and he looked… different. Perhaps it was the way he standing. He seemed taller. Self-possessed, his anger contained in every tensed muscle, his unwavering gaze; it was just waiting to be unleashed. At him?

Wait! This was a direct challenge, and Ushio was going to make the squirt pay - Yuugi was a walkover, he had to be taught a lesson. Had to be taught order. Everyone knew that! So why was Ushio trembling?

'I accept,' he sneered, 'I can beat whatever lame game you come up with Yuugi-kun.'

Yami merely smirked, 'Ok, listen to what I tell you very carefully…'

… TO BE CONTINUED…

This is going to turn out to be the Yami-No Game based on the manga, so just be prepared.

Translations:

Mou hitori no boku - The other me/my other self.

Yami - Dark.

Kame - Turtle.

Yami-No Game - Shadow Game.

Baka - Stupid/Idiot.

Kisama - (directly impolite form of 'you') you bastard.

Saa - Come on.

Sennen - Millennium. (millennium puzzle).

Prev chapter:

Jiichan - Grandfather.

Notes:

I cannot get a longer dash to come up on my computer because my keyboard is totally naff, so that is why all the dashes are hyphens. Gomen nasai (sorry). I also want to apologise for not adding the translations for the Japanese for anyone who doesn't already know what they mean in the previous chapter... must be very frustrating for you all. Heh heh.

Chocolate milk is something they often have for breakfast in France… I hate it - it's a bit like milkshake - but I figured Yuugi would like it.

Yes, I know that I re-ordered the time scale of when Jonouchi got beaten up, but it was just easier to start that way around, so, just FYI. That is why.

Yuugi doesn't quite understand what is going on with Yami yet, he is still a bit confused, that is why there is no mind link at present but there will be one eventually.