Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Kazuki Takahashi does: sometimes things are so unfair.

Oooh… looks like it's Yuugi's turn to be horrible… still, 'all's fair in love and war.'

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It was Sunday evening, and Yuugi could be found lying back comfortably on his bed in deep contemplation, his arms crossed behind his head. There was a stick of incense smoking in the corner of the room, releasing the sweet scent of Jasmine, and dim yellow fairy lights twinkled from the ceiling like stars. Yuugi had got his Jiichan to set that up when he was about five. It made him feel comfortable now, the soft mood music he had shoved in his CD player humming away in the background and adding to his sense of calm.

All in all, Yuugi thought, it had been a very strange week. He had obtained a whole pack of friends (something he had begun to think impossible), who were acting as if it was the most natural thing in the world that this should be so, and a strange, overly possessive second shadow, in the form of Yami. Unfortunately, it seemed that this shadow caused him to have very un-Yuugi-like dreams. Something completely new to him, perhaps. This loss of innocence.

There was a lot to wonder about concerning Yami. Yami, the enigmatic, ever distant presence. Yuugi wanted to see something of him that was hidden. Some small vulnerability. It seemed unfair that Yami should see all of him and give nothing in return. He wanted, more than anything, to see what lay beyond the black doorframe within his soul room. It must be Yami's place. If Yuugi had one, then Yami must too. If only he could get there! But Yami was always present. Yami would know. It would have to be with his consent, and that was likely to happen only when hell froze over. You couldn't just ask for a thing like that. Not to mention the fact that Yuugi couldn't even get back to his own soul room by himself. Yami had said it was possible, but how did you do it?

Then there was also the small matter of Yuugi's now imminent relationship with Anzu - if Otogi's claims were to be believed. It made him nervous, yet a little excited all the same. How was Otogi going to do it? And what would it be like…? Yuugi couldn't stand the anticipation. What he wouldn't give to be normal and have a girlfriend like the other guys in his class! This, he was sure, was the absolute route to acceptance. Besides, couldn't he learn to lust after women? It may not be something he particularly desired for its own sake, but it was worth it to fit in with the popular crowd. Plus it seemed to irk Yami no end, something that brought a sadistically pleased side out in Yuugi. He had never known the satisfaction it was to be a little cruel to the people who would otherwise take advantage of you. It felt good, intoxicating. A feeling of power.

This feeling of power wasn't to last for long however, as a rather foreboding Yami materialized, almost as if summoned by Yuugi's thoughts, and came to loom ominously over Yuugi's bed. He seemed to be at his most determined, and Yuugi didn't have to pretend not to know what the clearly planned apparition would be about. It appeared keeping secrets from Yami was not something in Yami's agenda. To be quite honest, it seemed nothing was allowed to happen unless it was on Yami's agenda. With a small yelp of protest, Yuugi made for the door, desperate to avoid the inevitable confrontation.

'Oh no you don't.'

Yuugi hated that voice in his head! It was impossible to escape. He felt a hand snatch his wrist and everything went fuzzy. When he came to his senses again he found himself in an all too familiar place, a place he had been only once before.

'My soul room.' It was a statement, not a question. Yuugi could feel Yami's hand still tightly fastened to his wrist.

'Yes, Yuugi, I am glad that you invited me in that first time. It makes things so much easier now.'

'I'm not.' Yuugi stared mulishly at the floor, refusing to even look at the Spirit. That would only make Yami more likely to have his way. He tried to wrench his arm away and Yami let go. Unfortunately, Yami decided instead to attempt to get Yuugi to lift his head, and give some eye-contact, but Yuugi wasn't having it.

'Yuugi, this stubbornness has got to stop. You will be returning to school tomorrow, and you avoided me all Saturday afternoon and Sunday. We can't go on this way.'

'No, what you mean is you've been like a black rain cloud hovering over my head all weekend!' Yuugi hissed back, 'You were so moody you wouldn't even speak on Friday night, when I wanted to! You disappeared into that Amaterasu forsaken puzzle! And I know you possessed me again earlier this evening. What did you do, go and kill that greasy director? Don't deny it. I'm not the fool child you take me for. I saw Ushio! When I can't remember anything, I know why!' Yuugi felt on the verge of tears, but at least he was standing up for himself this time. He felt… an inner strength, a type of courage that had not been there before. That didn't mean that whatever Yami was doing to him was not frightening. He hated those blank periods of memory, the dislocation, the confusion.

'Ah,' Yami sounded uncharacteristically awkward, 'Now, that was not about you.'

That if nothing else caused Yuugi to finally look up, unable to contain himself any longer. He had never known a rage like this. The way Yami was acting was insupportable! Again skirting the issue! Again the dogmatic assertion of how Yuugi should behave!

But the way he actually looked… It was a shock. So helpless… that lithe body rigid yet shaking, fists clenched tightly enough to cause the knuckles to go white, unfathomable eyes smouldering with… hurt? A strange silence fell as Yuugi's retort died in his throat. Yami's stance almost inspired guilt, but Yuugi couldn't think like that right now. Yuugi was the wounded party here. He felt the anger rise up in him again, like some dormant snake. This was just another way to manipulate!

What has he got to be so upset about? He's not the one whose life is so completely crap, he's not the one who can't have secrets!

Yami just looked shot down, flinching every time Yuugi's thoughts became more cutting, eyes closed as if in some inner turmoil. Every venomous word Yuugi uttered, each sharp feeling that emanated from him - it seemed to strike Yami deeply within the recesses of the heart.

'Well what was it about then?' Yuugi carried on regardless, 'Everything you do seems to be hell bent on torturing me!' He couldn't let go of his wounded pride.

'You don't mean that. You can't possibly.' Yami's tone was softer, barely audible, as if he were some broken creature, a swan perhaps, trapped in ice. 'Surely your life has improved a little since I started-'

'What? Meddling, Yami? Meddling! Yes, perhaps it has. Perhaps the only reason I have friends now is because of you. Because of whatever dark powers you have. Why can't I get friends on my own?! Why? Why not, Yami? Am I so helpless, so worthless…?' His voice cracked, but he was pleading now, the reasons behind the confrontation forgotten.

'I…' Yami sighed, seemingly unsure as to how to respond, 'You are most definitely not worthless Yuugi… You're the only one who…'

'What?' Yuugi whispered faintly, his defence crumpling.

Yami collected himself and moved forward, ever patient, closing the distance that had grown between them in all Yuugi's shouting. He used his thumb to wipe away the tears shimmering on Yuugi's long, faun-like lashes. It was as if he knew Yuugi, knew him well enough to understand the misplaced anger. He was being kind, despite the way Yuugi was acting. Yuugi no longer flinched away from the contact. He looked up instead, his large wet eyes meeting Yami's older, more mysterious gaze. There was a calmness after the implosion of the heated words.

Yami gently stroked Yuugi's hair away from his face, looking down at him tenderly. Yuugi felt himself a little uncomfortable at the gesture. The intimacy. Yami charmed without effort, without compulsion, and he was doing it now.

'Perhaps, the way to get you to trust in me, is not in being remote, in the way that I have always been predisposed. Not by guiding you from afar. Perhaps, I should show you… a little of myself.'

The black doorframe loomed. Yuugi knew without a question that it was through there he was going. He didn't understand what it was that he had done or said to make Yami's actions suddenly coincide with his wishes, but he was grateful, relieved.

His heart started skittering painfully as Yami held out a caramel coloured hand, but he took it without a second thought, feeling the cool softness of the palm, the sensitivity of the tapered fingers. This was what he had wanted all along. Some sort of concession. Some sort of entry into Yami's world. And Yami knew, didn't he?

'Show me.'

Yami smiled, 'Come, but do not be too disappointed by what you are about to see.'

'What do you mean?' Yuugi asked, as he was led towards the door.

'You… will see.'

Yami pushed Yuugi ahead and guided him through the opening. They ended up in a long, narrow corridor, largely made up of worn grey slabs and stones. They seemed a little dank, and extremely old. The roof was quite low, unlike Yuugi's high arching ceiling, and it gave a sense of claustrophobia. It was not what Yuugi had expected. But then, what had he expected?

Well a room at least.

Yami chuckled at the confused expression on Yuugi's face.

'This is not it, this is the in-between. It's through here.' Yami walked Yuugi over towards the wall face, and Yuugi saw that further along the corridor it was not truly a wall at all, but a large stone tablet with the Eye of Horus jutting out from it in sharp relief. Yuugi recognised that eye, it was the one on his pyramid. The Sennen Puzzle. Something in his mind clicked then. That time, when Yami had answered him so impatiently in order to get him to let him in the bathroom…

'W-who is Ra?' Yuugi asked, stalling for time.

'The almighty Sun God, King over all others- that is not important right now! Yuugi…'

Ra, Ra was the Ancient Egyptian Sun God! That was it. He knew he'd heard the name before. And the Sennen Puzzle, that was a pyramid, and now this wall… and the way he was physically; that tanned skin, the exotic scent of desert spices, lotus blossom and jasmine. Yes, jasmine… Was Yami from Ancient Egypt? He must have been someone very important to act so, so authoritatively. Maybe he was a Priest or something? But then, that didn't fit with Yuugi's notion of Yami at all, and as far as Yuugi knew, PVC and tight black vest tops had not been invented back then. Very incongruous…

Yami touched the stone tablet lightly with his fingertips, and it glowed a faint golden before cracking in the centre and sliding apart. The way forward sloped downwards, vanishing into gloom. Yuugi stood at the lip of the entrance uncertainly. Yami came closer behind him and put his hands on his shoulders, giving him a little shove.

'Go on.'

Yuugi took a few cautious steps forwards, then gave a small squeak, stepping backwards into Yami's arms and treading on his feet as torches flared to life in a row of uniform golden brackets along the wall. This place had sensed his presence. It was guiding him further forward.

Yuugi suddenly realised his close proximity to Yami, the way his nose was pressed against his chest and spun hurriedly, moving away, out of the embrace. Even now, the lingering memories of his dream were vivid enough to make him feel uncomfortable when they got so close. Yami's eyes glinted.

As Yuugi walked further forward he saw that there were indeed hieroglyphic inscriptions on the walls. They seemed to stretch endlessly. There were also images of Egyptian women offering gifts and scenes of the judgement before the afterlife. Yuugi caught sight of a few men and women with animal heads, whom he assumed were meant to be the Gods. Eventually it became apparent that the corridor did have an end and Yuugi found himself walking out into a vast space, lit only by the light of a few lingering torches before dipping away into deeper shadows…

Suddenly Yuugi was blinded by light. Convex mirrors were spinning into place to reflect some unknown source of natural light around the infinite space… and it was all…

'Oh Amaterasu. Oh sweet Amaterasu! Oh! Oh, oh, oh!'

That seemed all Yuugi was able to say. They were in a labyrinth. A huge, open labyrinth that saw passageways span off in all sorts of crazy angles and directions. There was no sense of what was up or down. Door upon door seemed to be suspended into the nothingness above and below these walkways, rooted only to the floors that they sprouted from with no other means of support. The entire face of it was overwhelming. It also made no logical sense whatsoever. Nothing about Yami ever did.

'Uh…Um… Uh…Yami?'

'Why yes, Yuugi?' The response was soft, measured.

'Why is your - is it your soul room? - a-a-'

'A labyrinth?' Yami's response was dry, ironic, but he looked strangely downcast, 'My memories are all fragmented, in fact, I remember virtually nothing useful of myself… Except for what can be found behind these doors. Some of it is a false trail… You probably know as much as I do. One of these rooms is my true room. I can take you to it, if you so desire.'

'W-What's in it?'

'Not too much.' Yami admitted, 'Just a chair. It's really rather morbid, like a tomb.' Yuugi shivered inwardly. He hated this black sense of humour from his other half, hated the bad vibes he got whenever Yami's mood became unpleasant.

'So, now you know… and perhaps you should not be so harsh as to judge on how hard a life is without looking a little more closely. Sometimes people act the way they do because of terrible things in their lives that have shaped what they become.'

Yuugi felt strangely chastened at this. He had been overly quick to judge Yami, something which was blatantly clear. All too quickly had Yuugi labelled him a psychopath. Now he felt the last of his anger fold up and collapse beneath him. He couldn't begin to imagine how terrible it must be not to remember who you were.

'So… you have amnesia?'

'After a fashion…' Yami laughed bitterly, 'I think I may have done this to myself. I rather get that impression.'

'What could possibly make you want to forget?'

'Hmm… what indeed?' Yami questioned back darkly. Yuugi shuddered once more, but felt convinced that there was a greater picture that they were both missing. Yami wasn't the sort to want to forget. This was not mere punishment.

'H-How long have you been in the puzzle?'

'I have been trapped for…3000 years or more… it must be, by now… It was you who gave me a form of life again, Yuugi. No one has been able to solve that puzzle in three millennia. You did it in eight years. I am in your debt; fate has brought us together. This was meant to be.'

'Trapped?' Yuugi echoed.

'Yes, Yuugi, trapped… What, did you honestly think I chose to encage myself in a gold trinket?'

Yuugi felt terrible. Really, it was no small wonder that Yami was unbalanced. He hadn't had any human contact in over 3000 years… if what he said was to be believed, and why doubt it? Clearly Yami had been hiding this for so long because he was ashamed by the simple fact that he was unable to state who he was.

Yami spoke up suddenly, as if not liking where Yuugi's thoughts were going.

'Let me call you aibou. It puts us on the level, then you need not fear my status.' Yuugi looked up, surprised. It was a nice gesture.

'Th-thank you mou hitori no boku.' Yami smiled a sweet smile, and Yuugi felt some of the weight lift from his shoulders. Then Yami's smile changed to a smirk, and it piled straight back on. Yuugi didn't like that look…

'Right, so now I want to know what it is that you have been hiding from me.'

'Yaaaami!' Yuugi was caught off-guard, his cheeks flooding with colour, 'I-I-I…'

'Come on, it cannot be so very wrong to tell me.'

'Look, it was just a dream I had…that's all. It - it was embarrassing.' Yami arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow. It was a knowing look and Yuugi's cheeks became positively peony under the intense scrutiny.

'I mean… it was about, about Anzu and…' Yami's smirk abruptly disappeared, as if someone had flipped a switch. The eyebrows came down into a glacial stare and Yuugi could have sworn the actual atmosphere around him became more clammy, more sinister. He was probably right, after all, he was in Yami's… labyrinth.

'Ah.' Was all that Yami said in response, and that single word said a thousand things. Yuugi couldn't understand what it was that he had done wrong. Well, apart from lying to him, but Yami didn't know that, he was certain, and he couldn't exactly tell him the truth now, could he?

'Anzu… hmm?'

'Y-y-yes. Please, it was nothing.'

'I am sure, Yuugi, that you are tired, and that you need to go to bed so that you are able to get up for school tomorrow, so, if you'll forgive me-' Yami put a brusque hand on Yuugi's shoulder, spinning him and starting to shove him out, away from the labyrinth, back towards his own soul room. It seemed Yami had gone from wanting to know every little detail about Yuugi's life down to the last stitch on the sequin, to wanting to get Yuugi as far away as possible.

'Yami, no, don't, please… don't shut me out again…'

'I don't know what you're talking about Yuugi, I am merely telling you that you need to get some sleep so that you are able to study effectively. Also, I know that you wouldn't want to look tired in front of dear Anzu-chan.'

'Yami, Yami, stop it! You do know what I'm talking about, you do… I don't understand…!' Yuugi was in a frenzy, pitifully trying to reach out to him. But Yami had already withdrawn into his shell.

'Yuugi,' they had reached the black doorframe now and everything was blurring, disintegrating. It was only an unreadable Yami who remained solid in the swirling colours, his expression blanker than that of a marble statue, 'I will talk to you tomorrow. Everything is as it was, better, you shall see.' The coldness in that liquid voice made what Yami said sound somehow worse than improbable.

With that parting sentence he was gone, and Yuugi was again alone in his room. The CD had just come to its close and it was making a harsh 'sssshhhuck' sound as it spun to the end of its cycle in the player. The incense had long finished burning, leaving an oversweet, acrid smell lingering that stung his eyes in a way it had never done before. There was no hint of jasmine here. Yuugi stumbled across the room to fumble with his curtains and open his sash window desperately. The coolness of the night flooded in. He took a few deep gasps.

Everything was not as it was. Everything was not all right. Everything was most definitely not all right.

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Please review and give me some kind of feedback or I'll cry! I am getting paranoia that this story is losing peoples' interest…

And thanks to anyone who is still reading, it makes it all worthwhile!

I think the only word that I have not translated previously is,

Aibou: partner.

Until the next time then.