Disclaimer: I don't own anything that has to do with Yu-Gi-Oh, but I own everything else!

AN: UGH! Sorry it took so long to update this story... I had a lot of technical and emotional difficulties... I think my muse is dying too... But don't worry! I will never abandon a story! Here's the long awaited chapter 5!

Title: An Artisans Craft
Chapter: 5

Ch. 5 Connection

The darkness seemed to swallow everything.

Never ending... never shifting... never changing...

Crimson eyes watched as a golden shimmer appeared before him, chasing back the darkness - chasing back the demons.

Bobbing gently on an unfelt breeze, a golden pyramid dangled in mid-air, calling to him, whispering promises of devotion, love, and power.

Unconsciously reaching for the artifact, the crimson eyes fell softly to half-mast, feeling a sense of longing and a kind of familiarity that he'd never felt before.

When his fingers were inches away from the shimmering pyramid, it disappeared in a flash of blinding light, searing his eyes and making him scream out loud.

The demons - feeling the mysterious golden thing disappear - clamored once more in the darkness, screaming for blood and pain...

Yami shot up in bed, gasping for air as the dream slowly ebbed away with the sudden reality of waking. Breathing heavily, with sweat running down his bare torso, he buried his shaking hands in his untamed hair and took a couple of deep breathes.

'God,' he thought breathlessly, 'What was that?'

Looking at his bedside table with sleep filled eyes, the digital alarm blared out in red letters the time. 'Three o'clock... Still much too early...' he thought, as the mysterious dream sank into his subconsciousness. Shifting back under his silken sheets, he feel back into an uneasy sleep, having already forgotten about the demons creeping in his mind.

Yuugi Motou frowned, glaring at the wooden blocks, as if asking them what the hell they were doing. Rubbing a hand tiredly over his eyes, he looked at the clock hanging on the wall and stared with wide eyes. "Almost three o'clock in the morning?!" he exclaimed. "No wonder I'm so damn tired."

Grumbling, and shooting one last glare at the offending pieces on the table top, he quickly grabbed his jacket and keys, preparing to head home. Heading out of his workroom, he paused, feeling something inside of him tug slightly and an icy sensation run through his veins. He didn't even have time to voice any thoughts, before it was gone.

Shaking his head and looking at the clock again, he snorted. 'Three o'clock in the morning now,' he thought, sarcasm dripping in the words. 'Probably just tired,' he decided with a convincing nod to himself. Turning off the light, and shutting the store up tightly, Yuugi headed home, not knowing that there was a crimson-eyed man, somewhere in the city, gasping for breath after a horrible nightmare.

'Ugh... Need more sleep...' He fought to keep his eyes open, then defeated, he lay his head down onto the cool countertop. 'No, need to stay in store... Mmm... Coffee... Huh? Coffee?' Yuugi slowly lifted his head from where it was lying next to his store cash register and saw a tanned hand holding out a steaming cup of heaven. Keeping his chin on the glass counter, he raised his eyes up till he met amused crimson eyes.

"Rough night, little one?" Yami asked, trying desperately to hold back his laughter at seeing a disheveled and exhausted looking man looking like he was trying to use the hard counter as a pillow.

"Mmmm..." Yuugi said incoherently, as his delicate hands reached out for the cup of caffeine the other was holding. "I didn't leave here till three a.m. and I had to open the store today because there were some orders that were being picked up at 7 a.m. In other words I feel like hell."

Wincing in sympathy, Yami watched as Yuugi blew carefully on the hot liquid then take a sip, humming his pleasure with his eyes closed and looking like a tired, but content kitten. He chuckled, then glanced at his watch, thinking about something before smiling. "Well, do you have a couch or a cot in the backroom?" He asked.

Yuugi blinked, startled out of his inner ramblings of how amazing coffee was. "Yah, I have a couch back here. Why do you ask?"

The crimson eyed boy just grinned before grabbing the little ones hand and tugging him out of his chair. "I have the whole day free, so while you go to the back and nap for an hour or two, I'll watch the store," he said, leading the dazed and sleepy man to the back. Shushing his protests, Yami pushed Yuugi onto the couch, and watched in amusement, as the other man fell almost immediately asleep. Shaking his head in exasperation, he bent down and tugged off the others shoes, before taking off his own jacket and draping it onto the sleeping man.

Making his way out of the room, he missed Yuugi smile gently in his sleep and tug the warm leather jacket under his chin, sleepily mumbling Yami's name.

Amethyst eyes blinked open a couple of hours later, feeling unusually refreshed after his short nap. Rubbing his eyes and yawning, he blinked in confusion when he felt something soft and warm slide off his body. Picking it up carefully, he blushed lightly, when he recognized Yami's leather jacket that he had been using as a blanket. Smiling brilliantly, he quickly hugged it close before getting up and wandering into the front of his store, wondering belatedly if Yami had any trouble while he was sleeping.

Steeping into the sun-lit room, he blinked when he saw the object of his thoughts wandering the shelves, occasionally picking something up for closer scrutiny. Yuugi darlingly let his eyes wander over the trim figure gliding confidently around his store, letting his gaze wander over the ever-present leather pants hugging the long legs and up to the black muscle shirt that covered that toned body. Lingering on the gold armband that encircled Yami's bicep, he subconsciously walked up to the other man and let his fingers rest lightly on the object of his scrutiny. Letting his fingers roam the band, he noticed the delicate etchings carved into the flesh-warmed metal, and wondered if he could make something similar to sell in his shop. Totally unaware of the laughing crimson gaze that was watching him closely, he gently grabbed the arm and twisted it this way and that, mentally taking note of the craftsmanship and how it fastened to the tanned arm. When he was finished with his artistic exploration, he blinked then jerked away in embarrassment, fearfully raising his eyes to his subjects face.

Laughing out loud when Yuugi finally noticed what he was doing, Yami just winked and tugged the smaller man to the counter. "I see you're feeling better and slightly more awake," he said lightly, pushing Yuugi onto the stool placed behind the register.

Blushing madly, the amethyst eyed man just smiled shyly and started to profusely thank the taller man, until he felt a finger brush his lips, halting his stammering.

"It's no problem Yuugi. I know you're working hard to finish my project among others. But you really need to take a break once in a while," said Yami, barely concealed worry hidden behind his eyes. He quickly looked over the smaller man, before nodding. "Well, there was barely anyone in here today, other than an older woman who came into order another pair of those handcuffs you were telling me about... But I told her to come back later when you would be in the store since: one, I have no idea how to fill out those order forms; and two, I had no inclination to hear her regal me with stories or details about what she wanted," he shuddered lightly in fear before he continued, "so, now we are going to close the store for lunch, so we can get something to eat, then we can come back here if there's something else that you need to do this afternoon." Yami finished with a slight flair.

Feeling a grin tugging at his lips, Yuugi knew that Yami wouldn't take no for an answer, so just nodded and went to grab his keys and wallet.

Sitting once again at the same booth at Stardust, Yuugi couldn't help but smile widely when he heard Bakura tease Yami mercilessly about their escape a few days ago and how he still hadn't paid him back for the unfinished meal. After bantering back and forth and getting their order of burgers and fries and another strawberry milkshake, Yuugi couldn't help but watch the white-haired waiter walk away, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"What's wrong?"

Yuugi blinked, and looked up at his companion that had effectively broken him from his train of thought. "I can't help but notice that he looks almost exactly like one of my friends Ryou," he replied, his eyes unconsciously going back to Bakura who was across the room taking another order.

Yami blinked, then smiled. "You mean how we're quite similar in appearance doesn't nag at you too?" he said lightly, a small grin on his lips.

Yuugi laughed lightly and nodded, watching a waitress bring their meal to the table. "Yes. I mean, the outward appearance is uncannily similar to Ryou... But he's more quiet and studious. Definitely the opposite of Bakura if what you say about him is true." Yuugi picked up a fry and idly chewed it while he thought back to his friend. "Me and Ryou have been friends since our freshman year in Domino High, and now we go to University together, although he's taking Psychology as a major, with an English Literature minor. He's actually in Egypt right now visiting his father, but he should be back any day now..." he trailed off, looking out the window with wide eyes.

Yami blinked in confusion, before he saw his companion dart out of his chair and run outside. Watching him with slight shock in his eyes, he saw Yuugi run out the diner, and followed his progress through the window until he practically jumped onto a white-haired man outside on the sidewalk. 'Why is he hugging Bakura?!' Yami thought with heated jealousy in his mind, before he registered that Bakura couldn't possibly be outside since he was still working. Blinking rapidly, he saw Yuugi pull away from the stranger outside, and start talking rapidly with a wide grin on his face. Taking in the white-hair and intelligent brown eyes of Yuugi's friend, he finally noticed the brown dress pants and cream-colored polo shirt that hid the soft-looking, but definitely male body from view. 'Ahh, that must be that Ryou character that Yuugi was talking about...'

"Holy fuck! Who is that?!" Yami suddenly heard from beside him.

Yuugi couldn't believe it. Right when he was talking about his best friend, he sees him walking along the sidewalk, apparently towards his store! Taking in the slightly tanned skin and white hair of his high school friend, he grinned excitedly and glomped him from behind.

With a startled 'oof', Ryou spun around in shock and finally saw his attacker beaming widely at him. Laughing delightedly, he quickly squeezed back before letting go and watched amusedly as Yuugi Motou acted like a five-year-old on a sugar rush, bouncing in place and excitedly asking questions with barely a breath inbetween.

Seeing his friend raise a hand in a calming gesture, Yuugi finally took a deep breath and grinned up at his friend. Throwing his arms around his friend again, he couldn't help but be excited. "Oh my god Ryou! I missed you so much! There's so much I have to tell you! How was Egypt? Have you seen Jou and the others yet? When did you get back? Oh my god, you have to meet Yami!" Yuugi paused, then his eyes widened in horror. "Yami!" he yelped, then spun around to face the diner window. Seeing his crimson eyed admirer watching him with a smirk on his lips, he blushed brightly and sheepishly waved.

Ryou snickered in amusement as he watched Yuugi once again start jabbering away before he stopped abruptly, and turned towards the diner he had obviously scampered out of. Turning his questioning gaze towards the window when he saw his friend blush, he saw a handsome man that looked shockingly like his friend smirking and waving them into diner booth he and Yuugi were occupying before. Shaking his head in amusement, he quickly grabbed the still blushing Yuugi's hand and dragged them inside, inwardly wondering who this man was, and how his friend had met him. Entering the diner while thinking, 'Stardust... Hmm, never been here before,' Ryou tugged his friend towards the booth before he stopped in shock. There, standing next to Yuugi's double, was... 'Holy hell, why did I not notice this man standing next to him?'

Tbc...
AN: Did you like it? Gonna keep it short 'cuz I just want to upload this before I run out of ideas... The next chapters going to be tricky... Might be inviting Jou and the rest of the gang in, but first want to get the idea of Ryou and Bakura in first... Enjoy! Reviews and criticism welcome!