Hello! I may not remember stuff from before but I'm in business. I didn't switch from Yugi's time in the house to what happened in the present time with his friends and stuff. I got lazy.

Yami: At least I don't completely suck in this chapter.

Yugi: We're going to have to amp up these posts soon though, it's dragging.

YaminoIcexIcuo: Alright, shut up. I'm working on it. At the moment I'm between a climaxes and stuff. Have to get you guys back into this story somehow. Tell me your thoughts on this and such in your reviews please!

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh or anything else in this chapter, so please no sueing!

Enjoy~!

Yugi's 1POV

Chapter 9: Mana's Shame, Yami's Gain

Mana stares at me silently, her name having taken all of the air from the room and making all attempts at argument stop. Even Yami had gone quiet, looking to Mana and then back to me; tracing a noticeable connection with his eyes.

I was well aware, now that I'd shouted the girl's name, that this girl didn't know who I was. We'd never met before and to her I was a complete stranger. But, from the pictures I'd seen, the girl was in a sense like my own little sister. Her eyes said I shouldn't have known who she was, and that she didn't like being known to an unfamiliar face; but I was willing to take the chance of letting her know how loved and missed she was.

"That's your name right? Mana?" I say again, looking her deep in her shimmering green eyes noticing her jaw line tighten a bit as she stared. She looked down at the floor, her hair covering her eyes so suddenly that I could only move lower to try to bring them back.

"Not anymore…I don't deserve that name…I have a new name now, and a new life, so…" She suddenly sprang up from her morbid state to smile and grin happily with hands knuckle deep in her hips. "You may call me by my new name, Dark Magician!" She winked in a scandalous way towards me making my cheeks lighten. Of course I had no interest in Mana for many reasons. One, she was a girl, two, she was dead, three she was way younger than me; but in a sisterly way, she was cute and I had to give her props.

Dark Magician, huh? I could already hear Yami snickering in the background, not being able to contain his laughing fit for more than a few seconds, which was more than he was usually capable of in the first place. "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Just keep your name." Yami snorted insensitively, making Mana's hopeful smile drop like a fly that'd wanted to see the stunningly bright zapper, and had unfortunately gotten too close.

Mana puffed out a fat lip, glaring him down. "Oh, like you could come up with anything better! You're just mad because even if you tried to call yourself something else the name wouldn't stick!" She huffed, eagle spreading her legs and bending down just to look up at him with her eyes, "except one of course; BAKA!" She yelled long and low, getting her point across with her dead set eyes.

I covered my mouth sitting in between the two of them and letting my eyes flicker between their faces, of course Mana looked pissed off and ready to fight, but Yami was strangely calm, even after being called stupid. For someone his age he was coping nicely with Mana's aggressive tone; who, if I was certain, would have a permanent scowl on her face for the rest of her life if she kept up her stare. Wait, no. For the rest of her death; however long that was.

"Call me stupid all you'd like, a fool, a moron, a complete imbecilic if you prefer it. But I know far more what it means not to deserve your name, I knew the feeling even before I died and from the very day I was born. So," He lifted his eyes to blare into hers, crippling her resolve and making her brows shoot to the side as though she were a scared puppy backed into a corner, "don't you dare tell me you don't deserve the name you were given, because at least you were given a name that no one wanted to write into a tombstone."

Mana's scared face creased, her lips wobbling helplessly and her eyes watering. Even though Yami had I point and I'd have happily back him up just a little I also felt sorry for Mana who probably didn't deserve to be treated so harshly. Without picking a definite side I placed a comforting hand on Yami's shoulder, bracing myself when he jolted at my touch. When he figured out it was my hand, his startled snarl fell as he calmed back down, looking at me. "Calm down, there's no need to be so angry. I may not know what happened, and I may be over stepping my boundaries, but, cut Mana some slack. Please? It's not easy for anyone to die, and it's not right to put one death over another…" I said slowly, hesitantly beginning to rub his shoulder, hopefully letting him know I didn't intend to make him anymore mad.

He looked away from me, eyes narrowed toward the floor. I could tell he was cooling down by the way he was shifting his gaze, his breath coming in slower and lengthier. I slowly took my hand off him, letting it slide down his back slightly before returning it to my side. Mana had taken the liberty of getting away from him before he exploded, sitting a few more feet away from him than she'd been before; a smart move on her part since I'd obliviously distracted Yami just long enough for her to do so.

I sat at attention when he finally spoke, nodding his head solemnly. "You're right; I didn't mean to lose my temper. I'm not particularly mad…I just wish she'd be a little less ungrateful is all. Truly you're supposed to miss your life when you're gone, and her insisting that she just wanted to start over flared up my anger a bit…" He said returning to his earlier state, as though he were unfazed by the events that'd just occurred. "I'm sorry Mana, I suppose we all have to have some understanding of others situations. There's no use fighting over which of us died the worst, it really doesn't matter. Just do what you want." He said a bit sassily turning his head away from her as though he disagreed with the words he'd spoken.

Still, it made me happy to know he'd at least put in the effort to calm down and apologize to Mana, I didn't want any fighting going on while I was here; and if possible even after I'd left a month from now. I smiled, patting his back for a job well done. He glared softly at me but I took this as a friendly sign of halfhearted agreement.

But, even though he'd apologized, Mana hadn't moved. She was too busy looking at us as though seeing us for the first time. I turned my attention towards her, blinking widely at her realizing eyes that scanned me up and down. "What's wrong Mana? Are you not satisfied?" I asked, shrinking a little as I expected the worst; her wanting to fight after all. But, to my surprise, she pointed at the two of us, her eyes narrowed as though speculating with an important mystery.

"Are you two, by any chance…shacking up?" Just the way she asked made my cheeks drip red paint. I was frozen in shock. How could she come to that conclusion? Me and Yami!? Shacking up!?...could that even be possible?

…No, of course not. The only thing to do at this point was deny, deny, deny. I waved a hand in front of my face, drawing her attention to me. "N-no, you've got it wrong-…" I stopped when I felt a hand on my shoulder, giving me a gentle squeeze. I looked into red eyes, only seeing their softness.

"It's ok, let me handle this, it'll be more credible coming from me, she's known me longer." He said, hitting me with the soft eyes that made my blush lighten. Trusting in his words I nodded and sat quietly, allowing him to speak for the both of us…

…a clear mistake on my part.

He cleared his throat. "The answer to your question goes as followed," he said humbly, chin up and back straight. "…maybe." He said with a smirk setting all alarms in my head at panic mode. My blush rose to my ears- no- not to just my ears, my neck, my scalp, every molecule from my collarbone up was painted redder than the roses in Alice and Wonderland. Mana's eyes widened and a large grin spread on her face, before she even said anything I was shaking my head. Please don't believe him! Please! He's just joking!

She gave a shrill giggle hoping on the backs of her legs while sitting down. "I knew it!" She exclaimed proudly, my prayers dying with my determination to deny all claims. Now I just felt betrayed. Against my better judgment I began punching Yami in the arm repeatedly, watching him flinch at every hit but ignoring it otherwise. "Why. Would. You. Say. That!? I trusted you to defend me!" I whined beating him in, what I thought was, a merciless manner.

I knew it didn't have an effect, I was puny. I might as well have been throwing baby punches at a brick wall. I couldn't even put a bruise on him, so he smirked smugly, just waiting for me to give up. Mana looked a little surprised, tilting her head at an odd angle to look at us; me in particular. "What's wrong with dating Yami?" She asked innocently, probably not seeing the problem just from looking at us.

She probably didn't know my situation, so I didn't have to tell her, there were other reasons beside the fact I was alive and he was dead. Like the fact he was younger, or the fact he was a little scary. How about the fact that I didn't know him that well at all anyway? We'd kissed, shared some laughs, talked, and he'd taught me some things, but I'm sure that's not all that makes a relationship.

But, instead of all the smart things to say, I said something stupid that I regretted quickly after. I gave her a hard look pointing at Yami riotously. "I won't date him because he's a pervert that wants to eat me!"

A whole minute of silence went by before Yami turned his head to look at me, glaring at me but also giving me such a menacing smirk that I swallowed involuntarily. "That's all you're worried about now then? Ok, fine, I won't eat you, and I won't make any advances toward you, you're a big boy so I don't think I need to censor you from my feelings. So, I'll make one thing clear now." He leaned in real close making me whimper when his lips touched my ear. "If you don't leave, and decide to stay here, I will make you mine, and everything you are, and everything I am will no longer matter." He whispered softly, brushing my cheek with his sharp-nailed thumb, soft and gentle like a weighted feather.

Exhaling shakily I closed my eyes, wanting to savor the sound of his breathing in my ear, before I knew what I was doing I'd leaned into his touch, letting him caress my cheek. The idea didn't sound too bad, but it stuck a hole in my decision on whether to go home or not. I knew what I had to do, but what I wanted was another story. "You're despicable…to think I was saved by someone as perversely young as you."

He chuckled near my ear pulling back while also taking his warm hand away from my cheek, leaving my head to hang on my right shoulder. "Yes, amazing isn't it?"

"Wait, I'm confused." Mana suddenly spoke, making me remember she was still in the room. "Are you guys together or not? You'd make such a cute couple! You already look the part so why not act it out y'know?" She whined slightly, apparently having an image in mind and wanting it badly to come true. At least she'd asked that instead of 'Where is Yugi going back to?' With how quiet it was in the room I wouldn't have been surprised if she'd heard Yami.

Perhaps she hadn't cared for the conversation going on and just wanted to look at us and picture us getting married or something. "Simple, I don't want to. Yami would abuse the situation to get kisses from me. Isn't that right Mr. Pervert?"

"Guilty." Yami dead panned making Mana pout.

"That's too bad. Anyhow, I'm gonna go now, I'm actually really sleepy I just came to see what all the racket was about. I'll see you guys later though." She said with a small Yawn, beginning to back out of the room. Suddenly I remembered something, something I had to tell her before she left.

I reached out to her, fingers flaring. "W-wait, Mana!" She blinked her eyes open looking at me lazily.

"Whaaa?" She asked sleepily, looking dog tired all of a sudden.

I smiled warmly at her childish whine. "Dark Magician's a terrible name for you…I think it'd be way better if you called yourself the Dark Magician Girl, it may be a little long, but it suits you." I said sincerely watching her cheeks redden slightly. But then, for a moment, she smiled, bright and big.

"Thanks, I'll consider it and take your word for it." She said, swinging her hips slightly in place.

"You're welcome." I answered before she left the room, disappearing at it's mouth. I smiled after her, feeling better now that I'd finally met her. She was just as Atem had described. At times she was like any other girl, but her attitude and the way she thought and figured things out made her unique. My smiled faded slowly, staring at the door.

If only she were alive…

Yami let out a sigh, apparently feeling more relieved now that she was gone. I felt the exact opposite. "Now that that's over, tell me how you really know Mana. You and I both know that you could only know her name if you'd seen her somewhere before, so talk."

I pursed my lips, prepared to lie right through my teeth, but the urge to lie only contributed to the great depression I felt building in my gut. "I've seen pictures of her…I was there to pick up the pieces with her brother after she passed away…I convinced him that his sister was in a better place and wasn't suffering so he shouldn't suffer over her peace…" I looked at the floor, not wanting to see any signs of emotion on Yami's face. "He'd always show me pictures of her, telling me what she was like, how she smell, what her biggest pet peeves were. At some point, she became my little sister too, I loved her, and the way Atem lit up when he talked about her. They were twins so I understand that he can't let her go so easily. Sometimes I think he asked me out a couple times to see if dating me would help him cope since I understood and I was the closest friend to him at the time…" I don't know why I mentioned that he asked me out, I suppose that was one of the things I remembered most about Atem.

All the same Yami's mood seemed to darken beside me. "I see… so you and him-." Silly Spider Prince, how could he jump to conclusions so quickly?!

I shook my head. "No, no, no, we're just friends…he wants to be more but I just feel like it'd be wrong. He's like a brother to me, I could never do anything with him." I blushed, thinking of course that's what it sounded like since I hadn't said that I told him no. "Besides it's not about him. Mana's important to me, I care about her well-being. So please be nice to her ok?" I begged, knowing that it would cost me.

Yami nodded. "Ok, I'll treat her as badly as I can." He dead panned, making me tilt my head in confusion.

"What?"

"You care about her, so I'm going to make her death a living hell." He smiled innocently, making me coil in on myself.

"How did you come to that conclusion!?"

"You like her better than me." He looked at me as though talking about what day came after Monday; as though saying 'Duh! It's Tuesday you idiot'.

I scanned him up and down, my eyes narrowing as I slowly flicked the bulb in my head on and realized immediately what he was doing. "Wait…are you…jealous of Mana?" I said slowly, not believing it myself; even though that was clearly what it sounded like.

He shook his head quickly. "Oh, no," I was about to sigh in relief but my shock shot my peace to the ground, "I'm jealous of anyone that you care about." I groaned, face palming at the fact I had to deal with someone like him.

He was selfish, but why would someone so selfish be so kind? "You're spoiled. Tell you what, if you behave with Mana I'll give you free access to my lips from the evening into the night. Sound good?"

Yami smirked, his sharp teeth shining against the moonlight. "Really now…the whole month?"

"The whole month; I'll even kiss you back each time-"

"Deal." He said all too quickly, making me want to hide. He held his hand out to me, obviously wanting to shake hands. I was a little pale, but I gave him my hand anyway, giving his own a solid shake.

"Alright…we've got a deal. Meanwhile, before the night ends I can ask you some questions." I said cheerfully placing my hand back at my side. His brow raised, his lips not moving from the fixed line position they were almost always in.

"Oh? Like what?"

I had to think about that, truly when I'd come I hadn't really wanted to ask him anything because I thought I had him figured out. But, since the story told to me was wrong I had to ease into getting to know Yami better, seeing him as more than just the bit of lies spider king I though he was before. On one side I felt like I was babysitting the guy, but on the other I felt that Yami and I were on common ground; like I could tell him something and he could tell me something back, like a fair trade or a sort of equal interest.

Not to mention if I asked my questions and he answered the I had to give him a kiss for each one. Those were the rules, and I played all of my games fairly. "Well, starting off with something simple…would you say you were always like the way you are now? Even before all this?"

Yami seemed to shy away from the question, even with how subtle I was about it. "I suppose…" He said cautiously, wording his response carefully from the way I saw his eyes move from side to side hesitantly. I frowned, not getting the response that I'd wanted.

"Any particular reason?" I asked slowly, seeing that jump of calculating hesitance. I'd understand if he didn't want to talk about it; who wanted to remember the fact they were dead? I wouldn't want to.

"Yugi…truthfully my time leaves a very nostalgic void in me, I know only that I know little about the world I lived in because I was never allowed to explore it on my own. I barely knew what was going on in the world, and the world didn't recognize me! Not to mention I-!" He cut himself off, eyes wide and blinking, his gaze shifting to the floor. He'd begun to get louder and I was scared for him, but now he seems to be simmering down his kettle. "Um…" Shaking his head firmly I sensed my question was too much for him. "Another day. I'd like to leave those details in the past for us long as you'll allow me…" The tone of his voice was a bit winded, as though he'd been punched right in the diaphragm.

So, being the understanding person I was, I agreed not to bring it up against until he was ready to talk. Yami smiles at me, it was a small one compared to the ones he'd shown me before, but I knew he appreciated it. "Thank you…In the meantime, I can show you a trick and then send you off to bed."

I looked out the window, the moon being past its highest point in the sky. I hadn't known it'd gotten so late. I agreed with him that this would be our final lesson for the night and he quickly gotten into position, standing up then helping me up to stand in front of him. "Ok, I use this for when people are skulking through the house sometimes and I need to make a get away from one place to another." He explains, pulling his feet together and spreading his arms although they pointed up at an angle. "Watch carefully." Was the last thing he said before he sunk through the floor quickly, seeming to disappear into thin air.

My mouth gaped open slightly and I looked at the spot where he'd disappeared, clapping fondly might I add. "Boo." I yelped, jump-spinning to stare at Yami, who was now behind me, with wide eyes. He had a smug little smirk on his face as he stepped forward; his boots soundless against the marble floor. "Your turn. Just imagine the next step to where you want to go and you'll slide right through." He says innocently, as though he hadn't just scared the non-existing piss out of me. Pouting I turned away from him, heading toward the wall near the hallway. "Fine." I said before fixing my body in the same position as his was in and walking through the wall into the hallway. I didn't stop though, going into the room next door before folding my arms and sitting on the ground pretzel style. I snorted softly to myself. He was probably thinking I couldn't doing, he was probably even waiting for me to come back.

I pouted more, hearing him mutter down the hall; knowing with how creepy things were in this house he could probably smell me. I flinched, not making one move afterward, not even to breath, but I was far out of my league and Yami found me as soon as my wings twitched. At first he just blinked at me, looking between me and the hallway a few times.

"It usually takes a while for people to learn to do that…maybe you were meant to be here and I should've just killed you…" My mouth dropped open and I got up, wiping my hand across the back of his head.

"Are you crazy!? Don't make those decisions for me!" I said angrily, saddened by the fact he had such a higher level of power over me. It's true, he could've killed me when he had the chance; I was just glad he didn't.

"Easy!" He hissed rubbing his head. "I was just giving you a compliment. You're a natural at this stuff. My first time, I ran smack into the wall; and if I was alive my nose would have been broken." He chuckled. "It was bad." I couldn't help but smile as he talked. In a way I'd have liked to have seen him hit that wall. It may not have been funny then, but he could laugh about it now, and that was a great thing in itself as well.

"So...I'm better than you?" I asked slowly, raising a brow playfully with a sly smirk.

His smile immediately dropped and he shoved me softly, kind of like how people shove each other down the hall; pushing each other enough to move the other but not to harm them. "Shut up. Besides, it's not like I had someone teach me how to do it. I just learned myself. So it took some time." He pouted kneeling down to hug on my left side, making me blush softly.

I hadn't been touched so much in one day since I went to Cairo with my Grandfather, and even they showed some restraint when I said I didn't like being man handled. But, Yami's touches made me feel warm so I let him do as he pleased, finding comfort in his touch. "You're a really huggy person you know that?" I asked coyly, knowing he probably knew that already.

As I thought, he knew. But, then he told me something I didn't know. "I'm only this way towards you. To anyone else I'm not very affectionate, but with you I can't keep myself away and I just feel the need to be as close to you as possible. Not even when I was breathing did I feel this warm and alive." He said passionately. So much so that I turned beat red from the bridge of my nose to the tips of my ears.

Turning my head to look at him, my breath catching when I found him looking at me as well, immediately feeling a sense of déjà vu. The warmth to his eyes was completely different from the way he looked at me when we first met. There was no hunger, no malice, and no cold. Only warmth and passion and…an emotion I wasn't quite familiar with myself, but had seen the same in Atem's eyes when he'd asked me out. It wasn't a friendly look and it was far from lust.

We stared at each other for what seemed like hours, looking between each other as though deciphering the code of the other person's locked mind. I couldn't handle it, this kitchen was too hot for my habitation; I had to pull back. I swallowed hard looking away from Yami, feeling guilty as soon as I'd done it, but not willing to take it back either. "I-I suppose that's justified…" I said, trying to end the moment as peacefully as possible.

Yami was not satisfied and turned my head back to him with a finger under my chin. "Do you want to be near me, too? Or, am I wasting my time?" I looked into his eyes, unable to take my eyes away once he'd drawn them back. Although the situation might've put pressure on me, I couldn't exactly feel pushed to answer. He didn't look like he'd kill me if I said it was the latter but at the same time I didn't want to choose yet. I felt something, but, I wasn't sure if I wanted to be as close as Yami did, I needed time to think it over.

"I…" I began to say something but I shook my head. "Can I get back to you on that? Please?" I asked modestly.

To my shock, Yami smiled nodding his head. "Of course, at least you're thinking about it, right?" He asks himself more than asking me, kissing my cheek softly before bouncing back up to his feet with a seemingly new confidence. "Are you tired? If you are I can show you to your room." He said politely, giving me a hand.

I got up chuckling to myself at how fast his mood had changed, nodding my head as I realized that my body did seem weaker than before. "Yeah, I could use a cat nap. I can touch my stuff down stairs…Can I?" Yami nodded silently, leading me out of the room and down the hall.

When we got down stairs I grabbed my Panda backpack, which Yami laughed at me about telling me it suit me until I smacked him in the head, and I gathered my things before heading up the stairs once again. Yami led me down the first hall, farthest from the door I'd been to before, opening door upon door and finding room with rotted floors. He wanted to find me a nice room to be in, one where I'd feel comfortable, I would tell him it wasn't any trouble sleeping in any room, but I really didn't want to sleep in a floorless room; so I let him lead the way.

Three quarters down the hall, we finally found a room to Yami and my own liking. It a had a floor, a bed, a desk, a small closet space, and two windows on either side of the far wall of the room. It was pretty room like the other rooms and I could sleep comfortably in here knowing I may not fall through the floor. The room wasn't trimmed with gold but with wood, probably oak or some kind of light lumber.

I smiled. "This'll do. Thank you for helping me find a room."

Yami shook his head. "No problem. I'll wake you up tomorrow, probably around ten. Just rest easy tonight…Oh, and one more thing," I turned to him, my things having been placed on the bed when I walked in, "don't leave this room tomorrow after seven, it's very crucial that you heed my warning." He forewarns me, a firm hand on the doorknob.

My head tilts to the side automatically, words leaving my mouth before I can stop them. "Why?"

Yami raises a brow, as if asking me if hoping my question was rhetorical. "Because, I said so." He'd probably been waiting to say that his whole life. The Kid's thirteen and telling me what to do. "Just as a bonus, if you stay in your room, I just might give you your flashlight back."

I blinked softly, turning my head to look at the bed where I'd placed my things. My bag was open and the bulge that was my flashlight was vastly deflated. I pout, nodding my head in agreement as I turn to face him again. "Excellent." He says with a sly smirk, probably getting me back for earlier. "Goodnight Yugi…" He says beginning to close the door.

I turned away from the door, looking out the window, wishing everyone a good night from where I was, probably in a hospital bed. "Goodnight Yami, happy Halloween." I heard the door's creak come to a halt before closing softly.

On the other side, I thought I could hear Yami, sighing in his own thoughts. "I wish that a happy Halloween existed…"

Cliffy~

So...I think next chapter will be to check up on the friends and family, I don't know when that'll be but as long as I get your support I know it will come out eventually.

I've honestly been really busy and sad and depressed. My dog actually passed away and I was very attached and it was hard for me because it was the first pet I'd ever owned. But I'm ok, I feel confident, my stories are getting some flow to them, I'm about ready to finish up one of my stories so I'm excited about that. -smiles-

Please remember to R&R (Read and review) Have an Icy Christmas and I'll see you next year in 2015~!

~IcexIcuo