…um…Gommenesai? =.='

I assure you I'd been working all his time that I've kept you waiting.

I won't lie this chapter will make the really touchy feely people cry…just because.

Um…I don't even remember what happened last time so let's talk recap.

We've introduce Mana, Atem's sister that died in the hospital, why is she at the manor? We don't know. Atem passed out at the hospital. Yami is teaching Yugi how to be dead. Fun? Um…Yugi's not allowed to leave his room Halloween night…peculiar…Ah, but why can there be no happy Halloween?

Let's get the details in this chapter!

Disclaimer: YamiNoIcexIcuo does not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Trust me if I did I'd be the happiest genderqueer in the world.

Enjoy!

Chapter 10: Something Even More Important

Atem's 1stPOV

When I came to, I was groggy. The taste of sleep and something even more vile and bitter coating my tongue. Before opening my eyes, I listened around for any sound, trying to get a clue of where I was; not that I had a choice with the annoying beeping that came from my left. It had a beat, connect directly to me, and I knew this because as I listened it got softer, and when I tried to focus on something else it picked up its pace.

Other than this beeping I can hear people speaking, and the brief ringing of telephones and papers shuffling around; but they are farther away and harder to hear. I take a deep breath through my nose and regret it as I crinkle my nose. It stinks; like cleaning products. Not the five dollar ones that you can get just anywhere, no, the strong, expensive stuff they use to clean up murders on TV; stronger than bleach.

Slowly, I begin opening my eyes, ready for the strong white lights that awaited me. For a moment I felt they were stuck together, but then the creaked open to let the light in and I knew immediately that I could be nowhere else, with a firm surface beneath my back, than a hospital bed. Just the thought of lying there makes me want to throw up, and I gag but my body settles down at the last minute.

Just great…

Before I can even turn my head to see for myself, my visitor leans over me abruptly. "Thank the Gods you're finally up, the doctors were getting worried that maybe you'd hit your head too hard." Blond bangs and the bright lights made it hard to see the person's face, but I made it out just fine.

I blinked up, looking briefly around for anyone else. "Malik?"

The tanned man grinned. "In the flesh. Everyone else left already. 'Kura and 'Kefia had to manage their club, Joey and Anzu still have school in the morning and the adults had work. Well, except Grandpa since he's got to watch Yugi and all-." As soon as I heard his name, I sat up, head butting Malik by accident but not caring enough about his or my head to stop short. "Ah, shit! Atem! My head-geez-why!?" He whined with his teary lavender eyes.

I wasn't paying attention. "Where's Yugi? Is he awake yet? Is he ok?" I began interrogating him quickly, everything coming back to me from before everything went black. I'm practically gripping the edge of the bed with all my might, looking for answers; and I can hear the monitor's beats speeding rapidly.

Malik comes out of his hurt state, trying to calm me down by acknowledging the fact I'm still on bed rest, but I don't care. I need to find out what was up with Yugi, if he was alright, if I could see him; it's only natural to want to know what happens to the person you love.

"Geez," Malik groaned, sighing as he got his thoughts together to explain. "Yugi's stable, for now. He hasn't woken up but they said it was a pretty smooth surgery. The wound wasn't that big, there was just a lot of blood because his head wasn't clotting correctly. No one but Grandpa is allowed to see him right now, but he updates me hourly since I'm still here, I'm sure it's for your benefit, too. They said physically he's fine, but they don't know when or if he'll wake up and that only time will tell. As for you however, you should be out by tomorrow but you're on bed rest since you fainted and hit your head on marble." He briefed me, my pride becoming shallow as he spoke.

I lie back down, starring at the ceiling of the god-awful hospital. It was my sister all over again, except she was found in the woods scratched, cut, and bruised all over. But, why Yugi? He was the nicest, sweetest person ever, he'd never done anyone wrong, not even Akefia and Bakura who'd kidnapped him. There was something missing to the story and I couldn't figure it out.

I knew for a fact Yugi and Akefia had made that bet, I knew Yugi hadn't been there when everyone woke up in the morning. But, what I didn't know was that at some point Yugi'd ended up down a flight of stairs. However, as a result he was in a coma for a small flesh wound? There had to be more to it.

What if he didn't make it? Just like my sister? Not even the cruelest of people would wish that on Yugi. The thought of something like that made salt water clot my vision. However Malik saw this and patted my shoulder for support.

"Cheer up," he sighed, obviously sure that things were fine. "Yugi'll get through, he's springy like that. But, if you brood like a broken hearted girl and stress yourself out he'll come back swinging at you." He chuckled, giving me that resilient grin.

To be honest, I appreciated it. He was right. But, it was hard to give him the credit when I'd already begun mourning. I missed Yugi, and I wanted him back. But, how could I want him back if I didn't even really know what happened? "I know he will…I just don't know if I can keep it together." I admitted, softly, voice broken slightly as I tried to keep my calm.

Thankfully, Malik saw through me and pulled me up for a hug; not too worried about the heart monitor that was going crazy as he did so. Just that one bit of comfort though made my tears burst from their cells as I wrapped my arms around his forearms and gripped the back of his costume with my fingers. I gasped as I began soaking his shoulder as he held me there. That one touch of comfort was enough to break me down.

When he began to pat my head, and told me, "I'll be here for you the whole way through." That's when I began to sob and hold him tighter, desperately praying, hoping, dreaming that one day I'd hold Yugi again the same way.

If there was any more of him left to embrace afterwards.

Yugi POV

So peaceful, I felt that hours had gone by yet I still felt aware to the world around me while still being so completely at peace as I charged my internal batteries. I could see so many images, of myself, yet more of my friends and my grandpa, and I knew I wasn't dreaming. It was indescribable. It was overbearingly emotional and it made me want to cry as I saw all my memories like a short film of my life, but I didn't know whether the tears were of happiness or sadness, because I felt both equally.

The world passed by around me, and I felt like I could touch it and feel the fabric of time run across my fingertips. Even when my energy had come back to me one hundred percent, I couldn't force myself to wake up because I was fascinated by…life. So I sat there, dreaming, but not dreaming, sleeping, but never having consciously closed my eyes.

Until I had this 'feeling' that as I watched life, something I knew to be dead was watching me; quite intently. So, my eyes opened to Halloween, to a bright morning, and to the thirteen year old looking fifty year old ghost that had quickly made this place my new home.

Our eyes met, and he smirked expectantly. I gave him a soft smile, even as I found it strange that he was hanging from the ceiling right above me, almost three inches away from my face, and just staring deep into my eyes; boring into my soul. "Good Morning, Yami. Did you sleep well?"

Yami shrugged and I could see his smirk fall. "I wouldn't call it sleeping but sure, good morning." He greeted me before slowly coming down, his long, beautiful, black legs lowering around me to cushion his landing as he stopped only a small space away from touching our noses together. "You're a little boring though Yugi, I thought you'd be scared if you woke up so hazy and saw these big red blinkers in your eyes. Mana totally freaked out when I did it to her and she ran into the barrier at the door before falling back on her butt. That would've been so cool, but you totally let me down." He pouted, looking so very let down, with his aloof disappointment.

Ah, so that's what he'd been planning…"Sorry, let me try again." I closed my eyes briefly, just listening to his breathing before opening them back up and blinking at him. "Oh my gosh! It's a spider! Ah~!" I whined playfully, pushed him off me. He yelped and fell making me giggle quietly on the bed as I got up to sit on the back of my legs.

When he peeked up at me from the floor over the edge of the bed with that disdainful glare, I just played dumb and blinked at him from where I sat. "Oh, hey Yami, where've you been?" I asked coyly, as his eyes narrowed further. He knew the game I was playing, but he also knew two could play it.

"Around." He stated, an edgy tone creeping into his voice.

But, after that I couldn't hold it and began to break down in giggles. "Oh, I-I see." I could tell by the way his glare didn't let up that my face screamed amusement, so I changed the subject. "So, what do you really have to deal with as a ghost? Like, what are your biggest conflicts?"

Yami's brow lifted slightly and the glare lessened but didn't disappear. "Besides the fact that everyone I know is dead except for you?" I winced just now realizing the sadness in our current situation.

"Yeah…" I said slowly, tiptoeing around the subject now that it seemed so touchy.

Yami sat silent on the floor, but his irises had run off to the side in thought. "Hm…I guess I'd say finding peace, figuring out why I can't leave this place, feeding, and trying not to become one of the Onryo." He lists off unconsciously, as I can tell.

But, something confuses me…"What is an Onryo?" I tilt my head, confused even by the way the word glides off my tongue.

Yami's eyes stop, mid-blink, before giving me a glance, and I can see that he's surprised. "Did I not tell you? It's very important you know about them. Listen closely, and try not to get scared. There are Onryo all over this place, lurking around in almost every room. They lurk in the shadows, ghosts of the people they once were, however they've lost their souls and invoke their brooding image of life on the living. They're pretty bitter, like that "I'll kill you for no reason" type of bitter. They can hurt humans bad, mostly by inflicting diseases on them that can't be explained by science, disease that kill over long periods of time that suddenly seem to assassinate you in the night. They don't sleep, eat, or care for their own meaning, because they are, and forever will be, nothing." Yami seemed to grin with malice after that, almost relishing in the misery he spoke of.

"Some people just lose all humanity after one year, yet I've lasted so long without losing everything to this hunger…it's so refreshing…" He whispered with delight, his eyes flashing bright even as the sun already touched his eyes before. He seemed drunk on his victory, in spite of what I already know he had to do to make it this far. On one hand I was proud of him for his feats, on the other I was horrified by the madness that I now knew could consume someone destined to rot in limbo for years, decades, or even centuries.

It was all so sad. To know in a month I'd be gone, and would probably never see Yami again, while he'd be stuck here, waiting, feeding, and rotting. "Don't become one of them, ok? You're strong and resilient so I know you can do it. But, please, even after I leave, don't lower yourself to the point of being a hallow memory." I pleaded, getting down on the floor with him to hold him in my arms.

He began chuckling into my chest, making my heart pick up speed and a warm sensation rise over my cheeks. "I've been doing it this long Yugi, trust me I can handle it…the worst case scenario is that I'd lose my mind." He grinned at me. "I'm glad you worry about me though. Which reminds me, you asked me a question; so where's my kiss?"

I chuckled. "Here," I said humorously, leading Yami's head up by his chin before locking our lips and playing gently with the tip of Yami's tongue. His eyes practically sparkled. I could feel him shiver down to all eight of his long black legs, and both of his human ones, against me like a quaking Chihuahua. He kissed back enthusiastically, gripping the back of my shirt, craving the attention I gave him. But, he was more than unhappy when I began to pull away, successfully; no matter how tight he held me.

When he slumped against my chest in a dissatisfied daze I chuckled softly at his pouting face. "You can't just decide to start getting used to kissing me. We have to set some boundaries, Yami." I told him, watching his pout deepen as I spoke.

"But, your lips are the softest thing I've ever felt, it's so comfortable it keeps me sane! Just one more? Please?" He pleads with me, hitting me with those soft eyes that made it almost impossible to resist any child's needs.

I rolled my eyes, however, and leaned in near his face. He closed his eyes in anticipation and I could see his chin lifting to receive me. Yet I went past his lips to kiss his cheek before lifting him out of my lap, leaving him blinking in confusion and shock. "No." I said, getting up and flying out of the room. Yami didn't follow as quickly as I thought so that gave me a gap for my own thoughts.

I wanted to kiss Yami, but somewhere on my ethical scale, it still felt wrong, like somehow it would become the catalyst to a lot of bad things. In my mind there was no doubt that it could and no doubt that I didn't want that result for me or Yami. I could understand Yami's excitement; with his age I didn't think he'd ever kissed anyone, but to go as far as saying my kisses were addicting was far too flattering and it made me want to blush.

"Yugi!" Speak of the devil. I shook my head grinning slightly.

I looked over my shoulder at him, watching him prance toward me on his spider legs. "I'm not changing my mind."

"But, you still have lessons; I'm supposed to show you how to hide your emotions from the living."

I stopped short, making Yami knock against my back. "Oh yeah…sounds easy enough, why don't we have some fun beforehand?" I asked passively.

He blinked up at me. "Like a game?" He asked, seeming unsure. I nodded and slid my hand into one of his, pulling him along.

"It'll be fun. We'll play charades. You like games, right?" I looked to him, not afraid to bump into anything since I could probably just go through it if worst came to worst.

His head ducked slightly and I could see a faint blush on his cheeks. "Yeah…" He agreed quietly, mumbling softly.

By the gods, it took every bit of my will power to turn my head back around and resist the urge to hug him. Why was the menacing little spider king so cute sometimes!? I could honestly say that I'd spend a whole day-if I could-trying to see how many times I could make Yami blush. But then I'd have to collect data on what made him blush and why; which would make Yami suspicious.

"Woah, wai-!" I blinked as we traveled right into an unsuspecting ghost in the hall; one I wasn't expecting to see. Yami's hand slipped from mine as we crashed into her, and we all went spiraling around. Yami'd hit the ceiling and had fallen down from the sudden detach when I'd fallen first and whipped him up into the air. The female spirt got the least damage and had only fallen onto her backside, moderately disoriented. And I, being the clumsy half spirit that I am, accidently scared myself into phasing through the floor when I saw my face heading in that direction.

Eventually, my wings took over and began flapping as I began heading towards the second set of wooden face punishers. Thankfully I didn't even come very close to the ground and had begun flapping back up to the second level before I knew it. What greeted me when I opened my eyes to the resulting controversy made me smile sheepishly as I prayed my clumsiness would take me back to the first floor.

Yami had already sort of groveled, and the women I'd run into, even though I didn't know her, looked like someone you didn't want to tick off. I gave a breath, nervous, laugh as our purple eyes connected; her disapproving and expectant gaze making me want to look away. "Sorry…I guess I wasn't paying attention…" I said impishly, watching her painted fingernails tap on her folded arm, staring at me wearily.

However, she said nothing to my apology and we stood there awkwardly, severely confused. My brow rose and I sort of glanced Yami's way and he waved me over. I looked to the women; keeping my eyes on her as I went over to Yami, unwilling to let her out of my sight for fear that she'd swoop in when my guard was down and attack me. When I was close enough, Yami met me half way and whispered in my ear.

"She can't speak, she uses Morse code with her nails," He whispered, making me blink slightly as I let that sink in. Then a question popped up that I was almost too afraid to ask.

"Why?" Yami bit his lip.

"Do you really want to know? The answer begins with she came here after I'd already been hungry a couple days. We were really low on rats that month." He tested my will, looking me over as I began to choke up slightly.

I swallowed lightly, weighing the options in my head and the consequences that might follow. Then I finally decide, closing my eyes with anticipated dread. "Just tell me."

I could hear Yami's eyes click toward me, only slightly surprised, but more excited than anything. "Have it your way. As I was saying, I was starving and she was a nice lady. It' not like I had any grudge against her, I didn't want her dead. However, she was there, in the right place at the wrong time. She was being really nice one minute, then she said she had to go, my hunger flared and suddenly I was on top of her and I…sort of got frustrated when she struggled and choked her out before…having a good meal." He chuckled slightly as he realized how bad it must have sounded.

My eyes were less nervous now though as I looked at her. Tall, blond, pretty, and knowing Morse code of all things had to mean she was smart, so there was now no wonder why she was so frustrated and hadn't moved on, her opportunities were taken away in life and now she couldn't communicate as efficiently in death. Not to mention, she'd come in in a much graver situation than I…and that could have been me, my vocal cords mutilated and mashed to the point I couldn't speak, all my life goals and dreams shattered and taken away; all by my little Spider King.

I didn't know Morse code but I'd bet she'd be willing to teach me if I was willing to learn. I'd become friends with her, if not only to make up for Yami's appetite, to make another friend. "No helping it then," I concluded, not exactly ready to place all blame on Yami. "Do you know Morse Code?" I asked, seeking the information I'd need to decide on my next move.

Yami nodded at me, walking towards her, already one-step ahead of me. "But, of course. Although she's usually sleeping I do speak to her, just ask her whatever you want and I'll translate the answer." Yami looked to her, almost asking permission. She seemed to just shrug though, as though it meant nothing. But, I could see the intrigue in her eyes as she gave me a slight once over.

"Will you eventually teach me, too?" I asked him, making sure I wouldn't have to use him as a crutch the whole time.

He actually began to think about it, tossing his head from side to side before he looked to me again with an aloof and wistful grin. "If I feel like you deserve it. Probably not today, you were mean to me this morning."

"I guess I'll just have to make it up to you then." I grinned hotly at Yami, making him blush slightly as he thought about what that meant for him. Miss. Morse code giggled next to him, tapping at her are for a moment or two before he blushed brighter.

"Shut up. What do you want to ask Yugi?" He looked to me, urging me on. So, I stepped up to the plate.

I looked to the women, growing tired of calling her just by her sex, so I got my opening together. "My name is Yugi, I'm new here. What's your name?" Her merriment began to subside when I spoke and I wondered why as she began to tap rapidly at the side of her arm, making sure Yami saw it.

Yami translated as he watched her purple nails make small dents in her arm. "I'm Mai. Didn't think Yami had it in him to kill another kid and not hate himself for it…Hey! Mana was an accident." Mai frowned and tapped again. "I'm sorry ok!? Gosh, why aren't you sleeping anyway?!" He muttered exasperatedly, folding his arms.

At this point I was confused. "What'd she say?" I asked frantically as she kept tapping away. Yami held up a finger, making me blink.

"I was bored and heard you guys fooling around up here so I came out of my slumber to check it out…I also heard you were playing games so I wanted to play too," Yami translated with a glare.

Before he could say anything to retort or hurt her feelings I stepped in and took her idle hand from underneath her folded arms and smiled. "Of course! You'd like charades right? You can play, we'll go see if Mana wants to play too. Follow me." I raved giddily, pulling her along.

She blinked, letting me pull her down the hall, looking coy and a bit confused but willing. Yami followed us, grumbling to himself as we went to find my friends sister.

After getting Mana, and establishing fair teams, we gathered in the parlor to begin our game. We would play charades, which meant, no talking, no spelling, no props, just lots of silly and frustrating movements. One team would send someone up to do the charades and their prompt or word would be giving to them by the opposing team.

Yami had been sulking the whole time after the teams were picked out, mainly because I'd made it clear personally that I wanted us to be on different teams and not together. He was completely against it and even defied my choice by grabbing my arm possessively. But when I told him it was so that I could see if I could beat him, he wavered and agreed to the challenge; all be it reluctantly.

So it was Mana and I versus him and Mai. It only made sense that way since I couldn't understand Morse code and neither could Mana.

We started the first round off easy and Mana stood up in front while the rest of us sat on the floral cushioned couches. She held up a finger. "First word," I offered and she nodded, then she scratched the back of her ear. "Animal," She nodded then straighten out, having given her intro. She began flapping her arms up and down at her sides, looking like some kind of menacing bird. "A…Hawk?" I guessed.

She gave me a look like I was stupid then shifted to only flap her hands instead. A smaller bird? "A bird…" I hesitated as she gave me the nod, her hands twirling slowly to tell me to keep going.

"Um…chicken? Rooster? Robin? Seagull?" She shook her head at all my attempts, driving me mad and making me more frantic. "Give me another clue." I demanded, exasperated.

She finally rolled her eyes and put the back of her hand on her lips making four of her fingers clamp on her thumb repeatedly; while looking at me intently as though if I didn't get it right then and there she would proceed to pull her hair out and shove it right down my throat.

But it's alright, because now that she was giving me the clues I needed I knew what it was. "A duck?" I still asked, just in case it was wrong. But Mana grinned and nodded before sticking her tongue out at Yami and Mai and sitting back down next to me.

Yami scoffed from his seat before getting up as we continued the game. His was 'dog'; and it only took five seconds after he rolled on the ground panting before giving Mai 'paw' for her to figure out what it was.

That being said, my turn came much sooner than I'd bargained for. I went over to Yami and Mai just as Yami was tapping insistently at my before he turned to me and beckoned me closer with a crooked finger. He whispered my word in my ear before sending me off with a grin; probably thinking he'd chosen a hard one. I didn't' think so though.

I looked to Mana and gave her the basics, 'one word', 'two syllables', and 'a drink'. So, after that I simply held the drink to my lips and pretended it splashed all over me and began jumping around with a pained expression while fanning my chest.

"Coffee." I nodded and Yami's face dropped as well as his jaw. I grinned and sat down, knowing now that I could beat Yami at this game if he thought a word like coffee was hard. Now, the question was, did I really want to beat someone three years younger than me that bad?

Mai began to do her word. She ran a finger across her neck, proceeded to act like she'd put something over herself, then began floating and roaming around. "A ghost?" Yami asked, looking at Mai when she nodded then looking me with lazy eyes. "That's so lame, couldn't come up with anything harder?"

My eye twitched and the fact that Mana had actually come up with that one completely slipped my mind. As for my prior question I now had the answer. I wanted to crush him and make him demand that we stop playing, only to deny him and mercilessly beat him twenty to two.

Mana looked pretty eager to beat them too with the fuming that she did while going over to get her word from them. Hopefully, we could get this one, too.

She stood front and center and looked to me with those determined emerald eyes. One word, one syllable. Then she tugged at her pink frilly skirt and held it out pointing to it. "Pink?" She shook her head. "Skirt?" She nodded and quickly sat back down, leaving me dumb struck. Ok, now that was lame.

So I waved Yami over to give him my word specifically, I had to see something for myself. When I was done, I sent him to the front where he began communicating to Mai that it was one word with three syllables, and then unabashedly he held a fist up, palm oriented towards his chest, then began to lick the air above it, starring at Mai. I saw her go blank for a moment, as though she wanted to say something but was appalled at what it was and just couldn't say such a thing.

Then she began to chuckle silently as she tapped to him. His whole face went red and he looked down at what he was doing and began to tap insistently at her again. And so he got disqualified for communicating. His word was lollipop; apparently Mai thought other wise.

At that point Yami quit, pouting because he'd been so humiliated. However, I'd found something out that I wouldn't have known otherwise. My Yami does have some shame after all.

I spoke too soon, for soon after Yami had quit, he told the girls to go play by themselves and abruptly took my arm without another word and we sored up through the ceiling. Well, I sored; Yami just jumped with enough force to get to the second floor. But, I still complained about him dragging me the minute we got up there. Even so all he did was say, "I regret nothing," before continuing to drag me to the ball room where we'd gone yesterday.

Yami sighed again for the fifth time, glaring holes into me as I smiled sheepishly. His disapproval showed in his eyes but he didn't scold me and he didn't complain, which was surprising for a kid. All he did was take a deep breath, exhale, and told me, "Do it again, and concentrate in concealing your emotions from me. If frowning the whole time is too hard try smiling." He offered up kindly, gesturing with his hand for me to begin again with my lesson, and so I did.

As of now, Yami was teaching me the ropes on hiding my emotions from outsiders, just in case anyone came while I was here; which Yami said wasn't likely but wasn't impossible. I was doing terribly so far. He'd give me prompts to see if my expression changed while my defenses were supposed to be up. I'd been trying to hold a frown most of the time and it didn't work because he'd come up with the craziest things and I begin to smile and giggle.

I showed Yami a nice smile and waited for him to begin prompting me with dialogue. He told me I had to concentrate on not want him to know what I thought about what he said but rather a fake reaction to it instead.

"Ready now?" I nodded to him with a smile. "Ok, respond to this situation. A young girl, about seven comes in looking for her mommy, she's crying and she's scared and she's scared of the dark. She sees you and asks where her Mommy is, you say…?" He trailed off giving me my cue to respond. The whole situation was disturbing and I knew what he wanted me to say, I didn't like it but I'd do it.

I kept up my smile and recited what he'd told me earlier. "Your mother? Was she the one that came in here earlier? She said she was looking for you, I told her she could wait here for the night but she seems to have left while I was getting her a blanket. Would you like to come inside and warm up before finding her? I'm sure she'll come back," I say, my expression never changing but my thoughts running wild. Who would be stupid enough to say yes to someone that creepily descriptive? I'd never go with such a suspicious character. But then again, I'd come into this house of my own accord and curiosity; so I had no room to judge.

The young spider king nodded in approval at my performance before continuing. "Good, just make sure your eyes don't give you away, let the lie touch your eyes and control them. Now, the girl is persuaded by your kind face to enter the manor. The door closes behind her and you lead her to the parlor where you leave her to go fetch the blanket. What do you say to assure her you'll be back?" He asks me, checking my expression.

I straighten and smile as I had been and respond accordingly. "Stay here while I go get you a blanket, the house is old and vast so I wouldn't want you to get lost. I promise not to keep you waiting too long-" I begin to grow curious as Yami's face brightens and he holds a hand up for me to stop. "What's wrong? Did I screw up?" I asked, beginning to pout in fear that I'd never get it right.

Yami shook his head waving his hands slightly. "No, no, you were good…its just…you started to sound really…um…what's the word…" He began to tap his chin, holding it and looking for the answer.

I raised a brow. "Creepy? Apologetic? Ashamed?" I offered these words and he shook his head to each one before snapping his finger and turning to me.

"Seductive…"

….

Wack! "Ow~! What'd I do?!" Yami complained after I'd snapped and leaned in to smack the back of his head. My palm stung a bit so I knew I'd hit him a little too hard; but I was too embarrassed to apologize.

"That's not funny Yami; I'm really trying my best over here." I sulked seeing that he was making fun of me. My wings were also flapping in annoyance as I glared at Yami. But he shook his head, rubbing the back of it.

"You've got it wrong, I was being sincere. I honestly think you've got a bit of a knack for it; much better than frowning." He said with conviction, bringing the news to me with an urgent and excited tone.

I raised a brow and tried to remember exactly what I sounded like before but I couldn't remember it as 'Seductive'…maybe because I was worrying too much over him being able to see through me. "Are you sure?"

"If I wasn't sure it wouldn't have come out of my mouth. Trust me." He said, giving me a wince while rubbing the back of his head; which I couldn't help but laugh at because I was sure I hadn't hit him that hard at all.

I nodded and straightened happily, accepting the compliment, at least now I knew what my emotional poker face should be. Frowning forever would have been such a pain, and yet that was Yami's poker face; that fact alone being why frowning was the first expression I'd tried. 'If Yami could do it so could I' I'd thought, but after trying it and failing miserably I thought that maybe Yami just had more…will power than I did.

"Alright, let's just keep going, but can we change the scenario? I don't feel like playing pedophile again."

Yami rolled his eyes. "Not like I'm asking you to force her to the ground Yugi." He grumbled, reluctantly switching the story. "This one will be about a dog, you don't have to say anything this time, just react. Also, just to up the ante a little bit," He said forebodingly, placing a hand on my leg, "every time you falter I'm going to slide my hand further up your leg. Why the leg? I really don't have anything else to threaten you with, I'm dead and you're in a coma so there are limitations." He shrugged, not allowing my shocked and nervous expression to deter him.

"Let's begin shall we?" He grinned as he commanded me more than actually asking me if I really wanted to do this or not. So, I just prepared myself the best I could and nodded, putting back on that shell of an expression as he began to speak.

"Ok, you're riding your bike up the road in the spring, its nice out and you feel at peace. Then, suddenly, a dog begins coming up the road on the other side of the street. He's barking at you, but in that friendly way that means he wants to play, and he wags his tail looking straight at you with these huge shiny brown eyes like he's smiling at you with them." I couldn't help but begin to smile more as he scraped for dog imagery, but it seemed after he put enough in he was satisfied and shrugged.

"Then, while you're distracted by this dog, you don't notice the Semi rolling impatiently behind you. The person driving just wants to get where they're going fast, so they decide to move to the other side of the road to pass you since there are no cars. However, they do not see the dog until it is too late." I try my best to keep smiling, but my imagination seems to falter slightly, the picture of a perfectly healthy dog run over by a truck before my eyes.

Yami continues, not having moved his hand up my leg at all even though I was sure the remorse showed on my face. "The only thing you hear is the sound of the truck coming to screeching halt after a distinct thump and the whimpering yelp of pain that came afterwards. Yet, even though you can clearly see the driver knows they hit something, they continue to drive and hit the dog a second time trying to pretend that it had never happened." Yam drew on, making me want to clench my fists. At first I was just upset for the dog, but now I was getting angry with the insolence of the imaginary driver.

"There's blood everywhere, even on the back wheels of the truck, the dogs not moving, not breathing, and inevitably not living. You don't have the strength to go check on him and you're too horrified to get a good picture of what the license plate on the truck said. So you leave trying to forget that it happened. The end." Yami concluded, pouting slightly as he finished; his hand not yet leaving my leg.

Instead, he looked up to me with those gleaming red eyes. "Not even one of your emotions slipped past. You just smiled all the way through a story about a dead dog. As I've said before, maybe I should have just killed you…you picked it up so quickly, we just needed to find the right emotional shell for you. I thought being sad would work better but it seems you hide your feelings more expertly behind a smile." He frowned at the realization, his red orbs boring into mine as he tried to figure out the reason for it all.

I just smiled, knowing too well that that meant my behavior in life would follow me into death. "Sounds about right. I'm a pretty passive and conservative person. Anytime I feel really negative, I make sure to smile so that I don't make other people worry about me." I shrugged, not really wanting to talk about how fake I sounded. "Was that it for today or did you have something else in mind?" I changed the subject looking at the hand that still sat idly on my shin.

Yami looked down at it too, his cheeks coloring and his hand slipping back to his side before he cleared his throat. "Well, um…I didn't know how long it was going to take and it got pretty late, but I wanted to ask you a question I really hadn't thought about until now," He said, to which I nodded to let him know he had my full attention. However, I hadn't really thought about the fact that eventually Yami would ask some questions of me like I had with him.

"Yugi," I was startled by how soft his expression and voice had become. It scared me and made me very weary, "do you…think about your friends and your family a lot since, I guess, I sort of kidnapped you?" He fidgeted shamefully, lowering his gaze to the floor with that brooding look on his person.

My smile fell and my brows furrowed. "Oh, Yami…of course I do. I think about how worried they could or could not be, I think about what they could be doing, I think about what would happen if they could see me now. But, even though I miss them, I have something even more important to think about. You don't have anyone to really call your friend, your family is gone, and you've had to live with yourself and what you have to do to survive for the longest time. So, if I can make you even just a little happy for however long we have and maybe even figure out why you're still here, I'd never regret coming here, never regret meeting you, and always be here for you no matter how worried everyone else is or how much I miss them." I said softly, leaning in to hold his head in my hands, rubbing his cheeks with my thumbs.

Yami blushed, closing his eyes stubbornly as I held him. "It's not that serious…you already make me happy so…stop treating me like a child its embarrassing…"

I leaned in, placing my forehead against his, making him open his eyes. "But, you wanted to know. Plus, you are a child, a very old child." Yami pouted heavily, still blushing, probably since my face was so close; too cute.

"I have another question."

"Then ask." I blinked suddenly, seeing the slight irritation in his eyes.

Then he smirked and pulled that aloof expression that I knew so well. "Why do you have a panda backpack?"

My brow twitched. "Um…well, someone was trying to be funny and decided I needed one because it 'suited' me. I didn't agree, but I needed something to carry my stuff in when I came here."

Yami chuckled. "I see, doesn't that somehow make you super adorable though? If I didn't know any better between your costume and the backpack I would say your friend was trying to get you molested."

I smiled and chuckled as well. "If I know my friend, and I think I do, I'd say you're right." We were both laughing after that, nearly tearing up in the mirth.

Yet, when we came down slowly from this high, we did something that I knew was bad on my part. We made eye contact and our smiles slowly dropped, the mirth in our eyes clouding over slightly into something more. Even our breathing began to slow as we searched each other's faces trying to see if the other was thinking what they were thinking.

"Yami," I breathed, making him blink rapidly for moment, not being able to clear the fog.

"Yes?"

"Can I…ask you a question?" I asked, knowing what I had really asked for.

Yami blushed softly, trying to look away from me, subconsciously nuzzling into one of my hands. "You just did…but, what do you want to ask?"

I began stroking his cheek again, making him glance my way.

"Are you really going to be able to give me back to them after the month is up?" I asked softly, feeling his jaw clench faintly under my thumb.

His eyes narrowed and he looked away again, making me pause as I watched him. He shook his head lightly but then took a breath and looked at me, his eyes pleading with me. "Can I answer that question later?" He looked really worried, like he's break down or something if he had to answer now.

So, I nodded in agreement and he sighed in his relief. "So…you know what you have to do right?" He asked shyly all of a sudden seeming slightly excited.

I nodded, looking at his lips. Why was my heart racing though? It was just a kiss like they'd had before right? I came in slow, making note of the soft bated breath Yami let out when licking his lips slightly. I took his bottom lip in between mine and my hands moved slightly to cradle the back of his neck. I began pulling little soft sounds from him as I kissed him, passion spurring my movements, as I gently demanded his lips to part with my tongue.

Accidentally, at least I hoped so, I began leaning forward more, bending Yami's head back until it oriented towards the ceiling as I began playing with the inside of his mouth. He was whimpering slightly under my prodding, but not objectively.

I pulled away only for air before coming back to him, his sweet tongue, and his soft yet firm lips. Yami reached up, gripping my forearm and beginning to pull me closer to him. He also began making light, tempting, passes at my tongue, leading me to try to capture it repeatedly, becoming more aggressive while Yami continued to mewl.

Until, he began pushing at my chest, pulling back from my assault. "W-wait Yugi…we have to stop." He panted, making the nerves in my head begin to melt. I left his lips alone but kept kissing his cheeks and the corners of his mouth.

"Why?"

Yami's eyes were barely open, half lidded and being forced to focus. "I…I don't know…you have to stop completely, I can't think…" He whined, putting a hand to my face to force me to stop, which I did. He was still panting but he began looking around to clear his head and his train of thought. "It's almost seven; you have to go to your room, and quickly." He said, standing up and helping me up.

I didn't understand. "Why? What's going to happen?" I asked, put off by his mysterious behavior.

He shook his head and got behind me beginning to push me out. "Never mind that, you have to go! Just trust me-mmph!" I'd planted my feet, refusing to leave.

I turned on his, grabbing him by the shoulders, making him look me in the eye. "Yami, tell me what's going on, then I'll go." I negotiated, knowing I'd probably have to leave anyway.

He grabbed me back, using my weight against me to keep pushing me out. "Yugi I can't explain now, you have to- Look out!" I blinked and looked behind me as Yami began pulling me back in instead. All I saw was a hand…but it wasn't a hand? It was misty and strangely big.

Before I knew it the hand reached for Yami when I moved, and before I could think about it I pushed Yami out of the way and the hand grabbed me around the waist tight making me gasp and I look at Yami who was on the floor in front of me. He looked horrified and had started to get up, but before he could start towards me the arm connected to the vise-like hand began reeling me out of the room and down the hall at such an alarming rate that I'd begun to scream.

"YUGI!" Yami's pained call ripped through the manor and hurt my ears, but it calmed me enough to scream back, not knowing if he'd be able to find me if I didn't even know where, whatever this thing was, was taking me.

Over the sound of wind rushing past my ears I thought I could hear him frantically using his spider appendages to pursue me, but my eyes were being blasted with air and the tears were leaking so fast I couldn't actually see if he was even close. I was so confused that I began to scream again, I didn't know where I was going, what was happening, why it was happening, or what the hell this thing was. Was this…thing what Yami was trying to warn me about? Why didn't I listen!?

I began to struggle as it took me down the stairs and into the hall below that of the ballroom, I almost swore I saw Yami come down the stairs but I couldn't be sure. So I yelled to him, scared that if I didn't it was all over. "Yami! Help! Please!"

"Yugi! Hang on! Try to slow it down!" Yami seemed to call farther back, his voice echoing.

I nodded and looked for a way to slow it. "Uh…" I pounded my fist on it but that was ineffective, I tried pushing to get free but the grip only tightened and made me whimper. So I did what seemed best and dug my heals into the floor making me gasp as it seemed to work slightly and I leaned back to make sure it wouldn't speed up. Ahead of us, I saw where the hand had come from, a door at the very end of the hall that seemed filled with nothing but darkness.

I was starting to panic and my legs were beginning to shake from the pressure. At this rate I wouldn't make it. "Yami, hurry! I-I can't hold on much longer!" I called, hearing those legs speed up behind me.

I began to hyperventilate slightly as I tried not to think about how scared I felt. I didn't know what Yami would do when he got to me, if I couldn't get out how would he get me out? This thing…it was what Yami had been expecting…it was after him, not me. What if he made this thing realize that and it took him instead? Oh gods, please tell me that wasn't the only way…

"Yugi, Yugi are you alright?" Yami came up behind me, giving me a start.

"Yami…" I calmed down a bit and sighed, I was still teary eyed. "I'm scared…but…what is this thing? Where is it trying to take me?"

Yami bit his lip and began to pace up the appendage before coming back and looking at the thing. I watched him, waiting, and it seemed like he didn't want to answer. Even now, he wouldn't tell me. My face scrunched up and I felt hurt, not able to look at him as my tears began to bubble up again. "If you don't tell me, I'm going to go find out myself." I threatened as my voice shook in frustration.

Yet, Yami snorted at my words and looked back at me with a foreboding grimace. "You'd regret it. Don't be that stupid." He scoffed.

Both my brows rose and I began to open and close my mouth in shock. "Then just tell me what's going on dummy! Don't think I won't do it just because it's stupid. You can't hide things from me like that forever. I could have asked Mana or Mai but I asked you because I wanted to hear it from you. Don't you trust me?" Tears welled at the corners of my eyes and began to fill them making it hard to see. I readjusted my footing when my legs began quacking again.

"Yugi please don't say these things, please?! I'm just trying to protect you from this…madness." He began to pace again rubbing his temples.

I clenched my jaw. Always protecting me, why is that? Why? Can't I protect myself enough? "You, keeping things from me is what got us here. When you tell people why it makes it easier to do as they're told, not open ended commands that leave them not understanding the reason for it all." I insisted watching him pace.

He paused, face turning to me only to look away just as quickly to stare at the floor. "I just…I don't want my past to be what you see when you look at me… I want you to see me now not as all that stuff I had to get past to get here. Can't you understand that…?" Only silence answered him, I couldn't answer him even though I heard everything he said. I wanted to but…

"Yami…"

"Yes?" I could see him look up at me from the corner of my eyes but my eyes were on the door.

"What is that?" I asked, my arm slowly coming up to point at the door. What Yami and I saw there, when he finally turned his head to look, was a pair of eyes. They were ice blue and flames soared from either side but they were also blue, it was unnatural and extremely ethereal. Slowly a hand, smaller than the one holding me, almost like a women's hand, began reaching out of the door and turned palm up; the forefingers moved towards the palm and out twice, beckoning me forward.

Wait…me? Couldn't it see Yami right next to me? It had looked at him at first…couldn't it tell the difference? Even so…if it could would it take him instead? I hoped not…

Yami was staring at whatever it was, stepping back a few steps behind me. "I've never seen this before…which can't mean anything good." I heard him mutter behind me, but even so I felt my resistance begin to weaken as I looked into those eyes, traveling through them as if they were a spinning vortex. There were no pupils or light spots…just hues of the same color swirling around like waves…

My feet had begun to move of their own accord and the arm was no longer pulling me but gently leading me along. I could hear a distant echo in the back of my head but I couldn't make out words, just the tone.

"Yugi!" Yami hissed from behind me. "What are you doing?"

"I'm supposed to go…it needs me to go…I can feel it…" I began to reach out to that cold looking hand, so dead yet so comforting, I couldn't resist. "I'll be back…" I said it and I knew it was true…but I didn't know when or how.

But, I took that hand, I took that risk, because this…this would make Yami happy, and if it didn't I would use it to make him happy myself. It was warm and it wanted just what I wanted , so it led me down, past that thresh hold, I looked back at Yami and smiled that smile I used for our lesson, because I was still a little scared and his horrified expression made it even more so. So I turned away from him just as he began to run to me. The door closed slowly behind us and Yami called out to me knowing he wouldn't make it. Even then, I followed on.

"YUGI!"

Cliffy~

Question: Can anyone tell me what my favorite word is just by reading this? If someone actually guessed right I'd be really happy and embarrassed at the same time. XD

Yami: No, no! Where'd Yugi go? The heck Ice!?

He had to go now suck it up.

Atem: -sniffling- You took him from me too.

Omg, stop being a wimp! He'll come back…maybe? I haven't decided yet. But if you keep whining and complaining I will kill him off and no one gets Yugi.

Both of them: -go quite-

That's what I thought, how would you feel if Yugi came back to haunt you both for getting him killed? Shut up and let me do my job. –sighs- Anyway, it's been tough, I struggled with this story because since it's so unpopular and the way that I created it was sort of spur of the moment I have to fill in holes as I write. However I sat down all day on 6/29 and the morning of 6/30 and finished it. I got bored so I added something interesting to the story to spice things up and I regret nothing. I've never given up on a story and I won't start now, so please watch me defeat this army of writers block and cheer me on. I appreciate every one of you and I hope you continue to follow me even when my updates aren't consistent. Have an Icy Day my Snowflakes~! Let's get through this together. 3

-IcexIcuo