Yugi was dead. But if he was dead, how could he still be alive? How was he breathing and feeling? He stayed where he was, which was him lying on his stomach on something very comfy. He let out a small groan that was close to a sigh. He was on a bed. His bed? It was so confusing. Everything was a dream? His hand moved along the sheets, and he wasn't in pain. Everything had to have been a dream, then. No, a flat out nightmare. His fingers suddenly encountered something soft and silky.

"Okay…My bed has feathers." He mumbled to himself, confused. Did his pillow break open? And why did it feel like he had extra weight on his back? He didn't want to think anymore, though. Didn't want to open his eyes just yet, so he just thought back to the nightmare he had and absentmindedly stroked the feathers.

He cringed when he remembered his father, crazy and angry looking. Then the long silver knife as it plunged into his side, pain surging through him. Then that man, Atem, promising that he would help. He couldn't believe it was all a lie. He knew he had an imagination, but damn. He also remembered dyeing in Atem's arms. Or, at least, he thought he had died in the dream.

Yugi cringed when Saguro's face popped back into his head. What was his mood today? Did he get a good night's sleep? He tended to be somewhat kinder when he wasn't tired. Yugi sighed and frowned, feeling his muscles in his back tense as he readied himself for another long day.

Soft fingers touched his forehead and then brushed his cheek softly, and Yugi relaxed, liking the feel of it. Suddenly he realized that somebody was with him, and he opened his eyes and jerked back by what he saw. It was a man, maybe around his age, maybe just three inches or so taller then him, with mocha colored skin and a sharp-featured face. His hair was the same tri-colored spikes as Yugi's, only with more blonde bangs running upward. Two ruby eyes were staring back at him, and Yugi was struck by just how handsome this guy actually was.

But that wasn't what made Yugi blink and then gasp out in pure shock. Hanging behind the exotic man were two large black wings. Actual, real wings. Like a bird, but much larger.

"Who are you?" Yugi demanded, pointing wildly at the man, who simply looked at him, one black brow raised. "Who the heck—"

"My name is Atem," he said, and Yugi instantly recognized the voice. But it couldn't be…that was a dream…He felt his stomach drop, and he leaned forward on his hands, staring down at the white sheet.

"Oh, god…" Yugi felt sick. Last night had been real. His hallucination had been real. That meant…his father knew he was gone. He was probably looking for him…wanting to finish what he started. Sweat started to break out on his hairline, and he looked back at Atem. "This isn't…I can't be here. I have to get away from you." He said with a surprisingly steady tone. "If he finds—"

"I'll be fine." Atem interrupted, looking unconcerned by the fact that an almost murderer was out looking for Yugi. Sure, Atem looked like he could handle himself, but Yugi wasn't sure how he'd fair against Saguro. Atem continued before Yugi could comment, though. "So what's your name?"

"I'm Yugi. Just…Yugi." He didn't ever want to be associated with the monster again. He was never going to use the name Mutou for aslong as he lived.

"Well, then, 'Just Yugi'," Atem stated, amusement sparking deep in his eyes, "Good to meet you."

"What happened? Where the hell am I?" Yugi looked around the room. It was big with deep, deep burgundy walls. It had normal, everyday things around- like a desk and a chair. There was also shelf full of books and CDs by the door. On the other side of the room, he noticed that there wasn't a window, but a wide balcony that over looked a town. It looked like the sun was setting. "How long have I been…" He paused. How long had he been what, exactly? Did he die? Was this where you go when you died? He raised his arm to rub his forehead, but then he noticed again that there was no pain, nor were there any bruises. "What...?" His gaze swept by and fell on something peculiar. There were pure white feathers laying against the bed, rustling in the slight breeze.

And they were connected to his back.

"What the—!" Yugi stared at the delicate wings—unable to admit that they were his wings—in disbelief. His mouth fell slack, and he carefully reached around himself to touch one wing. Goosebumps erupted over his skin as he felt it; as if he had just touched his leg.

"I found you lying by a tree in the park," Atem started, and Yugi's wide eyes fell back to him. "You were stabbed right over…here." He had leaned over and touched where Yugi was stabbed. All that was there now was a scar line. "I couldn't just leave you. I did what I had to." His voice lowered and his and Yugi's eye caught. "I couldn't let you die."

"What did you do?" Yugi whispered, almost fearful for the answer.

"I gave you some of my angel powers."

"Whoa, what?" Yugi blinked. "You're an angel?"

"A shadow angel, yes."

"A what?" Yugi wasn't religious, but he had seen enough of the bible and TV to know that there was no such thing. Yet the proof was, quite literally, sitting right in front of him.

"There are two kinds of angels," Atem informed Yugi, holding up two fingers. He put one down for each. "Shadow angels, also know as dark angels – like me – and light angels – like you. Each one is half of a whole. We live, find our other half, and then stay that way. We're immortal and have quicker reflexes than humans. We also heal considerably fast. You've been out for two days, and look at the wound already." His eyes tightened and he sighed. "Though I don't know how much of this will pertain to you, seeing how you are only half-angel."

"I'm part...angel...?" Yugi couldn't wrap his mind around it. All of this new information was assaulting him. Half-human? Half-angel? He had wings? Would he live forever? Did he even have a other half, or did only full angels get those? Atem shifted in the chair, and Yugi held up a hand. "Just...wow. Give me a moment. I'm trying to process all this."

"The only thing I'm really sure of is that you have wings and our ability to heal quickly." Atem said. "I don't know if you'll live forever, I don't know if you have any special ability—"

"A what now?"

"Some angels have special...abilities. Like this"—Atem's eye turned a bright crimson, and his gaze flicked over to the ground. Yugi looked to see that Atem's shadow was moving. On it's own. It moved over and it's hand reached out, touching Yugi's shadow. He watched as it, too, started to move. Suddenly it was done, and Atem was looking back to Yugi, his eyes going back to their ruby. "Shadow possession. I can make shadows do what I want. It helps when I need something that's far away or if I'm eavesdropping."

"That was really weird," Yugi stated. Atem folded his arms. "And also really, really cool." Atem looked back to Yugi, a slight smile now on his lips.

"But I don't know if you'll have anything," Atem reminded.

"How come you don't know much?"

"You are the one and only half-angel ever created." Atem said with no bullshit. He watched Yugi as that information sunk in.

"The...only one?"

"This is the first time, so yes."

"So I'm, like…" Yugi feel cold. He was the only one? Why was he always, always alone?

"You better not be thinking that you're alone in this…" Atem warned, his eyes narrowing a bit.

"Why?"

"Because I'm right here with you, am I not?"

With that statement, Yugi decided that he liked Atem. He was nice and straight-forward. Not to mention he saved Yugi's life.
"So…what do I do now?" Yugi wondered. "Where am I supposed to go?"

"What do you mean?" Atem asked, confused. "You don't like it here?"

"I can stay?"

Atem gave Yugi a half-amused, half-DUH look. "Of course you can. I created you and forced you into this world, so it's only the least I can do. Nobody can object, because I am…" Atem shut his mouth and looked off to the side. "No…never mind. I won't force you to stay. You're allowed to go when you wish."

"I might have to go..." Yugi informed him, but in all honesty, he didn't want to leave. Something about Atem made him feel attached—like he actually belonged. "If he finds me, he'll make sure I am dead this time." He reached over and took Atem's hand carefully. "And if you got hurt because of me…Well, I couldn't bear that." His voice suddenly tightened, and he got a flash of an image in his head. One that involved Atem on the ground, his wings spread under him at odd positions, and blood. Lots of blood.

"Nobody's gonna hurt you or me." Atem noticed Yugi's distress and he leaned forward, holding the boys hand tightly between his own. "Ok? Calm down, Yugi." He waited until Yugi nodded silently. For some reason it hurt to see Yugi looking so alone and lost and scared. "Can you tell me who did this to you?" Atem asked quietly. Yugi stayed silent, biting his lip. "You can just start at the beginning if you need to."

"…Ok." Yugi finally whispered. He knew he could trust this guy. "Um, well…Michelle was the most amazing person in the world." He started somewhat lamely. "She was my mother. I looked up to her. She was kind and so funny. But then something happened with my d…with Saguro." Yugi frowned. "He started coming home in horrible moods, he didn't listen to my mom, and he never talked to me again. He eventually got fired from his job, and he started to drink, thinking it would ease the hurt. It took one day for everything to fall to hell." He paused and felt a reassuring squeeze on his hand from Atem.

"My mom asked him if he could cook dinner that night, and he…he slapped my mother across the face really hard. I was only six. I remember my mother just staring at him with a hand on her face, whispering 'Oh, my god'. Like she couldn't believe the man in front of her. Later on, he wanted to...you know, and she flat out said 'no'. He slapped her again, then he tore her shirt, right when I was standing there, crying for him to let her go and to stop hurting her. She turned and yelled for me to go to my room and not to come out until she came and got me."

Suddenly, tears started to come out of Yugi's eyes, and he wiped them away impatiently. "I didn't understand what was going on at the time. All I could hear was her pain. When she did finally come into my room, her face was bruised and she was limping. She sat down with me and started crying as she hugged me close. Then, when I was seven, she left. She told me that I wasn't bad and to make sure Saguaro didn't ever get angry at me. I never saw her again. She promised that she would save me, too. She promised." He was shaking now. "But...after so long...she...never came. She never came to t-take me away! And no matter how hard I tried to be good, I st-still got in trouble."

Atem leaned forward and pulled Yugi to him carefully, wrapping his arms around the shaking boy, who continued to speak, just now onto Atem's shoulder. "H-he got mad anyway. He never actually hit me until I turned nine, though. I've been getting beaten by him every night for six years now. When you found me...that was when he finally killed me – or tried to. He said that killing me would solve all his problems and that mom would come back to him if he did. But I don't…I don't even know if she's still alive! He would've succeeded, too, if it weren't for you." He shook his head, and pulled away from Atem, wiping his face. "But why, Atem?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you save me?"

Atem thought for a moment. "I...I don't know." He finally said, quietly. "All I know is that I couldn't let you die." He didn't understand it himself. He wanted to take away all of Yugi's pain and erase his past. He wanted to make sure nobody hurt him again. He just wanted Yugi to smile more often.

"I see." Yugi replied. I was quite, and he stared down at his white wings. He moved to the right, and they followed him. He rolled his shoulders and felt a muscle twitch. When he moved it, hiw wing picked up. "Whoa!" He tipped over and fell to the ground as the sudden weight from the wing caused him to become unbalanced.

"Are you ok?" Atem asked as he got halfway out of his chair, watching Yugi, who was looking back with a startled look, a blush forming on his cheeks. Atem suddenly snorted, then started to laugh. Yugi picked himself off of the ground with very little dignity and ran a hand through his hair, the blush deepening. Atem's laughter died down, and he looked at Yugi. He remembered the look on Yugi's face and started laughing again. "S-sorry!" He gasped. "But your face was...just so funny!"

Yugi shot him a dark look as he went to sit on the bed again. "I only fell because I have wings, and I only have wings because of you!" Atem stopped laughing and a miserable look crossed over his features. Yugi mentally smacked himself in the forehead. That came out the wrong way, He thought. He readied himself for Atem's reply, already assuming the worst.

"I understand," Atem said, surprising Yugi by not yelling. He brought his foot up to rest on the seat of the chair and placed his chin on his knee. "I'm really sorry. If there was a way I could save you without dragging you into my world, I would've done so."

"No, I'm sorry." Yugi moved so he was sitting on his legs, leaning forward earnestly. "I didn't mean it like that, I swear. I'm very grateful for what you've done."

Atem moved his head sideways and his gaze settled on the wall.
"It's okay. You don't have to feel bad. I did this to you."

"I'm telling the truth, Atem. I like my wings. I really do. I don't feel bad at all."

"You sure you're not just trying to make me feel better?"

"I'm sure. C'mon, look at me. I'm being so very serious." Yugi leaned over closer to Atem. "I mean it." There was ringing sincerity in his voice. Atem gave a ragged sigh and lifted his head, turning to look at Yugi.

Who suddenly found himself in a lip-lock with Atem.