Me: Okay, here goes, chapter 3. I'm not sure how long of a chapter this will be, but sit back, relax, and enjoy the read. :) Just remember, I do not own YGO or anything pertaining to YGO :)

Puzzled Past

Chapter 3

Searching

Yami sighed as once again he was let down. Either Yugi disappeared from the face of the Earth, or he was damn hermit. Then again, Yami could be asking wrong. He thought again about what he said and facepalmed "Oh you idiot, you've been asking the wrong thing." Instead of asking if they'd seen the boy, Yami instead was telling them he'd seen the boy. No wonder he got so many funny looks. "Wow I'm terrible."

Yami hung his head and walked down the street. This was getting him nowhere. He stopped and leaned against a wall, looking up to the sky as defeat sank in. "Man, I'm never gonna find him. It'll take a freakin miracle now." Yami slid down the wall and placed his arms on his knees which were drawn up close. His hands hung limply between his legs as he stared off into space.

Yami sat and watched people walking by, thinking of a new way to locate Yugi. Right now, his only choice was to walk around and look for him. Unfortunately that didn't seem like a likely thing to do considering how big of a town Domino was. Well, it's not like Domino was huge or anything, it's just, well, it had a lot of buildings in it.

Yami's shoulders sagged and he hung his head, this was so hopeless. "'Ey! Put my buddy down!" Yami heard a familiar yet not so familiar voice yell.

"Shut the hell up" another voice spat. Yami heard skin hit skin and a loud thump.

His eyes widened and he got up and snuck to the corner. He peered around the corner, and into the alley. In the alley a big burly man was holding a smaller figure against the wall by the throat. A blonde haired man laid on the ground, still in a daze from the hit. Yami's eyes narrowed as he focused in on the smaller figure. His eyebrows furrowed and a frown appeared on his face, his features twisted into one of anger. "Hey dipshit!" Yami growled and walked around the corner, causing the man to look at him. "Put. Him. Down."

"And who the hell do you think you are?!" The man snarled.

"The name's Sennen. And you're soon to be mud!" Yami yelled as he ran forward. He gave one hard shove and the man stumbled back dropping the dazed smaller form on the ground. Yami didn't stop to check on the smaller form though, instead he continued forward after the man. "There's one thing you don't do, and that's fuck with my friends." Yami lunged forward and punched the man in the face. "This is for Joey!" Yami yelled. "And this, this is for Yugi!" Yami growled as his foot made contact with the man's face, causing him to topple over on the ground, out cold.

Yami spit on him and turned to walk back over and check on his friends. He croutched down next to Yugi and looked over at Joey. "You okay Joey?"

"Uhh" Joey groaned as he sat up, his right hand on his head "Yeah, I'm okay."

"Good." Yami turned back toward Yugi and gently tapped the side of his face. "Yugi? Hey? Are you okay?"

Yugi moaned and coughed a couple times as his eyes fluttered open slowly. "Y-Yami?"

Yami nodded "Yeah, it's me."

Tears flowed out of Yugi's eyes and he leaned forward and wrapped Yami up in a hug. "I've never been so happy to see someone in my whole life" Yugi sobbed into Yami's shoulder.

Yami wrapped his arms around Yugi "C'mon, let's get you home."

"Don't leave me" Yugi whimpered.

"I'm not goin anywhere" Yami said picking Yugi up off the ground. "Joey, can you take me to Yugi's place?"

"Yeah, c'mon I'll show ya." Joey led Yami out of the alley and they walked down a few side streets until they came to an opening from all of the bigger buildings. A small game shop sat in front of Yami with the word Kame on the front of it. "Dis is it. Yug should have the key. I'm headed back to Seto, I'll let everyone know your in town and we'll catch up with ya tomorrow."

"Um Joey. Can I ask you a quick question?"

"Go fer it."

"Could you and Seto head back to the hotel sometime and get my stuff for me?"

"Sure."

"Thanks. The card for my room is in my wallet."

Joey reached in Yami's back pocket and pulled out his wallet. Once he opened it a picture fell out. "What's dis?" Joey bent down and picked up the picture that had fallen out. Joey smiled as he stood back up, holding the picture of the group of fourteen and fifteen year olds, packed around each other and grinning like crazy in the Domino airport. "Ya kept it after all these years?"

"Of course. You guys are my best friends, and family. I'd never forget you guys."

Joey clapped Yami on the shoulder "It's good to have ya back Yams."

"It's good to be back Joey." He leaned into Joey as Joey wrapped an arm around him in a brotherly hug. Since his hands were preoccupied holding a now sleeping Yugi, it was all he could do.

"I'll get yer stuff, you take care of Yug. He's missed you more than anyone." Joey looked at Yugi's sleeping face "He says 'e's okay." Joey lowered his voice and shook his head "He's not okay. Not with you gone 'e's not. Take good care of 'im Yami. He loves you a lot more than just a mere best friend. He may not admit it right away, but he will."

Yami smiled at Joey "Thanks Joey. I really am glad to be back here with you guys. I'll see you and the others tomorrow. You sure you're okay to go home?"

"Yeah. Don' worry bout me. I can get a limo if I need ta."

Yami chuckled "Alright. I'm taking Yugi in and laying him down."

"Alrigh'. Catch ya tomorra Yami!" Joey put Yami's wallet back in his back pocket and walked away with the hotel key.

"Bye Joey." Yami walked up to the game shop door. He found the key in Yugi's front pocket, unfortunately it took a minute with his arm under Yugi's knees. Luckily for Yami there was a clip attached to Yugi's keys that was clipped to one of his belt loops. Yami undid the clip from the belt loop and pulled out the keys. He tried a few different keys until he finally found the right one. "Okay" Yami said, mostly to himself "Let's get you laid down."

Yami had no clue where to go in the shop that doubled as a house. So, he just started walking around. He found a kitchen, a living room and a set of stairs that must've led up to the bedrooms. Yami walked into the living room and laid Yugi on the couch. Or, at least he would've, if Yugi didn't have a death grip around his neck. "Yugi, you've gotta let go" Yami said quietly.

"Don't leave" Yugi whined.

"I'm not leaving" Yami whispered "I'm gonna take care of you."

"You promise?" Yugi asked pulling away from Yami to look in his eyes.

Yami's heart melted at the sight of the sparkling amethyst eyes, sparkling with unshed tears. "I promise."

Yugi sighed and let go, laying back on the arm of the couch. Yami croutched down beside the couch and put his hand on the side of Yugi's face. "I'm gonna get some ice for your eye."

"Okay" Yugi said, his voice low.

Yami smiled at Yugi and stood to go get some ice from the kitchen. He walked in the kitchen, opened the freezer, and grabbed a bag of frozen peas when he wasn't able to find an ice pack. Walking back into the living room Yami saw Yugi trying to sit up on the couch. He walked over to him and helped him sit up, placing the peas, wrapped in a towel, on the side of Yugi's face, over his eye. "You should really be resting" Yami said quietly sitting on his knees in front of Yugi.

"I don't wanna fall asleep. What if you're gone when I wake up" Yugi's voice softened the further he got in his sentence, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Yugi, I'm not going anywhere. I've finally found you again. And I'm not leaving you."

"R-Really?"

"Really" Yami smiled and wiped away a tear that slid down Yugi's cheek.

"Y-Yami?"

"Hm?"

"W-Will... Will you c-cuddle with me?" Yugi asked a light pink blush going over his cheeks.

Yami smiled, his tanned skin hiding his light pink blush "Uh, s-sure..."

"We won't both fit here on the couch so c'mon." Yugi led Yami up the stairs, Yami catching him every time he would stumble, and to his room. Once there Yugi kicked off his shoes and laid down in bed, patting the spot beside him for Yami to join him.

Yami kicked his shoes off and crawled in bed letting Yugi get comfortable by snuggling into his chest. Yugi wrapped his arms around Yami's ribs and tucked his head under Yami's chin, putting his right leg between Yami's legs. Yami wrapped his arms around Yugi's shoulders, holding him against him while he rested. "Okay Yugi, now get some rest."

"Okay. Don't let go."

"I won't. I'm right here."

"Okay." Yugi yawned, he was resting his head on the bag of frozen peas as he lay there. Yami couldn't help but drift off too, the long day of searching, the fight, worrying about Yugi, it had begun to take it's toll on him, and he was to tired to do anything about it. The two of them fell asleep, wrapped around each other.

"Yami's back?!" The group of friends exclaimed all at once.

"Yeah" Joey chuckled.

"We've gotta go see him!" Duke cheered.

"NOT. Right. Now." Joey said. "Listen, guys, Yami is taking care of Yug. Ushio got ahold of him again, and right now, Yugi needs time with Yami."

"I'm glad he's okay" Ryou said a worried look on his face.

"Tomorrow mornin' we'll go to the hotel, get Yami's stuff, check 'im outta the hotel, an' then go see the two of 'em. Hopefully by then Yug's recovered a lil' bit."

"I hope so" Ryou sighed "his birthday is Friday for pete's sake."

"I know. But, I have a feelin' he'll be okay. He's got 'is boy back now."

"Yeah. And now he'll smile again, like he used to. Not the fake ones hes been putting on."

"Right. Let's get some rest, and we'll get started tomorrow."

"Okay" the group agreed as they walked out of the house and back to their own homes.

Me: Okay, I put them to bed, because I'm fixing to fall asleep myself :) Goodnight everyone, I wish you all sweet dreams :) I'm headed to bed, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Review if you'd like, if you don't wanna, then don't :) I just like hearing from you guys is all :) I do pay attention to my reviews, if I do not get back to you right away, I'm sorry, I have a life too :) Just a busy person :) If I seem a little rude in my responses to your reviews, I am SO SO SO sorry. Half the time I don't realize what I said back until I've already sent it XD I can assure you though, I'm just trying to answer questions... Anyway! Until next time *waves* Goodbye, and goodnight! :)