A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews. I was really happy with the reception towards Bakura and his thoughts. Seems everyone feels really bad for Ryou. I think it's just too much fun to torture our poor little Rabbit. Don't worry, things between him and Bakura won't be bad forever. I'm just not that kind of writer. Now, you get to see my interpretation of Mariku... and believe me when I say, he's not easy to write. How do you make a crazed psychopath somewhat human? You can't. It's just not done. So he's probably a bit out of character, but... well... just try to accept it.

Important Note: I've had a few comments/complaints as to why Yuugi calls Yami "Tenno". Basically, in some cultures, it's considered polite to call strangers/people you don't know well by their last name. First names are for close friends/lovers/family. Yuugi is trying to keep distance between himself and Yami, which is why he persists in calling Yami "Tenno". This won't last for much longer. I already have a scene planned out where this will end. Please bear with me for a short while longer.

Note: I apologize to anyone who received two notifications about this story. For some reason, either the site or my internet screwed up when I was uploading this chapter and another one of my stories, and the chapters refused to show. I had to re-upload. Here's hoping it works this time.

It wasn't very hard to figure out where Ryou might go. Actually, there was really only one place since his house had been infiltrated by Samira, and Yuugi and Malik set a course for that spot immediately. The large park in Domino was a pretty popular place, with an outdoor stage, a beautiful fountain, and, near the Western corner in a more secluded area, a little grove of trees that had been cut off from the forest by a man-made waterfall and stream. Even though the spot was visually stunning, most people never bothered to make an attempt to get through the close-knit trees to get there since there was no path. Because of their relatively small bodies, Yuugi and Malik had little trouble slipping in and amongst the trees. Mariku, on the other hand, who had been discreetly trailing the two hikaris up until that point, had a bit more difficulty. The heated swearing that followed the two of them was enough to have Malik grinning broadly as they finally made it to the stream.

And there was Ryou, knees pulled up to his chin, arms wrapped tightly around his knees, chin resting on top, staring into the churning water. It had rained the night before, so the usually gentle stream was actually pretty volatile, and Ryou didn't look up from his close perusal even though they had made enough sound to alert anyone to their approach. Yuugi stopped, suspecting that his friend was caught up in the memories of times that he and Amane used to come and play here. Not long after her death, Ryou had taken him and Malik to the waterfall for the first time, after one particularly nerve-wracking night when he'd fallen asleep there and scared his friends half to death. Since then, this was always the spot he came to when life got to be too overwhelming; the one place that he could come to for peace and solitude. For tears, though he didn't appear to be crying at the moment. Or at least, not on the outside.

With a glance at Malik, Yuugi summoned his courage and made the first move: he walked over and sat down beside Ryou. The ground was wet from rain, and he squirmed uncomfortably as Malik took a place on the other side. Neither of them were quite sure what to say. Malik liked to hold on to something when he was upset, and that was easy enough to supply, but Ryou had the tendency to retreat inwards to a place that no one else could reach. As close as the three of them were – and make no mistake, they did share a bond that was unbreakable – there were still times when Yuugi felt completely at a loss. It occurred to him for possibly the first time that maybe there was room for the yamis after all.

"Are you alright?" he asked finally, dismissing that thought from his mind. The question felt inadequate in light of the absolute pain and misery in Ryou's eyes, but there was no safer starting point. At the very least, it would give them an indicator of just how far Ryou had gone. He felt like cheering when the other boy blinked, breaking his staring contest with the water, and sighed.

"I should have known better," he said quietly, almost thoughtfully, paying no attention to the fact that Mariku had finally crashed through the woods behind them. One of his hands rose, absently stroking the round part of the Ring.

"What do you mean?" Malik asked cautiously, watching his friend warily.

"He told me that I was only around for power," Ryou said, dropping his hand into his lap. His tone of voice left no question as to who "he" could be. "That the only reason he needed me and protected me was so that he could have access to the power of the Millennium Ring. Stupid me, I thought that maybe things could be different. I should have known better." His voice was light, with no trace of the bitterness that the words should have carried. Over his bent head, Yuugi and Malik exchanged worried looks.

"You don't know that they still couldn't be, Ryou," Yuugi tried. "From what I've seen, Bakura isn't a very nice person, but everyone needs someone to open up to eventually. I really think you were starting to get through to him."

Slowly, the white-haired boy shook his head. "No. You're wrong, Yuugi. It's nice of you say something like that, but why should I bother trying to fool myself? I see the truth now and I'm okay with it. Really. I don't care about Bakura either. To be quite honest, he's an utter bastard, and I could do without another one of those in my life, you know?" His head rose, and with a pang, Yuugi saw that he had been wrong. Ryou had been crying after all. It was evident by the tear tracks on his cheeks, though his eyes were now dry. "I've been sitting here thinking for a while now, and he's totally right. What exists between me and Bakura is just based on what we can do for each other. It's not like what you and Tenno have, or what Malik and Mariku have. Your yamis actually care about you and want to protect you, and not just because you're the key to their power. He only wants power, not a weak partner."

Malik winced, remembering their conversation outside of the Kaiba mansion and the look on Ryou's face when he'd told his friend about Mariku's kiss. The thought of Ryou being jealous of him was absolutely ludicrous in Malik's eyes, but... It was hard to remember that Ryou had been alone for most of his life. "Ryou, you shouldn't - "

"Don't tell me what I should and shouldn't do, Malik. I'm sorry, but this is something that neither of you will be able to understand. I've put a lot thought in this, and I no longer see what Bakura could offer me." Without warning, he stood up, pulled the Ring off of his neck, and held it tightly with hands that shook. "He doesn't like me. He hates me. All he wants is power." His face twisted. "I don't need protection without this, and I fail to see why I should give him anything any longer."

"Ryou!" Yuugi cried out, watching the gleaming golden item spiral through the air and into the water. Silently, not responding to the alarmed shout, Ryou turned and ran, pushing past Mariku and disappearing into the trees. Malik didn't waste time watching him go. He kicked his shoes off and ran into the stream, gasping at the shock of the cold. The water was freezing, but even that wasn't enough to deter him from searching for Millennium Ring before it was swept away by the current. "Malik, be careful!"

"Don't worry, Yuugi, I'm fine," Malik said through gritted teeth, fighting back an urge to curse. The water was much stronger than he had anticipated, and it was threatening to take his feet right out from underneath him. He stumbled, caught off-guard when a stick struck his ankle, and spotted a gleam of gold in the water just ahead of him. Instantly, he darted forward, and his fingers closed around the cord seconds before it would have been swept away from him. His feet slipped on the bottom and he yelped as he started to fall backwards, but he never hit the ground. Strong arms wrapped around his shoulders and pulled him against a warm body. Without saying a word, Mariku carried his hikari back to shore, the Millennium Ring safely held in Malik's hands.

"Oh, Malik, are you okay?" Yuugi asked in dismay, studying his friend. His pants were soaked and even his shirt was damp.

"I'm fine," Malik mumbled, refusing to look up at Mariku as the older boy set him back on his feet. Now that he was out of the water, he could feel how the chilly the wind was, and he couldn't help shivering a little as he handed the Ring to Yuugi. "Here, Yuugi. I think you should keep this for Ryou."

"What? Why me?" Yuugi looked down at the Ring with a certain amount of wariness. Bakura would be furious if he found out that Ryou had tossed it away, and the thought of the white-haired yami coming after the Ring wasn't really a pleasant one. The safest place for the Ring probably would have been at the bottom of a lake, regardless of how much it meant to Bakura. It might have taught the boy a lesson. He usually believed in the best of everyone, but Bakura had really crossed a line. "You should have left it there."

"I would have," Malik agreed, his teeth chattering. It was a testament to how cold he was that he didn't even protest when Mariku wrapped an arm around his shoulders and drew him back against his body. "But you can tell that it's important to Ryou, just like the Puzzle is to you and the Rod is to me. I think that Ryou would regret having thrown it away, someday. As for why you, well, I just feel like it's safer with you." He sneezed and then frowned. "I don't know why."

Yuugi sighed and reluctantly slipped the Ring into his backpack, knowing that it would be pointless to argue. Malik had a point about Ryou and the Ring, but that didn't mean he had to like the idea. If they were right and Pegasus was targeting them for the Millennium Items – and that seemed likely, considering all that had happened – then he could now be considered a double target. Kill two birds with one stone, in other words. No wonder Malik didn't want to keep the Ring, though the blond would never admit to as much. He eyed his friend as he put his backpack on, noting that Malik's face was pale and his lips had the faintest tinge of blue, and sighed.

"You should go home, Malik," he said quietly, his eyes meeting Mariku's. A silent communication passed between the two of them, and something flickered in Mariku's face as he glanced from Malik to Yuugi. Knowing that the older boy was understandably reluctant to leave two Millennium Items in Yuugi's possession, he added, "I think I'll do the same. Jii-chan could probably use some more help in the shop, and I think I heard him mention that Hawkins-san and Rebecca-san are coming over. Again."

"It's true love," Malik said with a weak laugh and a violent shiver. By silent consensus, the three of them began walking back through the trees towards the main part of the park, specifically the parking lot. Mariku had brought along his motorcycle, even though Yuugi and Malik had been on foot. Yuugi watched, biting the inside of his cheek in an effort to hold back the grin, as Mariku hustled his hikari over to the motorcycle, climbed on, and practically forced the loudly protesting Malik to clamber on behind him. Malik turned and glared at him, clearly realizing that Yuugi found the situation more than funny, but fortunately he didn't have a chance to say anything before Mariku pushed a helmet into his hands and started up the machine.

"Oh, Malik, you're in trouble," Yuugi mumbled, eyes sparkling with amusement as the two of them roared out of the lot. He began the lonely walk home, wondering where Ryou had gone. Maybe home, though that was unlikely considering what Samira had done. It was tempting to try and track his friend down, but sometimes it was better to give Ryou space when he was upset. Too much coddling generally had the opposite effect: Ryou would get angrier and even more moody than before. Sighing, he shoved his hands into his pockets and picked up the pace, wondering if Ryou and Bakura would ever be able to work things out between them.

But then, why should he expect them to? As soon as Pegasus was no longer an issue, well, it wasn't like the yamis could be expected to stick around. Maybe Ryou had the right way of thinking after all. Yuugi sobered at that thought, his happy smile vanishing. He remembered the feeling of putting hand into Tenno's, a gentle warmth of protection and safety. It was something that all of them could become accustomed to far too easily, and that was dangerous. Tenno, Bakura, and Mariku were all popular, successful, and had bright futures ahead of them. That was more than obvious from all of the rumours he'd heard during the past week. Surely, once the Millennium Items were gone, they would leave, too? Could he believe Tenno when the boy said that they belonged together, or was that just a ploy?

The problem was... he liked Tenno. A lot, and he didn't want to believe that about him. There was something very appealing about the older boy, though Yuugi couldn't put his finger on what it was for certain. After just a week or so together, he could have honestly said that as much as he wanted to shove Tenno away, he didn't know how to do that. It just felt right when they were together. His chest never ached, and Tenno's presence made him feel like he didn't have to worry about anything. What was he supposed to believe? Common sense or his heart? Yuugi groaned and rubbed his head, wishing that he knew what was right. He had so many questions and so few answers.

GMA

Mariku was having a hard time. It was nothing short of impossible to concentrate on the road in front of him when his beautiful little hikari's arms had finally (though grudgingly) slipped around his waist. He could feel Malik's shivering body pressed up against his and relished the contact with every fibre of his being. Of course, it would have been much better if there had been no clothes between them, but he knew that there would be time for that later. Malik was too pure to be ready for something like that, and besides, he had the feeling that that sister of his would have torn his balls off if she thought that he was trying to take advantage of her brother. Isis had never liked him, and she had made that more than clear from day one. It was mostly amusing, and when it came time for Malik to be his, she wouldn't stand in his way. But for now, he was willing to let her have her little fantasy.

He slowed down for a stop sign just long enough to check the street before he gunned it. Normally he had the tendency to ignore most of the rules of the road, but with Malik on the back, he was more willing to compromise – gods help anyone who hurt Malik. Fortunately, the house he shared with his brother wasn't far from the park, and this time, Malik was a lot more graceful about getting off of the motorcycle, much to Mariku's disappointment. He couldn't resist flashing the younger boy a broad grin, which caused Malik to turn a delightful shade of pink that made Mariku's mouth water. It truly amazed him that Malik had no idea of just how beautiful and gorgeous he truly was. How could someone with that kind of beauty be unaware of it?

"Come on," he said, uncomfortably aware that Malik's eyes had narrowed suspiciously in his direction. There was a certain point to which he could tease the kid, and if he crossed it, well... he didn't want to end up in the same situation as that idiot Bakura. "You can shower and I'll get you a change of clothing."

There was a pause. "Does the bathroom door have a lock?"

"Yes," Mariku said. He didn't bother to add that it wouldn't do the hikari much good if Mariku was really determined. His brother could be an ass sometimes, so he'd learned how to break into the room more than once. "I don't think my brother is home, so go ahead. Bathroom's down the hall to the left."

"Thanks," Malik muttered. Without saying another word, he slipped down the hall, leaving Mariku alone.

With a sigh, the yami went into his bedroom and rummaged around until he found a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt that were too small. He left them outside the bathroom door and then headed into the kitchen. Unlike Bakura or Yami, who would probably have no idea how to do anything for themselves in the kitchen, he was a fairly proficient cook – out of necessity, of course. His brother liked to joke that it was just because he had such a good relationship with fire of any kind, but really, it was because he'd gotten sick of living off of ramen, toast, and frozen dinners at a young age. After all, he doubted his beautiful light would be attracted to him if he was overweight.

The shower stopped and Mariku glanced up expectantly, waiting for Malik to appear in the doorway. When the younger boy did, Mariku forgot how to breathe. Although he loved teasing Malik just to see the reaction, truthfully the kid was genuinely breath-taking in a way that Mariku wasn't used to. He'd fooled around with people before, but the sheer depths of the attraction between he and Malik was almost frightening. Never in his life had he wanted to possess someone the way he wanted Malik. Was it just because of the link between them? The private calling of their two souls? Would he have felt this way if Malik was just a kid off of the street? Mariku eyed him quickly as Malik moved to sit down at the kitchen table and decided that yes, he would.

"You hungry?" he asked, glad that he was pressed against the counter.

"I guess," Malik mumbled, resting his head on his arms. He seemed uncomfortable, but when Mariku did nothing more than continue to chop the peppers and mushrooms he'd pulled out of the refrigerator, Malik gradually began to relax. "Um..."

"What?" Mariku hid his pleasure at the knowledge that Malik had spoken to him. Fuck, he was well and truly taken with the kid, wasn't he? Good thing Bakura wasn't around, or he would have been in for some serious teasing.

"I have to go back to my apartment later," Malik said softly. "My sister... she'll be worried."

"I'll take you back after we eat," said Mariku calmly, pouring the veggies into a frying pan. The chance to mess with Isis was too good a one to pass up. She'd no doubt be pissed at any sight of him touching her little brother, but she wouldn't be able to say anything about it. Malik was his hikari and Isis had no choice but to accept that, much as she would have wanted to kill him for wandering eyes or hands. He smirked and poked at the browning food. Yes, this would be... interesting.

Once the food was ready, he dished the vegetables onto some rice and handed a portion to Malik, who accepted and began eating in silence. Mariku sat down beside him at the table and felt a chill as their knees brushed under the table. Ignoring it, but pleased that Malik made no effort to move away, he started his own meal. It was the first time that he could remember sharing a meal with someone who wasn't his brother, Yami, or Bakura, and he was honestly surprised by how much he enjoyed it. He sat back and gazed at Malik as the boy put his fork down and rested a flushed cheek on his hand. A surge of possessiveness swelled within him, and his gaze instinctively darted to the knife that he'd used to chop the vegetables, thinking that he'd have to take it with him, just in case some idiot drone of Pegasus's decided it was time to come calling for some fun. Malik belonged to him... and he had no qualms about making that clear to everyone and anyone.

GMA

Yuugi was so anxious to get home, and so absorbed in his thoughts, that he didn't even realize that someone had fallen into step beside him until a slender hand reached out and touched his shoulder. He jumped, badly startled, and instinctively jerked away, one hand flying protectively to the Millennium Puzzle as he twisted to look up at the tall young woman who was standing beside him. Whatever words he had been about to speak died when he got a good look at her. She was nothing short of utterly captivating, with dark hair that fell in waves to her shoulders, smooth, pale skin, and a beautiful smile. Her curves were perfectly outlined by the tight white sundress she was wearing, and an artful arrangement of crescent moon jewellery studded with sapphires stole attention to her silvery blue eyes.

"Hi," she said in a voice that sounded something like chiming bells. "I'm new in town and looking for the Kame Game Shop. My little sister's birthday is tomorrow, and my aunt suggested that I might be able to find something there. Unfortunately, I'm completely lost. Could you help me?"

"Um... sure..." he said dazedly, unable to look away from her eyes.

"Can you take me there?" she prompted.

"Sure."

"Right now?"

"Sure."

"Great," she said with an even bigger smile, clapping her hands happily. "I was so happy to run into someone my age. I'm afraid I was a little too intimidated by everyone else to even think of approaching them." She laughed a little, and it was like a sweet melody. "Thank you so much for your help. You can't imagine how much I appreciate it."

"Sure," he said for the fourth time in a row. The Millennium Puzzle gave off a flash of heat, and he suddenly found himself able to look away from her eyes. If he had been looking up at the girl, he would have seen the expression of annoyance that flashed over her face, but he missed it. A headache was forming behind his temples, preventing him from thinking clearly, and he felt confused. What had she asked again? Where were they going?

"So we'll go there right now, to the Kame Game Shop," the girl said pointedly, thrusting her hand out right below his nose so that he couldn't ignore her. "My name is Tsuki, by the way. And you are?"

"I'm Yuugi," he mumbled, sliding his hand into hers reluctantly. A chill ran up his spine and he let go as soon as he could; her skin was icy cold. Without saying another word, he turned and began walking towards the game shop, not waiting to see if Tsuki would follow. She kept up with him easily, a satisfied smile on her face.

Tsuki kept up a non-stop string of chatter the whole way back to the shop. She didn't seem to care that Yuugi never once voiced a response to her comments. Every once in a while, she'd brush her hand against his shoulder or his arm, and there was no way to explain the weird jolt he felt from the Puzzle every time that happened. He was relieved when they finally reached the shop and hurried forward to open the door for her. Without thinking, he glanced up as she walked by, and their eyes connected for a second time. Instantly, that strange, drifting feeling happened for a second time, like his body was weak... so weak... Tsuki was whispering to him, her pink lips moving, but he couldn't quite make out what she was saying, and the heaviness in his head was growing stronger...

"Yuugi?" The sound of Sugoroku's voice made Tsuki turn. Yuugi blinked, wondering why he was being so rude as to stare at their prospective customer, and why his head hurt so much. Fortunately, Tsuki walked calmly into the game shop, seemingly not noticing his behaviour, and greeted Sugoroku with a cheerful smile.

"This is... is..." Yuugi trailed off. Why couldn't he remember her name? Where had she come from? And why was he so cold?

"I'm Tsuki," she said, smiling broadly at Sugoroku. "I'm here to find a gift for my sister. Yuugi here told me that you're the best salesman in town, and that you could find me the perfect gift."

"I did?" he asked.

"I see," Sugoroku said at the same time, looking dazzled. "We can help you find something right, Yuugi?"

"I think I'm going to go upstairs, actually," Yuugi said hastily. Tsuki's face fell, and Sugoroku frowned, but Yuugi was past the point of caring. His head hurt so badly that it was taking all of his effort just to stand, and the Millennium Puzzle had begun to grow warm against his chest, just like it had the night that he solved it. Something wasn't right, but he didn't know what or why. He staggered past the two of them and up the stairs, where he collapsed on his bed with a muffled groan. Lying down didn't seem to help much, but at least it meant he wasn't in danger of having his knees give out on him anymore.

Sleep eluded him, and the Puzzle continued to be a steady warmth against his chest. Every time he closed his eyes, he could see a pair of silvery blue eyes staring back at him and hear a musical voice whispering unintelligible things to him. Yuugi groaned in pain and rolled over, wishing that it would stop. At one point, he became aware of the fact that someone standing over him. Slender hands grabbed a hold of the Millennium Puzzle, but before he could even think about reacting, the Puzzle pulsed with heat, and the person exclaimed in surprise and let go. Then those same hands were grabbing his head, cupping his cheeks forcefully, and he gasped, eyes flying open, at the icy cold touch. The same blue eyes that he'd seen in his dreams stared down at him, increasing the pain in his head until he thought he would scream even as the Puzzle flared with fury.

Suddenly, the touch left. Whoever was leaning over him backed away and then vanished altogether, giving him room to breathe. He curled up into a ball and began to shiver, only vaguely aware of someone else coming into the room and calling his name. More hands touched him, but it was comforting this time, not painful. Almost un-noticed because of the pain in his head, the ache in his chest vanished, telling him that it was Tenno Yami who held him. Yuugi rolled over and clutched desperately at the older boy's chest, seeking relief from the pain and heat to help him warm up. Tenno stroked his hair and spoke to him gently in a language that he couldn't understand, but it was soothing all the same, and gradually the hated whispering stopped. He took Yuugi's left hand, intertwined their fingers, and placed their joined hands against the Millennium Puzzle. It stopped burning and instead began pulsing beneath their fingertips. Slowly, ever so slowly, the pain began to recede.

"Aibou, can you hear me?" Tenno whispered some time later.

Yuugi opened his eyes a slit. The room had grown dark and he could see the moon and stars through the skylight. More time had passed than he'd expected. He was lying on his bed with the upper half of his body supported by Tenno, who had perched himself on the edge of the bed with his back pressed against the wall for additional support. Both of them were wrapped up in the covers from his bed, but he continued to shiver with cold. His head still hurt, but not nearly as badly as before, and in spite of it all, he managed to make a small sound of agreement. It made his throat throb, and he realized that he must have cried out or screamed at some point, though he had no memory of doing so.

"Good," Tenno murmured. "You don't have to speak for the moment, just listen. You were attacked by a Duel Monster. Do you remember what it looked like?"

The events of the day were a complete blur. Yuugi couldn't remember anything beyond leaving the clearing with Malik and Mariku. How had he gotten home? What kind of Duel Monster was Tenno talking about? Slowly, he shook his head, and then squeezed his eyes shut tightly when the world spun. A hand ran through his hair, giving him something to cling to until he felt stable again. He cleared his throat and managed to whisper, "Why?"

"We think they were after the Millennium Puzzle, but the Puzzle was able to protect you until my presence drove the creature away," came the low response. "I felt your pain. I came as quickly as I could. I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner. Are you alright?"

"M'head hurts. M'cold, Yami, s'cold," he forced out, shivering again. He felt Tenno lift him so that he was tucked more securely in between Tenno's legs and against the older boy's body. Normally he would have shied away, but the warmth felt so good that he couldn't help himself. With a soft whimper, he clung to Tenno and buried his face in the curve of his shoulder. Strong arms encircled his body and gentle words of comfort were uttered in his ear, driving away the pain, cold, and memories of cold, silvery blue eyes.

Please review! And if you're looking for more YGO stories by yours truly, go read my new one-shot.