Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Blue Ice ❯ Combustion ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: Plain and simple. I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh

A/N: Hello. Okay, for those of you who have read this story already, this is scenes three and four from the original chapter. Chapters three and four will be new material for you when I get them up. I decided to chapter the story because I think I was scarring people away with the length of it. I'm just experimenting here.

I'll have chapters three and four out soon, hopefully. There will be a lemon in one of those chapters. Not sure which yet. Anyway, I shall leave you to your reading.

Blue Ice

By Ocean

Chapter Two: Combustion

It really was a remarkable invention of civilization. The ability for merchants to combine their variety of goods provided a market that allowed for easy accessibility for the people and an increase in commercialization for the dealers involved. The surplus of food eliminated the constant turmoil of needing to spend every waking moment worrying about survival and freed man to pursue other ventures that would further enhance the life of human kind.

Yes. The supermarket certainly held many wonders.

The cart continued its whine of protest as it was pushed down the aisle, the burden of its contents weighing down on wheels that desperately needed to be oiled. Sugoroku winced as the lament of his cart bounced along the linoleum and ricochet against the shelves lined with canned goods. He grabbed the item he was certain Yuugi had requested and quickly made his way over to the checkout line, eager to rid himself of the rickety basket with wheels.

Sugoroku hadn't realized just how much food he was buying until he noticed the ten paper bags filled to the brim overflowing from his cart. He groaned lightly at the thought of having to load the groceries into his car. His back had vehemently protested after his last excursion to the grocery store and Yuugi had admonished him for even thinking of going without him.

It was a good thing he had bought that bottle of aspirin.

"Ya need a han' wit' those gramps?"

Sugoroku turned to scowl at the insolent teenager. "Have you no respect for your elders?" His scowl was replaced with a smile as he chuckled at the teenager's shrug. "Thanks Jou, I could use some help with these."

With his trade mark grin, Jou took the cart from Sugoroku and pushed it into the parking lot. "So wha' are ya doin' 'ere by yurself, Grampa? I though' Yuugi made it clear youz weren' suppose ta go ta the store wit'out 'im."

"Yuugi tends to forget who the adult is," Sugoroku said as he unlocked his car and stepped aside so Jou could unload the cart. "We needed a few things and I didn't know when he was going to be back. By the way, weren't you and him-"

"Yeah," Jou interrupted, not out of disrespect but because of the unease of the topic. "We hung a' the mall for awhiles until... Well, Yuugi decided he wanted someone else's comp'ny." The words were said quickly, a hint of anger present in their undertone.

Sugoroku didn't say anything as Jou finished loading the groceries into the back of the car. He recognized Jou's tone. It was full of pain and frustration and agitation. Just like it was every time he and Yuugi fought. He didn't have to think long to figure out whose company Yuugi had sought. Lately, Yami was the only person Yuugi ever wanted to be around.

"Need a lift?" Sugoroku asked as he opened the passenger door. Jou nodded in appreciation, abandoning the shopping cart and jumping into the car. "Where to?"

"Jus' home," Jou replied. He leaned his head against the window and closed his eyes as Sugoroku coaxed the old engine into turning over. The rough hum of the engine vibrated the small car as Sugoroku eased into drive and the flow of traffic. After a few moments of silence Jou felt the need to unburden himself. "I jus' dun ge' it!"

"I know, it's difficult," Sugoroku agreed.

"It's more 'an dat! It's wrong!" Jou took a deep breath, attempting to calm himself enough so he could continue without shouting. "Doesn' he see how dangerous he is? I mean, he kills people for Kami's sake! How can Yug jus' accep' dat?"

"Because Yami kills for him, Jou." Sugoroku took a side-glance at Jou before sighing. "Yuugi doesn't accept Yami's killing of others-"

"He's not agains' it either, or he woulda stopped 'im."

"It's not that simple Jou. There really is only one way to stop him, but Yuugi would never do it because he doesn't want to. Violence is part of Yami's nature, and to take that away from him would be to change Yami and, in a sense, change Yuugi himself." Sugoroku looked over at Jou again, a sad acceptance in his eyes.

"So why don' you do it?" Jou asked. "I know youz feel the same way I dos' 'bout him. You'd be able ta dismantle tha puzzle an' save Yuugi."

"No, I wouldn't." Sugoroku averted his eyes as Jou gaped at him. "Not only would I be dead before I even touched the puzzle, but I refuse to destroy Yuugi's one chance at happiness."

"You've gots ta be kidding! 'Happiness'?!" Jou exclaimed. "Wha' happiness? How could he possibly be happy hangin' 'round someone as dark an' arrogant an' selfish as Yami? All tha' bastard has done is isolate and corrup' Yuugi." Jou fell back against his seat, pouting as he folded his arms across his chest.

Sugoroku pursed his lips. He understood Jou's protest better than anyone did. Both of them had been prominent figures in Yuugi's life, helping to guide and protect him through all his trials and tribulations. Perhaps they had done their job too well. Instead of protecting Yuugi and building his confidence in himself, he had come to depend on them for everything, never believing he had the ability to deal or cope with difficult situations. After Yami came, Sugoroku witnessed his grandson's strength explode under the careful and strict tutelage of the spirit. Yami became all that Yuugi needed.

He agreed wholeheartedly with Jou's description of the ancient pharaoh. But he had the troublesome complication of witnessing Yami and Yuugi interact in the privacy of their home. He saw how happy Yuugi was, almost giddy when he was in the presence of his other. He also saw how depressed Yuugi became when he and Yami were separated.

"You say he has corrupted Yuugi..." Sugoroku began. Jou nodded. "I wonder if that's such a bad thing."

"Eh?" Jou asked, looking blankly at Sugoroku. "When is corruption eva a good thing?"

"When it makes you stronger."

Both men sat in silence for the rest of the drive. Jou was having a difficult time accepting Sugoroku's view, having already decided that under no circumstance would he accept Yami. But Sugoroku had poked a few holes in the veil of righteousness he had so comfortably wrapped himself in. He made no motion to get out of the car as Sugoroku pulled up in front of his house.

"Yuugi ga' me an ultimatum today," Jou said quietly.

"And?" Sugoroku prompted.

"... I dunno. I dunno wha' ta do." Jou lowered his head in his hands. "The jist of it is, eithers I accep' his feelings for Yami or..." He still found himself unable to say it.

"Or you and he will no longer be friends," Sugoroku concluded for him. Jou nodded his head, a large sigh escaping his lips. Sugoroku closed his eyes. Though he should have been surprised, he could not bring himself to be. Yuugi was beginning to systematically challenge all those who did not agree with his and Yami's relationship. He himself had been given a similar choice, though his consequences would have been far more dire.

"So wha' do I do?" Jou asked meekly.

"Think long and hard, Jou. Think long and hard."

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It was dark this night. Darker than most. The clouds drifted lazily across the sky, blotting out the moon and stars that desperately tried to shine their light upon the solitary figure that walked the streets. There were no shadows lurking about on this night, the street lights having been starved of their power after a traffic accident destroyed the power relay station.

It was cold out as well. The wind had invited the chill of the ocean to accompany it on its journey across the land. Any other person would have shivered as the frost danced along their skin, arms bare in a sleeveless tee that barely covered the taught stomach over which it was pulled. A strong, steady beat could be heard as long legs walked perpetually over the pavement of the sidewalk, no trace of hesitation at the lack of light or the quietness of the street.

An engine. A loud rumble tearing through the quiet night. Headlights followed, twin beams of yellowish light penetrating the darkness directly in front of them. The man continued walking a few moments, giving the car a chance to catch up with him as it came to a crawling stop against the curb. He immediately turned and opened the door, settling himself without looking at the driver. The car pulled away with a squeal as tires burned against the asphalt.

"You were following me," Yami stated.

"Yep," Yuugi replied as he guided the car around a corner. "I was bored... had nothing else to do."

"It is two o'clock in the morning, aibou. You should be asleep," Yami noted.

"And you should be home," Yuugi countered. He sighed when Yami didn't answer. Once again Yuugi had awoken to find himself alone in his bed, the warm and comforting body of his Yami absent as it had been so many nights before. Yami and Yuugi had shared a bed for years, finding a peace and security when in such close proximity that they could not find elsewhere.

Yuugi was beginning to feel... almost... rejected by Yami. Maybe not rejected... that was too harsh a word. But he was feeling lost and alone; Yami's nightly disappearances weighing down his fatigued soul. It was just like everything else. He needed to feel his Yami at night, hear the slow depth breathes of sleep and the light shuffle of sheets as his other turned to find a more comfortable position. Yuugi just didn't feel right when the Pharaoh wasn't near him.

Yuugi continued to drive through the deserted streets, wary of the dark intersections that no longer had their brightly colored signals. Yami raised an eyebrow as Yuugi pulled into the large parking lot of the mall, speeding through the deserted lot before coming to a stop in front of the entrance to the ice rink. He turned his questioning gaze to Yuugi as the car's engine was silenced.

"I figured this is where you were headed," Yuugi explained quietly. "After seeing you here earlier today it dawned on me that this is where you go at night. Your ice skating is one of the few things you have kept from me." Yuugi slowly unlocked his door and exited the vehicle without looking at Yami, the hurt he felt preventing him from glancing into Yami's crimson eyes.

Yami closed his eyes and sighed, hesitating a moment before he too exited the car and followed his hikari to the rink's door. Yuugi had allowed him to feel some of the pain he was experiencing, and it tore at Yami's soul to know that he was the cause of his aibou's sadness. If it had been anyone else they would have been killed immediately. But he could not kill himself. There were far too many reasons and he was not in the mood to recite them all.

He caught up quickly with Yuugi, the two of them coming to a stop in front of the locked doors. Yuugi looked at him patiently. When Yami returned the look, Yuugi sighed as a slight smirk formed on his lips.

/I'm just waiting to see how you break in here every night. I'm really quite intrigued./ Yami could hear Yuugi's smirk in his mind, and the spirit had to suppress a chuckle at the eagerness in the tone.

Amusement flashed its way across Yami's eyes. He blinked slowly as he turned and walked smoothly to the edge of the glass door, reaching above its edge as his fingers closed around a small metallic object. Bringing the key down in front of him, he presented it to Yuugi whose face was crinkled in confusion.

//Disappointed?//

/Well... yeah,/ Yuugi said matter-of-factly as he took the key from Yami. /I was expecting something a bit more... I don't know.../

//Theatrical?// Yami offered. This time he did allow himself a chuckle as Yuugi glared at him. His amusement quickly vanished as his body froze, his mind sharpening as he saw a shadow moving towards him and Yuugi.

Yuugi squinted as a bright light was shone in his face, raising his arm in an attempt to block the offensive light. Yami took a step closer to Yuugi, his red eyes reflecting the light with the brilliance of a ruby.

"Hey, you there! What are you doing here so late?" the security guard demanded. His eyes caught the glint of light reflecting off metal, and he narrowed his eyes on Yuugi. "What is that you've got in your hand there, boy?" he growled.

Yuugi lowered his arms and tried to look around the light at the security guard, ducking his head to the side. "It's nothing. Just my car keys."

"Car keys, huh?" The guard reached out and roughly took Yuugi's left hand in his. "This don't look like no car key to me," he said as he twisted the silver ring on Yuugi's finger. Such soft hands this boy had... his skin was smooth as alabaster and nearly as pale. He wouldn't mind feeling some more of this boy...

The guard never had a chance to think further on the subject as Yami roughly gripped his wrist and wrenched his hand from Yuugi's. He slammed his palm into the guard's chest, cracking his breastbone and expelling all air from his lungs. He then turned on his leg and brought the heel of his foot against the guard's jaw with a sickening crunch, knocking him to the ground.

Yami reached out an arm and pulled Yuugi behind him as he continued to stare at the guard writhing on the ground. Harsh words spilled from the man's mouth as he held his hand against his jaw, trying to hold the broken bone together. Anger flared through him as his body throbbed with pain. He reached for his holster and shakily drew his gun, releasing the safety and aiming his piece at the taller of the two assailants.

"What the hell is the matter with you?!" he shouted, though his words were slurred as he tried to speak around his broken jaw. His anger grew when Yami refused to respond. He noticed Yami's protective stance and began laughing. "Oh, I see. You're jealous! Don't worry, I won't hurt him, and there will be plenty left over for you."

Yuugi buried his face in Yami's back, sighing as he listened to the guard's foolish words. He raised his hands and took hold of Yami's shirt has he felt the spirit's body tense in preparation. He took a deep breath as he felt the power emanate from the Pharaoh, anger and hatred and passion swirling together in a mass of emotion that tore into the guard and shattered his mind and soul. He pressed himself against Yami's back as he felt him take a large sigh, his body shivering slightly.

Yami closed his eyes and turned his thoughts inward, trying to calm the storm of emotions that fueled his power over the Shadows. His mind lurched against his attempt to regain control, finally relenting as he drew strength from Yuugi's warm embrace. He opened his eyes and turned around, taking the key from Yuugi's hand and opening the door to the rink.

Yuugi looked at the motionless body of the guard. The man's eyes were open and vacant, fogged over with the pain and fear of the shattering of his soul. After a final thought of sympathy Yuugi banished the man from his memory and redirected his thoughts to Yami. He found the spirit leaning against the side of the rink, his knuckles white with the force of his grip. He was panting slightly, his eyes clenched in effort.

"Yami?" Yuugi inquired softly. "Are you alright?" He nuzzled against Yami's shoulder when the spirit didn't answer, trying to offer quiet support as he waited for him to pull himself together.

//I am... fine, hikari,// Yami said as he straightened himself, mindful of the head on his shoulder. He raised his hand and placed it against Yuugi's head, brushing his thumb over his temple before walking over to the skate rental booth.

Yuugi watched him as Yami gracefully hopped over the counter and selected a pair of skates for himself. His concern had doubled with the hesitation of Yami's answer. He had long known something happened to Yami when he used his magic... such a power could not be expected to be controlled without a price. But Yami had never told him what the price was, or even that he had to pay for protecting him.

"What happens?" Yuugi asked as Yami finished tying his laces. "I can't stand to see you hurting when I don't know what causes your pain."

Yami didn't answer, instead standing and making his way over to the ice. Gingerly he placed one blade onto the solid surface to gain his footing before pushing off and beginning his nightly routine. He had expected Yuugi to ask him this question for quite some time, but even though he was expecting it, he still did not have a satisfactory answer. He could feel Yuugi's growing agitation and decided it would be most prudent to give some sort of response.

//It is an... unpleasant, experience,// Yami began. //I do not simply wield the Shadows.//

Yuugi nodded, even though Yami couldn't see him as he was on the other side of the rink. He remembered Yami explaining to him how his soul and the Shadow magics were connected, interlaced with each other. /Yes, I remember you telling me./

//There is always a price to be paid. It depends on the action the Shadows are used for.// Yami paused, trying to decide how best to explain the matter. //A piece of the soul I banish... it...// He came to a stop on the ice, raising his hand as he searched for the proper words. //It attaches itself to me.// Yami sighed as he resumed skating around the rink.

Yuugi walked to the break in the wall surrounding the ice, leaning forward slightly in interest. /Attaches itself? How? I mean, what happens?/

//I witness an instant of the person's life in that moment between when a soul is separated from its body and when it is banished. A portion of their personality is engrained into my soul.// Yami's pace along the ice increased as he finished his explanation. It was difficult for him to admit this affect of his magic. The fragment of the personality infused within him was insignificant, but he was still acutely aware of its presence. A voice the size of a grain of sand, wedged deep in the recesses of his mind.

Yami swung his leg forward and jumped off the ice in a fashion that had been labeled a 'triple axle.' Spinning three times in the air, he landed back on the ice with the lightness of a feather, extending his free leg fully behind him and stretching his arms to the side. He released the breath he had been holding, expelling the tension of his mind. Yami turned to complete the movement, coming face to face with Yuugi.

Yuugi smiled as Yami blinked his eyes several times, confusion and surprise playing across his features. Yuugi had sensed Yami's distress and had instantly put on a pair of skates so he could talk to Yami directly. Where he couldn't hide, or turn away, or close himself off.

"You hear them, don't you?" Yuugi asked quietly. "Even though you try to ignore them, you can't tune them out."

"Not always," Yami whispered.

Yuugi regarded his Yami carefully. So much emotion passed through his eyes if one knew where to look. Yami fell victim to the same stereotype that Yuugi did himself. He was the darkness... therefor he should be pure evil. Uncaring, unfeeling, no remorse, unrepentant, unconcerned... every negative connotation in the dictionary was supposed to apply to him.

Yuugi knew better.

Yami was not uncaring; he cared deeply for him. Yami was not unfeeling; Yuugi knew he loved him. Yami did have remorse; he continuously apologized to Yuugi that he had not been with him since the day of his birth to protect him. Yami was not unrepentant; he regretted the few decisions he had made that had resulted in pain, either physical or emotional, for Yuugi. Yami was not unconcerned; Yuugi was the reason his heart beat, and he would always be dedicated to his welfare and happiness.

And as he thought of these characteristics of his Yami, Yuugi was unable to hold back any longer.

Yuugi raised his hands and cupped Yami's face, guiding him down so their lips met. Though he had never kissed anyone before, there was no hesitation in his movements as he closed his eyes and pressed his lips softly against the cool mouth of his Yami. Even though there was a chill to Yami's lips because of the coldness of the room, Yuugi felt a torrent of warmth spread from his face to the rest of his body.

Yami did not resist Yuugi's advancement, allowing himself to be pulled towards the eager hikari. He responded only lightly to the kiss, relishing in the warmth of Yuugi's hands enveloping his face and the snow soft lips that pressed against his own. His hands rose of their own accord to Yuugi's waist, his palms pressing urgently against the slender hips as his fingers crawled their way under the hem of Yuugi's shirt.

The unexpected chill of Yami's fingers caused Yuugi to shiver, pulling his body flush against Yami's. He sighed as the fingers slipped beneath the rim of his pants, teasingly dancing their way along the shivering skin. Yuugi parted his lips so he could trail his tongue against Yami's mouth, outlining the soft curves before separating the lips with his own so he could suckle them. An almost inaudible moan escaped from Yami's throat as Yuugi sent wave after wave of pleasure throughout his senses as he continued his gentle ministrations.

Yuugi was moving too slowly. The sexual tension had been building between the two for years and now that one of them had made the first move, the carnal passion in Yami consumed his mind as he took control of the situation. He took a firm grasp on Yuugi's hips and skated forward, guiding his smaller partner across the ice without breaking the kiss.

Yuugi gasped lightly as his backside collided with the side of the rink, but he didn't have time to react as he felt Yami's hands slip down and grab the back of his thighs, lifting him so that he sat on the edge of the wall. Yami pulled Yuugi's legs forward so that they were on either side of him before wrapping his long arms tightly around Yuugi's waist.

Yuugi gladly allowed his more experienced Yami to take control, wrapping his legs carefully around his waist and brushing his hands back into his long and luxurious hair. The kiss grew more demanding, both Yami and Yuugi tasting the need and want and desire of the other. Yami tasted like the desert sand, hot and simmering and alluring and smooth and unforgiving and lustful and timely. Yuugi reminded Yami of ice, crisp and cool and hard and soft and pure and white and melting. Melting into him, into the heat of the moment, into the feelings that both of them had repressed for far too long.

Yami guided his tongue under Yuugi's top lip, running it slowly along the sensitive flesh, ensuring Yuugi felt every moment of contact. He repeated the action with the lower lip, eliciting inticing mewls and whimpers from the squirming Yuugi in his arms. Yami raised one of his hands to the back of Yuugi's head, trailing his fingers along the back of his neck and up into his hair. He teased his other hand along Yuugi's side until he reached his stomach, pushing up the hem of Yuugi's shirt and laying his hand flat against his skin.

Yuugi leaned into the contact, pulling Yami impossibly close as he dipped his fingers under the neck of Yami's shirt and traced the curvature of his spine. A low growl was emitted from Yami's throat as Yuugi squeezed his legs together, the friction caused by the movement burning its way straight to his mind. Yuugi trembled. He wanted to hear that sound again. The raw emotion behind the noise summarized everything that was Yami and he wanted to drown himself in it.

Yami was about to pull back to give himself and Yuugi a chance to breathe but Yuugi would have none of that. He closed his mouth around Yami's tongue before he had a chance to pull away and sucked gently, tracing small patterns with the tip of his tongue along the underside of his prisoner. He was rewarded with another growl as Yami wrenched his tongue free and began to explore the warm and moist mouth of his hikari. The hand that rested against Yuugi's stomach crept upwards; fingers brushed against Yuugi's nipple before resting over his heart.

Yuugi was dizzy for so many different reasons. The closeness of Yami, his breath, his touch, his taste. The shivers that jumped along his skin as Yami's fingers curled and flexed against his smooth chest. The heat that radiated from Yami's mouth, his skin, his breath. The stream of emotion that coursed into him through their open link; raw, rough, intense, pure, commanding. All of this combined with the fact that Yuugi could not possibly force enough air into his lungs left him feeling light-headed and warm and fuzzy and tingly and swirling and falling and floating and everything in-between.

Once before Yuugi felt he couldn't breathe unless he was near Yami. Being in the Pharaoh's embrace now reminded him that perhaps breathing did not deserve the emphasis placed upon it.

Yami was finally able to pull himself away from Yuugi's highly addictive flavor, gulping in a breath of air as he began to nip and lick his way from Yuugi's jaw-line to the tip of his ear. The wet trail he left in his wake caused Yuugi to moan as the cold air of the ice below them blew teasingly along the moist skin. Yami's attentions soon turned to gentle sucks and bites as he traced his way down the pulsing vein in Yuugi's neck, leaving small red marks that announced his claim.

Yuugi panted heavily as Yami continued to bring untold amounts of pleasure to his neck, the hand on his chest sliding downwards to caress his inner thigh. He placed his mouth against the shell of Yami's ear and exhaled, his warm and moist breath surrounding the thin flesh in an inferno of heat. Yami groaned at the sensation, squeezing his hand on Yuugi's thigh as he intensified his assault on Yuugi's throat.

Fully licking Yami's ear, Yuugi forced his head under Yami's chin, whimpering a moment at the lost of heat he felt on his neck. Yami was about to protest when he felt soft lips on the front of his own neck, small butterfly kisses landing across the skin as Yuugi kissed his way down, his hands falling from Yami's hair to rest along his shoulders. Yami released a shuddering breath as Yuugi lazily swirled his tongue in the hollow of his neck, swallowing hard as Yuugi moved to kiss his clavicle through his extremely thin shirt, the warmth of Yuugi's lips penetrating the fabric easily.

Just when he thought he couldn't take anymore Yuugi took his face in his hands and guided their lips together again. The kiss was slow and thorough, lips pressing against each other as their tongues swirled and caressed in a dance of dominance. Yuugi pulled away slowly, but only so far as to allow him and Yami to gulp in the air they desperately needed. Yami let his head fall forward so that his and Yuugi's foreheads rested against each other, their lips brushing together on occasion as both of them panted.

"And you've been keeping that from me?" Yuugi whispered between ragged breaths. Yami merely grunted in reply, not in the frame of mind or mood to form coherent thoughts. Yuugi chuckled as he rubbed his thumb over Yami's parted lips, relishing in the feel of his heated breath.

"Why do you come here, my Yami?" Yuugi asked after a moment.

Yami rubbed his nose against Yuugi's before resting their foreheads together again, bringing his arms back around Yuugi's waist so he could hold them closer together. //It is easy for me to think here. There are no... distractions,// Yami said as he opened one eye and looked at Yuugi to emphasize his meaning. At Yuugi's smile he closed his eye again and sighed. //The coldness here is not unlike that in which I was imprisoned. Oddly enough, it offers some sort of comfort for me. The voices are not as loud here.//

Yuugi nodded in understanding. "You don't have to pretend here. There is no one to see you, to see what you consider to be a weakness. Only it isn't, Yami. Though you may hear the voices of those you have banished, they are nothing more than echoes. Just as hollow and just as meaningless. They do not judge you. They do not control you. They are simply a reminder of your actions, a reflection that keeps you with me and out of the control of the Shadows."

Yami considered Yuugi's words carefully. To look upon the voices as a reminder rather than damnation... the release such a change in thinking would bring was almost too much to grasp. He leaned forward and kissed his Yuugi harshly, but not without a great deal of love and gratitude. He pulled away, pulling with him a whimper of disappointment from Yuugi, and rested his head on Yuugi's shoulder. The enormity of torment that left him left him feeling drained and sleepy.

"My desert mirage," Yuugi whispered as he trailed his fingers in Yami's hair and down his side, causing the muscles to twitch under his soft caress. Yami made some kind of questioning noise in the back of his throat. "That's how I see you," Yuugi explained. "Both on the ice and off. You are as beautiful to me as a desert mirage is to a dying man. Though I have no intention of dying any time soon."

A sincere chuckle floated up to Yuugi's ears as Yami straightened himself so he could look at his aibou directly. Such warmth and peace and trust shined from those remarkably bright violet eyes as Yuugi tilted his head and smiled. Yami shook his head slightly in disbelief, his rare smile fading as an unpleasant memory surfaced.

//You fought with Jounochi again.//

Yuugi's smile faltered as he looked away from Yami, but soon returned as he came to a realization. "Yeah, I did. I gave him a choice this time, Yami."

Yami raised an eyebrow in suspicious question. //And?//

Yuugi's grin widened as he turned to face Yami again, wrapping his arms behind Yami's neck and bringing their faces close enough so that their noses touched.

"It doesn't matter. I just realized that it doesn't matter at all. Whatever he decides... I really don't care anymore. You are my heart and my soul. You are my conscience and my strength. You are my Yami. As I am your Hikari. And nothing else matters."

Yami was about to kiss Yuugi, to drag him out of the arena and back to the waiting car outside and into the warm bed that promised to be the place of many passionate and memorable encounters until Yuugi spoke again.

"But if you ever come here without me again, no matter the hour, I'm disowning you."

Yuugi laughed fully at the growl and glare he recieved from his extremely agitated and remarkably his Yami.