"Thanks, Anzu." He smiled, and as she stuck her tongue out at him he gave a laugh. "Now, let’s not go around tellin’ the world of how old I am!" He was already a bit too ahead of Yami as it was. Who knows how much older than Anzu he was.

Wait a minute. He paused, and tilted his head with curiosity. He never did find out her age, did he?

Yugi was right from his first instincts with Anzu. He knew she had to have been older than the other girl he used to know. She was more mature and held a different air, but he supposed part of her accident might have had something to do with it. Hardships tended to change you. He had also changed with his own demons.

Was that what her Atem had been? A ghost child stuck in a child’s body? Téa didn’t want to think about what Yugi and Yami did in their alone time. But the question still begged to be asked. She just had to know. “You two…are being, you know…safe?” The Anzu part of her heart screamed at having asked that question. “I mean, I don’t want details, but you know…” She was babbling. It was a habit she resorted to when she was nervous or threatening to slip back into a mind war. “People tend to…frown on that…”

Yami was different than Atem. Atem had his memories, or at least some of them. But Yami ...

When they met almost two years ago, Yami was very young. And by young, he meant just out of the Puzzle. And Yami knew it too. He had been out long enough to gain his own conscious - he didn't believe he was Yugi - but he had no memories of his past life. He still didn't. It broke Yugi's heart when his lover would wonder about parents that he didn't know, didn't -remember-, and he'd cry and wish for them. He'd wish for a childhood and memories of a family to fill his head. All Yugi could do in those moments was hold him, and promise him a family of their own, the family they would have together. That still couldn't replace the love of parents though.

Yami's past life was old, but he himself was young. He still had the mind of a teenager, despite the thousands of years he was trapped in his Puzzle, so when he was separated from his Yugi, they just kept Yami's age the same as his. He was going to turn seventeen in a couple of months, but he was still young.

"Thanks, Anzu." He smiled, and as she stuck her tongue out at him he gave a laugh. "Now, let’s not go around tellin’ the world of how old I am!" He was already a bit too ahead of Yami as it was. Who knows how much older than Anzu he was.

Wait a minute. He paused, and tilted his head with curiosity. He never did find out her age, did he?

Best to stop that train of thought there before she started to brood over her own missing memories…

Yugi was right from his first instincts with Anzu. He knew she had to have been older than the other girl he used to know. She was more mature and held a different air, but he supposed part of her accident might have had something to do with it. Hardships tended to change you. He had also changed with his own demons.

It was hypocritical of her to scold him for eating chocolate. Her addiction was much, much worse. Smoking. She wasn’t even sure where it had come from. She hated the smell and the taste. But something about breathing in the deadly fumes and letting them out relaxed her. Granted, she could probably feel them same if she took up yoga or meditation, but there was something symbolic about breathing out the bad. 

She had only given snippets of the whole story to people who bothered to ask. She gave Yugi a little more information than she usually gave. And she wanted to give him more. She wanted to open up completely. 

No one knew the full story of her time with Bakura. During the day, she did her best to block it out. But night…Night was the worst. Nighttime was when she woke up, screaming, from the nightmares. “He didn’t hurt me too badly,” she whispered. She swallowed instinctively. Sometimes she dreamed that he was choking her in her sleep. Sometimes she dreamed that the wounds on her neck came back. That her bruises had never faded. “Most of it was emotional. But,” she shrugged. “I woke up one morning and he was gone. I packed my things and Peaches and I left.” She went back to her old apartment, but didn’t feel safe. She packed up and left. He would never find her now. 

She chuckled darkly. “I got cocky. Challenged him to a duel and lost.” She took another drink. The sweet liquid helped center her. That was a long time ago. Over half a year. Bakura was gone. Yugi was here.

He was surprised by her next confession. About her lack of dancing these days. “It was…” Atem’s fault? No…it was all her fault. “It was my fault. I got distracted.”

She glanced down for a moment, her bangs shielding her eyes like a curtain. She didn’t dare tell anyone how she became distracted. They would think she was crazy. 

When Yugi called her name and gently reached for her hand, she looked up. In his touch, she found comfort. He understood her on a level no one else ever hand. And he didn’t blame her. 

Téa’s lips pulled up in a half smile at Yugi’s words. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve…It’s okay now. Sometimes it’s better to not remember, you know? It just sucks that the things I want to forget don’t go away.” Marik’s possession. Shadi’s possession. Atem’s death. All of it and more haunted her dreams. Sweet things like the…had it been a carnival? All she remembered was a bomb and “Cool Yugi”…A soft headache began to form in her temples. “I’m learning to live with it,” she admitted. When she focused to hard on a “locked” memory, her head hurt. 

They haunted him. Yugi was better at dealing with them now, but he hadn't forgotten them. He couldn't. They were always there, prodding at his mind and his dreams. He never really told Yami about it, but ... They were still there. Their whispers were there. Their reminders. Some days were better than most, but Yugi at least had an inkling of control over his emotions now. That's why he didn't bother telling his lover. Why worry him? It was normal. He lived with it.

To find someone else who was just like him ... To find Anzu ...

Had they really just "found" each other? Ran into each other by accident? Yugi found it hard to believe. He learned to trust his instincts, and they were telling him this wasn't just any accident. Was it really meant for them to meet each other? Yugi hadn't known Anzu long, but he had a feeling. He had a feeling he was meant to be her friend. To be her light like his lover was his own.

To save her.

She gave him a soft smile, and Yugi noticed her relax a bit at his touch. Touch was the way he spoke. It did so much more than words at times, and it was a lot easier to convey his emotions that way. Yugi used to be so guarded, hidden in a shell and afraid to connect with anyone , to show vulnerability only to get his heart broken for it. He had been so scared ... And although he still had that fear of getting hurt, it felt nice to let go. It felt nice to show his thoughts and emotions through a simple touch or look. It felt nice to be free.

"Memories can be painful ..." he agreed softly, looking up to meet her gaze. He let his touch linger for a moment before slowly pulling his fingers away, though not all the way. It was to show her that he was there if she needed him. "It must be hard," he replied, slowly shaking his head and releasing a sigh through his lips. "Dealing with what you deal with ..." If it had been him, could he handle it like she did? It seemed impossible, yet there she was.

After a moment, he lifted his head to look at her again and his violet eyes softened behind his glasses.

"You truly are amazing, Anzu."

What other word could he use that would give her enough justice? She was amazing, living through what she lived through. And she hasn't given up. Not like Yugi almost had countless times. Yugi had been a coward, but Anzu ... How was it even possible for someone to be so strong?

After a moment, Anzu pursed her lips and asked him if he wanted to talk. With a blink and a shrug of a shoulder he looked away, taking an idle sip of his drink. "There's ... nothing really interesting about me," he told her. Yugi brought his hand to the one that laid on the table between them and began to fiddle with the bracelets around his wrist, watching them as he spoke. "I live with my lover, Yami. Not ... my Yami of course. I, uh ... I met him about a year and a half ago. Went through a lot of stuff, but he was always right there with me."

Yami had dealt with his own demons himself. The Shadows, the Puzzle, an abusive boyfriend ... Now he seemed to be doing just fine though. He had his own body through magic - or whatever the hell that was - and since he was no longer tied to the Puzzle, the Shadows were gone. Yami Yugi, the bastard that dared to hurt his lover, was long gone as well - though Yugi did wish at times that he could have gotten revenge. They had both gotten past their troubles and old scars, and although there were times Yami sunk back into it, he always managed to get out. They were always there for one another, and although young, Yami had saved Yugi from his own demons. As he pushed the bracelets aside, a tattoo of a red spade was revealed on the inside of his wrist. That tattoo was for Yami. For everything they've been through. It reminded him that he wasn't alone.

"Yugi it’s so great to see you—!" The blond replied once the other was close enough. He really had missed Yugi; true, the other wasn’t exactly his father, but he was like family. And what was even better was that for once, nothing was going on that would make the situation unpleasant.

Noah ended up giving a small shrug at the other’s question. “I’ve been great—had my hands full a bit, obviously, but…” He smiled down at the child in his arms, a kind of wistful, happy smile a new father would be giving.

"Ah. I’ve been fine," he answered, giving a small shrug and a smile. After the scene, he had spent time healing from burns on his hands. An after effect of his magic. It had taken a while but now they were fine, albeit the scars that were left on the soft skin of his palms. They weren’t noticeable. Only felt if someone touched his palms. The skin there was slightly courser than the rest.

"How’s Atem …?"

He had no idea if Atem had even recovered. From the looks of Noah’s happy attitude he’d guess he did, but were there any after effects? Like the white streaks in Noah’s hair? His magic had really caused some trouble with this family.

Yugi noticed Noah look down at the child, and a smile so soft and gentle adored the blond’s lips. It was the smile of pure joy, one of love and happiness. And that was when Yugi knew. The child was really his.

But even from all the pain, all the horrors that he dealt with and the scars on his arms … He couldn’t say he regret it. Yes, he would have rather not lived through those few years, the years where all he saw was darkness, but without them where would he be? He wouldn’t have the marks on his arms, yet he wouldn’t have Yami either, and Yami was the most important thing in his life. He was his life. Without Yami …

He didn’t even want to think about it.

And without the darkness … Yugi wouldn’t have met Anzu either. He hadn’t talked to her long, but he already considered her a good friend. It was strange to think that way. Maybe it was because he trusted too easily, which was a wonder after everything that happened to him. Or maybe, he just trusted that gut instinct of his. It was the same one that saved him many times before. It also brought him to Yami, and although this “connection” wasn’t like his and Yami’s … There was still something there. Something that he grabbed onto. Something that he knew he could trust and follow.

He just hoped it didn’t lead him astray.

Putting his heart out on his sleeve was a difficult thing to do after all the ones he lost. He had gained a bit more confidence after meeting Yami and the Anzu he dated though, from their care and the love they gave him. It felt good to be cared for after being alone for so long. But once he thought he could do it again, he could put his heart out to perhaps … meet others, others who he could get close to and feel happy with like before … he lost Anzu. And his heart was hidden once again.

It had taken a long time to get that confidence back, and even now he was working at it.

When Anzu stepped inside he followed, taking in the pleasant aroma of coffee and baking sweets. He could easily detect the scent of chocolate as well, and he gave a hum of delight. Yugi was a sucker for chocolate. He loved it so much he kept his own little stash at home, ready for when he had a craving. It was definitely an unhealthy habit but Yugi didn’t plan on throwing away that stash anytime soon. As long as Yami didn’t get to it. There might not be anymore left if he did.

Anzu ordered and he smiled. That certain drink seemed … special to her. He didn’t know the reasonings as to why, but he had a feeling it was. So she favored hot chocolate with extra foam. That was something to remember for the future.

When it was his turn he gave a hum, looking over the menu for a moment before deciding. It was just a cinnamon latte, simple but flavorful. Yugi adored flavor. Anything too bland he wouldn’t consume. He also asked for a couple of chocolate brownies as well - he couldn’t resist - and snuck the Barista the amount of money needed for both of his and Anzu’s orders. When they were done, he thanked the Barista, and headed to a table with Anzu.

The similarities were there. A first meeting and a talk at a coffee shop. But this Anzu was not the one he dated before. She was different, and although the memories surfaced he pushed them back down. He wouldn’t focus on old thoughts. He wouldn’t let them drag him down. Not again. So he gave her a smile, and focused his complete attention on her.

Yugi wouldn’t let his memories scare him away. Not from someone who could easily become a close friend, someone who wouldn’t break his heart like so many before.

"So," he started, taking a sip of his coffee. A brownie was offered to Anzu as he continued. "What’s life like for you?"

Téa dealt with her issues by working. The best times of the year were the busy seasons…Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, Valentine’s, Spring Break, Summer…There was little time to think other than about materials, lighting, and sound. In the dry seasons…Prozac was a dear friend. She didn’t like to admit it out loud. But, she was depressed. Had been for a long time. 

Being with Yugi, though. It helped. He was like refreshing air or a crutch. Already she could feel her heart and mind healing. The sting of pain was slowly giving way to the numbing joy of healing. Already, she could look at her relationships with her friends and family with renewed vigor. 

And she wanted to slap herself.

How could she had been so foolish? How could she have turned her back on all of them? On her Yugi? He had been in pain, too. She had only added to it. Letters, post cards, and messages piled up. She did her best to ignore the sting of guilt, but she knew it was all her fault. Over the years, she slowly watched her Yugi’s hand writing change. His letters had gone from being open and friendly. He had carried his voice over to his pen. But slowly…slowly the messages started shrinking. She could see that he was giving up. On her? Oh himself?

She needed to fix it. 

Téa focused first on sights and sounds. It was a habit that had been picked up working crew. Now that she had forced the low chatter and pop music to the background of her consciousness, she breathed in the relaxing and tasty aromas of the cafe. The bitter sting of black coffee penetrated the other warm and calming scents. She tensed, expecting Bakura to slink over to them. Of course, those thoughts were silly. He was far, far away. 

As Yugi ordered his simple beverage, she scanned the menu. Truthfully, she had spent little time actually reading the menu. She always alternated between two or three drinks at every cafe. She noticed that fall flavors were creeping up under specials. She would have to try the pumpkin spice latte next time.

She began to unshoulder her backpack to retrieve her wallet when she caught Yugi slipping the Batista enough money for both their orders. She would have complained had it come from anyone else, but she let it slide. She knew Yugi wouldn’t use a simple drink to coerce her for something later on. That was something Bakura or any number of girls from work would do. He was doing it to be kind.

Nodding her thanks to the Batista, she followed Yugi to a table. She sat down heavily and let the warmth of the cup radiate to her hands. She resisted the urge to gulp it all down. It would be far too hot for her tastes now. 

She returned his smile, but when he began his question it sank a little. 

Slowly, she took the brownie he offered. “You’ll rot your teeth out with these,” she said before picking off a corner and plopping it in her mouth. She swallowed and licked her teeth behind her lips, clearing away any traces of brownie. She was stalling. “Thanks,” she said. “I guess I knew this question was coming,” she continued. 

Yugi wouldn’t gossip. He was just curious and she knew that. She just wished she could have stalled longer. “I work, mostly. Except now. Now I’m on vacation. I have a cat, Peaches. We live in a tiny apartment that the company I work for provides. For a while I lived with Yami Bakura…” She scoffed. “Until I saw him again, I forgot just how charming he could be.” 

He shouldn't have been so ... straightforward. He shouldn't have even asked. If Anzu had wanted him to know she would have told him, no questions asked. Why was he so bad at socializing ...

Anzu waited a moment before answering, accepting the brownie he offered and picking off a piece. She made a comment and he gave a small smile, half shrugging a shoulder in response. He knew too many sweets was a bad thing, but hey, at least this addiction was okay to have. At least he found joy in chocolate instead of alcohol these days. Both were pretty bad, but chocolate was better. Anything was better than the cans of beer he used to down. Anything was better than the rush he felt in seeing his own blood. Chocolate was okay.

She thanked him and after a moment, Yugi was ready to take back his question. Anzu was stalling. She was uncomfortable. He should have known this and caught himself before the words left his mouth. Silence used to work in his favor back then, allowing him to hold his tongue and observe more than speak. It allowed him to see and catch things that most wouldn't. Yugi had grown out of that silence however, and he was already feeling the after effects. But before he could take back his question or say 'never mind', Anzu was answering.

He honestly hadn't expected her to.

Yugi blinked at the mention of Yami Bakura, taking a piece from the brownie and slipping it between his lips. She had lived with him? Now, that had to have been interesting to say the least. And quite dangerous. "He didn't ... hurt you, did he?" he wondered quietly, watching as she took a sip from her cocoa. He had no doubt that Anzu could take care of herself, but Yami Bakura ...

Well, it was Yami Bakura. His worry was reasonable.

What she told him next though surprised him the most.

She didn't dance anymore? But that was her dream. It was what she had worked so hard for, and to have it all taken away from an accident ...

Yugi understood now. He understood why she was different. And it broke his heart.

"Anzu ..."

He reached across the table and let his fingers brush her hand, comforting her with what he could. She was like him, shaped out of failures and broken dreams. She had seen everything get taken away. It saddened him. Anzu had always been a hard worker. She was smart, she was strong, and she fought for what she wanted. This ... Anzu didn't deserve this. She deserved to be up on that stage shining for all to see, not locked up in the darkness of backstage.

Oh, how cruel life could be.

"I'm sorry ..." he said softly, listening as she told him about her memory problem. He wondered how far back her memory went. Did she remember her adventures with her friends? Life from before? When she was a dancer? It could be both a blessing or a curse if she didn't. Yugi often wished he could forget his past, and he almost did with a major slip up of his magic. He almost forgot everything ... His friends, Atem, Mia, the Anzu he dated ... Everyone. He thought it would have been a great idea. He would have been spared of the pain and the nightmares of old memories forgotten. But he had turned out so different. Without his memories, without everything that happened, he wouldn't be who he was now. He wouldn't have learned from anything, even if it was painful.

And he wondered ... Did she feel like he had all that time ago?

Noah started out of the house a little ways ahead [Shelly wanted to finish getting ready]. It was the first time they went out as a whole family; Noah held Shiro in his arms, the two-week-old’s eyes finally open and looking about the new world confusedly. Shiro’s eyes were a bright green, and were full of light as his father gently walked about the yard.

Yugi had gotten a message from Noah, telling him they moved to a different location. He wondered why. Had it been because of the darkness that used to linger in his apartment? He hoped not. Yugi thought he had gotten rid of it all.

So there he was, following the address written on the letter he had received. Yugi really should have called in advance, but he wanted to surprise Noah.

Turns out however, he was the one being surprised.

Noah was out on the lawn of his new house cradling a baby in his arms. It was young, very young, and Yugi blinked. Who's child was that? That couldn't have been Noah's. Yugi knew he had a fiancée, Shelly - who he really needed to meet -, but he figured they'd wait a while. Noah had also made no mention of it the last time they talked.

Walking up to the house Yugi lifted a hand in greeting, smiling as he got a bit of a closer look at the baby in Noah's arms. He looked a bit like him. Maybe it was Noah's child.

Maybe this was a step in the right direction. If she could form a bond with this Yugi -this Yugi that she was quickly growing attached to- maybe she could have the courage to pick up the phone one day and apologize. 

It was amazing to think that just a simple hello and a few minutes together could really change her life. And she swore she would do anything in her limited power to keep him in her life. Even if she woke up tomorrow better or worse, she would never push him away. She owed him that. 

And quite frankly, she enjoyed his company. 

Following along behind him, she observed their surroundings. It had been a long time since she had been in this part of town. And she had been her lighter self. Those memories were hazy at times. And now was one such time. Her favorite cafe was back home in New York. She was fond of the one in the airport. A nice Korean girl worked there. She was studying at Tokyo Metropolitan. Quite a distance from Domino. Like her, the girl liked traveling. Liked seeing the world. Several times Téa thought about asking which Korea she was from. She always decided against it in the end. She had hope for the girl. That the girl would make it through her program and see the world in a much happier view than she and her friends had.

Heavens knows they worked hard enough for such a world.

And yet…as Téa examined Yugi’s familiar hair, she wondered why everything had gone down hill. Were they being punished for something? Some wrong move made here or there? 

It didn’t matter. She was certain she would do it all again. 

With a smile, she replied, “Thanks.” Entering the cafe with Yugi behind her she knew she had found her place in the world. And just being in the darkened cafe, the low whisper of the other patrons, the low music from the speakers, all of it, was worth everything she had been through. Okay, so maybe that was a little bit too much. The death and pain and hospital bills were quite too much to get to this one point in time. 

But even from all the pain, all the horrors that he dealt with and the scars on his arms ... He couldn't say he regret it. Yes, he would have rather not lived through those few years, the years where all he saw was darkness, but without them where would he be? He wouldn't have the marks on his arms, yet he wouldn't have Yami either, and Yami was the most important thing in his life. He was his life. Without Yami ...

He didn't even want to think about it.

And without the darkness ... Yugi wouldn't have met Anzu either. He hadn't talked to her long, but he already considered her a good friend. It was strange to think that way. Maybe it was because he trusted too easily, which was a wonder after everything that happened to him. Or maybe, he just trusted that gut instinct of his. It was the same one that saved him many times before. It also brought him to Yami, and although this "connection" wasn't like his and Yami's ... There was still something there. Something that he grabbed onto. Something that he knew he could trust and follow.

He just hoped it didn't lead him astray.

Putting his heart out on his sleeve was a difficult thing to do after all the ones he lost. He had gained a bit more confidence after meeting Yami and the Anzu he dated though, from their care and the love they gave him. It felt good to be cared for after being alone for so long. But once he thought he could do it again, he could put his heart out to perhaps ... meet others, others who he could get close to and feel happy with like before ... he lost Anzu. And his heart was hidden once again.

It had taken a long time to get that confidence back, and even now he was working at it.

When Anzu stepped inside he followed, taking in the pleasant aroma of coffee and baking sweets. He could easily detect the scent of chocolate as well, and he gave a hum of delight. Yugi was a sucker for chocolate. He loved it so much he kept his own little stash at home, ready for when he had a craving. It was definitely an unhealthy habit but Yugi didn't plan on throwing away that stash anytime soon. As long as Yami didn't get to it. There might not be anymore left if he did.

Anzu ordered and he smiled. That certain drink seemed ... special to her. He didn't know the reasonings as to why, but he had a feeling it was. So she favored hot chocolate with extra foam. That was something to remember for the future.

When it was his turn he gave a hum, looking over the menu for a moment before deciding. It was just a cinnamon latte, simple but flavorful. Yugi adored flavor. Anything too bland he wouldn't consume. He also asked for a couple of chocolate brownies as well - he couldn't resist - and snuck the Barista the amount of money needed for both of his and Anzu's orders. When they were done, he thanked the Barista, and headed to a table with Anzu.

The similarities were there. A first meeting and a talk at a coffee shop. But this Anzu was not the one he dated before. She was different, and although the memories surfaced he pushed them back down. He wouldn't focus on old thoughts. He wouldn't let them drag him down. Not again. So he gave her a smile, and focused his complete attention on her.

Yugi wouldn't let his memories scare him away. Not from someone who could easily become a close friend, someone who wouldn't break his heart like so many before.

"So," he started, taking a sip of his coffee. A brownie was offered to Anzu as he continued. "What's life like for you?"

Besides his lover and the brief time he spent with Noah and the Anzu he dated, it wasn’t often that he felt wanted. Especially before then. That was when he was alone and truly unwanted, and he knew that. That had been a dark time in his life, and then all too soon he had lost Anzu. There had been a fight, both physical and verbal, and then she was gone. So knowing that this Anzu actually wanted him around was both a shock and a joy.

"Mm …" He let out a soft hum and glanced around. He didn’t wander around too often, but he recognized the area. “I believe there’s a coffee shop nearby," he answered, turning back to her. He gently released her hand, showing her that he wasn’t upset. He just felt slightly awkward touching someone so much who wasn’t Yami. Usually people felt off put by his cold demeanor and wanted to get away rather than get closer. It was a surprising, but not unpleasant, change. “Ah … Wanna go there?"

A coffee shop had been where he and the Anzu he dated first had a real talk together. Thank god it wasn’t the same one. That would have just been too weird. Yugi would rather not have memories and déjà vu thoughts running through his head while he was with this Anzu. He had done enough comparing as it was, and she was nothing like the other so why even bother? And Yugi liked it that way. Different was good.

They had only been together for a few minutes and the girl could feel them slowly slipping back into their habits. She may not be his Anzu and probably never would be his Anzu, but Yugi had been able to see the moment of glee on her face. And that was a start. 

Truthfully, she didn’t care if she ever became his Anzu. It would be difficult to go back to that old facade. Becoming his Anzu would be like wearing a pair of pants that were too tight. She would stumble and walk awkwardly. She didn’t want to stumble with him. She wanted this easy friendship with Yugi.

A coffee shop. A grin cut across her face. How nostalgic, she mused as Yugi removed his hand. Téa understood his reasoning for letting go. It wasn’t anything personal. There were times were she wanted to be alone. Though, she was fairly certain it had more to do with the strangeness of their meeting. Téa had figured out that something had happened to Yugi in the past. It would take awhile for them to be completely comfortable around the other. Téa nodded, unsure whether it was in response to his action or suggestion, and replied, “Sounds great.” She wasn’t allowed to have anything  but water to drink at work, so her last cup of hot chocolate had been well over six hours ago. “I’m dying for a drink,” the techie added. 

He gave her a smile, one warm and a tad bit more excited than he realized he had let through. Yugi used to have so much control over what he allowed himself to show. Now, however, it just seemed to slip without him knowing. Whether that was good or not was still something he was unsure of.

He really was excited though. Fearful, but excited. He was only scared from past experiences though, the memories that ran through his head. He didn't want this to be the same as before. He didn't want to get attached only to get his heart broken in the end. Yugi couldn't go through that.

Not again.

He tried to swallow down the fear though. This Anzu ... - did she even go by Anzu? So many versions meant so many different possibilities. She had yet to correct him though ... - This Anzu ... She was different. She was not like the others, and that itself was enough to convince him that maybe, just maybe, this time would be different too. Yugi hoped so. He wanted to know her. He wanted to be her friend. It would be a shame if he lost another.

Yugi didn't know if he could handle losing another.

He gestured with a tilt of his head to follow, and he walked calmly beside her, guiding her to their destination. A coffee shop was around here, right? His surroundings were pretty familiar. Yugi recognized them from his previous walks around the area, when he focused more on the town than the people. When he didn't speak a word. It was funny looking back at those times and seeing how much he had changed. He wasn't even the same person anymore. Same torn body, but a different mind. Something brighter, happier, something that wasn't tormented from old thoughts and memories. Even after all this time, it still felt like a breath of fresh air.

But everything aside, Yugi really was excited. He was glad she didn't have to go, and that they had the opportunity to talk more. He was glad that she even wanted to talk. And even though he didn't know her, he had a good feeling about her. And Yugi had learned to listen to his instincts.

She always asked for one ticket and she was always given a ticket. Her manager would look at her with sad eyes and the other girls would whisper behind their hands and in broken English, Téa would explain that this time it would be different, this time someone would be there. Lies. Every word had been a lie. As soon as she returned to her apartment, she would burn the ticket in her sink. She wouldn’t burden Yugi with the trip and Atem was simply unavailable.

It wasn’t until she was the Swan Queen that she gave up. She didn’t ask for her one ticket. She decided to focus on her starring role. That opening night…his chair was taken by someone else’s sweetheart. And that hurt her more than his chair being empty. That had been the distraction. Before, she could pretend he was there. Could pretend that the hundreds of eyes on her were really just his penetrating stare. Atem was simply unavailable in person. But he was always there. Just like she had promised all those years ago.  She had never forgotten him for one second.

It amazed her how in a split second, she could go from loving him to hating him. 

Shifting her gaze, she returned her focus to Yugi. It secretly pleased her that she could spend extra time with him. It had been a while since she had hung out with anyone she considered to be a friend. “Is there a coffee shop or arcade or something around here? We could hang out like kids again." Not that they had ever hung out as kids. “I’m unfamiliar with this side of town." She explained as an after thought.

Besides his lover and the brief time he spent with Noah and the Anzu he dated, it wasn't often that he felt wanted. Especially before then. That was when he was alone and truly unwanted, and he knew that. That had been a dark time in his life, and then all too soon he had lost Anzu. There had been a fight, both physical and verbal, and then she was gone. So knowing that this Anzu actually wanted him around was both a shock and a joy.

"Mm ..." He let out a soft hum and glanced around. He didn't wander around too often, but he recognized the area. "I believe there's a coffee shop nearby," he answered, turning back to her. He gently released her hand, showing her that he wasn't upset. He just felt slightly awkward touching someone so much who wasn't Yami. Usually people felt off put by his cold demeanor and wanted to get away rather than get closer. It was a surprising, but not unpleasant, change. "Ah ... Wanna go there?"

Yet as soon as the cold came, it started to ease off; everything was still black and he had no sight on anything, but his head felt light and he couldn’t remember where he was at for the longest time. Many memories passed before his eyes—he almost thought he was dead for a while.

However then a gentle call brought him back to his senses (or most of them); it was a voice he recognized, but at the moment he couldn’t place who it was.

"Atem…? Atem……Are you okay…?"

His limbs felt heavy and a bit numb, but he moved his hands a bit by clutching his fingers inward. He gave a very light groan, almost inaudible, however he still couldn’t see—the cloth was still over his eyes. However then he finally attempted to say something, his throat a little dry from having been unconscious for so long.

"A-Atem ..." He couldn't stop the small shutter in his voice as he straightened up, trying to get a better look at the pharaoh. He almost looked like he couldn't move. Could he ...? He wasn't paralyzed ... right? Oh god ... Anything could have happened. His magic was so out of control.

Yugi forced the thoughts away as he brushed the tips of his fingers along Atem's jaw. He was lax and limp. Yugi wasn't sure if it was just because he was exhausted from the ordeal of both darkness and light, or perhaps it was something more. Something ... that was worth worrying about.

Téa would never hurt him. She would try her best to be there until he told her to leave. Even if she wasn't ready to let go. She didn't know how she could be of any help to him. Someone had touched his life and made him better. How much more did he need? She didn't care. She would make him whole again. It was the least she could do for her own Yugi. And the least she could do for this Yugi. He could help her. And she was ready for intervention. She was ready to stop hating everyone from her past. She was ready to move on.

She didn't know what her other selves had done to him. She had met a Yugi once that had hit her and called her horrible names. She had to block him from her life completely. It was difficult to move on. If Yugi had been hurt by another Anzu, she was glad that he could move past that one enough to befriend her.

She had never held anything against that mean Yugi. She had been Anzu at the time and had assumed he had been through something bad or maybe she deserved it. 

Maybe it was because they had been childhood friends, but she could never hate Yugi. No matter what he did to her. She was scared of being with them because of what she had done. This Yugi knew how screwed up life could be. And for that she was thankful to have met him. She wouldn't have to keep her protective walls up. And neither would he. They could both be themselves around the other. 

Alone ... Yugi had quickly realized it was the worst thing he could be. Wound him, scar him, beat him to the point of death; none of it even compared to loneliness. Physical pain was nothing to the emptiness he had felt in his heart and the blood and tears he had shed. Being alone was a living nightmare to him, and he couldn't go back to that. If it did ever happen ... He wouldn't survive, plain and simple.

But now he had Yami, and even Noah too. What about Anzu? Could he get over the bitterness he felt even thinking about the one he used to date? Could he truly befriend another version when he swore to himself that he would never cross paths with one again? So far things had turned out alright. He was able to smile and talk to her, and it even went as far as physical touch. That meant a lot with him. Yugi was a guarded and paranoid kind of guy. Any touch was an offer for friendship, and as he held Anzu's hand he realized. He could really do this.

At her question, he only smiled and shook his head. "Nah," he replied, his violet gaze soft behind his glasses. Yugi knew what it was like in Anzu's shoes, and although he didn't know too much about her exactly, what he did know was that he didn't like to be alone. Yugi wouldn't leave her. "We can do anything you want."

He went ahead and got up first, getting the pain medicine…which was already out on the counter. He took a bit himself earlier.

He put the medicine and a glass of water before Yugi, though he steadied the other’s hand when he went to drink some water. After the other had downed the water, Noah slowly stood again and gently pulled Yugi up, steering him back towards the bed.

He laid the other down again, still smiling weakly. "…just get some more rest Yugi…alright…?"

Shou jumped up onto the bed, curling up next to Yugi. Noah looked to the pup sternly. "…don’t wake him up this time."

The dog yawned widely in response before laying its head back down.

He began to claw at himself, ripping at his skin and creating long scratch marks anywhere he could reach. The light was too much. It was burning. Burning him alive. Yugi choked on whatever breath he had left in a frenzy to reach the boiling blood in his veins. His heart was racing and everything was hot. It was so hot ... Was he dying?

Make it stop. Make it stop. Stop, stop, stop! Make it stop!

Yugi bolted up from the bed in sweat and harsh panting breaths. He was confused and dazed, but the feeling of fire in his blood was gone. The scratch marks had disappeared as well, and he let out a tired grunt of realization. It was just a dream. Or more of a nightmare really. God ... He had dreamt about his magic killing him.

A soft whine caught his attention and Yugi looked up to see Shou laying next to him. The dog was staring at him, ears perked in concern, and Yugi rose a hand to pet him. The stinging in his palms reminded him of their condition however, so he only scratched Shou between the ears with his fingers. He had heard before that dogs could sense emotions, so he cooed to him softly to assure him that he was alright. A little shaken up, but alright none the less.

Atem was still next to him.

How long had it been since Yugi used his magic? He had been so dazed since then that he had no idea, and Atem was still asleep. Was something wrong ...? He hoped not. God only knows what would happen if there was.