Yami downed his third shot of whiskey in the last half-hour, roughly slamming the small glass down on the table, he motioned for a fourth. The particularly ugly waitress that he was so fortunate scowled at him but refilled his glass.

He was trying to drown his sorrow, and, to an extent, the alcohol was helping. But, he still felt so hopelessly alone and used. He almost wondered if he'd ever been happy before of if it were all a dream he had finally awoken from. Reality stung. He downed the new drink and again motioned for another.

He hated everything about himself, his small frame, his hair that looked like he'd just spend fifty bucks for a hack dye job, and most of all, his own stupid emotions. If it weren't for them, none of this would've happened in the first place.

"For all my strength I'm so very weak." he whispered to himself, leaning his arms on the bar as his legs draped off the stool, not even close to touching the floor.

Bakura had used him and Jounouichi had abused him. However, what hurt most of all was being turned away by his own partner. Even Yugi hated him! He never thought Yugi could get so mad, and the look of hurt in his light's eyes before he'd been thrown out made Yami feel like he'd just had his heart ripped out of his chest and he was feebly watching its last beats as he crumbled to the floor.

Yami was quite tempted to just let his head slip between his hands and cry his eyes out. Letting it all go was so appealing. However, the last few shreds of his pride prevented him from doing so. He'd lost everything he'd ever valued and keeping his pride was about the only thing he could do to save something of himself.

The only thing he could think of that could make things worse than they already was were if Kaiba were to show up and give him an earful about how he'd ruined both their lives. Kaiba was way too obsessed with winning for his own good. And so what if he'd lost a duel to Kaiba? The King of Games wasn't perfect you know. Yami dreaded the next time that he had to see the stuck up duellist. Kaiba's gloating was something he was never in the mood for.

There. Another thing he hated. His reputation.

Yami downed another shot and continued to brood.

* * * *

Across the very same room Kaiba sat alone in a secluded booth, watching the rain outside. It had lightened up considerably since he'd got here; the occasional drop would slide down the window making a seemingly crystalline path. The wind stirred the surface of the puddles outside as the light slowly disappeared altogether. It seemed the rain turned the whole world different shades of blue.

Kaiba leaned his head against the plush seat of the booth. He came here occasionally to get away, from his job, his brother and even himself. Here he wasn't the CEO of one of the largest corporations in the world; he was just another lonely guy drowning his sorrow. And he liked the sense of anonymity.

He took another sip of his drink, letting go of the stress that had built up over the past week. By all appearances the drink he cradled was a standard vodka and tonic, but both he and the bartender knew that it was only a simple tonic water with a slice of lime. No alcoholic value what-so- ever. Kaiba knew full well what kind of effect alcohol had on people. He visibly winced in memory of the beating he'd received as a child for no apparent reason. There was no way he'd ever let himself become like that. Ever.

Sure he allowed himself the occasional celebratory drink, but they were just that; celebratory.

Glancing around the room he only affirmed his opinion. There were a couple of parties with normally sensible people acting like morons, a couple lone drinkers talking to inanimate objects, and a couple guys who had obviously had too much who were trying to start a fight. He couldn't see the object of their aggression from where he was, but if he concentrated hard enough he could hear their conversation.

".get out before me make ya, ya little wimp."

"No." the voice replied in a saddened, yet still indignant tone. It was clear whoever was there was quite intent on drowning their sorrow and had no intention of leaving. "Just bug off." The indignant one responded again.

"What did you say punk? Challenging us to a fight?"

"You got a death wish?" the second aggressor taunted.

"Maybe." there was a definite hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"That's it!" the larger aggressor who was about the same height and build as bandit Keith had been with a little less muscle and a little more fat, drug the object of their frustrations out through the back door and into the alley. Followed closely behind by a rather gangly looking man who was rather unclean, looking like he hadn't had a decent bath in weeks.

Kaiba turned back to the window; undoubtedly the two were obviously going to beat the living hell out of the other. But what concern of his was it? He had vowed to stay out of matters that didn't concern him, and this one certainly didn't.

* * * * *

His mind and vision clouded by the alcohol in his system, Yami allowed himself to be dragged out into the alley. At this point he didn't really care anymore. He thought he could take these two out easily.

What he didn't know was how badly the alcohol had effected his perception as well as his shadow powers.

"So what do you have to say for yourself?" the burly man queried as he roughly shoved Yami up against a brick wall. Yami cringed as he smelled the strong odour of booze coming form the other man.

"That you're apparently not only fat and ugly, but stupid also." Yami replied before punching the guy in the gut.

"Little bastard." The bigger one spat venomously, stepping back; clutching his gut.

"Moe." he shot a glance at his counterpart as he retrieved an empty beer bottle off the ground and broke the bottom off against the wall.

The gangly one referred to as Moe pulled out a switchblade from his pocket and proceeded, along with the burly man, towards Yami.

Yami was, for all intents and purposes, in a drunken stupor credited to the vast concentration of alcohol he'd consumed so quickly. Had his brain been working properly he probably would've bolted the moment he saw the knife. However, in his current state, his conscious reasoned that that it didn't matter if they attacked him, he'd survived 5000 years inside a puzzle laden with a lot more threatening perils than the one that presented itself here. What was a little disagreement in an alley anyway? He was, after all, a pharaoh, who would dare lay a hand on him anyway?

So Yami just stood there.

* * * * *

Kaiba sighed, he felt much better. He got up and paid for his drink at the counter, leaving a generous tip. He then walked out of the establishment and into the night.

The deep blue had faded to black and the only illumination was from the scattered streetlights. No stars, no moon, only the clouds above. It was if the earth had been safely tucked in for the night, just like he'd tucked Mokuba in before he'd left.

Kaiba walked over to where he had parked the nondescript, black motorcycle he'd ridden here on. The only sounds this late at night was the scuff of his boots against the pavement and the splashes as he stepped in puddles.

A hand ran lightly over the handlebars. It was all an attempt at anonymity on his part. All he needed to do to go unnoticed was ditch his trademark trench coat and limo. As long as he paid for whatever he needed in cash no one was the wiser and he had his peace. In retrospect, he was quite glad he didn't stick out in a crowd like Yami did.

He was fishing the keys out of his pocket when he heard a scream. Normally he wouldn't have cared, yet this one was so utterly bloodcurdling that he wouldn't forgive himself if he didn't at last check it out.

By his best guess it had come from behind the bar. Sprinting off in that general direction, he rounded a corner and finally managed to catch a glimpse of what was going on in the alley.

Normally, what he saw wouldn't have surprised him, by any means. However, this was far from normal.

Cornered against the building and an adjoining one, his face covered in blood the same shade as his hair, was aforementioned Game King. He was looking considerably inhibited and was losing horribly two the two men he'd seen earlier.

Right then Kaiba knew three things. One: that Yami must either be pretty depressed, or pretty stupid to get that plastered, two: that said spirit was getting the crap kicked out of him, and three: that he had to do something about it. And fast!

Before he even consciously knew what he was doing, Kaiba was running towards Yami, knowing full well that he was seriously lacking in weaponry. 'Too late now' was all that came to mind.

One of the men had Yami by the hair, wrenching him roughly off the ground as the other aggressor prepared to slit the former pharaoh's throat. Yami moaned, but didn't have the strength to fight them off anymore.

That was when Kaiba struck. Hard and fast, a well-aimed kick to the knees of the one holding Yami and the two crashed to the ground with a thud. Kaiba then turned his attention to the one wielding the knife who was rushing at him. He was able to disarm the man in one swift motion, but not before he knife took a slice out of his arm. However, there was no time to whine as Yami's other 'friend' decided to get back up and lunge at the tall teen.

This attack the young CEO countered easier still, noting the odour on the man's breath as he did so. Kaiba deduced the pair had been pretty soused even before the accosted Yami. And on that note Kaiba hefted an unconscious Yami into his arms, not wanting to be around when the pair woke up again.

Looking at the large number of serious lacerations to Yami's face alone he could tell the other teen was in a great deal of pain. All he could hope for was that those two hadn't dealt a fatal blow that he couldn't see.

AN: Well? What do you think? Reviews are greatly appreciated.