Written after reading way too much Edmondia Dantes... I don't know what happened, to tell you the truth

Bright summer day.

Everyone's happy, laughing.

Two familiar figures, so alike but so painfully different, are strolling through the crowd. The smaller one, the one you'd describe as 'pretty' or 'adorable', is talking constantly, pointing out various things and positively doting on the other. He leans into the other's arm and raises their laced hands when he has something important to say, as if he can block out everyone's eyes and ears by hiding his lips behind those hands.

But everyone sees them. And despite the strangeness of the sight, it's hard not to think it's perfect.

Public opinion, society… these things have no place in the place of pure balance.

The other, the one you'd call 'beautiful' or 'devastating', is quiet, only speaking when an answer is actively needed, though he brings the pretty one's attention to whatever he wants without words. It is obvious that nothing else matters more to him than the other. He follows patiently, smiling at his other (and there is no mistaking, the other is his.) and scowling at the crowd if it dares disrupt their path. But there is something… he wants the crowd to see and hear them. He wants to bring attention to himself and his counterpart.

And yet no one makes a move to comment. Despite the strangeness of the sight, it's hard to do anything but sit and watch.

Half the crowd watches them, waiting, hoping, praying for something to disrupt the pair. Just to see what they would do. Just to see their perfect balance strain.

But none of them are expecting it when it happens.

"Yuugi!"

"Hey, Anzu! Didn't expect to see you here!"

"Oh, yeah, I'm here with Shizuka. Just showing her around Domino fair… What about you, you here on your own?"

"Who, me? No way! Yami's… disappeared…"

"Oh. Yami's here. You're… here with Yami. Just you and Yami?"

"Yeah… he went to get some pop corn… don't know where he's gone, though…"

"Probably got sidetracked by some game. You know how he is."

"Yeah, you're probably right. So, where's Shizuka?"

"Playing Whack-a-mole. I was watching her, when I saw you. Hey, you don't want to join us, do you? You and… Yami?"

"Um, sure, I bet- oh, Yami, there you are. Where'd you go?"

The invisible curtain showing the bright summer day suddenly falls to the floor in a heap.

Suddenly everything becomes clear and crisp.

A pretty boy stands between a possessive but devastating figure, and a lovely but protective girl.

You could practically crack the air over the pretty one's head, as the invisible beings struggle to keep their façade in place, and change the true words to polite tones.

"It just took slightly longer than I anticipated. Anzu, what are you doing here?" and how dare you talk to him without my consent?

"Hey, Yami. I'm just here with Jounouchi's little sister. She and her mother are spending the holidays in Domino, so I thought I'd show her around." Not everything goes by your order.

"That's good." And your meeting Yuugi was just pure accident, was it?

"Yeah, she's playing a game over there." Bet you weren't expecting me to show up.

"I thought you didn't like the fair," Now here's an interesting point.

"I love it, I was really glad when Shizuka asked to go. I never get a chance any more." I would have come with Yuugi if you hadn't dragged him off the other day.

"Oh. Well, it's just I thought the fair was a place couples went. But you and Yuugi haven't come together, so I assumed…" Especially when he asked me to come, instead. Burns you up, doesn't it?

"We never got a chance to discuss it, did we, Yuugi?" Because every time we think about talking about dates, you appear and change the subject.

"Too bad. How is it we never find the time to spend with the people we should care about." And yet he finds all the time in the world for me. You know why that is, don't you?

"Well, these little things keep getting in the way…" Male jealousy is an ugly, ugly thing… It really gets to you, that he asked me out, doesn't it?

"I'm sure there'll be other chances." Over your dead body there will be, but you're welcome to try.

"Actually, Yuugi and I were just talking about that. Maybe you two would like to join Shizuka and me?" That way, I can have my date with Yuugi, and you can writhe in your pathetic little jealousy.

"Really? That's an interesting idea." Oh, you'd like that. Well, let me tell you that I happen to think it's a fantastic idea.

"So you'll do it?" Why are you agreeing to this? So you look good in front of Yuugi? So he doesn't catch on to how you feel about him?

"Of course. We'd love to spend time with you, Anzu. Wouldn't we, hikari?" After all, it'll just be yet another chance to prove what we all already know.

"Great! Come on, I'll get Shizuka." Oh don't you even dare to put your arm-!

"How about we go get some lunch?" Mmhmm. All mine. See? Mine. Mine, mine, always and forever mine.

"Oh yeah, we haven't eaten yet, either. You still going to be hungry after all that popcorn, Yuugi-chan?" You may have your arm around him, but I'm the only one who can call him that.

"Aibou could eat for about three people." He hates that name. If only you knew how much he detests it.

"Hey, Shizuka, look who I bumped into! You remember Yami, of course? And my boyfriend, Yuugi?" Catch that, oh pharaoh? Boyfriend. Uh huh. There is no chance for you here. He asked me out. He kisses me every time we're alone. He's not interested in wherever your hands choose to roam, because mine have already been there and probably did a better job!

"Nice to see you again, Shizuka." Why do you keep repeating that word, every time you talk about him? You wouldn't be trying to convince yourself of something, would you, Anzu?

And all the while, the pretty one stays between, smiling and listening to the façade, imagining what he can't hear.

Anzu follows Shizuka through the line, all the while looking back at the booth, where Yuugi is slumped over the table, listening while Yami massages his shoulder with one hand and speaks soft, soothing… no doubt seductive… words into his ear.

It's amazing how much she hates him.

For someone who once believed herself in love with him, it's almost painful to look at him now. Now that she wants to tear him away and smash the puzzle and remove any memory there ever was of him.

It wasn't until he became solid that she realised.

He is a genius, yes. He is attractive, and alluring, and every other word along such lines. He is strong, and dependable, and magical.

But he is also vain. He is also arrogant. He is also cruel, sadistic, and somewhat homicidal. She has no doubt that he lost some of his sanity along the line somewhere. He is the most possessive person she has ever met, and his favourite possession is currently slouched over the table, listening to every word he says.

He scares her.

He hates her in return.

He wants her to try and steal the puzzle, to try and break it. Because then he has the right to challenge her to a game she can never win. Because then, he can crush her very soul without a second thought.

Not even Yuugi would refuse him that, if she tried to destroy the puzzle.

If she tried to take his yami away from him. Not even Yuugi could forgive that.

Yuugi. Kind, compassionate, sensitive, caring, honest little Yuugi… would let him destroy her if she ever even tried to separate them.

As much as she hates to admit it. Denies it with every fibre of her being and begs the Gods to stop it being true… Yuugi does love and need his yami. Now that he's met him, he could never live without him.

True, he doesn't desire Yami as Yami desires him. True, he doesn't fly into a blind panic the instant Yami slips out of his world for more than a minute. True, he doesn't want to kill every person that so much as looks at Yami.

But he does love him. He does need him. Through the insanity, the sadism, the arrogance and vanity… he can look all of that in the eye and love it and love his yami.

He doesn't forgive it. No, he will never forgive or understand what his yami does.

He will never like it.

But he will accept it.

It hurts, sometimes, when she comes to realise this. She knows, deep down, that no matter how much she tells herself the contrary… Yuugi will never be hers, and she will never be the most important one in her life.

And that scares her all the more.

"I'm glad we ran into Anzu today. We haven't seen her in a while."

"No, I noticed that. And when you do, it's always with the others."

"Mm. I feel bad, you know? I mean, I supposed to be there for her, and take care of her, and make her feel important… I don't do any of that."

"You do. You just… have other priorities."

"I'm a terrible-"

"No, you're not. Anzu knows the situation, Aibou, she knows you don't always have time."

"But I should make time. I mean, all that time we spend just sitting around doing nothing,"

"Would you rather you didn't spend it with me?"

"What? No, Yami, I love spending time with you."

"You just wish you were spending it with Anzu."

"No! Yami, you know I wouldn't trade a second with you for anything…"

Pretty, pretty little hikari.

That's all he can think, most of the time.

Pretty, pretty little hikari, does everyone see him? Does everyone know how perfect he is? How pure and perfect and how much he belongs to him?

Late that night, the pretty little hikari will sit with him, and curl into his arms, and for a moment… for a moment… no one will be able to deny how he belongs to him alone.

Not even the pretty little hikari.

He doesn't seem to realise who he belongs to. During the day, he often tries to slip away. He tries to belong to himself and plays with other people without permission.

Silly little pretty hikari.

Yami slides an arm down his hikari's, to run his fingers over the skin, and smiles, whispering soft words into his hikari's ear. The entire scene is obvious.

Mine, mine, always and forever mine.

He pauses for an instant, just to glare over his shoulder at the brunette, glaring right back at him.

He's mine and you can't have him, understand?

Yuugi sighed, shutting the door on Yami and Anzu's conversation.

"Hey, Yuugi, what's up?"

He smiled at Jounouchi, still sitting where he left him that morning, lying in front of the television, avoiding his return to his own home where his father was no doubt waiting. "Not much. You?"

"Daytime TV is even worse on Sundays than it is during the week." He paused, looking at him. "You okay, man? You don't look so hot."

"I'm okay…" he sighed again and sank onto the couch. "I just wonder why I bother staying with Anzu sometimes."

"Hm?"

He hesitated, glancing to the side before shrugging. "I don't think she likes me as much as she thinks she does."

Jounouchi raised his eyebrows, and passed him a packet of chips in offering of comfort. "You always say that."

"No… I mean… look at it. Between Yami and Anzu… do you ever feel like what they're physically saying is completely different to what they want to say?"

"Explain."

"Like…" he sighed, diving into the chip packet again. "Sometimes I feel like I'm just there so they have an excuse to see each other. Neither of them want me as much as each other, I guess."

So uh... Read and review?