The day Mutou Yugi was born, it was raining heavily as spring was drawing to a close. Looking back, Yami wondered if Mother Nature knew what was going to happen. She probably did.

Not that it mattered now. Mother was gone, and she wasn't coming back, and it was all his fault.

Of course, Yami would never say that aloud- he'd never badmouth his little brother when he could be heard- but his disdain for Yugi still showed in his actions. He babysat him for father, but he never smiled at him, never gave him a warm touch or really any form of affection, and didn't care at all that the brat absolutely, obviously adored him.

"Nii-chan!"

The tiny two year old tried again to crawl onto the eight year old's lap. Yami easily blocked him and sighed, annoyed.

"Go away." His voice was cold.

"I'm busy reading."

"'Ee me?"

"No. Ask father."

The toddler pouted, but left anyway. Tou-san would read to him, but...he liked nii-chan's voice more than his.

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It was around that time Yami and Akhnamkanon realized there was something else wrong with Yugi besides his abnormally small size. The youngest Mutou was visually impaired. Yami didn't get all the details- and he didn't really care enough to- but from what he'd overheard between Ishizu-sensei and father, Yugi had lost all vision in his right eye, and unless something was done soon, he'd lose the vision in his left eye, as well. The ten year old didn't understand why father was so worried for the brat- it was his fault mother was gone, after all.

Whatever.

His father paid for laser eye-surgery, which left a dent in his wallet, and afterwards, Yami wondered why he bothered. The doctors screwed up, so instead of his eye being saved, it would just take longer for him to go blind. His vision would deteriorate gradually instead of all at once. Now they'd have to pay for increasingly expensive glasses and lenses prescriptions and Ra only knows what else.

What a waste of money.

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Yugi was six when he met Atem.

That day, Yami took him to the local park so he could play while he studied for an upcoming test. As much as Yugi wanted to spend time with his big brother- despite how cold he was towards him- he understood that Yami didn't like him- though he didn't understand why- and obediently went off to another part of the park so he wouldn't bother him.

He stayed away from the other kids (they liked making fun of his height, but not his glasses, for some reason) and sat down on the edge of the sandbox. He opened up the book he'd brought with him- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone- and smiled as he began reading. He already knew he was going to go blind one day- it was just a feeling, and he put it together when he actually noticed his vision getting worse ( the words on Yoshimori-sensei's white board had just suddenly appeared fuzzy, even though he was wearing his glasses)- so until that day came, he wanted to use his eyes all he could, and in a world so cruel, what better way to use his eyes than to lose himself in fantasy books?

When Yami's cold demeanor became too much, this was his best method of absconding. He could even forget his inevitable blindness and pretend he was the hero in his books- indestructible and loved, with true friends and a family that actually cared. Nothing at all like weak, fragile, blind little Yugi...

"What's wrong?"

The small blond jumped, startled. He'd never heard anyone else come so close!

He turned towards the source of the voice and saw a person about the height of Yami- though everyone looked giant to him, so he could've been wrong- with hair identical to his, save for a few locks that stuck up, and skin much darker than his. He couldn't make out his eyes without their noses touching, and that would've been rude.

The dark-skinned boy looked at him and grinned sheepishly.

"Ah, sorry. Did I scare you? You looked really happy reading that book, but now you suddenly look so sad. Why's that?"

Yugi shook his head. He couldn't ask a total stranger to listen to his troubles.

"It's nothing," he assured, his voice soft and polite and reserved as it always was, " Ano...who are you?"

"I'm Atem, and I'm eight!" The boy spoke loudly, confidently, and it made Yugi smile. "Now, who're you?"

"Oh...me? My name is Mutou Yugi. I'm six years old, and...I can't see very well, so no one ever really wants to play with me, or be my friend, and," he didn't know why, but he just couldn't stop himself from opening up to this strange boy, " and I really really like my big brother, even though he doesn't really like me at all..."

He frowned again.

Atem huffed, and Yugi waited.

Atem-san must think I'm a real loser. Who else would love someone who hates them so much? And I'm blind, so I can't do everything by myself. He must think I'm a freak, and that's why he's so quiet now...

"Yugi-chan, I've decided!"

Here it comes...

"Starting today, I'll be your number one best friend! And I won't let no meanie big brothers hurt you anymore!"

I knew it, he-

"What...? Oh- oh no, you don't have to, Atem-san, really, I'm-"

"Nope. We're friends now, and that's not gonna change, no matter what!"

"Demo...Atem-san, I...ahh...arigatou...!"

Suddenly, he wanted to cry. But he felt happy, so why...?

"Yugi-chan daijoubu? Why are you crying?!" The older boy reached over to wipe at his face with the sleeve of his shirt, but Yugi grabbed his wrist gently to stop him.

"Daijoubu, Atem-san. I'm just...I'm so happy! No one's ever wanted to be my friend because I can't see good enough to play as hard as normal kids, so for you to say that...it makes me really happy!"

Atem's grin returned full force as he ruffled Yugi's tri-colored hair.

"Ehee! That's good! You look pretty when you smile, Yugi-chan!"

"Oi, brat, it's time to go!"

Yugi frowned again, and stiffened when Atem pulled him into a hug.

"See you later, Yugi-chan!"

"Y-yeah...till then, Atem-san!"

Yugi pulled away and ran to stand at his brother's side. As they began walking, Yugi looked back and smiled as Atem shot him a large sparkling grin. He turned back, that smile burned into his mind's eye as he followed silently behind Yami.

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That night, Atem lay in bed, restlessly thinking of the boy he'd met.

The small, sad, unloved boy with the pretty purple eyes and the strange hair that looked so much like his own.

The boy named Mutou Yugi.

He said he couldn't see well enough to keep up with other children, but what did that mean? Just how bad was it? Maybe he could ask Seto-nii to look into it tomorrow.

In the meantime, he had to think of what he and Yugi could do together when they saw each other again, and also, how to best keep him from getting hurt again by his hateful big brother.

These plans made him restless, and when he finally managed to fall asleep, they followed him there, too.

"...keep you safe...Yugi-cha..."

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Over the next few weeks, Yugi and Yami settled into a sort of routine. Yami would go to his high school and Akhnamkanon would drive Yugi to the public elementary school. At school, Yugi would just sit and read and ignore Jounouchi's teasing of his height and his love for books, and then he'd meet with his physical and visual therapist for an hour, and play games and put together puzzles, then head back to class. Then Akhnamkanon would pick him up and bring him home, except on Saturdays. On Saturdays, Yami would pick him up- grumbling all the while- and take him to the park, where he'd study while Yugi read in some abandoned area of the playground until Atem showed up. Then he'd still read, but aloud to his friend- because Atem loved listening to him read (he was so much more expressive than even older kids when he read!) and Yugi liked making his friend happy.

And when Yugi wasn't reading to Atem, he was contentedly answering Atem's questions about his life and listening to him talk about his own. Somehow, he wasn't bothered when Atem asked about his eyes, though if anyone else had asked he'd be more reluctant to answer.

"Well...I don't remember the numbers exactly, but all I know is that Ishizu-sensei said one day, I won't be able to see at all."

They were laying under a smaller tree, peering through the branches to look at the clouds.

"That's so scary, Yugi-chan! But you don't sound scared at all..."

Yugi laughed.

"But I am, Atem-san. I'm scared to death that one day I'll just wake up and not be able to see anything. But father says there are things blind people can do to be like people who can see. They can read braille and use canes to get places, and busses, and some even use dogs!"

"Wow! Really? That sounds cool..."

Yugi nodded.

"Yeah, but...if I suddenly couldn't see anymore, I think...I think Yami-nii-sama would hate me even more, and maybe even lose me on purpose while tou-sama's away at work. And...and that's what scares me the most."

Atem rolled over and placed his hand atop Yugi's pale one. The younger boy turned his head and looked at him, and the dark-skinned youth felt his heart break at the worry he saw in his eye (because of course the prosthetic right eye couldn't show any emotion).

"Yugi-chan," he began seriously, conveying love and protection in just those three syllables, " you don't have to be afraid. No matter what, even if we're separated, I promise, I won't ever let anything bad happen to you."

"Do you really mean that?"

"Every word." He moved his other hand so it was hovering above the grass between them and extended his pinky. Yugi did the same with his other hand, interlocking his pinky around his friend's and squeezing as hard as he could. Atem winced slightly and looked to Yugi for an explanation. The boy obliged, but because he felt him wince- he didn't see the look on his face well enough to read it fir what it was.

"Jii-chan told me that the harder you squeeze your pinkies when you make a pinky promise, the harder it'll be to ever break."

"Then, I guess I'll never be able to break my promise to you."

Yugi nodded, a light laugh leaving his lips.

Atem's smile softened and they moved on to talk about more pleasant things.

"Ne, did you know your eye moves when you get distracted?"

"Does it? I've never noticed."

"It does! It just...jiggles! Up and down and everywhere, and it's so weird, but also really neat!"

They laughed again.

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"-Mom would still be here!"

"Mutou Sennen Yami! Don't you dare talk about your brother that way!"

"That thing will never be my brother! NEVER!"

A slap.

Did father...?

Heavy footsteps storming past his room.

They've never been so violent before...

Yugi curled up around his overly-large teddy bear- a gift from Ishizu-sensei for being so brave when he got his fake eye put in for the first time- and began softly crying.

I wish tou-sama and nii-sama didn't fight so much...I wish nii-sama loved me...I wish...

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On Yugi's seventh birthday, just four months after meeting Atem, things escalated. Yami and their father had gotten into a fight in public and Atem saw everything and it was over him again and-

Yugi felt miserable, so he allowed Atem to discretely guide him to the swing set.

"Yugi. How long has this been going on?"

The boy was reluctant to answer, but he didn't want his only friend to worry.

"Since...January, I think- but it's never been this bad, and they don't hurt me-"

"What happened to start this one?"

"Well...Tou-sama wants to send me to stay with Jii-chan until he and Nii-sama can be nice to each other again. But...Nii-sama doesn't think tou-sama should have to akmid- ahkha...accromiate-"

"Accommodate?" Atem supplied. Yugi nodded, frowning.

"Yeah, that. Nii-sama doesn't think tou-sama should accommodate everything for me. He always thinks that, though. I wish I knew why he hates me..."

Yugi kicked at the dirt below the swing and swung a little. Atem was silent for a moment before Yugi heard him get off the swing beside him.

"Stay here, Yugi-chan. I have something for you in my bag!"

Obediently, Yugi stayed put as Atem ran off to grab his school bag from one of the benches. He returned, carrying a relatively average-sized golden box, decorated with ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs.

"I was going to give this to you a little later, cause I know you like this sort of stuff, but..." he looked back at Yami and Akhnamkanon, who were still arguing, "...I think it'd be best if I give this to you now, instead. It might cheer you up, and..." he held it out for Yugi to take, " it's your birthday today, right?"

Yugi nodded dumbly. He'd never been given something that felt so special, not even by tou-sama.

"What is it?"

"It's a puzzle. No one's ever solved it, but according to my dad, the box says that whoever solves it will get the power to grant one wish," explained Atem excitedly, "and I just know you'll be able to solve it! And then...then you can wish for anything you want! And, and then you can finally be happy like you deserve!"

Atem sounded so very pleased with himself, and so very sincere, it tore at Yugi's heart. He didn't want to leave this warmth. Not ever.

"Atem...I..."

He couldn't express himself...not like this, anyway. So, throwing caution to the wind, he threw himself around Atem and hugged him tightly.

"I...I'm re-really gonna m-m-miss you...!"

"I know...I'll miss you too, Yugi-chan...so please...be safe till we meet again." His voice cracked.

Yugi nodded against his chest, his small body trembling with sobs.

That night, he left to stay with his grandfather in Metro City.

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