#Chao- Ya know what sucks about the later manga and anime for YGO?

YChao- That it went from an awesome show about games to weird thing about teens playing a children's card game against adults who had no lives?

Chao- Yeah… But the main character, Yugi Muto, was changed from a timid little geek to someone who was just all out cheerful and full of friendshipness!

YChao- Isn't that what authors call character development?

Chao- It wouldn't have been so bad if the authors/writers kept the main character being more human. Let's face it, most fans have read at least the first chapter of the manga series and are aware that Yugi was a total perv!

YChao- As was Joey and Tristan.

Chao- Yep. But Yugi sort of lost his ability to be human by expression emotions such as fear, doubt, and loneliness.

YChao- Can we get to the story now?

Chao- Sure. Rant over.

Disclaimer: DarkChao1663 does own Yu-Gi-Oh!

Summary: There has been a lot on Yugi's mind. So much that he takes his anger out on Yami. After an argument, will the two be able to get along again? One shot.

Warnings: Minor swearing

Parings: None

"Talking."

"Thinking."

The Future, Fear, and Secrets

"I'm just trying to help!" explained the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle sincerely while raising his voice.

"I don't need your help with this!" a young teen with tri-color hair yelled as he shut his eyes tightly with fury.

"You're clearly upset about something!"

"No! I'm not!"

"Yugi please! Let's be reasonable!"

"I am being reasonable! I don't need your help! I can take care of this!"

"Can you really," a spirit asked with concern as he walked over to his partner. He placed one hand on his friend's cheek as he tried to wipe away angry tears that also held a hint of depression to them.

The teen opened his eyes. His purple orbs met with another pair of purple eyes.

"Yugi, I am trying my best to assist you in your time of need." the dark spirit attempted to clarify his position as he grabbed his partner's arms with a firm but caring grip. "If you need someone to talk to, I can listen. How can I help you if your emotions are taking the best of you? That is very unlike you."

The teen's eyes shot open wide.

"Yami! Just leave me alone!" Yugi spat at the former pharaoh as he broke away from his hold.

Yami gasped astonished; he had never heard his partner yell at him in such a manner. He stared at Yugi, whose eyes sealed tightly in anger once more. Yami calmly closed his pupils for he knew this was a time to just allow his friend to be.

"All right," he agreed in a low voice. "If that is what you want. I'll leave you alone."

He quickly vanished from sight as he retreated to his prison within the gold upside down pyramid resting on a desk cluttered with papers.

Realizing his own action, Yugi flashed his eyes open.

"Yami! Wait!" he called out. He rushed over and quickly picked up the Puzzle. However, he did not receive any sounds from within.

"Yami! I didn't mean… I didn't know…"

Yugi was lost at words, unsure of what to do.

He had sent away his friend and made him feel powerless to assist. Slowly, tears began to from. However, these tears were conceived by sadness, not anger. Yugi sat down on his bed in defeat, still holding his treasure in his hands.

His treasure that took him eight years to solve.

A treasure given to him by his grandfather.

A treasure that helped him gain friends.

A treasure that changed his life.

Yugi sniffed as he wiped away his own tears made out of emotions that become out of control for a moment.

"Should I… take the Puzzle… with me?" he pondered as he stood up. "I think I should… just in case… I don't want him to think that I'm deserting him… He is, after all, still very important to me…"

He placed his gold upside down pyramid around his neck, "I'm sorry, Yami, but I can't talk to you… not about this, anyway."

He grabbed his jacket, went down stairs, and out of the house. He sighed as he mumbled to himself, "I need to take a walk and clear my head."

The young teen moved along a familiar sidewalk filled with old, crumple leaves. He used to always enjoy taking a stroll whether it was with his friends or family. He remembered when he was younger he would walk in between his two parents.

"But now it seems as though they're always going on business trips." Yugi sighed to himself, wrapping his arms around his shoulders for warmth.

He also remembered times with his friend where they all would race each other to their destination, whether it was a café, an arcade, or even a bus stop. He sighed dismally once more, aware everyone was busy with their own lives today and could not visit. However, even if his companions were free, Yugi was in no mood for having anyone over. He just wanted to be alone with his thoughts and "out of control" emotions. He gripped his Puzzle tightly.

He stopped walking and looked at his pendent. As much as he wanted to be alone, he really didn't want to feel lonely. He knew where ever he went, as long as he wore his Puzzle, he would never be alone.

He decided to keep walking. He looked around at all the people who were passing by. It appeared everyone had somewhere to be, whether it was work, the library, the arcade, or even home. Many people wore their coats to keep warm. Yugi felt embarrassed; in his rush to leave he only grabbed a thin jacket. He sat down at a bench. He watched many children running by, teasing each other, and having a good time while being completely oblivious to the world around them.

"Or are they just really enjoying what today has to offer?" Yugi questioned, reflecting how he spent his day so far.

He stood up and continued on with his journey alone. Strolling along, rather than thinking about his situation, he observed his surroundings. Plenty of trees were losing their green leaves. The sky slowly turned from a light blue to a soft pink with candy clouds drifting along. As his attention was drawn elsewhere, he was not careful with his footing and tripped over himself, falling to the ground.

"Shit," he mumbled as he scrapped one of his hands.

Rising to his knees, he placed one hand over the other. He was glad none of his friends were around. Not because he didn't want them, but because he swore. He was aware his companions felt uncomfortable with the thought of their little pal cursing, for it seemed unlike him. As Yugi struggled to stand up, he tried to fight back some tears threatening to fall. He did not want to cry but did anyways. He didn't cry because his hand was bleeding a little but because he did not feel human for a moment.

"Am I not allowed to express myself like everyone else?" the teen wiped away his tear. "Am I always to have a smile on my face? Am I not allowed to have any emotion other than happiness?"

He proceeded with his walk thinking about his other situation that dwelled on his mind before Yami came out wanting to help.

xxx

Yami sat down against his cold, stone walls within his Soul Room as he allowed his partner to be alone. He only tried to assist but received a backlash, something that was very unlike Yugi. The spirit couldn't bear seeing his light in pain like that.

"I know Yugi was harboring some sort of a negative emotion, but I've never seen him like this… I've never seen him so angry…so angry at me."

Yami sighed to himself all alone, like he had been for thousands of years.

Like he had been before his soul was set free.

Like he had been before he met someone so caring and trusting as Yugi.

He longed to see his partner smiling and laughing again, like his usual self.

"Yugi," Yami whispered to himself. "I want to see your kind face once more. That same face that had saved me before… Is it selfish of me to always want to see you like that?"

Yami stood up as he made his way to his Soul Room's door.

"I came out of the Puzzle because I sensed you were struggling with something… As I did I heard you swear… You usually don't ever do such a thing! Your kind nature just seems disrupted when you do… Yugi, I don't want you to become hard like I was."

He swung his door open, and walked out of his chamber. He looked down to his left and right as he saw endless hallways in both directions.

"At least we're still connected," he observed.

He took notice of his partner's Soul Room. A door sealed away any cheerfulness that normally came from within the room across the corridor. Yami did not like this; the door was always opened. Although he never walked in his light's room out of respect, he caught glimpses of the space filled with toys and bright lights, something he really did like about the soul he shared a body with.

He walked across the hallway and placed his right hand over the cold, metal door. He sighed with relief no evil magic laid behind the door. He feared if an evil force was at work, they would be drawn to the brightness that came from within Yugi, and seek to destroy it. Before Yami removed his hand from the door, he observed another feeling emitted from behind Yugi's door.

He felt a strong sense of anger, the same one he felt when he and his light were fighting. It was also the same anger that drew him out of the Puzzle to check in on his friend. However, he noted another feeling inside. He knew where ever anger lurked it was usually caused by another set of emotions, such as embarrassment or fear. Anger was only a mask. What Yami sensed was a combination of fear and sadness.

"Yugi," he whispered concerned.

He removed his hand and looked down at his light's door handle. He was tempted to open it and see how his partner was doing. Reaching for the knob, he remembered Yugi always knocked before entering his darker half's chamber. He took his hand away from the handle and shook his head.

"I mustn't," he scolded himself. "This is his body, his soul, his life… I'm just here as a guest he has allowed to stay."

He checked to secure nothing else was wrong with Yugi. He placed his hand once more on Yugi's door. Luckily, no evil force or any other physical pain was found.

"He'll come out when he's ready," Yami said as he slowly walked back to his own Room.

xxx

Yugi came to a tree in a park; the place he went to when he wanted to be left alone. He leaned his back against a trunk and slowly allowed his body to carefully fall to the ground. He brought his knees to his chest and hugged them tightly. Tears formed once more around his eyes, but he did nothing and allowed them to fall.

"Yami…" he whispered to himself despondently.

He no longer wanted to be alone. His mind swirled with too many thoughts and emotions he could not handle on his own.

The spirit of the Puzzle sensed his partner calling him within his chamber. Quickly, he came out noting his partner in pain. He felt within Yugi's heart his sorrow and need for help. The young boy looked up at his darker half. His eyes expressed true remorse for what he had done.

He buried his head once more in to his legs as he cried softly, "I'm sorry."

Yami sat down and rubbed his partner's back for comfort.

"It's ok," he assured using his voice to sooth Yugi as he sat down and embraced him. "I'm here."

The young boy remained mute as he allowed the tears to win and trickle down his already wet cheeks. The older boy continued to hold his friend and rub his back for comfort. He decided to not say another word and allow his friend to just be.

When he was ready, Yugi titled his head up. His eyes were a little wet, but he remained silent. Slowly, he smiled his usual smile.

"Feeling better?" Yami asked, wanting to ensure his partner was well.

Yugi nodded.

"I won't force you to tell me anything." Yami began candidly. "This is your body, and I will not invade any of your privacy. You know I am always here for you."

Yugi nodded once more.

"But I can't help you unless you tell me what's wrong," the spirit explained as he brushed Yugi's bangs away from his face.

The small boy looked back at the ground.

"I… I can't tell you." he quietly admitted.

Yami smiled, "I understand."

He was about to return within the Puzzle when Yugi stopped him.

"Wait!" the teen called out, not wanting to be alone.

Yami did not retreat into his chamber. He waited to see what his light wanted.

"I… I can't tell you… Not… not yet," the boy stuttered as he tried to explain.

Yami turned quiet as he listened carefully.

"But I will… someday… I promise." Yugi stuttered again, trying to express what he wanted to say within his heart.

Yami smiled once more, glad his partner trusted him.

"But…I do need you help…with something else," Yugi continued. "I… I'm not sure what I want to do for a living when I'm older."

Yami listened carefully to what his friend was confiding in him.

"I don't know if I want to run the game shop with Grandpa… I don't know if I should go into archeology like he and my dad did… I don't know how far me being the King of Games will last…

"What if Duel Monsters is only a fad! What will I do if no one is interested! What about my friends! What about Tea! She wants to go and study dance in New York City. Will she be ok by herself all the way out there! And Joey and Tristan… Will they be able to get into college! What can I do to prepare myself for the future… Yami… I'm… I'm scared!"

The young boy started cried once more.

Yami embraced his friend to comfort him. Plenty was happening within the mind of the small boy. A lot more than he realized.

"There's no need to fear the future, young one," Yami advised after allowing his friend to calm down.

Yugi looked up to his darker half.

Yami wiped away the tear coming from Yugi's giant puppy like eyes. "You need to trust in your friends like they trust you. Tea is a strong girl. If anything does happen, she can always come back to her circle of friends. As for the other two, you can't force them to go into anything. They need to make that choice themselves."

Deep down, Yugi knew his spirit friend was right. He continued to listen.

"But you've managed to help them all go down a good path. I'm sure everyone is performing better in school because of your strong bond with them."

Yugi smiled softly. He waited to see what Yami had to say about him.

"You're in school… You're preparing yourself by your studies… You have friends… They help you with your social skills… They also care and support you. You're doing what is right. You're thinking about your options and are considering the effects of what the future may hold. But you're only a young teen. You should also be able to enjoy yourself."

Yugi couldn't help but laugh a little.

Yami was glad to hear his partner acting like himself once more.

"Thanks, Yami." Yugi said as he finally had the courage to stand up. He was very grateful to have such a close, wise friend always by his side. He was glad he had someone to listen to him, and he knew his friend felt the same way.

"Besides," Yami continued confidently. "Duel Monsters was popular in my time. What makes you think this game will ever go away? For all you know, there could be schools that teach students how to Duel."

Yugi scoffed and answered, "Right. And then we'll all be Dueling on motor bikes."

The two of them laughed then walked back home together.

The End

Chao- ICK! Why did Chao write this?

YChao- Because you lack a life…

Chao- Thank you all who read! Please leave a review