Hold On

Catti-dono: Yes, it’s Saterday now *winks* though I think the calendar won’t go faster if you stare at it. I’m glad you like the new fic though XD Have fun with the new chap.

Red Dragon of Egypt: Wait… I think I’m reading the fic where Aqua’s in *sweatdrops* cool guy, I swear. And yeah, Kireira’s forbidden me to kill her for a VERY long time… I just hope I can keep myself to that. I really like the woman, so I actually have no idea why I keep killing her… oh yeah, plotbunnies…
Oh, and have fun killing Yoru off, but can I have him back for the next chap please? He’s not in this one, so be my guest and keep torturing the guy as he kind of deserves it, but I need him again next chap, thanx! Well have fun reading the new chap.

Sansi: Yeah, me too XD though if you love her now, just wait until she actually appears in the fic. She’s so cute! I swear I overdid it with the cuteness facter with her, but oh well. Have furn reading people.

Koorime13: *grins* oh you’ll see what I have planned for my little characters *evil glint in eyes* hope you enjoy the next chap!
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Well people, here’s the first real chap, so please R&R! Enjoy!
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--: 01 :--
A regular day at school

Whispering, why was everyone always whispering when he walked by. Sure, he was the social outcast of probably the entire city, but couldn’t people just leave him alone? He wasn’t all that interesting to talk about, so why did people keep doing it?

Atemu Yami ran a hand through his tri-coloured hair, and pushed the golden-blonde bangs aside as they fell into his eyes. What he wouldn’t give to shut all these people up.

It was just a normal day for him so far. He’d woken up early, done the last bits of his homework as his little sister Kumiko woke up as well, and then played with her until he had to go to school. He’d been walking for about ten minutes now and he’d almost reached the school building. Sadly enough that meant a lot of teenagers were around, and that meant everybody would stare at him and whisper in groups, saying what a weird guy he was and that they should all avoid him.

And avoiding him was exactly what Yami wanted them to do. He didn’t need someone to hang around with, and he tried to keep it the way it was. The big con: all that damned whispering that he hated so much.

Yami sighed as he sat down under his favourite Sakura tree on the school grounds. It was a sunny day so a lot of people were still outside, trying to get as much sun as possible until the bell rang. Everybody knew this was Yami’s spot though, so they avoided it like the plague.

Yami leaned back against the tree and looked around uninterestedly. He was met with the same sight as always. Girls in their far too short skirts for almost winter – part of the school uniform, surprisingly – chased after the popular guys who pretended to be uninterested, only to get more attention. The girls who were too shy or scared for such a direct approach simply stared at the guy they liked most, while only dreaming of actually talking to them. Yami rolled his eyes; what was so dammed hard about walking up to the person you liked and talking to them?

Sighing again, Yami glanced at his watch to see that the bell could ring any moment. Deciding that being trampled by the herd as everybody raced to their classes at once would be a bad thing, and that he had nothing better to do anyway, Yami stood up and entered the school

The school smelled like something had died a long time ago, and was still somewhere within the school walls. Yami had gotten used to the smell by now, but he sometimes still wondered how as new students always complained so much about it.

The school had small corridors, making some people wonder how so many people fitted in them at once. Every corridor seemed to lead into three different ones, creating a maze-like structure. It was a good thing Yami knew his ways around here perfectly well, though others still seemed to get lost at times; the school wasn’t exactly build logically.

Hearing the bell ring – announcing the stampede of students that would soon follow – Yami quickly walked into his classroom. Experience had taught his all too well that getting caught in the stampede was a very bad thing.

“Good morning, Atemu-san.” Yami gave the teacher a smile and bowed slightly for her.

“Good morning, Konaway-sensei.” Sure, the smile was fake and his respect was only meant slightly, but at least he tried. He really wasn’t a people-person, seeing as he had no friends and all, so he just tried to do his best by putting up a show. A show for everyone.

The teacher smiled back and Yami took his seat in the back of the classroom silently. Konaway-sensei continued to prepare for the lesson, instead of talking to him luckily, so he just stared out of the window next to him absentmindedly.

Soon the rest of the class entered the classroom, chatting happily amongst friends and waving arms to emphasize their points as they talked about something that had happened. Yami ignored it, not caring what the others had to say.

Everyone settled down as Konaway-sensei gestured for them to be quiet, and motioned to the door where someone new was standing. “This is Mutou Yuugi-san. He’s a transfer student that recently moved here and will be joining our class.”

Yami blinked… then blinked again… he blinked one last time before comprehending that his eyes weren’t playing tricks on him and he had seen correctly.

The new student looked a whole lot like him.

There were a few differences though. The boy looked no older than 14, with less sharp features and big childlike eyes. His eyes where a vibrant amethyst, whilst Yami’s were crimson as well. And although their hairstyles were almost identical, the other’s was less wild, with none of the golden-blonde bangs shooting up into the ebony-black hair. The tips of the boy’s hair were also amethyst where Yami’s were crimson. Also, the boy was shorter than him, and he wasn’t exactly tall as it was, which only added to the childlike and innocent appearance the boy gave.

Not only Yami, but the rest of the class were staring as well, murmuring and glancing between Yuugi and Yami. Yuugi hesitantly stepped further into the classroom, and shyly met the stunned expressions of his new classmates.

“Well I’m afraid there’s only one more place for you to sit, Mutou-san. And that’s next to Atemu-san.” Yuugi smiled as the teacher called for Yami to raise his hand, and slowly walked to the back of the class at someone did indeed raise his hand. A small blush dusted his cheeks as people still watched his every move while still whispering. As he reaches his seat, he sat down nervously, as he felt the eyes of his new neighbour on him.

Yami finally snapped back to reality and leaned back in his seat, his gaze now more curious than shocked. Did his father have any family named Mutou? Well it wouldn’t be the first time that his father hadn’t told him something, so it was very possible. He had to admit though, he was curious about the boy.

“Alright class, let’s start for today.” Konaway-sensei started and everybody quietened down again. During the entire class, Yami never really paid much attention – he didn’t have the concentration for it – so he had all the time to sneak glances at his look-alike. The boy didn’t seem to have even looked at him, for surely he would’ve been shocked as well at their likeness.

“Atemu-san, are you still with us? Or is Mutou-san that interesting?” Yami snapped out of his thoughts and gave the teacher an annoyed look. The rest of the class had started giggling and as he glanced aside, Yuugi was looking at him and blushing. And damn it, it looked cute.

Wait… cute?!. Where had that come from? The only thing in his life that was cute was Kumiko!

Yami shook his head to clear it again; this definitely wasn’t going to be his day.

“Atemu-san?!” Yami looked back at the now annoyed teacher. Oh yeah, he’d forgotten that she was there too. Damn teachers; you just kept forgetting about them.

“I’m sorry, Konaway-sensei. I was just… somewhere else with my thoughts.” Okay, so he didn’t mean his apology and the teacher probably knew it as he always zoned out in class. Well at least he had the decency to say something instead of just shrugging like certain other people would do.

“You always seem to be somewhere else when you’re in class. Maybe you should visit the principal to see if he can wake you up sufficiently?” Yami inwardly cringed at the thought of having to go to the principal. He didn’t exactly have a very good relationship with the man, and going there would definitely mean detention for a month. That would get his father angry again… which lead to another beating.

Yami sighted and shook his head, “No, that won’t be necessary.”

“Then I suggest paying attention.” Yami resisted the urge to roll his eyes. This is how it always went, but Konaway-sensei had never sent him to the principal. The threat wasn’t exactly threatening when you looked at it like that.

He glanced back at Yuugi again to see the other still looking at him with the blush still lightly visible. Yami hesitantly flashed him an apologetic smile. He had no idea what he was doing, but it felt right, so he just went with it.

Yuugi smiled back – his blush not leaving though, and even deepening a little. He quickly averted his eyes and looked back to the teacher. Konaway-sensei had started class again, but seemed to leave Yami alone now.

As class finally ended, everybody started to talk again, the words ‘Atemu-san’ and ‘Mutou-san’ falling more than once. Looks were once again thrown at the duo, making Yuugi blush and fiddle with the jacket of his uniform nervously, as Yami glared at them for all he was worth. If looks could only kill.

All students left the classroom and Yami sighed in frustration as he gathered his things. Why couldn’t they all just leave him alone?!

He glanced next to him to see Yuugi packing his things as well, his hands shaking a little which proved that he was still nervous. Yami hesitated again, before just going with the flow and pushing away the voice in his head that was yelling at him to ignore everything around him.

“I’m sorry about that… I’m not the most popular guy at school so a new student that looks a lot like me is something they just have to talk about,” he sighed, “it’ll probably also ruin your status without any reason.”

Yuugi smiled, “That’s okay; it’s not your fault and I’m not exactly here for a popularity contest,” he shrugged, “besides, if they’re that shallow, I don’t want friends like them.”

Yami nodded, glad that at least one person in this school wasn’t a total popularity freak. Glancing at the clock though, he sighed and smiled at Yuugi again, “Well we better get to class before we’re too late, ne?”

Yuugi nodded and both boys left the classroom, each going to another class. Yami felt strangely disappointed that Yuugi wouldn’t be next to him. He had to admit that the boy was cute, and that for as far as he had seen, he wasn’t all that bad to hang around with. He grudgingly also had to admit that maybe it would be nice to have someone to talk to at school, which really took a lot since he didn’t exactly trust people. On the other hand, there was just something about Yuugi that screamed innocence and demanded trust, as well as a need to be protected. Yami had a weak spot for people like that, as they reminded him too much of Kumiko.

Next period started just as he sat down, and he spends the entire class just staring outside, thinking of nothing in particular, and just hoping class would end soon. He could sometimes feel the teacher looking at him with disapproving looks, but all the teachers had long since stopped trying to get his attention during class – the exception being Konaway-sensei since she still tried. Besides, he was one of the top students of the school so they really didn’t have anything to complain about.

Class ended without much happening, and that meant break started. Yet another stampede only this time with everybody trying to get out of the school building or into the cafeteria as fast as humanly possible. Yami just rolled his eyes and slowly packed his things, knowing it wouldn’t do anything for him to join the herd.

He left the building to go sit under his tree again, but before he could he heard a somewhat familiar voice calling out for help. He looked up, only half interested in what was going on, to see a group of bullies standing around their latest victim.

Yami shrugged to himself; bullying was something that was done a lot around here, so it wasn’t exactly a new sight for him. He once again wanted to sit down when the voice cried out again, and Yami finally realized why the voice sounded familiar. He gaze shot up to the person laying on the ground to see if he was indeed right, and spiky tri-coloured hair in a similar style to his own met his eyes. Yami groaned; it was Yuugi.

Now it was obvious that Yuugi was getting bullied because he was so short, but Yami knew there was also a second reason, and that reason was that they looked so much alike. Yami was a social outcast and avoided as much as possible. He would’ve surely been bullied as well, but he was too strong for the bullies to really handle, so they left him alone. Yuugi however, looked nothing like the age he simply had to be, and was an easy target to bully. Yami sighed and shook his head; he had to go help the other since this was party his fault. God he hated this all.

“What’s wrong pipsqueak? No one coming to save you?” Yuugi cowered and whimpered as he was kicked in his stomach for the umpteenth time. His body was hurting all over and he knew he’d be carrying bruises all over for quite some time. He heard the bully that had spoken laugh at his reaction, before just continuing with the insults.

Yuugi braced himself for the next kick, when he heard a new voice. For a split-second he thought a new bully had come to join the others, before recognizing the deep baritone voice of Yami. His eyes opened slightly to see the other standing behind one of the bullies with a glare on his face to kill. The bully – Ushio was it? – took one step back in surprise, but didn’t seem very intimidated. He matched Yami’s glare with one of his own, both looks unwavering.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t mister solitude. Come to save your little twin here?” Ushio mocked, his eyes still set in a glare but showing the slightest bit of amusement as well.

Yami glared harder, “I said, leave him alone. You’ve already tried to beat me up and you failed even with your goon-squad. I’ll be happy to fight you again, but I’m giving you one chance to get the hell out of here.”

Yuugi could see the slightest bit of a flinch in Ushio’s eyes, but the other didn’t back down quite yet, “Oh yeah, who says we didn’t get any stronger huh?”

Yami snorted, “Who says I didn’t become stronger too? Now get lost!” Ushio and Yami glared for a few more seconds, before Ushio snorted and backed down.

“To hell with this, you’re not worth my time Atemu. We’re leaving.” The small group walked away, and Yami smirked, ‘Cowards.’ He looked back at Yuugi who was still lying on the ground. Hesitantly he crouched down and put a hand on the smaller’s shoulder. “Are you okay?”

Yuugi slowly nodded, and took the hand that Yami held out for him to take. Slowly Yami helped him get up and led him to one of the Sakura trees. “Yeah, I’m just sure I’m going to have a whole lot of bruises for a while.” He winced slightly as he sat down.

Yami chuckled, and sat down next to him, “Sorry, them bullying you is party my fault…” he gave another apologetic smile, though why he didn’t know exactly. It wasn’t like he wanted the bullies to go after Yuugi.

“Your fault?” Yuugi laughed a little, “Just because we look alike doesn’t make it your fault that they’re bullying me.” He gave the other a bright smile.

Yami stared, for a moment reminded of how Kumiko always said nothing was his fault and the smile she’d give him, before catching the thought and cursing himself. Yuugi was not Kumiko. Why had he even bothered to help the other anyway? He never bothered!

“Anyway, thank you very much, Atemu-san. If you hadn’t helped they would’ve continued for a while I think.” Yuugi cringed and unconsciously hugged himself. “I’m not really used to getting bullied; it never happened where I come from.”

Yami raised an eyebrow, “Really? Where do you come from?” A place where bullying didn’t happen? That must’ve been heaven on Earth or something.

Yuugi smiled again, though it looked more mysterious than anything else this time, “Let’s just say I come from pretty far away.” He really couldn’t say exactly where he’d lived before; he would be breaking even more rules than he’d already done if he did that.

Yami studied him for a second, before shrugging. If Yuugi didn’t want to tell him than fine. It did get him curious, but oh well. Well, if Yuugi was going to sit with him during the rest of the lunch break, they might as well talk… right? His social skills were almost none existent, but that sounded about right. “So… where do you live?”

“On the north side of town, in one of the apartment complexes. I live there by myself but my grandfather pays the rent for me and all.” Yuugi had a distant look on his face for a second, but then smiled up at Yami again. “It’s pretty cool though it gets a bit lonely since I don’t know many people here yet and all. What about you?”

“I live pretty close to that. I live with my father and little sister in one of the mansions close to that complex. My father’s a successful business man and likes to show off. My sister’s 9 now and studies in the junior high part of the school. She’s got the day off today though, so she’s not here now.” Yami smiled at the though of Kumiko. Usually she’d be sitting here with him, but for some reason classes had been cancelled today so she stayed home. She’d offered to come to school during lunch anyway, but Yami had refused, saying it was too dangerous for her to come all the way here by herself. Yes, he was slightly overprotective of her, but she was the most important person to him in the entire world, so he had the right in his opinion.

Yuugi giggled, “You talk about her as if she means everything to you,” he smiled as he saw the nod from Yami.

“She does, she means everything to me.”

Yuugi sighed and looked at the ground with a bit of sadness now showing in his eyes, “I wish I had someone like that…” His mind went back to all the friends he had left behind when he went away. He really did miss them.

“What about your parents?” Yami cocked his head, “Don’t they mean a lot to you?”

“Well my parents died when I was really young, so I never really got to know them. I lived with my grandfather, but I don’t think I’ll ever see him again.” A tear appeared in those bright amethyst eyes, and slowly fell down Yuugi’s cheek. Yami hesitantly raised his hand and wiped the tear away. Man, he was hesitating a lot today. On one hand it annoyed him, but he knew he had no real experience in this department so it couldn’t be helped.

“Can’t you just go back to where you came from?” Yuugi shook his head, not saying a word and forcing the other tears that were about to fall down back. This was no time to be crying or thinking about his past. He’d made a choice when he came here and he would keep to that choice.

“Yuugi?” The younger looked up into crimson eyes that held a slight bit of worry in them. It was obvious that Yami wasn’t used to comforting people, but was trying anyway. Yuugi gave him a small smile and wiped the rest of his tears away.

“I’m okay, just…” he trailed off, not knowing how to explain everything without breaking any more rules than he already had so far.

Yami just nodded in understanding, “It’s okay, you don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.” They sat in silence for a while, neither knowing what to say and just eating their lunch. The silence was broken however, when a female brunette ran towards them, yelling Yami’s name loudly and making everyone look at her.

“Yami-kun!” she nearly threw herself at the older boy, but managed to contain herself enough to just sit next to him. The fact that she was leaning towards him and nearly hanging over his lap because of it obviously didn’t count in her opinion.

Yami scowled and shifted away from the brunette, “What is it, Mazaki-san?” It was obvious that he didn’t like the girl, and it was heard in his voice quite clearly. The brunette didn’t seem to notice though, and if she did then she simply ignored it.

“How many times do have to tell you to call me Anzu?” She smiled a seductive smile that would’ve made any guy’s heart beat faster, though Yami seemed to be unaffected. “So how were classes?”

Yami resisted the urge to strangle the overly cheerful girl next to him. Mazaki Anzu, his stalker and nightmare for life. She was the only one that wouldn’t leave him alone no matter how he treated her, and it irked him to no end. “Peaceful, you weren’t in them.” How obvious could he be?

Anzu giggled, “Oh silly, you must’ve been bored without me.” Suddenly she noticed they had other company, and she looked at Yuugi who was overlooking the scene curiously. “Who’s this?” Her always overly cheerful tone seemed to hold disappointment because she wasn’t alone with Yami, but she masked it very well.

Too bad Yami heard it anyway. He smirked as he saw a chance to get rid of the girl for today, and just hoped Yuugi would play along. He glanced at Yuugi with a look that only told of mischief, and a slight bit of a question if Yuugi wanted to join him.

Yuugi, although he had no idea what Yami had planned, gave the slightest bit of a nod. It was obvious that Yami didn’t like this girl and wanted to get rid of her, so he’d help.

Yami’s smirk widened, and he suddenly pulled Yuugi closer to him, “This? This is my new friend, Mutou Yuugi-kun. We were just discussing what we should do after school.” The slight suggestiveness in his voice was undeniably there, and Anzu definitely heard it loud and clear.

Yuugi heard it too sadly enough, and blushed bright crimson. Even though he knew Yami was only trying to get rid of the annoying brunette, he couldn’t help but let his mind wander ever so slightly as he felt Yami’s grip tighten. Something that only made him blush even more.

Anzu’s mouth dropped open and she stared at the two look-alikes with wide eyes. Her Yami and this pipsqueak?! No way in hell was she going to let that happen. Her gaze turned to Yuugi and she glared. “I see, and if I’m not mistaking Mutou-san is the new student.” Her glare only intensified and Yuugi visibly shivered. “Let me welcome you to Domino high then. I’m sure you’ll have a great stay here.” There was a not-so-silent threat in her words and a promise that he wouldn’t be having such a great time here at all.

Yuugi unconsciously leaned into Yami’s touch and felt the other stroking his back soothingly as crimson-red orbs glared in an intimidating way.

“I’m sure he will, as I’ll be showing him around.” Anzu’s gaze locked with Yami’s and a silent challenge was made. Anzu would try to make Yuugi’s stay here as miserable as possible for stealing away ‘her’ Yami, and Yami would do everything he could to protect his smaller look-alike.

“Well then I suppose I must be leaving; cheerleader practise is starting in a few minutes.” Anzu stood up and started to walk away. One last glare was thrown at Yuugi, before she disappeared into the school.

Yami groaned as he looked at Yuugi again, knowing he’d seriously just condemned the other to a world of bullying. “I’m really sorry; I didn’t know she was going to react like that.” He let Yuugi go and sighed, muttering the word ‘bitch’ under his breath.

Yuugi beat down the blush still visible on his cheeks as best he could, before looking up at Yami again, “I really don’t like her…” he frowned, usually he could get along with just about anybody, bullies obviously not included.

“Nor do I, but she’s had a crush on me since… well ever since we met I think. She’s as shallow as you can get, but has quite some power here at school since she’s the head cheerleader,” he let out a sigh, “and she’s determined to make your life a living hell now.”

“Yeah, I got that from the way she was talking,” Yuugi shivered, “but it’s okay; everybody helping her is just as bad as she is.”

“True,” Yami nodded, but he still felt guilty, a feeling he wasn’t used to, “but now those bullies really aren’t going to leave you alone. And this time it really is my fault since I challenged her.”

Yuugi just shrugged and smiled, “Well then you’ll just have to scare them off again, Atemu-san.”

Yami shook his head, “Well, then call me Yami. Atemu sounds far too uptight for my liking.” His mind was confused as to why he bothered to help – he usually wouldn’t have cared – and why he had just told Yuugi to call him by his first name, but it just slipped out of his mouth before he could stop it. And just one look at the bright smile on Yuugi’s face told him it would be impossible to take back too.

Damn this boy for reminding him so much of Kumiko.

“Well then, Yami-kun. Call me Yuugi.”

The bell rang at that point and both boys got up to go back to class. Yami just hoped that Yuugi wouldn’t have any classes with Anzu unless he was in it too, or he wouldn’t be able to protect the other like he had just promised. They split up, Yuugi heading for Math, and Yami heading for gym.
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The plot thickens… even though there hasn’t been a trace of it so far, it still thickens cuz I need to put something down here. Please review.