I noticed that we're a chatty bunch that loves to show off our own work - which is fine, because we're all aspiring writers, serious or not, and we all love critique as much as we love getting praised. ;D

Anyway, I just thought this would be a nice thread to have up, since we seem to be using the chat thread to post fic snippets. This is just a specific place to share what we're working on with the rest of the forum, teasing and tormenting as much as we like. It doesn't have to be puzzleshipping. It doesn't have to be a specific genre. It would be preferable to post a Yuugiou fic, but another fandom is fine too, as long as at least one other person here knows it well. (And if we all want to, this could even be the place to say that we've updated, too, but maybe I'm getting too far ahead of myself.)

I think I speak for everyone when I say that feedback is much appreciated, but if the replies back and forth turn into a full-blown conversation, they should probably be moved over to the chat topic, just so we don't spam this one up. Sorry, but I like things neat on the Internet. xD Hope this isn't too inconvenient for anyone.

Also, we need to keep in mind that the forums on this site weren't created to post stories, so if the "previews" are more than about... oh, 1000 words or so, then they're probably toeing the line, because I've seen drabbles that are shorter. I just don't want to take any chances, so let's be on the safe side and post no less than, say, seven paragraphs. About. Okay? ^^

Right, so there you have it. I can't wait to see what you guys are working on! :)

Just something I'm working on at the moment. It's not puzzleshipping, and it's not an AU, if anyone's wondering. Enjoy.

When he walks toward me, he does so in such a quick manner that I have to blink to fully take in the fact that he’s really standing in front of me. Three seconds ago, he was about fifteen meters away – how did he get so close to me so…?

He looks… normal, up close, strangely enough. Except for the clothing. His tanned skin is covered by a linen cloth-like thing that’s wrapped over his legs, with golden straps similar to the ones circling arms and ankles hold steady around his waist. He’s even got a frigging cape around his shoulders, by God, and I think I see earrings hidden in that wild hair – hair that reminds me so much of my father’s. He looks to be of a Middle Eastern descent, even though I’ve never heard of people from that area of the world (or any area of the world) with that kind of weird red eye color.

I am not a cat, but my mother is always saying that my curiosity might just kill me one day. She’s always joking, I’m sure, and I’ve always rolled my eyes and never taken the phrase seriously, but here, standing on a chilling December afternoon with a possible psychopath that can’t seem to dress himself properly staring at me with abnormal crimson eyes, I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to appreciate her warning.

“When I was a boy in Egypt, Priest Aknadin used to complain about his robes not being washed correctly: they always had a faint purple color when the servants returned them. He couldn’t touch or hurt the servants because they technically only worked for my father, and I suppose I should have eventually apologized for putting them through so much worry, but nobody ever figured out that I used to sneak in to Aknadin’s chambers and squeeze prune juice over his clothing after the servants had laid them out to dry.”

“You’re kidding!”

“I was a horrible child back then. But he did deserve it.”

“Why’s that?”

“He’d punish me for not getting my lessons right. The punishments were much harsher than those of his other students when they did wrongs. And I was only a boy; I had a childish sense of justice.”

“Wait. By ‘punishments,’ do you mean…?”

“Let’s not get into that. Yes, the floggings hurt, but I was fine. I turned out all right.”

“…I don’t mean to justify him, but I’m glad things went the way they did. I like how you turned out.”

“Thank you, partner.”

-dies from fluff-

Oh! Okay the first and second are different snippets. I was confused for a second. What's the first one for, Lady?

Oops! Should have specified; sorry about that. xDDDD

The first is from a dramatic/suspense (and possibly horror) 'next generation' fic called "Special." It's about Ima Mutou, Yuugi's daughter, and... well, basically, all hell goes loose when she's in high school, too. The Shadow Games come back, she's seeing visions of a weird guy in a pharaoh-ish costume with her dad's hair wandering around (;3), and there's blood. Kind of a lot of blood. But I don't want to spoil anything. xDD;

Wow, Lady that's crazy. I'll be sure to look out for that.

Umm, this is a piece from this story that really means the world to me. I love it more than anything, but I don't plan on posting it until I'm COMPLETELY done with it. Anyways, what I want to know from you guys is if, in the scene I post here, you guys can visualize the scene, if you guys can see the rain dripping off of Yugi's body and if you guys can hear the slow rhythm of music and rain. This scene is really important to me so I could use all the help I can get. Any criticism or suggestions or additions are most certainly welcomed. Thanks, guys.

...

It was at that moment that the gray sky opened up, a downpour of rain showering the earth’s soil, creating little puddles around Yuugi’s bare feet as he made his way into the center of the yard, bypassing the laughing individuals that danced around him. When he reached the middle of the crowd, between all the cherry blossom trees that were sprouting pink and red petals, he turned around, and lifted his eyes towards the sky.

Yami watched him from his seat underneath the small shelter the porch provided, his eyes never leaving Yuugi as the boy raised his hands above his head and clasped them together. Slowly, with the same sensual rhythm of the rain, Yuugi swayed his hips from side to side, his eyes closed as he breathed in the purifying air. The rain clung to his skin, the drops like diamonds on his pale arms. The outstretched limbs followed the same, slow movement of the boy’s lithe waist.

Yami couldn’t tear his gaze away, and he didn’t even realize that the strings of his heart had pulled him to his feet and out into the rain. It pelted down around him and soaked him to the core, numbing his entire being. Through all the smiling and dancing men and women, who were now nothing but dark blurs in the surrounding mist, there was a straight, clear path that led to Yuugi, who just continued to sway, and breathe, and live.

When Yuugi opened his eyes, he looked right at Yami, his half-lidded amethyst jewels piercing Yami’s soul as the crystalline drops dripped off his golden bangs, ran down his face, and hung off the tips of his eyelashes. Suddenly, all went silent and the only thing that Yami could hear was the pitter-patter of the rain, and the light, slow music that was never really there.

It was then that he moved forward, his dark scarlet eyes locked with Yuugi's own as he walked directly towards his destination, his steps never faltering under Yuugi’s alluring gaze, because, in that moment, everything was just so damn simple.

...

Well, that's the preview, please share your thoughts.

The only piece of concrit I have is that your prose gets the tiniest bit purple in the last two paragraphs or so. The adjectives in the beginning are wonderful: they're explanatory, they're descriptive to just the right amount, and they're clear enough to get the message across. But near the end it looks like you're going into greater detail, and while that's usually a good thing, I've noticed that some authors like to go overboard with vocabulary, almost as if they're trying to show off... well actually, that's probably exactly what they're doing, lol. You and your writing don't come across as that kind of person/prose, and in this particular excerpt I wouldn't worry about it too much, but it's always good to catch yourself before you squeeze too many descriptions and empty words into a story. (I'm still having a bit of trouble with it myself, heh...) It's not something you MUST FIX OMG LYKE RITE NOW, but I'd just be on the lookout during revisions and such for things that don't need to be there. ♥

This is only my opinion, of course, so feel free to completely ignore it. 8D

Don't get the wrong idea, though, because I really did like it. The way you detailed the rain and dancing was brilliant, so no worries there at all. :)

Ooooo, I liked that. I thought you portrayed everything just right in it. I could totally imagine this scene, the rain, the dancing, and the dripping water... I love your descriptions. Beautiful paragraphs. :)

Your preview was very easy simple to imagine, Yuri. You always do a great job in descriptive detail. My only pick is that I kinda agree with Lady up there on the fact that the last two paragraphs you seem to be trying to outdo the beginning with the vocabulary. You don't want to use -too- many fancy words, since some people may not know what they even mean. That may just be me though. Hah! But don't get me wrong - it was GREAT! I could even feel the chill in the air that comes with rain when Yugi was dancing!

What is the name of the story, however? I think I know, but not sure...

But, you did great, love. Beyond great, just for that little snippet.

Thanks guys! I see what you mean about being too wordy. I'll make sure to fix that. Thanks so much!!!!!!

Oh, sorry, aibou, didn't see your question. Um...I'm actually having a really hard time coming up with a title. XP

Preview for Cinderella ch 9:

"Crazy women who managed ta knock dat Mahado guy cold?" Jonouchi said. Seto let out a curse. He turned and motioned for Jonouchi to follow him. Jonouchi trotted along behind him, trying to keep up with Seto's long legged strides.

"What's da plan?" Jonouchi asked.

"We're going to recruit some guards and go save my stupid cousin." Seto said. Jonouchi grinned.

"Like a super dramatic rescue mission!" Jonouchi said excitedly. Seto stopped dead in his tracks and looked down at Jonouchi, one eye twitching. The way he was chabbering so excitedly... He reminded Seto of an over active dog. Jonouchi regarded him with a confused expression. "Why'd ya stop?"

"No reason. Mutt." Seto said with a smirk and continued down the hall. Jonouchi stared after him, blinking. Suddenly an enraged look entered his eyes and he ran after Seto, shaking his fist in the air.

"WHAT'D YOU CALL ME!? GET BACK HERE!"

One more =D: (Sorry if this seems to long. There were just some couple word sentences.)

"Lying whore!"

"Jealous bitch!"

"ARGGGHHHH!"

"Yugi, where did you learn that language!?" Atem called as he ran into the barn. Anzu whipped around, snarling in her rage.

"Now is so not the time to be witty Atem!" Yugi called back.

"Give me that!" Atem yelled, now in a struggle with Anzu over the frying pan in her hand. Anzu was thrown to the barn floor a moment later and Atem was now once more in possession of the pan. Yugi climbed down from the ladder and joined him, taking the pan from him.

"We're not throwing this away again!" Yugi snapped. Atem smiled sheepishly. His eyes widened then and he pointed behind Yugi. Yugi whirled and saw Anzu charging towards him. He squeeked and put the pan in front of him right as Anzu reached him. Her face connected with the bottom of the pan and she made a face as she dropped unconscious to the barn floor. Yugi stared down at her, blinking his violet eyes. Atem blinked for a moment before he burst into loud laughter.

"Well! I didn't see that coming!" Atem laughed. Yugi smiled sheepishly and hid the pan behind his back.

Toya: XD *falls over laughing* I MUST starting reading your stories again! I'm so behind in all my fanfic reading! T_T

Yuri: I don't see what everyone else is talking about. Your paragraphs seemed wonderfully descriptive and the vocabulary wasn't overbearing at all! Of course, that might just be because I speak in a dialect above "normal" in everyday conversations and often have people tilt their heads at me or ask me to repeat my statement. XD Seriously though, I loved the little preview and I can't wait to read your story in all its entirety! ^^

Lady: I liked your paragraphs too. Especially the fluffiness that was the second one! ^^ My only criticism is more like a question. The dialogue isn't the only part of the scene right? There is going to be some descriptions of their actions while they speak, tone of voice etc.? Other than that I enjoyed the snippet immensely. ^^

And now for my story snippet-deal-type-thing. It's and idea I've been playing around with for a while and I want to know what you guys think. ^^

--

The fire crackled hardily in the great, its flickering flames casting and orange glow upon half the room, while the rest was bathed in shadow. The girl shivered, suddenly cold in the darkness, though the couch upon which she lay rested so close to the hearth that she could feel the waves of heat the emanated from the popping embers. "Grandpa?" she questioned timidly as the elderly man finished tucking the sheets snugly around her small form and turned to exit the room.

"Yes Samantha?" Her grandfather inquired, his violet eyes rimmed with fatigue.

"Please don't leave me yet!" she whimpered, suddenly springing forward and latching onto his vein riddled hand.

With a small smile and a half- exasperated, half-loving roll of the eyes, the elder replied "Alright darling." and sat upon the edge of the couch.

"Thank you." the little one grinned, drowning her face in the soft cotton of her grandfather's sweater and breathing in the unique scent that belonged to him and him alone.

"And what am I supposed to do while I wait for you to fall asleep?!" her grandfather asked in false irritation, shooting the blonde the best glare he could muster.

"You could read me a story." the child replied, smiling widely and completely unfazed by his attempts of intimidation.

The old man sighed, shaking his head and grinning at his granddaughter's predictability. "So which one will it be this time." he teased "Hansel and Gretel? Cinderella? That one with the girl who takes to many sleeping meds and has to be awoken by a boy with really powerful lips?"

"It was a magic spell cast by a wicked witch that put Sleeping Beauty in her enchanted sleep!" the little one huffed angrily, feebly punching her grandfather's arm. "And no, I don't want to hear another princess story!" Her minuscule fingers traveled up his torso and rested upon the item dangling down from his hunched neck. "I want to know where you got this." her fingers tightened around the golden object, which had the appearance of an upside-down pyramid.

The elderly man's hand slid down to cover her own, feeling the cool metal of the pyramid as well as the soothing warmth of her flesh. "Well my dear, that's a long story."

"I've got time." she stated smugly, settling back into her pillows and gazing up at him expectantly.

He sighed once more, hands coming up to unconsciously trace the outlines of the strange golden object. "Well." he whispered, dull amethyst eyes directed towards the crackling fire. "It started with a boy. A beautiful, beautiful boy."

--

Yes it's puzzlshipping. No, I have no idea when it will actually be posted. Criticism and advice are welcome! ^^

Oh, YG, that's because I changed it!! I took out what people thought were too descriptive which is why it looks good now! -beams- Obviously the suggestions were right!!! :)

Oh! -stops to read your preview-

I liked the beginning, YG. There were a few capitalization errors but besides from that I think it was fine. It lures the reader in while creating a little picture of a grandfather and a granddaughter around the fireplace--so cute! :)

Haha, thanks Lil' Bro! /hugs/ I liked your preview! So cute!

"You didn't think I forgot you, did you Mou Hitori no Boku?" Yugi said sweetly, stroking his darkness' cheek. "You got caught before me, so you know what that means, don't you? You lost the game, so I get something I want from you." Yugi teased, planting a kiss on Yami's cheek. Confusion entered Yami's eyes as he watched his light pull back and start unlacing his boots. Atemu chuckled from his place on the bed. This was going to be fun... Yugi eased his Yami back onto the floor on his back.

"I think I'll leave the gag and restraints." Yugi said softly. He removed Yami's steel tipped boots and unfastened Yami's pants, beginning to ease them off his dark half's hips. Realization dawned on Yami then and his eyes grew wide. He tried to say something, but the gag prevented him from speaking clearly. Yugi giggled as he worked the pants off Yami's legs.

"Aw, what's the matter Yami? Nervous? You should have more faith in Ahku." Atemu teased. Yami turned his head and glared hotly at him. Atemu merely laughed, his crimson eyes shining with amusement. Yugi rolled his eyes and reached down, grasping Yami's member and stroking. Yami gasped and arched, his eyes falling closed and Atemu's teasing forgotten. Yugi smiled as Yami squirmed at his touch, once more fighting at his bonds. Yugi stopped after a moment and Yami's eyes opened, the elder wondering why Yugi had stopped. Yugi just grinned and bending down, lightly flicked his tongue over Yami's tip. Yami tensed and let out a cry. Yugi smiled again before opening his mouth and taking Yami inside.

Yay snippets! XD What do you think? ^^

Ooohhh.....-melts- though it's a little...off...seeing Yugi as the "dominate" one, I still liked it very much! Hehe. I so can't wait for the whole thing...-melts-

/hugs Larka/ I'm glad you liked it! ^^ I hope I can write a seme Yugi well enough.

This is from an upcoming Puzzleshipping fic (another novel-length, romance/humor/suspense AU) called "Sweet Temptations":

Seated at his desk before the impressive floor to ceiling windows that formed one wall of the office, Seto Kaiba looked up from his work to glare through his stylishly-too-long bangs at Yami as he sauntered into the room. "Took you long enough. What were you doing, sight-seeing?"

"I told you, my flight was delayed." Yami sank down onto the black leather couch without waiting for an invitation and allowed his shoulders to slump just a bit. Damn, he was tired. "Can we hurry up and get this over with? I have to go shopping for--"

"You think a trip to the mall is more important than your contract with Kaiba Corporation?" Kaiba interrupted him, icy blue eyes narrowing. Then he got a good look at Yami, and they flew wide again. "What the hell are you wearing?!"

Yami gave in to impulse and buried his face in one hand for a second or two. Straightening, he shoved his fingers through his bangs, and then glared back at Kaiba who was glowering at him as if Yami had donned the torn and tattered t-shirt purely to offend him. To be fair, Yami occasionally did outrageous things just to annoy Seto, but humiliating himself in the bargain was not one of them.

"It was a perfectly acceptable shirt when I left Chicago this morning. It is not my fault that someone informed my fans that I would be arriving in Domino City today." Yami glanced down at his ragged shirt and shook his head. "I'm lucky they only managed to tear my shirt. I think some of them were going for skin."

Kaiba looked as if he was going to say something, then changed his mind. His jaw worked for a moment, his mouth twitched, and his eyes crinkled at the corners. Yami's own eyes narrowed. Oh, hell no. "Laugh at me and die, Kaiba."

The CEO made a suspicious muffled sound through his clenched teeth that to Yami's ears seemed remarkably like a barely suppressed snicker. He leaped to his feet in an instant, one arm thrust out to aim a threatening finger at the other man. "I mean it -- so much as crack a smile and I'm out of here. I'll drop Kaiba Corp like a hot potato and go straight to Industrial Illusions. Pegasus has been practically begging me to become the official spokesman for his company and, frankly --"

Kaiba held up both hands in the universal 'I surrender' gesture, and carefully rearranged his expression into something less incriminating. "Fans, you say? Well, at least that means your popularity hasn't fallen off since the last tournament. Kaiba Corporation will be getting its money's worth."

Yami folded his arms over his chest and lowered his chin, glowering at Kaiba through his bangs. "And now you see why I need to go shopping. I can't walk around looking like this all day!"

"Why didn't you just change clothes before coming here?"

"Because I don't have any clothes to change into, thanks to the airline that not only can't run their planes on schedule but that also sent my luggage on an unplanned holiday flight to Honolulu!"

Kaiba's mouth twitched again. He flattened his lips together, obviously holding back the laugh and being none too subtle about it.

Yami deflated onto the couch and buried his head in both of his hands. "... I hate you."

[This scene is from a bit later in the same fic (there is a subplot that features minor Ryou/Bakura, who I am calling "Bakheru" for reasons that are made clear in the actual story). In this fic, Ryou's family owns a bakery -- called "Sweet Temptations" -- and Yugi is helping him out by working there in the mornings.]

Ryou eyed him warily. "Um... Hallo, Bakheru. I, er, trust you are well this morning?"

"What?" Bakheru blinked startled gray eyes at him before realization dawned. "Oh. Small talk. Yeah, I was never much good at that. Let's skip it, shall we? Here." He thrust whatever it was that he had been hiding behind his back at Ryou. "I hope you like it."

"Um." Ryou stared down at the box in Bakheru's outstretched hand. He seemed to be waiting nervously for it to do something -- perhaps explode or suddenly spout a festive assortment of vipers. "Thank you?"

"Just take it already," Bakheru groused. "It isn't going to bite you."

"Well, if you're sure..."

"Of course I'm sure! I wrapped the thing, didn't I?"

Looking at the box, Yugi was sure Bakheru had wrapped it. The paper, though an attractive shade of blue, was torn at one corner and bore the signs of having been on the losing end of a wrestling match with a determined gift wrapper and a roll of tape with a bad attitude. When he finished studying the messily wrapped present and looked up, he found the other two still frozen in their previous positions: Bakheru with his arm outstretched, offering the box to Ryou; and Ryou with his hands limp at his sides, his gaze locked on the box between them.

Yugi sighed. "I'm sure it's fine, Ryou. Why don't you and Bakheru sit down at the table, and I'll bring you both some fresh coffee?"

"That's what I like about you, Mutou," Bakheru said as he used his free hand to take an unresisting Ryou by the elbow and steer him toward the indicated café table. "You know when to make yourself scarce."

Yugi just laughed and went to fetch the coffee.

When he came back, Ryou had finally snapped out of his daze and was gingerly tearing the paper off the box, which was sitting on the table in front of him. He got the lid off and peered inside. His eyes went wide at the sight of the clear plastic bags of white powder nestled in pale blue tissue paper.

Yugi felt his mouth drop open. "Bakheru! You got Ryou --"

"Flowers." Bakheru looked quite pleased with himself until he glanced up again and caught their twin expressions of disbelief. Obviously puzzled by their stunned reactions, he added a defensive, "...What?"

"Those aren't... that isn't... Um. I mean to say, you...Uh." Ryou wound down, still staring at the little bags -- each of which probably held about two pounds of the white substance -- and surrendered with a helpless little shrug, obviously not able to articulate the extent of his confusion. "...Flowers?"

"Yes." Bakheru shook his head, making his wild mane fly. "What's wrong with you two? Ryou's a baker. I thought he might like a sampling of some gourmet flours to try."

Both Yugi and Ryou puffed out enormous sighs of relief. "Oh, flours." Ryou brightened. "Yes. That is... very thoughtful of you. Thank you."

"You're welcome." Bakheru grinned smugly. He settled more comfortably in his chair and sipped delicately from the coffee cup Yugi set in front of him. "Now. What's on the menu for breakfast?"

Er, I meant to edit Yami's rant to Kaiba to remove the f-bombs. Sorry about that. If a mod could please do that for me? TIA

Awesome preview Lucid! ^^ Haha, Yami's rant was funny! I loved the part with Ryou too! ^^

Lucid, I changed the rant for you, but you can edit your own posts, too. :) Click "mod" at the bottom of the entry and they should give you that option.

I'm very excited for your story now. :D (Well, I say that about them all, but I mean it!) The first scene, with Yami and Kaiba, was my favorite, but mostly because it had them bickering/snipping at each other and I really like how you write arguments. xD

[edit] And thank you so much for reviewing and favoriting! :D

Thanks. :) "Mod" looked like it should only apply to moderators (it's not very intuitive, is it?), so I didn't realize that was where the edit funtion was hiding!

I'm very excited for your story now. :D (Well, I say that about them all, but I mean it!) The first scene, with Yami and Kaiba, was my favorite, but mostly because it had them bickering/snipping at each other and I really like how you write arguments. xD

Thanks! Their bickering is fun to write (it practically writes itself).

Hahaha, Lucid, I loved Yami and Kaiba. Lady is right, you write arguments very well. I loved when Yami was just like "...I hate you." XD I can't wait for this story!

Oh, the swearing was pretty funny, too. XP

Awesome preview Lucid! ^^ Haha, Yami's rant was funny! I loved the part with Ryou too! ^^

Thanks! Glad you liked it. :)

Here's an excerpt from another upcoming AU novel (known as "the handyman fic" on my LJ). Obviously, this is a rough-draft. The set-up is that the Mutous have bought a small strip-mall-type shopping center and opened a 2nd game shop, which Yugi is running. Needing help, he has decided to hire a handyman. This particular scene is the "meet-cute" from chapter 1:

"Excuse me."

The deep, masculine voice startled Yugi out of his musings. He jumped -- then stared at the man standing before the sales counter, a faint smile on his handsome face.

Guh. Yugi clamped his jaw shut before the sound could escape. Much.

The stranger was gorgeous. Of average height, he still towered over Yugi, who barely reached five foot nothing if he wore thick-soled shoes and thought tall thoughts. His unruly hair was thick and dark, and the edges caught the light to gleam with auburn fire. Bronzed skin, dark eyes that seemed to hold secret depths, and a smile that dazzled Yugi's already stunned senses completed the picture.

Yugi sat up straight and tried to sound as if he weren't on the verge of drooling. "Um. Hi. May I help you?"

"I'm here about the job."

The collar of the stranger's cotton shirt was unbuttoned; it gaped open to reveal a tantalizing glimpse of tanned skin over lean, sculpted muscle. The effort it took for Yugi to focus on the conversation -- rather than the vivid fantasy that was suddenly playing in his mental theater -- would have been embarrassing if his brain cells had been paying sufficient attention to trigger his blush reflex. And if all the blood in his body hadn't already decided to head a lot farther south than his face. Instead, he managed to drag his gaze away from the fantasy -- and the chest that had triggered it -- and met the serious brown eyes of his visitor. "…Job?"

"The sign in the window? 'Help wanted'?" The man frowned. Somehow, on him it looked good. "You haven't already found someone to fill the position, have you?"

"What? Oh. No! No, no, no…" Yugi realized he was babbling and forced himself to stop. He blinked at his visitor. Why would a guy who looked like a male model want to work at the game shop? "You're interested in the job?"

"Yes. Is something wrong?" The stranger leaned on the sales counter, which wobbled as it shifted under the additional weight. He frowned at it.

"No, nothing's wrong. But…" Yugi gestured helplessly. "It's just that the job is mostly handyman stuff, here and for the rest of the shops in the building, and…."

"Like fixing this counter?" It rocked when the stranger gave it an experimental shove. He met Yugi's gaze, and grinned. "I can do that."

"Yeah?" Yugi eyed him skeptically. The stranger didn't look like a potential handyman. He looked like a desert prince who had misplaced his royal robes. Yugi moistened his lips, buying himself a moment to consider. "You have experience?"

"I have all kinds of experience." The man winked.

Heat flooded Yugi's cheeks. Was this guy flirting with him? Not that Yugi objected. But, in his experience, gorgeous guys who looked like they should be gracing a magazine cover rarely went for the short, somewhat geeky type. Did the guy need the job that badly? Oh, well. Whatever the reason for it, Yugi decided to enjoy it while it lasted. He smiled and stuck out his hand. "I'm Yugi Mutou."

"Yami…Green."

Yugi had no time to ponder the significance of the hesitation, or the quick way Yami's gaze had seemed to flicker over him during it, because Yami's warm palm was pressing against his and Yugi's knees had gone a bit weak. He was suddenly glad he was sitting down.

"I'm new in town," Yami said, retrieving his hand -- much to Yugi's disappointment. "I'm afraid I have no local references to give you, although I can offer plenty from my hometown, if you like."

"Where are you from?"

"Egypt."

Yugi blinked. "Egypt? As in Egypt Egypt? With, like, pyramids and pharaohs and stuff?"

Yami chuckled. "Yes, that Egypt."

"But… Isn't the name 'Yami' Japanese?"

"Yes."

"And isn't 'Green' an English name?"

Yami shrugged.

"But you're Egyptian?"

Yami's smile widened into a grin. "Yes."

Dazzled by the flash of even white teeth against golden skin, Yugi found it hard to care about the discrepancy. He shook his head to clear it, tried to process, found it didn't work -- and gave up. He would worry about it sometime when Yami wasn't smiling at him.

"Okay," he said weakly, and smoothed a nervous hand over his dark green t-shirt. "If you want the job, it's yours."

"Wonderful!"

If Yami kept smiling at him like that, Yugi was going to dissolve into a puddle of goo. It would be a happy puddle of goo, but a puddle of goo nonetheless, and gooey puddles were not known for their ability to run shopping centers. Yugi shook himself again. "Okay. Can you start tomorrow morning?"

"Of course. Shall I bring my own tools?"

"There's a fully-stocked toolbox in the storage room."

"Very well. What time should I be here?"

"Does eight o'clock sound okay? We open at nine, so that would give us time to go over your duties and take care of the paperwork."

"I will be here at eight, then." With a final smile -- each one was like a shot of sunlight injected directly into Yugi's brain. Guh. -- Yami made his way back to the front of the store. He paused in the open doorway, the sun outlining him in gold like a gilded statue of some ancient king. "Thank you for hiring me, Mr. Mutou. You won't regret it."

0o0o0o0o I love this, Lucid! This is on your livejournal, you say? And you're re-writing it for ff?

(I told you LiveJournal is where all the writers are at, Yuri! ;3) -shot-

Lucid, I adored it like usual, and am very impressed with how many WIPs you have going on. In the Yu-Gi-Oh fandom alone, that's at least... well, a lot. I wonder how you manage to keep track of it all. o.o

0o0o0o0o I love this, Lucid! This is on your livejournal, you say? And you're re-writing it for ff?

Thanks! I sometimes post previews of the fic I'm working on in my LJ (along with snippets of unfinished scenes, etc.), and this is one of the ones I've posted a few preview chapters of. The story is very much a WIP, unfortunately.

Lucid, I adored it like usual, and am very impressed with how many WIPs you have going on. In the Yu-Gi-Oh fandom alone, that's at least... well, a lot. I wonder how you manage to keep track of it all. o.o

Thanks! :) I think I have about 14 WIPs at the moment. @_@ I usually don't have a problem keeping track of them and keeping the storylines separate, but this time two of the WIPs have some elements in common and I keep mixing them up in my head. I've decided I need to finish one of them before working on the other, just so I don't get confused. LOL

F-fourteen? O.O

I envy your ability to multitask. The largest amount of stories I've had going at one time was... three. Maybe four, tops. Heh.

Good luck with all of those! :D

The fire crackled hardily in the great, its flickering flames casting and orange glow upon half the room, while the rest was bathed in shadow. The girl shivered, suddenly cold in the darkness, though the couch upon which she lay rested so close to the hearth that she could feel the waves of heat the emanated from the popping embers. "Grandpa?" she questioned timidly as the elderly man finished tucking the sheets snugly around her small form and turned to exit the room.

"Yes Samantha?" Her grandfather inquired, his violet eyes rimmed with fatigue.

"Please don't leave me yet!" she whimpered, suddenly springing forward and latching onto his vein riddled hand.

With a small smile and a half- exasperated, half-loving roll of the eyes, the elder replied "Alright darling." and sat upon the edge of the couch.

"Thank you." the little one grinned, drowning her face in the soft cotton of her grandfather's sweater and breathing in the unique scent that belonged to him and him alone.

"And what am I supposed to do while I wait for you to fall asleep?!" her grandfather asked in false irritation, shooting the blonde the best glare he could muster.

"You could read me a story." the child replied, smiling widely and completely unfazed by his attempts of intimidation.

The old man sighed, shaking his head and grinning at his granddaughter's predictability. "So which one will it be this time." he teased "Hansel and Gretel? Cinderella? That one with the girl who takes to many sleeping meds and has to be awoken by a boy with really powerful lips?"

"It was a magic spell cast by a wicked witch that put Sleeping Beauty in her enchanted sleep!" the little one huffed angrily, feebly punching her grandfather's arm. "And no, I don't want to hear another princess story!" Her minuscule fingers traveled up his torso and rested upon the item dangling down from his hunched neck. "I want to know where you got this." her fingers tightened around the golden object, which had the appearance of an upside-down pyramid.

The elderly man's hand slid down to cover her own, feeling the cool metal of the pyramid as well as the soothing warmth of her flesh. "Well my dear, that's a long story."

"I've got time." she stated smugly, settling back into her pillows and gazing up at him expectantly.

He sighed once more, hands coming up to unconsciously trace the outlines of the strange golden object. "Well." he whispered, dull amethyst eyes directed towards the crackling fire. "It started with a boy. A beautiful, beautiful boy."

---

This reminds me greatly of Edward Scissorhands! Ah I love that movie!

Here's just a snippet from the prequel to Of Wolf and Man that I'm working on. Just a semi-cute little fluff scene between Yugi and Atem (Yami).

- - -

“You had something planned,” Atem said. “For tonight. Something special.”

A half-shrug. “Not special, really. Just . . . I knew you were worried about the presentation and, now that it’s over, I wanted to . . . I don’t know, celebrate, kick back and relax, something. But when you plan a surprise, you take a risk. The other person might have different plans, might not be in the mood. I accept that.” Yugi looked up, his gaze meeting Atem’s. “What I don’taccept is how you reacted.”

“I—”

“I didn’t show up unannounced. I asked if I could bring over dinner, and you said yes, so you knew I was coming. I didn’t barge into your apartment without warning. I knocked. You’ve told me a hundred times not to knock, just use my keys and come in. I didn’t ask for keys. I wasn’t even sure I wanted keys. But you insisted. You wanted me to be able to use the apartment to study when you’re not there, and to let myself in when you are there. It was your idea, not mine.”

Atem nodded. Bakura had exploded when he’d found out he’d given Yugi keys to his apartment, but Atem knew what he was doing. There was nothing in his apartment that Yugi couldn’t see, no chance that he’d walk in on something he shouldn’t see. Atem had to keep one secret from him, but the rest of his life was open for Yugi’s inspection, and he needed him to know that.

“And that still stands, right?” Yugi said. “You didn’t change the key-ownership rules in the

last twenty-four hours and neglect to inform me?”

“Of course not.”

“Well, you sure as hell acted like you had. I put up with your shit all week, Atem, your moods, your temper, your demands. And when it was over, I felt like I should treat you to an evening out, ’cause god knows, you deserved it. I told you I was coming over, I knocked on the door, I finally let myself in . . . and you snarled at me and stalked out without a word of explanation.”

“It wasn’t your fault.”

“I know.”

Yugi’s eyes bore into Atem. Fury blazed just below the surface. His face was taut as he struggled to keep it down, to keep it under control. A tendril of that heat licked through Atem, sharp and white-hot, and his hands clenched the ground as he fought the urge to reach for him. I want to kiss him, to taste that anger, feel it release as he—

“I owe you an explanation,” Atem said quickly, forcing the image back.

“No, you don’t. You never owe me an explanation for anything you do, Atem. If I haven’t made that clear already, let me state it, for the record, right now. I only demand two things of you. One, that you treat me with respect. Two, that you’re honest with me—that you be yourself. If you’re doing that, respecting me and being honest with me, then I don’t need to know what you’re doing, where you’re going, where you’ve been, and I’ll never demand to know.”

“Like me, you mean. Like I do.”

He blinked, then shook it off. “No, that wasn’t a jab.”

“I don’t demand those things from you, Yugi. I ask because I like to know what happened in your day. If I can’t be there, I want to hear about it. If you don’t want to tell me, you can just say so.”

“And sound like I have something to hide.” Yugi opened his mouth to continue then, again, shook it off. “Let’s just . . .” He picked up the box of pancakes and opened it. “They’re cold, but I could probably pop them in the toaster or something. Just hold on and I’ll—”

Atem grabbed his arm as he jumped up. When he stiffened, Atem let go fast.

“Just a moment, okay,” he said. “I do want to explain.”

Yugi hesitated, then lowered himself back to the grass.

Of course, he couldn’t explain, not really. Maybe it would have been better to keep his mouth shut. But, like giving Yugi the keys to his apartment, he needed for Yugi to know as much as he could tell him.

“You’re right, about the presentation. I kept thinking, when it was over, I’d be fine, but then it ended, and I still wasn’t sure how well it had gone, whether they were impressed enough to . . .to let me finish it. I came back to the apartment, and I was just . . . Frustrated. Restless. More than restless. Ready to jump out of my skin. And ready to jump on the next person I saw and rip her—or his—head off. I had to work it off before you came over. I thought I had time for a run, or that at least I could be gone before you arrived, so you didn’t see me like that.”

Atem shifted, stretching his legs, but careful not to get closer to Yugi, knowing he hadn’t earned that right back yet.

“I knew I’d already screwed things up this week. And I knew that if I hung around, or even stopped to give a proper explanation, I’d snap. I shouldn’t have been like that in the first place, shouldn’t have let things build up that way.”

Yugi paused, then glanced up at him, eyes hooded. “And now you’re going to tell me that it was a mistake and it’ll never happen again.”

Atem hesitated, weighed his options, and wished, really wished he could tell him that. But his conscience wouldn’t let his lips form the words.

“I can tell you that I’ll try not to let it build up like that,” He said finally. “I can tell you that

I’ll warn you if it does. I can ask you to tell me if you see it starting and I’ll do my damnedest to stop it. But I can’t promise that it’ll never happen again.”

Yugi pushed up onto his knees and Atem knew he’d blown it, that he was leaving. Why hadn’t he lied, just told him what he wanted to hear and—

Yugi leaned over and kissed him.

“Thank you,” he said as he moved back. “For being honest. That’s all I ask.”

He moved forward again, lips going to Atem’s. For a moment, the man hesitated, just sat there and let Yugi kiss him as his gut twisted, knowing he didn’t deserve this kiss, this reward for being something he clearly was not. He wanted to be honest with him. Yugi needed to know everything.

And so he will, whispered a voice in the back of his brain. When he’s ready, you’ll tell him, and everything will be fine. You can’t rush it, or you’ll lose him.

Atem’s arms went around Yugi and he kissed him hard enough to make a laugh ripple through him. He eased down onto his back and pulled Yugi along with him. In the beginning, he’d tensed every time Atem moved him into any position approaching horizontal, but he’d soon learned it meant nothing.

Atem told him from the start that he’d let him set the pace, and I’d followed through in action, never assuming he might be ready for something new until he took his hand and showed him that he was. Patience was never one of Atem’s virtues, but in this case, it wasn’t an issue. He’d waited more than ten years to find a lover, and now that he had his mate, there was no rush to get to the finish line . . . and it wasn’t like Yugi was leaving him at the starting gate every night.

As Yugi stretched out on top of him, his hands slid under Atem’s shirt, fingers tugging it out of his jeans, palms running over his stomach, skin hot against the rising chill of the night air. He pulled back, kissing Atem lighter as his fingers tickled over his sides, pushing his shirt up. Then he paused.

“Too cold?” he whispered.

“Never.”

Atem pushed his shirt off over his head and tossed it into a nearby bush. Yugi laughed. As Atem lifted his head to kiss him, he unzipped Yugi’s jacket. Then he pulled his shirt out from his waistband and unbuttoned it. His hands slid up to his chest, then gently across his shoulders, caressing all of the skin.

“Too cold?” he asked.

Yugi grinned. “Never.”

/squees/ Oh, I liked that! ^^ It was cute, fluffy, and hot! =D Hee hee, their arguements crack me up. Awesome Larka! I can not wait to see more of the prequel! ^^

Um okay, here's something from a non-yaoi Ryou/Malik story I'm gonna write sometime in the future. Kinda like a prologue if you will.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Fate.

The universal principle or ultimate agency by which the order of things is presumably prescribed. In other words, everything that occurs in the world has been decided since the dawn of time. We cannot control the final outcome since it is not within our power to decided that. Everyday occurrences like birth and death are so beyond our comprehension that we have yet to understand the significance of it all. However, there are those that decide for us. It is their right from creation and have been trained to deal with these sorts of situations. They have been known as oracles, wizards, gods perhaps. But in reality...

They are the Fates.

Having these powers come with tremendous responsibility. Many handle it rather well and with great pleasure. Some do it half-heartedly and treat their assignment as just a task and nothing more. And then there are those who utterly and completely cannot stand what they are in charge of. These are the Fates that are most dangerous and must be taken seriously since they can make things difficult for us and how!

Oddly enough, the Fates only have one rule and that is this:

Do not mess with fate that is beyond your comprehension.

This is their one law and all must obey it. It is not out of respect that they do this, but out of fear. For the consequences of defying this law is exile to a place worse than death itself.

This is the story of how two would-be-Fates broke the one law that binded them all.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Oddly enough, this is suppose to be a romantic comedy but that's later.

Here's a preview from my next chapter of Dark Desires! ^^ Please let me know what you think and feel free to make suggestions!

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"Man, Hancock sounds like an awesome movie! I can't wait to see it!" Malik chirped happily as he and Marik strolled down the sidewalk towards the theater. Marik snickered and Malik glanced at him in confusion. "Just what was funny about what I said?" Malik asked, making Marik burst into laughter.

"Haha, Hancock. You want to go see a movie with the word "cock" in the title." Marik snickered somemore. Malik smacked him on the arm and rolled his eyes.

"Oh you're a real charmer." Malik said. Marik grinned at him and Malik smiled despite himself. The two reached the theater a few minutes later and walked up to the front desk where a young girl with wild pink colored pigtails was working. She looked bored as she stared down at a magazine in front of her. A second later a large purple bubble appeared from her mouth and her bubblegum popped with a loud snap. Marik rapped on the window to get her attention and she looked up, her blue eyes holding a large amount of annoyance as she stared at Marik.

"What?" She asked with a tinge of attitude in her voice.

"We'd like two tickets for Hancock." Marik told her. She looked back down to her magazine.

"That'll be 16 bucks." The girl said. Marik reached into his pocket to get his wallet and pay the girl, but there was no wallet there. Lavendar eyes widened and he quickly checked his other pocket. No wallet there either. Malik noticed his dark beginning to panic and he stared on curiously. When Marik failed to produce his wallet, he rolled his eyes and glared at him as Marik turned to him with a nervous smile on his face.

"No wallet, eh Romeo?" Malik asked. The girl behind the counter was now watching them, the same look of annoyance on her face.

"No money no tickets dude." She said.

"I'm sorry Malik. I must have forgotten to grab my wallet." Marik said, his eyes falling down to the ground. Malik's look instantly softened.

"Hey, that's alright. There are plenty of things we can do without money." Malik said, reaching forward and taking Marik's hand. Marik refused to meet his eyes. Once again he'd failed to do the right thing and make his hikari happy. Suddenly Marik's eyes snapped to his and a strong look of determination flashed through his lavendar eyes. Malik was taken aback. Marik startled him when he dragged him away towards the alley.

"No. No, it's not alright. You want to see that movie, and you're going to see it." Marik said. Malik's eyes widened.

"Yeah? And how do you suppose we do that? We don't have any money and I'll be damned if you're going to mug some poor stranger to get it." Malik snapped. Marik stopped and looked down at him, brief hurt flashing through his eyes.

"You think I'd do that?" He asked.

"You would if you thought it would help." Malik answered. Marik scoffed.

"I'm sneaking in, not hitting some fool over the head for his wallet." Marik replied. Malik's eyes widened again.

"Sneaking in!? That's still illegal!" Malik snapped in a whisper.

LOL. You're so awesome, Toya. :D

I'm still getting into the idea of bronzeshipping... (It's weird, puzzleshipping and tendershipping happened quick as you please, but Marik/Malik aren't warming up to me as fast as I think they should be) but seriously, this snippet was really great, and the obvious shipping bias was in there. ;) I'm no character expert, but I can totally imagine Marik doing the things he does. 8D

Yay! Thank you! ^^ I appreciate the info and I'm so happy you liked it! =D

Hey guys! This is a snippet from my newest one shot. I'm calling it "Return The Love We Had" Please let me know what you think!

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The party was a beautiful and lavish event, complete with lovely sparkling lights and buffet tables lined with the best food money could buy. People were everywhere, glasses of champagne held in hands that were bare or covered with fine satin, the whiteness of the ladies gloves catching the lights and shimmering. Seto's party was a success as usual. Laughter rang throughout the room, and it buzzed with the locals chatting and dishing out the latest gossip. In the center of the room was a large area where men and women took to dancing, the current one being a lovely ballroom dance that had the men twirling the ladies around the room delicately as more laughter hit the air.

Atemu stood off to one side of the room, lifting a glass of champagne to his lips, his lovely crimson orbs scanning the room around him. Anzu Mazaki and Mai Valentine stood on either side of him, chatting animatedly about their latest love interests. Vivian Wong stood next to him, her arm hooked through his, trying to engage him in a conversation, batting her lashes flirtaciously at him. Atemu had no interest in what she was saying, preferring to keep drinking his champagne.

Atemu hated these parties. He hated coming to them, he hated the women that always tried to flirt with him, and he just hated everything about the parties in general. If it wasn't because Seto was his cousin and he owed him a great deal, he wouldn't even bother coming to most of these parties. No one ever came to these things that were worth his time. No one had ever caught his interest. If it wasn't for Seto, Anzu, and Mai, these functions probably would have driven him crazy long ago. Vivian leaned a little harder into him, batting her lashes even harder.

"So I was thinking, if you were bored... We could go back to my place. Or yours. I'm sure we could have some "fun." Vivian said, licking her bubblegum pink lips. Atemu glanced down at her, angry for her even thinking such a thing, when there was a hush across the crowd. Atemu glanced up, wondering why it had gotten so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. His ruby eyes widened as he caught sight of a figure in a lovely white tux walking through the crowd. He could not believe his eyes. The figure stopped in front of a tall lanky blond to wave and say hello, and as his eyes scanned the room, probably looking for other friends, his eyes caught Atemu's. The man's smile instantly faded the moment their eyes connected. Atemu's mouth went dry.

Atemu knew those stunning amethyst eyes anywhere. Yugi...? But what was Yugi doing here? Atemu's heart did a flip-flop. He hadn't seen Yugi since... Damn, it had been years. And they had been young then, barely out of high school. Gods, he had been beautiful then but now... Atemu couldn't believe how grown up Yugi looked as the boy sashayed towards him, a glint in his eye and a small smile on those perfect pink lips. He had grown, not by much since he was still so tiny, but the difference was there. Yugi walked up to them, ignoring the odd looks that Anzu and Mai were giving him. He held out his hand to Atemu, his violet orbs not leaving Atemu's ruby red.

"Hello Yugi. How have you been?" Atemu murmured, reaching out and taking Yugi's hand. Electricity sizzled through Atemu's hand as their flesh connected. Something flashed through Yugi's eyes and Atemu knew the little one had felt it too.

damn...that's REALLY REALLY GOOD...

I wish I could write like you can...

Thanks HTYT! ^^ I'm so happy you like it! Here's another snippet from "Return The Love We Had" Please let me know what you think!

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All too soon, the song came to an end. Yugi pulled back from Atemu, his skin tingling pleasantly from where the other had held him, touched him. They stopped only for a moment, staring at each other, wondering what to say now. Atemu wanted nothing more then to yank Yugi back into his arms. He still had a hold of the little one's hand, and was reluctant to let it go. Yugi didn't want him to let go, but he knew that he must. Yugi pulled back gently on his hand, and Atemu released him. He gave Atemu a small smile before turning, ready to head back to his friend.

"Yugi..." Atemu choked out. Yugi turned back to Atemu, his violet eyes wavering with emotion.

"Yes Atemu?" Yugi said softly.

"Please don't go."

"I have to. Atemu, it was nice seeing you again, but this can't happen. I-" Yugi's words were cut off when Atemu stepped forward and yanked him back into his arms, leaning down and capturing his lips in a bruising kiss. Yugi nearly melted into the floor as his knees went weak. Atemu broke the kiss a moment later, pressing his forehead against Yugi's, his eyes closed as he panted. Yugi waited, stunned to the core and unable to move anyway, for Atemu to speak. Atemu's eyes opened and the crimson irises bore straight into Yugi's amethyst.

"Yugi, Little One, my Aibou..." Atemu murmured. "I was so wrong to let you go. And by Ra, I'm not going to make that mistake again and let you walk away from me." Yugi's eyes filled with tears and he closed them, a crystillene drop escaping and running down his cheek.

"Atemu..." Yugi murmured, a small sob escaping his lips. Atemu kissed his tears away and then pressed one more sweet kiss to his lips.

"Come with me Little One. Please." Atemu said, a pleading tone in his voice. Yugi nodded and allowed Atemu to take his hand again, leading him off the dance floor. Ignoring everyone else who was either staring at them or still dancing and chatting, Atemu led Yugi out of the building and to his car. He knew exactly where he was taking Yugi, and what was going to happen when they got there. And since Yugi was following, Atemu supposed he knew as well, and wanted it just as badly as he did.

AAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!

Oh that's beautiful!!! (melts into mush) I can't wait to see that posted!!!

Thank you! ^^ I'm so happy you like it!

SO BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *dies* That was so ADORABLE! I must read that when it comes out! Awesome job! ^^

Oh, and here's a snippet from something I'm writing-ish. More like musing over, but whatever.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"I love you."

The clock ticked, once, twice, three times, and still Yugi didn't move.

Yami stared at him, one eyebrow raised in a question, his insides writhing with uncontrollable nerves. "So...do you..." he tried anxiously, attempting to break the smaller from his stupor.

Yugi remained frozen, amethyst eyes glazed over as he, Yami assumed, debated within himself over the words the older had just uttered.

More silence ensued, and Yami counted four more ticks of the clock's minute hand.

"Ummm...Yugi?" the crimson eyed boy tried once more, waving a hand in front of the other's face.

Nothing.

"Honey I'm HOME!" a sarcastic voice drawled from the doorway as Bakura entered the room. Instantly feeling the palpable tension in that permeated the air, the pale boy's eyes dashed between the two, taking in Yugi's frozen form and Yami's jittery demeanor. "Woah!" he called. "Who died?"

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

What d'ya think?

Oh, Toya, that was LOVELY! I can't wait for more! =D

OMG the plot bunnies are nipping. I got a scene from WSHB to preview cause I think its turning out pretty well.

- spoiler space -

...Yugi felt like he was falling. His hands flailed out to catch whatever they could latch onto to stop his descent, but there was nothing within his reach. The scream that he longed to let loose stuck in his throat and he prepared himself for a painful ending to his fall. A suctioning sound put pressure on his eardrums and they popped loudly as he gasped, his eyes flying open only to find himself in a strange room with strange, almost ancient-looking objects adorning the walls.

He blinked a couple of times to clear his eyesight, but the scenery did not change in the slightest, in fact becoming even more strange as he caught sight of its occupants. There were two women of what appeared to be mid-eastern descent, standing somewhat close to him, in long, hand-dyed gowns talking as one rubbed something on the other's burnt hand. As his mind processed the sight his eyes wandered and happened to touch on a third occupant in the room.

This third person was male from what Yugi could tell by the firm, bare bronze chest and the slim, tapered hips. But he couldn't tell much more than that as the other's attention was taken up by the two women's actions. He figured whatever had landed him here in this strange room – with these strange people – must have damaged his hearing, for he couldn't make out a word of what the other three were saying.

Everything sounded so wrong, looked so wrong, but Yugi couldn't figure for the life of him what was so wrong with this picture, until his eyes cut back to the stunning male figure before him, landing on something that would have been blatantly out of place in his society. The guy was wearing a skirt! And what appeared to be a literal ton of gold and jewels adorned his every limb. Without thinking Yugi gasped loudly, drawing all occupants' attention directly to him.

The figure in front of him turned around and Yugi lost his ability to form thought. The man was breathtakingly gorgeous. Exotically slanted eyes of such an intense mahogany color that they appeared nearly scarlet in the light stared at him from beneath black lashes so thick that they would have been better placed on the chick-flik actresses that he watched sometimes on the television.

His eyes studied the vision, taking note of the angular jaw, the full, cupids-bow lips and the straight nose only to land on the bejeweled, winged crown perched on his brow with a start. Oh shit! He was fucked! Hell, he was beyond fucked!

Yugi cringed. Wherever he was, whatever he had done to land himself in this position, he knew what that crown symbolized. But what did he do? The last thing he recalled was his professor's questions about his personal life. But what happened after that? Yugi wracked his brain for the answer, only for his jaw to drop as the other spoke out in a deep, commanding baritone.

“Isis...-f s-wrd iw db3?”

Oh god what language was that?!

Toya that was beyond beautiful! Wow, can't wait for that!

Twizzy, gorgeous scene! Fantastic job. Yay! Two more stories!

/squees happily and huggles you all/ Thank you all so much! I'm so happy you all liked it! I'm super excited about it and can not wait to get it finished! ^^

Twizzler, that was awesome! Poor Yugi, stunned into a stupor! I can't wait for more! ^^

Tavia, that was beautiful! Hee hee, poor Yugi, all alone in a place where no one speaks a word he can understand. ^^ Awesome! I can't wait for that to come out!

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