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^ without the spaces

When Yami first acquired his own body, Yuugi was ecstatic. When Yami first ventured out on his own without his Aibou by his side, Yuugi was completely supportive. When Yami stopped telling his partner every little detail of his life, Yuugi held back the feeling of rejection in favour of respecting the ex-pharaoh's right to privacy. No longer sharing a body meant no longer sharing thoughts, after all.

When Yami started spending more time out 'by himself', Yuugi got curious. When Yami became secretive about his actions, Yuugi grew suspicious. When Yami stopped coming home every night, Yuugi grew resentful.

At one time, their bond had been stronger than the chain the small teen so proudly, adoringly, obsessively and obediently wore around his neck. At one time, Yuugi had thought being able to see, touch and interact with the ancient spirit would only strengthen that bond. As time passed, however, their connection had only dwindled; slowly at first then, fueled by the secretive actions of the older male, alarmingly fast. There was almost no hope left for it now.

~~~
{For identity's sake, Yami will herein be addressed by his true name.}

Atemu gasped as he was thrown against the wall of the Game Shop. A cloaked figure encompassed his smaller frame and all that could be seen of his companion was a mess of blonde hair that somehow defied gravity even when weighed down by rain. The would-be pharaoh arched his back as a tanned, gold-adorned arm snaked its way around his torso, holding him possessively. Fierce nips were placed along his exposed shoulders then a skilled tongue lifted the latch of his collar before sharp teeth gripped the leather and pulled it undone.

"Mariku," Atemu whispered, a stern growl quickly swept away by a gasp as his exposed neck was attacked by a sinful mouth. Words danced on Atemu's tongue but none of them found their way through his lips; his mind was clouded by lust and the swipes of Mariku's tongue seemed to guide his blood flow strictly to his cheeks and groin. "Ma…"

Thunder clapped in time to mask the moan that ripped from the young man's throat as sharp teeth sunk into tender flesh. Atemu bucked his hips, crashing his none-too-subtle erection against his boyfriend's thigh. He hissed a string of curses under his breath in whatever languages seemed to fit, electing a dark chuckle from the other. Mariku made quick work of bruising the smaller's neck before finally pulling away and fixing strange, pale eyes on much, much darker ones.

"It's a good thing it's raining," the tanned male taunted, leaning in to lick his companion's cheek. Atemu winced, knowing the taste would reveal how badly he'd perspired. The feel of the warm muscle on his face made his groin ache, as he knew all too well what that tongue was capable of.

Lightning flashed behind the taller male as a grin spread across his face; the brief illumination somehow managing to make him look even crazier than usual. Atemu quietly buckled his collar and glanced at his shoulder before sighing.

"The rain won't cover that, you know," he commented, trying and failing to adjust his sleeve to hide the marks. Mariku shrugged.

"You're the one who wants to keep our endeavours a secret."

Atemu flinched, glaring at the other before turning on his heel and heading around to the front of the Game Shop. Mariku knew he wasn't allowed anywhere he might be seen, so his boyfriend's intentions were loud and clear. Without another word, the cloaked figure disappeared into the night.

Atemu sighed and eased the door open, thankful that the lights inside were off. Carefully, he entered the building and ensured the door was locked behind him. His stomach was less subtle in its reminder that he hadn't nourished himself in a few hours and he cursed under his breath again. With certain body parts calming down, maneuvering gracefully in skin-tight leather pants proved challenging (for once) and Atemu found himself hesitating a moment before attempting to ascend the stairs.

He approached his shared bedroom with caution, keeping a protective hand on his bruised shoulder and doing his best to scope out the room without looking unnatural. Yuugi was nowhere in sight. Atemu sighed and let his arm rest, moving quickly to his dresser and pulling out the first thing with proper sleeves that he found. He briefly considered changing on the spot, but a drip of water from his bangs reminded him of the inevitable damage done to his hair by the rain. Taking no risks, he draped the t-shirt around his neck like a loose scarf before heading toward the bathroom.

The door was always kept shut, so the ex-pharaoh had no way of knowing whether the room was occupied unless he knocked. Forgetting this detail, he grabbed the handle and entered the tiled room without warning. Thankfully, it was empty. He secured the lock behind him and let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, then started the shower and began to undress.

Yami put the t-shirt on as soon as his torso was dry. He covered his lower half with one towel and tightly secured his hair in another then made for the door. Fortunately, the mirror caught his eye on his way out and he bore his teeth. The bruises on his shoulder were light enough, but the one on his neck was going to last for days. With no other option, he slipped his collar on and secured the buckle.

Yuugi's room… well, there wasn't much point in calling it their room anymore… was still vacant when Atemu returned. However, he noticed a few inanimate objects had changed their positions, meaning someone (or something) had come and gone during his shower. The young adult gave it nary a thought and instead focused his attention on finding something to clothe his bottom. He slipped on a pair of loose, silk boxers and grey sweatpants, opting for rarely-sought comfort. He discarded the first towel and undid the tightly knotted second one, freeing his hair to cascade around his shoulders. He'd only cut it a few times since earning a tangible body, and it'd gained enough length to distort its usual starfish shape. When dry, it hung in a wavy remnant of that form; damp, it spilled down in loose curls that tickled his collarbone at the tips.

Atemu ran the towel vigorously over his head, clipping his ear at one point and hissing in response to the pain. With everything else on his mind, he'd forgotten about the burning sensation that'd plagued his lobes for the latter portion of that day.

Atemu sat on the bed with a hand over the affected ear; that was when Yuugi walked in. The teen seemed startled by his roommate's presence, but the emotion passed quickly and he returned to the cold indifference that the elder male had reluctantly become familiar with.

"You actually came home."

"You're still calling it that?" Atemu mused. Yuugi scoffed.

"Why shouldn't I? It is my home."

Atemu sighed, dropping his hand into his lap. "Yuugi, I…"

"Don't try to reason with me!" Yuugi spun around quickly. The fire in his eyes was sparked by what he saw. "What did you… what is that?"

Atemu winced, needing no elaboration. "What does it look like?"

"Turn your head," Yuugi demanded. Atemu complied, and the smaller male scoffed in disgust. "You pierced your ears. Both of them."

Atemu opened his mouth to counter, but closed it without arguing. He knew why Yuugi was upset, and he knew it was justified. He leaned back on his arms, attempting to look casual.

"I thought it was time for a change."

Yuugi's eyes narrowed into a stare of disapproval that burned holes in his ex-dark half's beating heart. Atemu couldn't take it. He looked away; when he did, they felt the doomed string of hope snap.