A/N: This is the final chapter of Light in the Dark - see author's note at the bottom for information on the sequel.

Chapter Eight

Yugi was so busted.

He stumbled into Yami's dresser as he hopped on one foot, trying to get on his sock. It was still dark in the bedroom, and even though the blinds were up, the wisps of dawn were muted by cloud cover. Yami's alarm clock showed 6:04 am. Yugi only had 26 minutes to get back to the Mutou apartment before his grandfather noticed that he was missing.

In front of him, Yami was still sprawled out on the mattress, sheets tangled around him, eyes closed, and his breathing steady. The older boy had started his lease on the apartment before they'd both been trapped in the puzzle, and though Yami had been living here for more than a month, the bedroom was bare other than the furniture.

Yugi yanked on his t-shirt, dropping to his knees as he reached for one of his tennis shoes under the bed. He jammed it on his foot, lacing them before shooting to his feet, glancing at the clock – 6:08.

Crap! Yugi thought.

He reached for the Millennium Puzzle on the nightstand. He hadn't let the ancient artifact leave his sight after their time trapped inside of it, and Yugi had taken to wearing it around his neck on a chain. Yugi froze as Yami's fingers captured his wrist mid-reach. He must have woken up while Yugi had been banging around for his things.

"It's too early, aibou," Yami said. The older boy's voice was groggy with sleep, half lidded eyes watching him. "Where are you going?"

"I have to go," Yugi said, he tried pulling his wrist but, the older boy's hand tightened. "Yami, really, it's – its 6:13!"

The older boy slumped back against the pillows, releasing him, and Yugi slid the chain over his head, puzzle settling against his chest.

"You wouldn't have to go through this every morning if you told your grandfather the truth," Yami said. He always looked younger when he first woke up, as if the hours of unconsciousness somehow lightened the burdens that he carried day by day.

Yugi sighed as he grabbed his jacket, threading his arms through the sleeves. This had become a reoccurring conversation over the past week and a half.

"Not yet," Yugi said, zipping up his coat, clock reading 6:15. Yugi jogged to the door, already half in the hallway before he turned to face the older boy. "I'll see you later," he said.

Yami sighed, giving him a small smile. Yugi flew to the front door and grabbed his backpack, the door clanging closed behind him as he left.

LOOK U R IN STAR! :OOOO

Yugi squinted down at the text from Anzu, wondering what in the world she was talking about. His phone buzzed again, and Yugi opened the next message, finding a collection of grainy photos of him and Yami splashed across a magazine page, Star Magazine to be exact, headline exclaiming – THE KING OF GAMES FINDS A PRINCE?

Setting down his phone, Yugi closed his eyes, counting back from twenty in his head. 20…19…18 The photos had obviously been taken since they'd been discharged from the hospital a week and a half ago, the earliest of them featuring him blurring through the hospital doors when he'd first arrived to find Yami at Tokyo General. 17…16…15

The younger boy had never intended for the press to find out about him, but after walking out of the hospital last week with Yami's arm around him into a crowd of reporters, any pretense of privacy had been blown out of the water. The reporters had started showing up at the Game Shop the night he'd returned home, asking questions about him and Yami as his grandfather politely ushered them out the door.

14…13…12… The media had stopped showing up to the house after a few days when only Yugi and his grandfather were coming or going. They had instead started popping up in different places around Domino, snapping pictures of Yugi and the duelist champion while they walked around town looking completely platonic being as Yugi wouldn't let Yami in a two foot radius of him while they were outside anymore. 11…10…9…

"You're anxious," Yami said. The link between the two had only increased since they'd woken up from being trapped in the puzzle, each boy in separate hospital beds, IV drips in their arms, and Yami's mother standing vigil over them.

Yugi opened his eyes, finding the older boy standing in front of him with two cups of tea, steam rising from the mugs. He had been coming to Yami's apartment every day after classes, trying to get in some studying before he was due home to help his grandfather in the shop. It seemed like the only time he could concentrate lately was when Yami was around.

"There are more pictures of us going around," Yugi said, accepting the cup from the older boy.

Yami sat on the couch next to him, settling back against the cushions. The older boy wasn't fazed by the publicity that their relationship was getting, but as the King of Games, he was long used to media attention. Yugi ignored the flutter in his stomach as Yami's fingers brushed his chin, drawing his face towards him.

"You cannot continue to deprive yourself of sleep," Yami said.

Yugi ducked his head, taking a hasty sip of tea and burning his tongue. He had spent every night since their return from the hospital ten days ago at Yami's apartment.

The first night after Tokyo, Yugi had tried to fall asleep in his own bed but, the ache that spread through his chest without the older boy beside him made it impossible to dip into dreamland. He had tossed and turned until midnight before slipping out of the Mutou apartment, using the back stairs, and taking a cab to the older boy's apartment. He'd slept a few hours with Yami curled around him and then had woken in time to be back in his own bed before his grandfather's early morning alarm.

He hadn't wanted to upset his grandfather further by being missing from his bed, and the older man had already been on edge after Yugi had disappeared for two days with barely a word of explanation and then returned with a hospital bracelet and swarm of reporters.

However, it was becoming a reoccurring cycle. Yugi couldn't sleep without Yami, no matter how hard he tried, but he also hadn't been able bring himself to tell his grandfather the truth about him and the older boy. He knew that his grandfather must suspect the truth but, suspecting and knowing were two entirely different things.

"I just can't tell him yet. It's not the right time," Yugi said. He sighed into his cup, steam warming his skin.

"For you or for your grandfather?" Yami said. He put down his mug on the coffee table, turning to Yugi.

"What do you mean?" Yugi said.

"How do you feel about me?" Yami said, the change of subject spinning Yugi's head.

"I – " Yugi said, floundering. "You know how I feel about you." The older boy must have been able to feel Yugi's feelings for him through their bond.

Yami frowned, taking Yugi's cup from his hands and setting it next to his.

"I want you to tell me," Yami said.

Yugi could feel the older boy's tug on their bond, and he resisted the dark energy that flowed towards him. He was learning that if concentrated hard enough, he could minimize the effect of the older boy's magic by using his own energy to dilute the smoke. It wasn't exact, but at least he wasn't turning to jelly every time Yami's power reached him anymore.

"I like you," Yugi said. His face was heating with a blush.

"What am I to you?" Yami said.

"Well," Yugi said, swallowing the knot in his throat. "You're my friend."

Yami's eyebrow arched. "Your friend?" he said.

"Well, I mean – you're my – you're – Yami," Yugi said. He didn't like the intensity of the older boy's questions. It made him feel like he was back to that day in the café, stuttering through every word.

Yami closed his eyes, exhaling. Yugi could feel his frustration through the bond. "It is time for this to end, Yugi," he said.

Yugi's stomach sank, his heart racing in his chest. This was it, Yami was leaving. He'd had enough of his relationship reservations, and he was going to find someone else to take his place. Panic flooded Yugi, his breaths coming in short exhales. People always left, always. He'd known this was going to happen from the very beginning – why had he ever pretended otherwise?

"Yugi!" Yami said. He was gripping Yugi's chin, forcing him to look at him. "Stop this," he said. The older boy's face was pale, crimson eyes searing through him.

Yugi realized that Yami's presence was gone from his mind. The sudden emptiness was unsettling, like he'd been in the middle of a task and then suddenly forgotten how to go about it, like cooking on the stove then completely blanking when it came to turning it off. Yugi forced himself to calm his breathing. He closed his eyes, taking deep breaths until air filled his lungs, his mind quieting. He reached for their bond, shuddering as Yami's energy engulfed him.

Yami kissed him hard, his power throbbing through Yugi's veins, energy tingling over his skin. The older boy cupped the back of neck as he tasted him with an intensity that burned down Yugi's body, settling in his stomach, low and heavy. The kiss only lasted a second before Yami yanked Yugi onto his lap, breaking their kiss and crushing Yugi against him. Yugi was trying to catch his breath as Yami's pressed him closer, and Yugi rested his chin on the older boy's shoulder, knees sinking into the couch as he straddled his legs.

"Never do that again," Yami said in his ear. His breathing was labored, like he'd just run up the ten flights of stairs to his front door.

"I didn't – " Yugi said.

"You blocked yourself from me," Yami said. He pulled Yugi back far enough to look into his eyes. "Never do it again." The older boy's tone was hard as he repeated the command, eyes searching Yugi's.

"I'm sorry," Yugi said. Guilt rolled through him as he felt the older boy's lingering terror pulsing down their bond. "I didn't even know I was doing it."

Yami slumped back against the cushions, his fingers tightening around Yugi's waist when the younger boy tried to wriggle back to his seat. The older boy took a deep breath, shoulders drooping. It took a few seconds before he opened his eyes again, meeting Yugi's.

"My previous statement was referring to the fact it is time for your reluctance in confirming our relationship to end," Yami said, straightening. "Even your friends are unaware of the depth of our relation."

"It's just not the right time!" Yugi said. Anzu and Ryou knew that he was spending almost all of his time with the older boy but, Yami was right, he hadn't confided in his friends how he felt about the duelist king because even Yugi wasn't quite sure how he felt about the older boy.

"The right time has come and passed," Yami said. "I will not continue to let you keep yourself from me in this manner." Yami pinned him with a stare when Yugi continued to try move from his lap.

Yugi sighed, sitting back on the older boy's legs. He wasn't going anywhere until Yami was ready.

"We are soul mates. That will never change, regardless of your degree of acceptance of that fact," Yami said. "And, if you are not yet ready to confirm our relationship publically then, at minimum, you must inform your grandfather so that we both may have a full night's rest. Our bond is still growing and the more that it grows, the harder it will be for us to be separated."

"He's probably not going to be very happy about it," Yugi said. His grandfather was kind and gentle, but he remained old fashioned in a lot ways. Yugi didn't know how he would react to his grandson telling him that he'd found himself a boyfriend.

"I don't think that's what you truly fear," Yami said. "Remember, aibou, we are linked. Secrets between us will not remain secret for long." He had his hands on Yugi's knees, fingers spanning his kneecaps. "I think you are scared of admitting your feelings to me or anyone else because then the threat to your heart will be real."

"That's not true!" Yugi said. He tried to get up but, Yami gripped his legs to keep him still.

"Then why won't you tell me your feelings towards me?" Yami said.

"It makes me uncomfortable!" Yugi said. "Like I am right now!" He was getting annoyed and desperate to get away from the older boy. Away from his hands, his scent, his aura brushing against his own.

"You are my hikari," Yami said, "There are no secrets between us. Unless you are still denying - "

"You scare me!" Yugi said. "Okay? That's how I feel about you!" He took a deep breath, and then the words just started tumbling out. "Every time I look at you, I wonder if one day I am going to turn around and, you'll be gone. So, yeah I don't want to tell people about us because when I do I'll be the one who looks stupid and alone when you leave. I am nobody and, you're this celebrity who has photographers following him around 24/7 just to get a picture of us holding hands.

I mean, god, I'm just a normal person, and you spend half the time giving me this look where I can't think, and I say dumb stuff. And, don't get me started on the magic part! And, now you're sitting here listening to me ramble about how crazy I think all of this is, and you're smiling at me!" Yugi huffed. "Why are you smiling at me!?"

"I love you," Yami said. Pure and simple, like he'd just commented on the weather outside.

"What?" Yugi said, frozen on the older boy's lap.

"I love you," Yami repeated. "We are partners and, I am not leaving, now or ever."

Yugi opened his mouth to respond, but his head was empty of a single utterance. His molars clicked as he snapped his jaw back together.

"I – " Yugi said.

"Will you tell your grandfather the truth?" Yami said, cutting him off. His energy was calm, brushing against Yugi's with light caresses, but it did little to settle the younger boy.

"I – well - uh," Yugi said, words jumbled up in his head.

Yami loved him? Yugi knew that he felt something deep for the older boy but, love? Did he love Yami? He was so confused. Everything he felt towards the older boy was just a big knot in his head, and it had been since the first moment he'd met him.

"We will tell him now then," Yami said.

Yugi was still speechless as the older boy helped him off of his lap and guided him to the front door, his hand on his back. Yami was already opening the front door when Yugi dug in his heels.

"Wait – what about - our tea?" Yugi said. His stomach was churning, but whether it was over talking to his grandfather or Yami's bombshell, he wasn't sure.

"It can wait," Yami said. He held out his hand for the younger boy, one foot already in the hallway.

Yugi looked at him. It had barely been two months and already, Yami had flipped his entire world upside down, and he was still doing it, even now.

Yugi took Yami's hand, letting the older boy tug him out of the apartment. They took the elevator down, crossing the lobby, and pressed out onto the street. A photographer was camped out with a cup of coffee and a camera, and the shutter winked as Yami hailed a car, Yugi's fingers curled around his.

The older boy opened the door for him, and Yugi met his eyes as Yami waited for him to slide in first. Yami's energy flowed through him, the same seductive smoke as their first day in the café, and as the camera clicked behind them, Yugi brushed against their bond, soaking in its energy.

It was going to take him time to untangle his feelings about Yami and, it would take even more time before he was ready to admit how he felt. The older boy was hard to read, and he had an annoying habit of telling rather than asking but, when it came down to it, Yugi couldn't imagine going back to his life without him.

The older boy watched him as Yugi reached out, his fingers twisting in Yami's jacket as he stepped closer.

Yugi knew the choice he was making, knew that it would change everything. But, his life hadn't been the same since the moment Yami had walked into it, and the older boy was right – the time had come to accept that. His life before Yami had been a good one, but living without the older boy after all they'd been through, all that Yugi knew about him, it would be an empty sort of existence.

Yugi met Yami's eyes as he leaned up, the older boy's aura heavy and warm against his. Yugi brushed his lips against Yami's, feeling him smile under his lips as he drew Yugi into his arms. Yugi eased into their connection, the older boy's aura rolling though him, coaxing him out to feel the depth of Yami's affection.

They were an unlikely pair, two opposite halves – one dark and one light – but as the camera clicked behind them, capturing them for the world, Yugi could have sworn in that moment, for just a nanosecond, they felt one of the same.

A/N: This is the conclusion of Light in the Dark. There will be a sequel and, it will be set a few months ahead of where we are currently leaving our pair so, make sure you follow me if you want to be notified when that gets posted. I'm hoping that the first chapter of the sequel will go up next week (the week of 11/9/14).

I really enjoyed writing this story, and I am interested in further developing Yami and Yugi in this AU universe. It was a lot more difficult than I anticipated to write a story with no direct secondary character dialogue (go back and check - it's just Yami and Yugi talking the whole time) but, I ended up liking the result because it kept the action immediate. However, I plan that the sequel will include secondary character dialogue, including characters such as Jou, Seto, Anzu, Bakura, and Ryou but, the POV will continue to stay in Yami's and Yugi's voices.

Thanks for all your support through Light in the Dark! I hope you enjoyed it!