Progress
(Finding You, between Chapter 20 and 21)

Why his hikari refused to allow him to get his job back was beyond him. Yami watched Yugi from across the room as his fingers flew across the keys of his laptop, engrossed in his job search. It had been two weeks since Mazaki had released him from Industrial Illusions, citing his and Yugi's relationship as a conflict of interest and a violation of his employment contract. It would only take a word to Pegasus, and Yugi would be back in his office. Hell, he could be running the whole department, but his hikari refused.

Yugi's melancholy was a ghost against his conscious, a subtle reminder that the mental barrier between them had been weakening since the moment Yugi had confessed his feelings for him in his kitchen two weeks earlier. Their bond was still weak, but as long as his hikari consented to stay by his side, the stronger their link would grow. He allowed Yugi's aura to lull the frustration from his grip. His hikari had already made great strides towards furthering their relationship, and it would do no good to try to push him even more by forcing him to accept his help.

"Why does Malik Ishtar want me to come over to his apartment next week?" Yugi said. He'd ceased typing, eyeing him over his laptop.

"He mentioned wanting to speak with you," Yami said. "Why?"

"He just emailed me," Yugi said. "Does this have to do with the puzzle?"

Yami shrugged. "Perhaps you should speak with him and find out."

Yugi slumped back against the sofa, closing his eyes. "You're going to make this as difficult as possible, aren't you?"

"How so?"

Yugi opened an eye, glaring at him. "You know."

"Know?"

His hikari ruffled, aura striking bright against his own as he sat up. "You're still trying to convince me about this hikari thing," he said, "and you're using Malik to help."

Yami smiled, shrugging again. "Malik is a good friend to have, as is Ryou. They both have many connections in Ozu, any of which could assist in your job search."

"I…you…" Yugi stopped, huffing as he got to his feet. "I have to go."

His smile dropped as Yugi gathered up his things. He'd known his hikari was headed back to Domino for the night to meet with his childhood best friend, but he was less than thrilled by the separation. It had been twelve days since they'd spent the night apart, and he'd spend the entire evening tossing and turning until his hikari was wrapped up against his side again.

Things in hand, Yugi rounded the coffee table to his chair, leaning over to kiss his cheek.

Yami grabbed his hikari's arm, pulling him back down to press his lips against his own. With each day that passed, it took less and less persuading to coax his hikari to lessen his grip on the chatter in his mind and simply feel the connection between them. He tugged Yugi toward him, reaching out to take his laptop from his hands, depositing it on the end table, as his hikari allowed him to pull him on top of him, straddling his thighs. The kiss deepened, his hikari's light warm in his veins as Yugi's tongue touched his.

After a few moments, Yugi turned his head, sighing as he dropped his forehead onto his shoulder. "I'm going to miss my train."

Yami tightened his grip around him, urging himself to relax. One evening was nothing compared to the separation they'd endured from the earliest moments of their bond, but after so many days with him by his side, a few hours suddenly felt endless.

Sitting back, Yugi pressed a final kiss to his lips, sliding out of his grip and reaching over to pick up his laptop. "I'll text you."

He sat back, watching his hikari slip his laptop into his bag, before offering a wave and heading toward the door. When the front door closed, he sighed, waiting for the inevitable fade of his hikari's mind from his. It took longer than he expected for Yugi's mind to branch, and almost an hour had passed by the time he no longer felt his hikari's conscious strong against his own.

Progress, he realized. It had taken several months, all of his patience and a good mix of luck, but his hikari was finally beginning to let him in.

A/N: Thanks for reading!