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~*~Angel Scars~*~

Yugi studied his reflection in the full length mirror again. His white shirt was strewn on the floor, forgotten in his despair, and he was now tearfully looking at the two delicate scars on his back.

The scars were each about three inches long, and were on his shoulder blades.

He wiped back a few tears and ran his fingers over the soft skin of the left scar, remembering the night, now six months ago, when he had received the wounds.

He shuddered at the thought, but one good thing had come out of the ordeal, Yami and Yugi had confessed their love and were now a couple.

But Yugi still felt that something was wrong. Even though the scars were covered up most of the time, he could still feel them. To him, they were a constant reminder of how weak he was, and how he couldn't protect himself.

'What if Jou had walked me home, he would've got hurt too, and then it would have been my fault...I am a burden on my friends and koi...as long as they have me around they are always in danger.'

Tears fell down his pale cheeks, dripping onto the cream carpet of the bathroom floor.

/I hate these scars...I wish they'd go away...I wish I could go away, and not cause anyone any more problems/

Unknowingly he had left the link open this time, and his yami had heard everything, and had felt his hikari's pain and depression.

Yami stood outside the bathroom door, listening through the link for any signs that his hikari wanted to speak with him. To let him know what was wrong. Instead of shutting him out.

Sighing for the hundredth time Yugi watched his tears drip onto the sink and trail down the hole.

"Yugi? Koi? Can I come in?"

"If you want to..."

Yugi quickly grabbed his forgotten white shirt and pulled it over his head just as Yami entered the bathroom.

"Aibou...I've seen you topless before."

"I know...but..."

Yugi looked around uncomfortably, as silence filled the room.

Yami moved over to Yugi's side and pulled at the shirt, Yugi complied and allowed his yami to remove it.

"See, you're beautiful, remember that Yugi."

"Yeah..."

Yami sighed, pulling Yugi close and rubbing his back, careful not to touch the scars. Yugi hated people touching his back now, he used to love the soothing motion but now it was different. He was weak. He didn't deserve Yami.

"This is wrong. I don't deserve you. You need someone strong. Not me."

Yugi broke down in tears and fell to the floor, his small body shook with each sob. Yami cradled him in his arms, rocking him gently back and forth, whispering soothing words into his ear.

"Shh, hikari. You are not weak. I've said before you are the strongest person I know, you always will be. I don't care if it's not physical strength. You are full of innocence and compassion, so pure."

"But I'm weak..."

"I don't care. That's why where there is light there is dark; to protect the light. I am your dark, aibou."

Yugi looked up for the first time, his eyes shining with tears, although none were falling.

"You...don't mind that I always get beaten up?"

"Of course I do. I hate that you get hurt, and I make sure that they get what they deserve. But it is in no way your fault."

Yugi dared a smile, only a small one, but the first since the night of his attack. Yami smiled also, glad that finally he was getting through to his hikari.

"So, you really do love me...don't you?"

"With all my heart."

Yami stared down into Yugi's deep amethyst eyes and closed the increasingly small gap between their lips.

Yami ran his hands through Yugi's soft hair and, moving his hand down to Yugi's neck, then his shoulder, finally meeting one of the scars.

Yugi flinched slightly when Yami's hand came into contact with a scar, but then melted into his Yami's warm embrace.

Yami smiled, realising that Yugi was finally ready to return to reality.

"But the scars...I'm weak..."

"Aibou, you are beautiful. You're an angel, my angel. And now you have the scars to prove it. You came from the heavens to me, and now you can see where your wings were."

Yugi suddenly realised that the scars on his shoulders were in the place where wings on angels were, and he began to laugh.

"I'm an angel?"

"Yes…my angel."

Yugi nuzzled into Yami's neck as they cuddled, still on the bathroom floor, too lazy to move.

"Aishiteru Yami."

"Aishiteru too, my angel."

~*~Owari~*~

Aww! Yugi-angel!

Please review.

~Written 12/28/2003~

~Revised 2/14/2004~