Kame

By Citrus Luver

Summary: In a season of miracles, a young boy is given a strange Christmas gift by his grandfather, a doll. Having no friends, the boy finds comfort and protection in the inanimate until one day on his sixteenth birthday. His parents die in a cave-in on an archeology dig which leaves him alone in this world with a grandfather who is too busy and never home. He turns back to his childhood friend only this time to find something more, something that society frowns upon. After all, is love possible for such an untimely couple?

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh!

Chapter 1

Mou Hitori no Boku

Beautiful sparkling candles adorned the interior of a dazzling two-story house. A single lone wreath, glistened in the moonlight, hung from a single nail. Colorful rainbow rings wrapped around the frost bitten windows. A beautiful Christmas tree glistened in the center. Paper angel clippings, dusted in glitter, hang from the branches. A beautiful wood bound star was placed at the very top. A few scattered presents bound in paper were littered at the base of the tree. One could tell quite readily that the owners of such a house weren't rich, yet for such a holiday, a time of miracles, all could be sacrificed. Yet, something was missing from such a scene, the laughter of children and the warmth of family.

None was present. Actually, the family wasn't home. They were forced to spend another holiday at the local hospital with their son. The bright young boy was born with a weak heart. Which was ironic considering his heart was filled with more love and kindness than that of the strongest beating ones. His words rang like bells. His face glistened like the holy glow of angels. Yet, not many witnessed such a face, such joy. He spent the majority of his life at the hospital. He was home schooled by the tutors at the hospital. He rarely made any friends, only the ones at the hospital, but they rarely stayed. One minute they were there and the next gone.

As a result, toys became his friends and his companions. A puzzle here, a stuffed animal there, they could never leave him. After all how could they?

There he sat on a hospital bed, IV tubes pricked into his pale skin. The white flock he wore glowed brightly, which intensified his flawlessly white skin. A bright red scarf wound around his neck, handmade by his mother who sat beside him. Her auburn hair nested against him, a smile upon her face. A young man, the boy's father, had a wide grin upon his face. A coffee mug balanced upon his hip as he leaned against his son's bed. The boy's burning amethyst eyes glowed. A perplexed look appeared upon his face. His eyes scanned the hallway before him. The minute hand ticked by softly. His eyes clouded over. Was he coming?

The town clock in the distance stuck ten. As the last dong was emitted throughout the air, a shadow overtook the room. A smile appeared on the boy's face.

"Jii-chan!" He shouted. The boy's father immediately looked up shortly followed by his mother.

"Otousan, do not do that to us again! Do you know how much worry you caused Yuugi here?"

"Gomen, gomen!" The newly appeared figure chuckled, letting out a heartily laugh. "Arthur caught me at the last second. He wanted to run the facts over with me again. It took me forever to get him to let me go." The young couple sighed. Hopkins was a workaholic. There was no doubt about that. His dream of finding a portal to other galaxies through ancient civilizations was almost present in his mind.

The elder man's smile widened as he walked closer before leaning down in front of the young boy. One hand was held behind his back as he ruffled the boy's bangs, yet the younger was fixated on the arm that his grandfather was concealing behind his back to notice.

"What's that?" The younger inquired.

"Yuugi!" The young mother gasped, horrified at her son's manners.

"Leave him be, Akina. The boy has a right to be curious." The elder stated. A chuckle left his lips as he spoke. The young mother let out a small pout as the elder sat down, brushing against the younger. "Now Yuugi, are ready for your Christmas present?"

The boy's mouth immediately widened. A grin appeared upon his face. "Hai! Hai! He shouted bouncing on the bed. His dainty hands clapped happily.

"Close your eyes!"

The boy immediately obeyed as the elder pulled out a medium size box wrapped in gold wrapping paper. The young boy bit his lips as he touched the soft, smooth paper. He ran his hands through it. "Open it, boy."

The boy nodded. He looked up at his elders at if asking for permission. His mother simply nodded as he tore open the present only to be met with a beautiful golden box. Upon the box were strange engravings. On the top was an ancient, powerful symbol.

"Okaasan. Otousan. It looks just like that box… that… that… you found!" Yuugi stated happily as he ran is hands over the lid, intrigued by the item.

"Yes it does." Yuugi's father stated perplexed before looking up at his father's gleaming face. "Otousan, what is the meaning of this?"

The elder looked up. "Oh. Don't be alarmed Mitsu. Let the boy open his gift. Go on Yuugi." The elder urged. The boy immediately nodded, for a second a little worried that his parents might take away his present. His fingers ran through the lid once more. A smoothing, warm feeling touched his fingers. He felt an instantaneous jolt. The boy gasped. He looked up to see whether or not his parents had noticed. Their faces indicated that they had not.

He pushed the strange feeling aside as he removed the lid. Inside was a doll. It was a strange doll, not like any that he had ever seen before. Its eyes were open. They were a set of beautiful, ruby red eyes. Its face was well defined, sharp and angular. A look of peace and tranquility was ever present upon its face. Also there was a sense of familiarity. The doll looked remarkably like the young boy himself. Blond bangs lined his face, a crown of black with red tints all around. The young boy gently and lovingly picked up the doll and held it out before him. A long, free falling violet cape flowed beyond its body. A white cloth covered its body and flowed into a skirt. Gold clasps enclosed its ankles. A pair of sandals was bound to its feet. Upon the doll's head was a golden crown, the sign of royalty. "It… it's beautiful Jii-chan!"

"I'm glad you like it. The man I got it from said you would. It's modeled after an ancient Pharaoh."

"From Egypt… where Okaasan and Otousan work at?" The boy asked.

"Yep, treat him well okay Yuugi?"

"Hai!" The boy nodded.

Akina looked up, curiously at her father-in-law before looking down at her son. She pushed away any strange and peculiar thoughts about the doll before lightly kissing her son's forehead. "What are you going to name it?"

"Uh…" The boy bit his lips, trying to grab a name. "Mou hitori no boku."

"Mou hitori no boku? That's a mighty long name don't you think?" Mitsu asked jokingly. The initial shock of seeing the box in front of him had ebbed away. After all the discovery of that mysterious unopened golden box had been found a year ago, toy makers were bound to make toy boxes look like that. Right?

"But it matches! He looks just like me… almost!" The boy quickly added causing a fit of laughter from the grownups in the room.

As night rolled into the hospital, bitter sweet good byes were exchanged. It was always hard to leave Yuugi at the hospital especially around the holidays, but the doctor had promised that Yuugi could go home by the New Year and this time possibly for good. Maybe even start school come spring. The idea of going to school, a normal school, exhilarated the young boy.

Yuugi sighed as he took his daily medicine. The doll wrapped around his hands. "Oyasumi, mou hitori no boku. Aishiteru." A string of tears rolled down from the boy's eyes. One landed upon the doll's face.

Bing!

A small Kuribo alarm clock sounded awakening the young boy, throwing him out of his slumber. The boy groaned. A small slender hand reached outward. He lightly hit the alarm clock before pulling his hand back. The boy groaned. The presence of slumber and sleepiness was ever present in his bright amethyst eyes.

"Yuugi!" A young woman called. Her voice echoed throughout the small two-story house. Immediately he recognized that it belonged to his mother. The young boy bound up from his bed. A smile appeared upon his lips as he ran downstairs to be met with that of a tired young woman. She had a leather bag in one hand and a stick in her other. Her eyes revealed fatigue, obviously the result of a long night.

"Okaasan! You're home!" The boy cried running to meet his mother's warm embrace.

"Yuugi, my baby." The young woman immediately dropped her luggage and bent down to give her eight-year-old son a hug.

"Have you been good for your grandfather?" The young woman inquired.

"He was an angel, Akina." The boy's grandfather immediately answered, appearing at the doorway. An apron and cooking mitts adorned his body. The boy broke into a grin as his mother lightly kissed his forehead.

"I'm glad." She muttered. Tears appeared in her eyes as she rose and picked up her suitcase. The young boy immediately latched on to the hem of his mother's pants. He looked at her eagerly. The two walked into the kitchen. The faint smell of breakfast filled the room.

"Okaasan."

"Hai, Yuugi."

The boy bit his lips testing his waters before speaking. "How…how long are you staying for?" His voice sounded a little too bitter. Yesterday's events at school were still etched in his mind. He glanced over at his grandfather. The elder nodded knowing that now wasn't the time to talk about Yuugi's first day of school.

"Oh Yuugi. I'm so sorry. I wasn't there when you started school. Did… did something happen?" The young woman asked. The little boy looked down feeling guilty.

"Akina. The boy is fine. Where's Mitsu?" Sugoroku asked as Yuugi did the same. Feelings of the joy of seeing his mother again made him forget that his father wasn't there too.

"In Egypt."

"Otousan didn't come back with you?" Yuugi questioned.

"No… not this time. Yuugi."

"Oh." Yuugi mumbled dejected.

"I have something to tell you. You and your grandfather…"

"What… what! A… a present."

"In…a way."

"Oh what! What!" Yuugi asked. He clapped his hands happily. The young mother laughed picking her boy up.

"You're going to be a big brother."

"Brother? How?" The boy asked curious.

"Okaasan is going to have another baby."

"Baby?" Yuugi asked before his mouth widened. "Really?"

"Uh huh… and Okaasan is going to be home for a long time. No more trips to Egypt for a long time. Your Otousan will be coming home closer to the time the baby will be born."

"When? When?"

"In six more months."

"Oh. That's a long time," Yuugi commented.

"Yes. But we have a lot to do. And… Yuugi darling… you're going to have more responsibilities."

"Responsibilities," Yuugi stated. A smile glazed his lips. He was not certain what responsibilities really were. "Can I go tell mou hitori no boku?"

"After breakfast, Yuugi," Sugoroku added setting two plates in front of both mother and child. A perplexed expression appeared upon the young woman's lips especially aimed towards Sugoroku.

"His doll," the elder whispered, noticing that Yuugi had become engrossed in his breakfast to notice the shift in the conversation.

"His doll?"

"The one I gave him last Christmas."

Minutes later Yuugi looked up. "I'm done. Can I go now?"

"Of course" Sugoroku nodded, watching as Yuugi bound upstairs and disappeared into his bedroom.

Akina sighed as she twirled her chopsticks in her fingers. She absentmindedly drew lines through the food. "Is he happy?"

"Whatever do you mean?"

"He looked so downcast when I asked him about his first day at school."

"Oh."

"Otousan! If, if there is anything."

"He's been picked on at school. You know he was born small, with a weak heart… premature. Then with the eight years he spent at the hospital off and on. We couldn't possibly have expected everything would have gone smoothly."

Akina sighed, lightly rubbing her abdomen. "I… I had hoped."

"But he is fine. Really. You saw him. He's happy. He really likes his doll too. He talks to it… about everything."

Akina laughed bewildered. "I had a toy like that too when I was little. It was an angel doll with beautiful long blond hair, beautiful long feathered wings. She was dressed in a white dress. Then…then I grew older. She became worn out, and we drifted apart. Her name was Ai. Did Mitsu have a toy like that?"

"Is he dead?"

"What!" Akina gasped. "How… how did you know something was amiss?"

"You forget. Parents have a way of knowing."

"Of course," Akina sighed. "He's in a coma at Domino hospital. They said he might not make it. I… I." Akina sobbed, immediately latching on to her father-in-law. "What… what am I going to do… if… if… he… oh… Yuugi."

"Shh. Mitsu is strong. He will get better." Sugoroku encouraged, lightly drawing circles upon the young woman's back.

Unknown to his elders, Yuugi hadn't gone up to his bedroom immediately instead he had heard everything. Tears fell from amethyst eyes, staining his face. The tears slid down his face. As they fell to his hands, the tears were no longer clear and translucent, but mixed with makeup, leaving a nasty black bruise upon his face.

The boy lightly shut his door and found mou hitori no boku sitting there on his desk. A smile upon its face like always. Tears filtered from his eyes as he grabbed the doll and cradled it in his hands. "Mou hitori no boku… Otousan… Otousan… " The boy wailed as he fell onto his bed. The doll was still within his arms.

Months went by. Mitsu really did come out of his coma much to everyone's delight. His parents never did discover that Yuugi had known all along that his father was sick and on the verge of death.

The light fall breeze filled the air. The leaves within the city started to change color. Some even began to fall.

After another long day at school, Yuugi sighed. His eye dazed over as he watched his science teacher talk about dinosaurs. His favorite was the long necks. They were so big and tall. He wanted to be tall just like the long necks.

His twirled his pencil in his hands. Thoughts of dinosaurs were soon replaced by dragons, horses, priests, magicians and… Yuugi gasped as a large paper ball landed upon the back of 'his' head. He hissed. Annoyed, he turned around to be met by the smirk of a blond and his best friend… Jounouchi and Honda. Yuugi shook his head… what jerks! They wanted to turn him into a man by torturing him.

He quickly turned away and looked down at his textbook. The fleeting image he had seen in his mind was shoveled to the corners. Moments later, another large paper ball hit the back of his head. This time the force on the back of his head was much harder and painful. A loud ouch left his lips before he could contain himself, which alerting the teacher.

"Yes Mutou."

"Uh…" Yuugi glanced over at Jounouchi and Honda. Innocent looks now replaced their smirks. Both boys now were looking attentively at their textbooks. Jerks! "Nothing Sensei. I… I just cut my finger on my pencil sharper." The teacher looked at the younger boy. A puzzled look appeared her face before she nodded.

"Be careful next time, Mutou. Any ways as I was saying… the Tri…" Yuugi sighed. He was glad the teacher hadn't pressure him to continue before slipping another glance at Jounouchi and Honda. Smirks appeared upon their faces again. Complete morons!

The rest of the school day proved to be less eventful. Ushio hadn't showed up at school for once. His mother had called in sick. Yuugi couldn't help but cherish his luck as he grabbed his lunch box before returning to his desk. His classmates were all outside playing basketball. One had even been kind enough to ask him to play, but he had declined. He was too short to play. Also, he would feel guilty if they lost because of him. Instead, he immersed himself in his own games. It was a new game that his grandfather had bought for him. He said that it came from Egypt. It was an ancient game that children in Egypt used to play. Minutes into the game Yuugi sighed as he pulled out his doll, mou hitori no boku. He had brought the doll with him today. Something he never did before, but for once it felt right. He sat the doll in front of him before looking down at the game and sighed. It wasn't fun playing games by himself, but what could he do? Nobody else liked playing board games. They were all into basketball or baseball.

"I wish you could play with me mou hitori no boku." Yuugi sighed longingly. "I bet you would like my kind of games. I bet when you used to rule Egypt, you were a great gamer. I bet you were a game king." Yuugi tilted his head. It looked as if the doll was looking at the game. Yuugi smiled. "It's called Senet. Grandpa told me it came from Egypt. That everyone in Egypt use to play this game. Did you, Mou hitori no boku?"

Yuugi sighed once more before continuing to play. The doll continued to look on protectively and longingly.

School ended that day on a good note. He only got hit only once by Jounouchi's infamous rubber band trick. The second time he had ducked to pick up another student's pencil, which they had dropped. In turn, the rubber band had hit the student in front of him… Akira. Nobody messed with Akira. He and Jounouchi had been enemies since first grade. Akira immediately ratted out Jounouchi, which caused the blond to be sent to the principal's office.

A small song played on the tongue of the boy's lips as he skipped happily down the street. Maybe school isn't all that bad.

"Yuugi!' A familiar voice stopped him dead in his tracks causing the younger to look around for the owner of the voice. "Yuugi, over here in the cab." The boy turned. In the yellow cab were his father and grandfather.

"Otousan! You're home!" He shouted running over to the cab. The young frantic father lightly creased his son's cheeks before pulling open the cab door.

"Get in." Mitsu stated. The young boy immediately complied. The young father took his son's bag before settling his son in the cab seat next to him.

"Where are we going Otousan?" Yuugi questioned bewildered. A smile appeared on his face. He was excited about going somewhere with his father. "To Egypt?" The boy asked readily.

"What?" Mitsu asked before quickly shaking his head. "No… no, to the hospital."

"Hospital!" The young eight-year-old cried horrified at the thought of returning to the place that had isolated him from the world for so long. Even though most of his memories of that place were sweet ones, the doctors and nurses there were all extremely nice to him. The nights were just horrible except for his last few months there. He had mou hitori no boku with him, and everything wasn't scary anymore. "No! Don't want to! Evil!"

"Calm down champ. Not for you, we're going to see Okaasan… and your baby brother or sister."

"Baby!" Yuugi's eyes widened. "Okaasan said the baby wouldn't be here for six months. It's only… only been." Yuugi mentally counted the months before looking up. "Five."

"I know Yuugi. Sometimes… people are early." The young father whispered. He stroked his son's bangs tenderly. Thoughts of just eight years earlier when Akina had given birth to Yuugi in Egypt came back to him. They were in a Pharaoh's tomb when her water broke. It was a new find that they had excavated just weeks earlier. Akina had been intent on seeing the tomb saying that once the baby was born it would be months before she could it. The labor was quick, almost too quick. Yuugi was so little, nearly a month early. Just a few grams, he almost died in his hands. His heart had stopped so many times on the way to the nearby local hospital. Those were some of the things Yuugi never knew. He had always assumed he was born in Domino Hospital like everyone else. Maybe that was one of the reasons he was so attached to the land of the kings.

"Oh," the boy nodded accepting the analogy not knowing the dangers of being early in this case. The rest of the trip to the hospital was a quiet one. Yuugi had fallen asleep on his grandfather's lap as they pulled up to the general hospital. Seeing his son's calm, at peace look neither adult could bring themselves to wake the young boy. So Sugoroku volunteered to stay with Yuugi until he awoke.

Settling the young boy down on the couch, Sugoroku sighed as he pulled up a magazine. It was going to be a long night. He already knew that. A long sigh left his lips as he glanced over at his grandson's sleeping form. At least one of us is getting some sleep. Innocence is such bliss. "That your son?" A young voice asked startling Sugoroku out of his thoughts. The elder looked up. There in front of him was a beautiful young girl. She had very beautiful long strands of blond hair and a glorious figure. "He's adorable." The young woman commented lightly running her fingers through the boy's bangs. "I see where he gets his looks from." She added fluttering her eyelashes at Sugoroku.

Maybe I was wrong. "Why thank you."

"Otousan!" Oh crap. There standing at the door way of the waiting room was his frenzied son. The evidence of sweat was on his face. "Otousan. It's Akina. She… she…" Suddenly the initial shock and thoughts drained from the young man's face as he looked at the scene before him. Some strange woman, no doubt a very beautiful woman was holding hands with his beet red father's hands. "Otousan! Oh my god! Even in a place like this your perverted self still shines through. No wonder you used to get Okaasan so mad at you."

"Mitsu, it's not what you are thinking, really." Sugoroku sputtered out while trying to compose himself. This results in the young woman giggling.

"Oh, so he's your son. And that's…" The girl stated pointing at the still sleeping Yuugi.

"His grandson… Yuugi," Mitsu stated not pleased at the turn of events.

"He's even cuter." The young woman giggled lightly running her hand through Mitsu's blond bangs before running down the hall. Before fully disappearing she turned around and waved. She winked her eyes once before shouting out. "Give Akina-chan my best. Ja ne." Both men's eyes widened considerably as they stared at the retreating figure of the young woman who seemed to know more about them than they did of her.

"Otousan?" A sleepy boy questioned, awakening from his slumber. "Jii-chan? What is Kujaki-san doing here?"

"Kujaki-san? You know her Yuugi?" Mitsu questioned picking put the young boy and lightly rubbed his forehead.

"Hai! I know her daughter, Kasumi. She, she was my friend when I was little at the hospital." Immediately after revealing such information the young boy lost interest. "How is Okaasan?"

"Good, and I want you to meet somebody."

"Baby?" Yuugi questioned.

"Uh huh."

"Can, can I take mou hitori no boku with me too?"

"Mou hitori no boku?" Mitsu questioned, intrigued before remembering their last Christmas. The doll.

"My friend." Yuugi stated grabbing his backpack and pulled out the doll. Like always there was a smile on its lips. A content look flashed upon its face.

"Yes, Mou hitori no Yuugi can come with us." Taking his son by his hands the small family walked down the halls of the hospital then finally into the IC for infants. Large gigantic machines covered the room each connected to an incubator. The huge machines brought memories back for him. They were memories of the IV tubs that were stuck in his skin. Without meaning it, the young boy started to shake uncontrollably. His eyes rolled back as his whole body grew ridged. Mitsu gasped too stunned to do anything as he watched his son have a seizure. Something he hadn't experienced for months.

"Help! Help!" Sugoroku shouted, watching his loved ones melt before him. Seconds later everything seemed to fog over. A team of doctors were located, and Yuugi was rushed into the emergency room. The forgotten doll lay on the ground. The elder man who felt as if he had aged a dozen years bent down and creased the doll's face. Was there a sign of defeat and utter failure present upon the doll's face instead of its usual look of contentment?

"You didn't fail Yuugi. He's just frail for his age, but he's a fighter." Sugoroku muttered not knowing why he was comforting a doll, but he was. He suddenly realized just how Yuugi felt when he talked to the doll. It really did feel good, strangely enough.

Tears lined the young boy's amethyst eyes. He hugged his doll longingly. Burying his face within the ancient pharaoh's yarn bound hair. The scent of ancient spices was ever present within the doll's scent giving the boy comfort. Here and there he would look up: his parents' crying faces, his mother's ashen face, wary and tired, his father's motionless expression, a lighted match in his hands. His brow frowned. He was confused by the small wooden bound box in front of him that was placed upon a set of logs. He only cried because everyone else was crying. He was still confused at what was going on.

The young boy looked up and saw his grandfather standing there beside him, his hand around his mother's shoulders. The elder man's normally vibrant eyes now cast in shadow. "Jii-chan." The boy whimpered tugging on the elder man's pants.

The elder man immediately bent down and rustled the boy's fine blond bangs. "Yes, Yuugi."

"Why are Okaasan and Otousan crying? Aren't we having a bar-b-q?" The boy asked memories of last year's picnic by the temple still present in his mind. The elder sighed. Memories of Akina's wails of pain when the baby had stopped breathing in her arms, and Yuugi's screams of terror at his mother's sobbing were still etched in his mind. The young boy had never seen his mother cry much less so profoundly.

"When is Nozomi-chan coming home?" Yuugi questioned.

"Yuugi," Sugoroku sighed. His face laced with fatigue as he watched another burning match go out in his son's hands. It was the fifteenth one already. "Nozomi is never coming home. That is why your parents are crying."

"Why Jii-chan? I have responsibility." Yuugi added hugging the doll more profoundly.

"She, she can't Yuugi. She's in a better place now. High up in the sky…"

"How she get up there?" Yuugi asked confused.

"Uh, she flew up there."

"Oh, like… a bird?"

"Yes," Sugoroku added rustling the boy's bangs. "Like a bird… with beautiful, white, feathery soft wings."

Yuugi's mouth widened. "Like… like an angel."

"Uh huh, she's an angel now Yuugi. She flew up to a beautiful land up in the sky, a castle, no a kingdom built of glass. It's really a beautiful place, a paradise," Sugoroku added. Tears stained his eyes as he watched Yuugi look up at the sky confused.

"I don't see any palace," Yuugi added confused.

"I know. Because it is really, really high up in the sky, we can't see it till it's our time."

"Why? Can't I go and bring her back, so Okaasan and Otousan won't cry anymore. Doesn't she want to be with us? Doesn't she love us anymore? Won't she be lonely up there? I… I know! I…I'll"

"Yuugi," Sugoroku added. "You… you can't bring her back. She's with Baachan now… and… and a lot of other wonderful people...they'll protect her. Someday, we'll be up there with them." Sugoroku stated longingly.

"Oh… okay. Just like mou hitori no boku protects me," Yuugi added happily hugging his doll.

"Yes… just like mou hitori no boku," Sugoroku added. He stood up and sighed. Yuugi was so innocent, yet he knew just like with Mitsu. Someday Yuugi would have to know the truth. Someday the story of the kingdom in the sky just wouldn't be enough. Sugoroku longed that day would never come. That Yuugi would forever stay as sweet and innocent as he was now, but he knew that couldn't and wouldn't happen. A smile glazed the boy's lips as he watched his father finally toss a burning match upon the box. The boy's amethyst eyes widened as he looked on at the burning balls of light dance with its wide assortment of colors… yellow, orange, red, and blue.

He yelped as he felt warm arms encircle him only to discover that it was his mother. "Okaasan… Jii-chan said Nozomi-chan is an angel now, living in a beautiful glass castle," the boy exclaimed. A small smile imprinted upon the young mother's lips.

"Hai, Yuugi. She is a very beautiful angel."

Time seem to be unable to contain itself as the years went by. Changing the young eight-year-old to that of a sprouting boy of fourteen, Christmas was around the corner once more. It was his favorite holiday. Yet, the once vibrant boy had changed. The memories of his early school days were still evident in his mind.

The medication that he had been forced to take in his infantile years stunted his growth. He was tiny for his age. He was a prefect target for bullies to pick on. He was easy picking especially since he didn't like to fight…not at all. He didn't like physical harm, so he was badly picked on at school. His only solace was in his toys, and the young 'pharaoh' doll dubbed mou hitori no boku.

Yuugi sighed as he trudged through the streets of Domino City. His cheeks were puffy and red from the cold weather. A smile played upon his rosy red lips. His backpack nuzzled against his body as he admired the Christmas decorations around him. He loved them. The sparkling lights, the jiggling of bells, and especially the gigantic Christmas tree that was placed in the center of town at Domino Station. He wondered how many glistening angels were going to be hung on it this year. He wondered who would be the lucky chosen one who got to place the star upon the tree. Probably Kaiba-kun. He scoffed. The snobby little rich brat had just transferred to his school at the start of term. He was rich beyond rich. His father after all did own one of the largest technology empires in the world… something the little brat was sure to inherit someday.

He couldn't help but wonder which one of those lucky girls who fawned at him would be the lucky one… chosen to be his bride. Maybe the others could be his mistresses. He thought bitterly. What he would give for just one of those girls to like him. Immediately the image of one of girls caught his mind. Tall, beautiful, brunette, dancer Masaki Anzu, she was the smartest girl in their class and class president. Everyone liked her. She was popular, friendly, and nice. She had after all stood up for him… not once…but multiple times. His heart fluttered, but he immediately looked dejected. What hope did he have of winning her heart? He couldn't compete against the other boys in his class, with people like Kaiba. Yuugi sighed as the pulled open the door to his grandfather's store.

Being a retired archeologist himself, Sugoroku had opened a translating shop in Domino. "Jii-chan! I'm home." There came no response as Yuugi walked into the kitchen. There tagged to the refrigerator was note written in his grandfather's hasty scrawny handwriting. Yuugi pulled it off and sighed. Another night alone, his grandfather would be gone till next Monday on another translating job with Arthur in Egypt. At least he would bring his parents home with him… just in time for Christmas.

Yuugi sighed as he pulled out a can of juice and an apple before bounding upstairs. He slipped his backpack down on his bed before looking up. There sitting on his desk was his friend. His doll… his only long lasting loyal companion... an ancient Pharaoh that his grandfather had given to him so many Christmas's ago.

"Hey… Mou hitori no boku." Yuugi chirped. His demeanor suddenly changed as he lightly ceased the doll's cheeks. A smile appeared upon his lips. "No… I'm wrong. I'm not alone. I'll never be alone cause I got you." Yuugi grinned before sitting down. He lightly and lovely fondled the doll's cheeks. "Jii-chan's in Egypt again with Okaasan, Otousan, and Hopkins-san. I wonder what Egypt is like. That's where you came from. Jii-chan told me. Jii-chan told me it's beautiful. There are long wide stretches of sand for miles… everywhere. I've only seen white sand at the beach. Jii-chan told me Egypt's sand is different.

"He also told me that you were crafted after a Pharaoh. That must have been cool… ruling an empire? Have people obey your commands. I bet you were a good Pharaoh… and a good person. Unlike me… unlike me mou hitori no boku. I'm so selfish. I… I want Anzu to like me. I really do, but that's selfish… isn't it? And…" Yuugi stopped hesitantly before speaking once more.

"I'm so selfish. You know, mou hitori no boku? Every year… on my birthday I make a wish. I wish… I wish you were alive… alive, so we could talk. Instead of me always being the one to talk. I… I bet we would talk for hours… days… years and never get bored… and… and we could play games." Yuugi sighed looking down dejected. "But… but that's selfish too. Real selfish." Tears fell from the young boy's face… staining his face as he sobbed.

Yet… the doll looked on… with a look of 'longing'… and utter sadness? Was that even possible?

A/N: How was it? Good? Bad? Indifferent? Tell me. I'm trying to keep this fic as short as possible… hopefully that's means this fic will only be three chapters… as of now… I think that is possible. Oh… in case anybody is curious or doesn't know. Kame… the title of this fic is the Japanese word for turtle. There is a very good reason why I named this fic turtle. It will all become clear at the end.