Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The hardest part of his situation was, well, everything. His back always hurt with no relief in sight. The food was unfamiliar and disgusting. Every morning, he and the other enslaved staff were woken up by screaming bosses who also banged on every wall of the large room. There was barely any room to find a spot to step on the floor, but they always managed to traverse the space enough to get in the faces of those who took too long to get up.

The work was hard. It was also endless. Cleaning, cleaning, more cleaning. And the ass kissing. Yes, there was always that, too.

Everyone, even the paid workers, were at the mercy of Akefia, who stayed in his tower like the old fairy tales Yugi remembered hearing as a child. Not a soul was allowed in the tower. Well, except one or two of his particular workers. Henchmen, rather.

Speaking of which…

He heard the crinkle of the parchment as he sat up. He quickly grabbed the note Yami must have slipped under his blanket as he slept. Yami was as silent as a cat, and as quick as one. When Yugi first met him, he would have been forgiven for initially thinking the other had been a ghost or another spirit akin to that.

However, Yami was as kind as he was mysterious. For one reason or another, Yugi constantly found himself face to face with the being no matter what form he happened to take that day. Yugi's favorite was his more human like form. With his dark skin, daring smirk and those perfect crimson eyes that could either hypnotize or seduce in a more gentle way.

Ruby was suddenly Yugi's favorite color.

He smiled and unfolded the parchment but only after checking to make sure he was unseen to do so. Yami's handwriting was impeccable as he read:

Meet me in our spot when the sun is high. I already worked on the puzzle overnight- I just wanted to see you.

Yugi held the paper close to his chest for a moment before he slipped it under his clothes. It pressed against his heard, which made him smile and blush like a school child in the glee of his little crush.

Despite everything in his situation, Yami made everything brighter. He was the only person, thing, potential…thing or anything that could make Yugi smile where he was.

Maybe it would make more sense if he knew what Yami was. Then again, Yami himself didn't know what or who he was. He couldn't even remember his real name because of Akefia's curse on him that bound him to the bath house and Akefia's every whim. If Akefia told him to jump, Yami was compelled to ask how high. Yugi wasn't sure what the consequences of refusing were, but they had to be bad.

He quietly tiptoed around other sleeping workers, imagining Yami doing the same while they all slept. Would he have minded if Yami had kissed his forehead when he slipped him the note? Or would Yami simply smile and watch him sleep? Did Yami sleep or did he not need that as a shape shifting spirit of whatever he was attached to?

He washed his face in the basin with water that was beyond even tepid. He shivered in its wake and moved to the fireplace in the common area. With a sad sigh, he dropped Yami's secret note to him in the flickering flame.

He wrapped himself in a tattered blanket and sat in front of the fire on the old rickety wooden floor, staring into the light to contemplate his situation again. Maybe an escape, or maybe it was time to simply give into the idea that he was trapped here and the only thing to change at this point was his attitude toward his fate.

The morning beyond the veiled curtains on the balcony was crisp for summer. Was it already fall? Yugi had truly lost track of time since being captured here. The walls of the bathhouse were like a maze to begin with. His head spun from the work and the passing of days nad nights that all belnded together that he had no semblance of anything in a way that made sense.

"Good morning."

Yugi brought his knees up to his chin. "Good morning," he answered with a smile.

Honda was a toad who had been taken in as another one of Akefia's slaves. Though he was lucky enough to keep his name, unlike Yugi. It was still jarring to see a toad talking, waring clothes, let alone walking on two legs like any normal person.

"I brought you some bread I swiped from the kitchens."

He revealed two loaves from within his long robes that were a faded blue and tattered on the edges from years of hard labor. Yugi took a loaf with a grateful smile. How he missed making sandwiches or simply adding something to spread on his bread. After his many months trapped here, he had grown used to what he could get.

"Thank you," he whispered. His breakfast wasn't stale, but it wasn't fresh, either.

"Sleeping better these days?"

Honda sat on the floor next to him. When a stray crumb stuck to his cheek, his long tongue retrieved it quickly.

Yugi shrugged. "I'm still not used to the lack of privacy."

"Jounouchi does snore," Honda said with a knowing nod.

"I heard that!"

Jounouchi hopped into the room with a thankfully quiet flop. His frog legs straightened to stand over Honda with a would-be intimidating stare down.

"Give me that!" the frog demanded. A strange mop of blonde hair on his head covered his eyes with the swift movement as he snatched a slice of bread from Honda's hand.

"You were meant to hear it," Honda answered calmly. Jou huffed his hair out of his face and ate greedily.

Yugi laughed at the now familiar bickering. The two had known each other for years and welcomed Yugi warmly when he was brought in, as terrified as he was. Nothing about this place was easy, but his newfound friendship with these two happened to be just that. They enjoyed the occasional practical joke and were easy to talk to.

Their generosity and compassion was unmet in this cut throat world he found himself in.

The bath house was the main staple keeping the tiny village together. Everyone worked there, everyone supported it. Every shop, inn, restaurant existed to maintain the bath house. The work itself was backbreaking. Most of the workforce were slaves, captured by Akefia or held by a spell of some kind.

Akefia had everyone in his claws no matter what their suspected role was. His influence was everywhere whether anyone wanted to acknowledge it or not.

His heart sank anytime he thought about the fact, because for all the power he had, his affinity for picking on Yami more than anyone he had come across broke his heart every time.

Yami was kind. Yami was gentle. No one else at the bath house saw him that way at all, but Yugi could see his heart (if he had one as a spirit, that is). Whatever he was, at his core, he was good. That was enough.

"Shizuka is left to care for that guest from the mountains," Jounouchi grumbled. "At least he's tipping her well."

"Akefia gets those," Honda reminded him sharply.

"She's just been down on herself lately and I'm glad the customer is kind enough to make sure she knows she's a good worker," Jounouchi told him slowly. He popped a piece of bread into the air to catch it midair with his long frog tongue.

Yugi knew Jounouchi's sister in housekeeping was training to be a masseuse at the same time, so she was stretching herself further than necessary. It wasn't much, but even the slightest hint of kindness could take anyone far in this place.

"What's got you up early today?" Honda asks Yugi quietly. His toad lips smack around the bread.

Yugi took a larger bite than necessary. "Oh-erm. Umm, I uh-"

"He's sneaking off to the barns again to play games with Mana, don't you know?" Joey said with a crooked smirk on his green face.

Yugi internally breathed a sigh of relief. His bread went down his throat smoother. "Yeah. I was thinking of taking a walk while the weather is nice."

"That's nice but a little rain never hurt anyone," Joey teased.

"You don't have to come with me, then," Yugi teased back with a smile.

"Pfft. Maybe next time. I have to help Shizuka with some guests' laundry."

"Water spirits from the swamplands came in light night," Honda explained.

Yugi shook his head with an amused smile. This world was so unique. Everything had meaning to it and everything was alive.

The three stared into the fire, each lost in his own thoughts. Time to think was never in short supply, and Yugi found it was just a treat everyone in the bathhouse shared that silence was to be appreciated. When guests woke up, everything went at such a fast pace and perfection was demanded in every aspect of the business that quiet was sincerely sought after. That, and spirits had helped Yugi to appreciate simply being and sitting in a moment to absorb it. Not everything had to be go-go-goo all of the time.

Jounouchi hopped to his feet. "You coming, Honda?"

It was well known that Honda was crushing hard on Jounouchi's sister. Never anyone mind that she was a mouse with long flowing brown hair and pink cheeks and looked nothing like Jounouchi in any way shape or form. No one seemed to notice or care. She was kind and often helped show Yugi tricks to cleaning the worst messes in the tubs. Her many years of housekeeping had made her wise beyond however many years Yugi thought she had.

That was another thing. Age was barely a thing, here. Creatures of all shapes and sizes were all different ages and didn't even look their age no matter the form or species.

How old was Yami, he wondered. What kind of things had he seen in his many years in this plane? Was he present for any historical moments? What life events had he experienced of his own, if any?

He shook the thoughts out of his head. "Good luck, guys," he offered when Honda turned with Jounouchi to the walkway that led to the womens' quarters. "Thanks for the food."

When he was alone again, he slipped on a fresh pair of pants and a loose blue top that he tied off with a ratty white sash that was barely holding on for dear life. His grabbed his outdoor sandals which were also falling apart with peeling leather straps that were hardly attached to the flatform of the shoe, but he was making due as best he could.

He tiptoed through the maze of the bath house, across bridges and down stairs that were perfectly polished. He had to hold onto the railings lest he slip and fall with his clumsy feet.

When he reached the foyer, he slipped on his sandals and stepped out into the sunlight. The sun was already high in the sky and the village was silent as the grave. Barely even a wisp of wind brushed past the flags and banners that hung from the many shops and restaurants along the passageways.

The stones and dirt crunched under his feet. The rain from the previous days made the greenery along the river brighter and flowers had sprung up in all colors of the rainbow. It almost hid the foreboding nature of this place that dared to try and trap him forever on the threat of death.

Almost.

Like a cat, he darted quickly through alleyways and down streets that traversed down steep hills. He smiled to himself at the idea. Maybe if he was caught, Akefia would turn him into a cat. Would that be so bad? At least he wouldn't be eaten like those turned into pigs.

Yugi checked over his shoulders before he slipped into the creaky wooden doorway in an alley darkened by shadows. Broken shutters hung from the window above his head. When he closed the door, he held the knob tightly, easing the lock into place.

The climb up the stairs was made two at a time. He was just too excited to not.

He knew who was waiting for him at the top.

The attic was tight with a low ceiling, but a single gas lamp lit up the entire space.

Next to it, peering out a broken window lost in thought, his crimson eyes shimmering with melancholy, was Yami. Standing out from the rest of the creatures here, he had dark skin and striking eyes. His high cheekbones paired with his low eyebrows made him look angry. Yugi, however, knew better.

"Yami!" Yugi whispered excitedly.

It was like a light switch was flipped the way all of the sadness left Yami's eyes. His smile took up his entire face and it was like a weight had been taken off every muscle in his being.

Yugi felt his heart quicken in an instant at the sight.

"Yugi!"

They pulled each other into a tight hug. Yami's warmth always surprised Yugi. He was like a walking sauna that sucked out all of the stress and worry from his muscles. His skin was soft, which Yugi found to be the only surprising thing, as the other was sometimes appearing to him in the form of a translucent spirit. It was like hugging a warm teddy bear.

"I missed you," Yugi whispered into his shoulder.

"I missed you too."

When Yugi pulled away, Yami immediately took his arm and lifted his sleeve, as he did every time they met.

"What have they done to you now?" he asked with a harsh growl in his throat.

Yugi retracted his arm and hid the bruises under his sleeve again. "Nothing that wouldn't be required of the job for anyone."

Yami's eyes narrowed. "You know that's not true. Akefia-"

"Akefia does what he wants to everyone, I know. But I want to do a good job and keep the boat steady, rather than rock it."

Yami pursed his lips with his eyes trained on Yugi's arms, then darted to his legs, knowing what was underneath. Yugi could see the hurt welling up behind those perfect eyes. It was Yami's idea that Yugi get a job at the bath house in order to ensure his survival, but Yami's frustration and regret seeped through his expressions every time they saw each other.

It's why Yami always looked at the wounds Yugi suffered from hot water, fumes, heavy equipment, and whatever magical tools that caused Yugi any harm.

"I wish you'd let me say something," he grumbled.

"You know I can't ask you to do that," Yugi answered softly. "That's more dangerous than if you did nothing."

"No one deserves special treatment when they work here, but you," Yami said. Taken aback by his suddenly intense stare, Yugi jerked back slightly, but was pulled back in by the softening of his eyes that told him Yami meant well. This was just how he cared.

Sunlight peeked through the tiny window, hitting Yami's skin just right to make it sparkle like tiny diamonds. Yugi had to look away, lest his mind and body run away from him and make him do something he'd regret.

"So, you worked on the puzzle?" Yugi asked timidly.

Yami snapped himself out of the moment. "Yes! Come and see!"

Yugi followed him to the little table Anzu set in the corner for them where he and Yami worked on the golden puzzle tirelessly whenever they could. Pieces of ancient gold in an pointed unknown shape sat joined together on one side. On the other, pieces were scattered everywhere in a jumbled yet organized fashion according to their system of trial and error.

"Wow," Yugi gasped, "How far do you think we are to solving it?"

Yami shrugged. "Not sure. It would help if we knew the final shape but…"

Yugi nodded. "Well, it looks like you did a great job. Not many people would be able to figure even this much out."

"Well if anyone was going to get lost in this place, a game master like you would be the best to get out of here."

Yugi blushed. "I just want to know what this is so I can get you out of here, first."

Yami shook his head. "No. Humans don't belong here. You need to get out of here before I do. You can't keep working the way they run you at the bathhouse."

It was their usual back and forth. Yugi just wished there was only one thing different about it, but he couldn't find the courage no matter how much he wished for the courage.

What future could a human and an unknown spirit have together anyway?

"Together, either way, then?"

"Together."

Yugi shook his head. "Why do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Look at me, talk to me, just… all of it like you've known me all your existence?"

Yami sighed and the sadness returned to his face. "Yugi, from the night you wandered into the village and the sun set on you, I knew my calling was to help you. I don't know why. My soul is called to do it." He pursed his lips, fingers teasing the back of Yugi's hand. "If I have a soul."

Yugi had heard this lament many times since the night he was left trapped in this place. He had heard of an old abandoned village a friend told him about near his grandfather's home in the hills. He had gone to take photographs for a local history project when he lost track of time. The sunset had been beautiful and the architecture in stunningly preserved condition.

When the darkness descended, he found himself surrounded by spirits and creatures he had only heard about in folklore from his childhood.

Running did no good. Something was chasing him. He felt chains around his wrists, like heavy clouds he couldn't see. Darkness was closing in on him, suffocatingly so. He felt himself being dragged down, down somewhere like a magnet, unwilling to go but helpless to fight it.

The one who made it all go away was Yami, who came through the darkness like a savior of light, even as he revealed himself to be more like them. AA wandering spirit who was trapped here with no knowledge of his origins, bound to serve another for eternity perhaps.

But Yami was the one who fought the inner calling, the pull to obey without thinking. Why such effort was spent on him, he had no idea. But he was grateful.

Yami helped him get his job at the bath house. Yami was the one who came to see him almost daily. Yami was the one who was a constant source of kindness, help, and assurance that he would soon escape. Freedom was not a dream when he was with Yami.

Yugi turned over a piece of the puzzle in his hand. "I'm not the best at helping you in return."

"You don't need to stress yourself over it," Yami assured him.

"But what if you never find out where you came from? What if you don't ever remember your true name, or if Akefia fully takes control of your mind? I don't understand how you can be so calm about it all." Panic welled up in Yugi's throat.

"I will be fine," Yami assured him. He picked up a golden piece himself and tossed it in the air. He caught it with a flick of his wrist and a smirk on his face that made Yugi's stomach flip happily. "I know this world a little better than you."

Yugi scoffed. "How do you know that? You don't even know where you came from or how."

"I do know that when it comes to you," Yami took his hand and interlaced their fingers. He squeezed his hand tightly, as if affectionately. "When it comes to you, I will never lose myself. You are the one I'm meant to help."

It was all Yugi could do not to kiss him right then and there. He hardly found it within himself to regret being trapped there. He was a slave. A human whose life was constantly in danger from monsters or magicians who could either kill him or turn him into a pig or perhaps a statue.

For a nineteen year old man, he sure was crushing like a school child.

He fiddled with another piece of the puzzle. "What do you think this thing will do? Is it even magic?"

"I know it is. It has to be." Yami's face was now stern, and Yugi could see a man with strength in his eyes. As if he could tell that Yami had seen battles and faced down enemies he defeated barely breaking a sweat. If he didn't know him, Yami might look a little scary. Intimidating was putting it lightly.

But Yugi knew the softness of his smiles and the ways he showed he cared by protecting him from the many dangers, even when he wasn't around.

It was strange to Yugi that Yami had a bad reputation around the bath house. No one else ever spoke of him, and if they did, it was always with a frown and mentions of him working intimately with Akefia. Well, for Akefia. Rumors swirled about him playing some sort of dark games on Akefia's behalf that drove men mad enough that they took their own lives.

"Akefia came from another land to the west. Buried in the sand were the golden items that were created millennia ago. I don't know why but…I know I'm connected to them. Somehow." He clenched his fists on the table, a far away look behind his determined eyes. Yugi leaned in, ready to be whatever support Yami needed. "Their magic is said to harness the powers of the world beyond this one. To harness their power is to rule over death and even the human soul itself." He eyed Yugi cautiously. "I only want to use it to help you."

Yugi could only relent, at this point. Speaking against Yami's wishes only led to the same back and forth friendly arguments.

Yami was so wise. So kind. So knowledgeable in the ways of the yokai and kami alike, and instead of banishing the smelly human or threatening to eat him like the others, he cared for Yugi. He even knew who he was upon their first meeting, which was shocking, but oddly comforting.

"So you didn't want to work on the puzzle more with me, today?"

Yami shook his head. "I'm tired of worrying about the fate of this or completing whatever mission Akefia wants to send me on."

The building began to tremble as if an earthquake were overtaking the village. Yugi had grown used to the feeling. He held onto the table to stop it from rattling as the train barreled by them on the other side of the wall. Yami smiled knowingly at him and waited until the noise and vibrations subsided to continue.

"You promised you'd show me some of the games you enjoy."

Yugi chuckled. "I don't have my cards with me to show you."

Yami sat on the ground; the top of his kaku opened to reveal his bare chest as he did. Yugi slowly brough t himself to the floor across from him.

"Maybe let me worry about getting the proper materials," Yami said slyly. He wiggled his fingers and eyebrows in a tantalizing tease. Yugi giggled.

"As long as you don't use that same magic to cheat at the game."

"Ah, but you have to ask yourself. Do the laws here apply just as they do in the human world?"

Yami held out his hand, pinky finger extended. The smirk on his face could have weakened Yugi's knees if he had been standing. "I do believe you humans think that this finger is a gateway to an oath, yes?"

Yugi blushed. "Yes, that's what children say."

"Then I promise to play on your terms."

They played until Yami offered him some of Anzu's dumplings from downstairs, ever watchful of Yugi's health before he set out for his grueling labor in the bath house.

Waiting at the bridge was the only figure he seemed to know about his comings and goings but spoke not a word about it.

A man with a white face and black cloak and no expression on his face like a mask. Yet, with all of that, Yugi felt he was smiling today.

Other times, as if there was silent screaming.

The wood clomped under his feet as he scurried over the bridge while the sun was setting.

Eyes watched him, and he prayed it was the only pair of eyes.

He waved and smiled as usual and continued on.

The smell of herbs mixed with sweat already permeated the space when he approached the baths. He took a deep breath and readied himself for the hardships to come.

It would be alright. He and Yami would soon escape together.

"Yugi, where you been?" Jounouchi asked like he did every night.

"Nowhere."

Chapter Text

"It hasn't rained for days," Jounouchi whined over a meager breakfast.

Yugi tucked his knees under his chin. "What does that mean?"

"Something's going on with the spirits," Jounouchi pondered further, stroking his chin thoughtfully, crumbs falling to the table beneath him.

Yugi shook his head. "Like, there's something missing?"

"Like something could be bothering them or the balance amongst them," Honda answered him. His eyes were trained out toward the balcony, toward the sky where a single bird was taking flight from the roof of the bathhouse.

The train chugged away from them, heading toward a horizon of green grass and distant trees. Too far away to touch, and too far, as Jounouchi said, to even think about.

Yugi silently slurped his ramen. The warmth from the fire kept away the chill of the morning. He imagined it was Yami's arms, and he could wrap them around him tighter until he felt like they were one person. Yami could rest his head on Yugi's shoulder, and he wouldn't mind. If anything, he'd rest his head on Yami's and just take a moment to enjoy him. Enjoy the warmth, the touch, and the joy of the person he lo-

"Hey Yugi, I gotta ask you…"

He snapped back to the present and took a more confident bite of his food. "Yeah?"

Jou and Honda exchanged a worried look that they couldn't hide if they wanted to. Yugi's heart immediately sank at the sight.

"Yugi, word has gotten out that, erm, well…" Jounouchi started, but couldn't finish.

"Otogi claims he saw you with… Yami," Honda finished for him.

Yugi's stomach dropped to the floor and his blood ran cold.

"Oh."

"Please tell me it's not true," Jounouchi pleaded. "Yugi, we've warned you about him. He's nothing but trouble. He works one-on-one with Akefia, himself!"

Yugi swallowed his food which now felt like a rock going down his throat. "Well, uh, you see, he was just- "

"No one knows where he came from, Yugi," Honda scolded gently. "We can't guarantee he can be trusted."

"But something tells me he can be!" Yugi blurted out. "Please, just…let me give him a chance."

"Yugi, don't you realize by now how dangerous this place can be?"

"Seto isn't jaded for no reason down there in the boilers," Jounouchi pointed out, "Though I'm pretty sure he's just an ass to begin with. They took his girlfriend and turned her into a dragon to force him to stay and work as Akefia's slave!"

"Akefia could turn you into a pig with a snap of his fingers," Honda reminded him with a demonstration with his long fingertips.

Yugi flinched. It was a real threat. Many beings around the bath house had disappeared only to never be seen again. Rumors flew that they had been turned into soot, or animals, or perhaps something far worse. It was a wonder to see gods and spirits everywhere he went, but the cutthroat nature of this realm had taken Yugi by surprise.

Yami was the only bright spot in all of it. His only safe place. To be told his closest friend and only source of peace here was someone to stay away from, Yugi couldn't fathom it.

Still, he knew he was taking a risk. He still wasn't entirely knowledgeable in being able to tell who was a good liar and who had intentions that were, at best, purely neutral. The bath house was complex in its occupants and workers.

"Please," he whispered, "Please just let me do what I need to do. And please don't tell anyone else?"

Jounouchi and Honda again regarded each other with a concerned expression. "Fine," Honda agreed.

"I mean, no one else trusts him either, so if it'll keep you safe…" Jounouchi conceded with a sigh. "We just hoped it wasn't true."

"Yeah. You don't know what you're getting into."

"But someone ratting you out to the wrong people could be worse."

"True."

"So don't get caught by anyone who's not us, anymore."

Yugi exhaled. "Thanks, guys. I appreciate it. I promise I'll be alright."

"Yugi!"

A loud voice from the doorway bellowed, nearly shaking the walls, startling all three men and drawing every ounce of their attention toward it. Yugi jumped to his feet, spilling his ramen across the wooden floor.

"Come with me to Akefia's chambers. Now!"

Marik and his brother Rishid came from lands far away, but a complete mystery, just like Yami. In the same way, no one trusted them. They were Akefia's muscle. Whatever Akefia wished, they made it happen. Or rather, made it happen to other beings in the bath house who had displeased Akefia. No one blamed them, though. It was a part of their role. They played it well. Some rumors going around told of a hypnotic spell that held them against their wills.

Yugi swallowed. His eyes searched the room for an escape but found none. Jounouchi and Honda fell silent, equally as panicked behind their eyes when they gazed back at him.

"Hai," Yugi answered.

They weren't his masters, but he fought the urge to call them as such. For all he knew, Akefia spoke through them as if by some puppetry. That was another rumor spread amongst the staff.

He stood on shaky knees. "I'll be back." It was a hope, not a promise.

Understanding the sentiment, Honda and Jounouchi nodded.

The hallways and corridors of the bath house took him up and down stairs and through dark passageways. Marik and Rishid surrounded him, one guiding him and the other behind him with a hand on his shoulder to keep him near.

Keeping his head down, his eyes darted two and fro, past other pairs of eyes that saw his predicament and immediately looked away. Creatures of all shapes and sizes passed them, but all he wanted to find in the chaos was Yami. He couldn't find escape, but if he could only tell Yami where he was going. What was happening to him, then just maybe Yami would know how to help him. Or maybe do something to convince Akefia to let him…go? Live? Whatever was about to happen to him could be changed.

By the time they arrived at the lift to Akefia's chambers, he had lost all hope of finding him.

He straightened his stance and puffed out his chest when the doors shut.

If he was going to be on his own for this, then he'd face it with all his strength.

Rishid's eyes scanned him quizzically as the lift began its journey.

"Where did you come from?" he asked.

Yugi's eyebrows shot up. No one had ever heard him speak, before. Marik, sure, when he was in a certain mood and would go off on tangents about gods know what.

"Um, the human city miles from here."

"It's why he was so terrible at his job, brother," Marik sneered. "Humans are so used to luxury with no merit to earn it. They know nothing of honoring true power. They take and take. What's the mystery?"

"There's an aura about this one…" the taller man said, not taking his eyes from Yugi who could now see the ancient markings etched on his face.

"Where did you get those?" Yugi asked.

Rishid opened his mouth to answer, but his hand was smacked off of Yugi's shoulder by a perturbed Marik.

"You've only met one or two humans in your life, how would you know what feels weird about them?" he snarled. "Your curiosity could get someone killed, you know."

"And if he's going to die anyway? What's the harm in knowing?"

Yugi looked at his feet. Die?

Where was Yami? Why hadn't he just said something?

The doors flew open, and he was pushed out into a vast, wide hallway with ornate, ancient paintings of various cultures and colors. Golden pillars evoked the feeling of an ancient Egyptian temple, but the paintings told stories of Shinto gods who created the rivers and mountains that loomed in the forests nearby.

"Do humans forget how to walk? Or are you so inferior you forget your own body?" Marik snickered when Yugi froze in place.

"Gomen," Yugi muttered under his breath, unsure if the remark was intended to receive a response.

Rishid cast him a sorrowful look when he regained his feet and fell into step with his escorts. The hall felt like an eternity to cross yet too short for all the thoughts racing through Yugi's mind.

The set of ornately carved doors was the last thing between Yugi and Akefia.

"Well? Go in!" Marik said with a shove on Yugi's shoulder.

The doors were heavy enough that Rishid had to help him to enter, but it was only when a sudden force like a wind threw them open for him that Yugi was able to enter. He gulped. It had to be Akefia himself.

Marik and Rishid were still outside when the same doors slammed shut behind him, shuddering like his own bones.

"Took you long enough, human!"

Yugi straightened again. His back was poised, and his chest was out as he stood in the middle of the large rug that boasted a bright red hue. The fireplace roared to life, and he could feel its heat on his cheek. Before him stood a large desk in front of a window that looked out to the open sky above.

Before the wide glass was Akefia, hunched over the desk crouching like a predator. An equally possessive smirk on his face further made him look like an animal. A long scar down the side of his face struck fear into Yugi's heart the first time he'd seen the man whose stature was otherwise unimpressive in how slender he was.

His wild white hair contrasted with his dark skin but was outshone by the vibrant colors of his clothing. He wore a long red robe that echoed the color of the rug beneath Yugi's feet, among other vibrant clothing and shimmering jewelry. Bright red and purple clothing adorned him, accented with gold.

He was awe inspiring in the best and worst ways.

Yugi swallowed, gathering his courage in his gut.

"Didn't I warn you when you arrived?" he sniveled smoothly like a snake's hiss, "That when you walk these grounds or speak that you are always to remember that this place is mine?"

The jingle of his bangles and earrings when he walked echoed forebodingly the closer he drew to his captive servant.

Yugi swallowed. "Yes, sir."

"So, when I give an order, it is to be obeyed immediately?"

Yugi knew better than to argue with someone like Akefia, no matter how irrational his anger was.

"It won't happen again, Sir."

"Hm."

Akefia leapt from the desk like a panther on spring-like legs. Taking long, slow strides, he circled Yugi, making sure the aura of his magic made itself known with a dark haze that surrounded the man the moment he drew near.

"I've heard stirrings in my bath house, Yugi. And it does not make me happy."

"How can I help you?" Yugi asked.

"You want to help," Akefia sneered. His voice dripped with amused contempt. "Yami! Get in here!"

Yugi bit his lip to keep from outwardly gasping. The being summoned to his master's room entered from behind a tapestry draped over a darkened doorway. His fists clenched; he wore a stern face of stone. It was as if he wasn't breathing. Unfeeling, he moved like a soldier through the room. His eyes never searched for Yugi who stared at him, mouth agape.

"I hear you have met, hm?"

Yami slowly moved his gaze from Akefia to Yugi. His face remained stoic, still. His eyes held no joy at seeing him. As if he had lost all memory of him, or he was someone else entirely.

"In passing, yes," Yugi said evenly.

Akefia's smirk contorted his face darkly. "Hm, is that so?"

Yami remained silent, his gaze on Yugi steady despite the most subtle softening of his eyes. Yugi looked away. "What is this about?"

Akefia clicked his tongue, his lips pursing with an exaggerated haughtiness. "Humans really don't know proper decorum, anymore It's a lost art. You dare make demands, here?"

Yugi's eyes darted away from Yami. "Sorry, Sir. Maybe I ask what you want?"

"Hm, not perfect, but an improvement."

One of his hands lifted to Yami's face, covered in rings and wrists in multicolored bangles. He stroked Yami's cheek possessively, absent of any affection to Yugi's relief.

"Yami listens, doesn't he? He is the perfect servant. Does what is expected. He goes where I tell him to. He does not cause trouble." His eyes aimed right at Yugi, down to his soul, sucking the air from his lungs. "What about you, Yugi? Have you been causing trouble?"

Yugi struggled to maintain his brave face. Jounouchi's warnings echoed in his mind. He had taken so many steps to keep a low profile, only slipping out to see Yami when he was absolutely certain that it was safe to do so.

"I've been working hard," he answered evenly.

Akefia sneered. "Yami, what have you seen of Yugi in the bath house?"

Yami was silent, standing like a soldier with his fists at his sides.

"Ah yes, I forgot, you don't see him around the bath house."

Yugi's blood ran cold. No…

"You see him plenty in town, don't you?"

Yami's eyes changed for a second Yugi would have missed had he not been staring at him.

Their mutual expressions screamed the same thing: 'Fuck.'

Yugi cleared his throat. "If he has done anything wrong, it was my idea to- "

Akefia flicked his wrist, catching the light of the fire on his rings. "Psh. You mortals get your pants in a bunch over nothing. Always jumping to conclusions."

Yugi shut up immediately.

Akefia paced the room like owned it, which he did. He took his time to look out the window. His smirk was deep, as if it was permanently on his face with zero effort.

"Who am I to tell you not to have your little playtime with your friend, here? I may know of your little rendezvous, but I also hear from my wonderful little employees about how horrid they claim I am." He stuck out his lower lip in mocking emotion. "And I don't think I'm so bad, do you?"

Yami's eyes gave Yugi a silent warning to lie.

Yugi could only purse his lips.

"Now, Yugi. I called you here because it seems we have a spy in our midst."

Yugi and Yami both looked at him confused; eyebrows raised.

"I'm not disapproving of you leaving the bath house off the clock as others would have you believe. I'm not a prison keeper, after all."

He tapped his desk, spreading papers across the surface like leaves in the wind, searching.

"True, not many here are here by their own accord. Yet I take names, not money or jewels to keep many souls and spirits here. Though you, human, I keep here leaving you with your goods, you name, even your heart, which I can harvest in a second I wanted to."

Yami's hand grasped his.

Akefia paced the room again, his legs carrying him like a smooth, prowling cat playing with its prey before drawing its claws for the kill. He tossed an apple between his hands casually.

"You've wondered why I keep you here rather than kill you for tonight's dinner, I know." He bit into the apple. "All while you think I don't know about your little connection to my bestie, here? Heh, humans… Anyway, your friendship is why I need you alive. You may just be useful to me."

Yugi swallowed. "How?"

"Too many questions. I ask them, now."

Yami's grip tightened.

"Sorry."

Akefia righted himself against his desk. "You may continue your little 'activities' if you would like to call them. Hell, you could be sleeping in the barns together and make love in the pig pens for all I care."

Yugi couldn't imagine the rock in his stomach could feel any heavier.

"Oh, I have a point to make don't I?" Akefia chuckled at himself through another bite of the apple. "Anyway, you two, together, yes, you two can help find this spy. See, someone is watching me, and I need to find out who."

Yugi nodded. "Wh-what are they doing?"

"Never mind what, I just need you to find the who. You never know who might be," his eyes looked up and down Yugi's short figure, "next."

Yugi shook his head. "Sir, how am I supposed to- "

"Human, no one would suspect you of being anywhere close to being in my good graces. You could actually be useful in finding out who has been tampering with things in the bath house. Humans are easy pickings for beings up to no good. Live bait to find the core of the issues. Missing workers, strange messages, all that."

"Why should I help you?" Yugi asked before his senses prevented it.

"Because if you don't," Akefia growled, grabbing his chin. With one forceful yank, he pulled Yugi from Yami's grip and into his aura. The magic that swirled around them was dark, prickling at Yugi's skin like needles. "I have every intention of killing you for trespassing upon the grounds of kami that you are not worthy to look upon. Do you know how many want you dead? Do you understand how many rules I'm letting you break by living and working here?"

Yugi shrank down. "How can I possibly find the one who could hurt the bath house?"

Akefia let him go with a shove. "Like I said, your little friendship isn't my problem. Use what you got, human." He threw the apple core across the room. The small snarl of a magical pet he kept in the dark corner was the only response. "Now, get out. Yami, show him out."

Swiftly, in a swirl of colors on the wall, Yami hurried Yugi out of the room and down the hall back to the lift. The double doors slammed behind them, stifling Akefia's laugh. Yami's hand immediately clasped around Yugi's again and he did not let go until they were in the lift.

Yami's body shielded Yugi, pressing him between his chest and the wall of the lift.

"What was that?" Yugi asked. "What is going on? What is happening- "

"He knows about us. What you've been doing."

Yugi hung his head. "I've tried to keep a low profile like you said. I didn't mean to- "

"Yugi," Yami cut him off again, "It's not just that. His magic it's…he's losing his hold on this place."

Yugi gaped at him. "Why do you say that?"

"He keeps me closest, thinks I won't talk to anyone. I'm only telling you. Please."

Light shone between the wooden slats of the lift, allowing Yugi to see the fear in Yami's eyes.

"I promise, I won't say a word." He reached for Yami's hands again. "Do you think it's… Should we still see each other?"

Jounouchi's words were long gone. Yugi found someone he could trust behind the silence and the fear in Yami's eyes. If he trusted others and faced Akefia alone, that was a risk. If Yami was someone dangerous, at least he seemed wary of other dangers to warn Yugi of them and help him navigate. Either way was a risk.

Yami moved in closer to him, chest to chest, breathing the same air almost nose to nose. "I will protect you. I cannot stop seeing you. Whatever is going on, I think the puzzle will save everything. Together, you and I will stop all of this. I will set you free, I promise."

The lift jerked to a stop in the midst of a great commotion in the bathhouse.

"Don't go." Yugi laced his arms with Yami's. "Please."

"No one will hurt you," Yami vowed. "If Akefia's words were a warning that someone is coming for you next or his goons are, then I will come at night, as well. It's not him someone is watching, it's you. He's just running scared and trying to psych you out for some reason. But they won't come near you."

Yugi's heart skipped a beat. "Promise?"

Yami rested his forehead on Yugi's. "You are my priority. Your safety is everything."

It was a familiar sentiment, like a melody that plays in Yugi's head over and over again that he couldn't get enough of.

The door began to creak open loudly, protesting the turn of the pully. In a whirring instant, Yami's hand burst out to grab it and hold it steady, his arm never showing any sign of giving in.

"Yami, what was your name before this?"

Akefia kept everyone here with a key. For Yugi, it was his usefulness and threats. For some like Jou and Honda, it was money.

Yami was bound to the bath house by his name.

Trade his name for his life, though indentured as it was. But he was alive.

And within kissing distance of Yugi's lips.

Yami shook his head. "If I knew, I'd only want to hear it from your lips."

It was a whisper and that was all it took for Yami to close the distance between them and lay a soft, tender kiss to his lips. Yugi's eyes closed instantly, drinking him in for every beautiful second of connected lips, skin and hearts.

The light flooded his vision behind his eyelids and when he opened his eyes, the door was wide open, his friends stared at him awestruck, and Yami was gone.

Yugi stepped out with a smile and a promise in his heart. Yami would be back for him tonight.

Because for whatever reason, the clock was ticking faster.

They had to solve the puzzle, and fast.

*****

Shizuka gathered up empty bowls on her tray and flashed Yugi a sympathetic smile. "Do you need any help? I can find out if Seto can send extra soaks your way to help clean."

Yugi laughed nervously. "I highly doubt he's in the mood to be helpful, tonight."

Shizuka nodded. The man in the boiler room, down in the depths of the bath house lived in darkness with his dragon who helped to heat the baths with her white fire and all-seeing blue eyes. The rest of the help was a mystery. A lot went into such a job but Seto was as reclusive as he was misanthropic. The staff only filled in most of the blanks with their own rumors. Hell, Yugi had yet to see or even hear a dragon of all things. Perhaps that was another rumor, too.

She lit the lamp that had burned out at the entrance of Yugi's bath cubicle. He had just served a god from the coldest regions of the mountains. If anything, the client needed time to soak, which Yugi allowed them so they could thaw.

"Can I bring you soup and bread?" Shizuka asked kindly.

Yugi shook his head. "I don't have enough tokens for food that good this week. I'll hold off a little bit." He left out the part where Yami would bring him fresh crops from the barns. "Thank you, though."

Shizuka nodded. "Jounouchi is bringing the next client soon, so you should drain the tub soon."

Mountain salts had spread across the surface of the cubicle and tub, catching the lights from high above like diamonds. Yugi was grateful they were helping to cleanse the space for the next guest. His back was hurting from the previous night's disastrous clients' messes.

Shizuka swiftly zipped through the entryway like a cloud, her kimono floating behind her as she moved. Her tail followed her while picking up various wash clothes and trash from passing visitors and workers. Moonlight outside sparkled through the windows, almost making her attire ethereal. 

Yugi enjoyed the quiet moments on the job. It was back-breaking work that ironically left him longing for a hot shower for himself. Or at least, a long hibernation to regain some semblance of normal energy for a man his age. He could only sip water and leftover watered-down sake while he finished mopping the floor and draining the tub. Rice cakes would have to do for dinner again. Not that breaks were even a thing in the bath house.

He only liked the tedious nature of his work when his visits with Yami were far away. It was easier to get lost in his work than to be left counting the minutes until he saw him again. And the kiss…

He smiled tenderly to himself. He knew he had to look like a lovestruck schoolboy at this point, but he didn't care. Then again, he couldn't let his secret spread further than it already had.

But how could he not think of Yami when his lips were so warm, and soft, and his hands the same as he held him. Safety and comfort were in every inch of his skin.

It wasn't like he knew the entire meaning behind the kiss. Or if Yami liked him the way he liked him right back. Or if Yami was just doing some kind of custom of spirits from wherever he was from.

He shook his head and laid out a new set of towels on the edge of the tub. He danced on his bare tip toes when he dashed to gather the massage oils in a basket. A brief commotion moved past his cubicle for a moment and disappeared into the distance.

Maybe it was all just because of the desperation of the moment. Maybe it was because Akefia was letting him know how closely he was watching the human's every moment. Or perhaps it was a strange motivation to help him complete the puzzle quicker.

Still, Yami had emphasized that he didn't want to stop seeing him, which could be really stupid if Yugi thought about it for more than a minute.

Solving the puzzle was their thing. Beyond that, Yami promised to help him escape. Which meant Yugi couldn't give him anything. What would Yami want with him, anyway? He had nothing to offer back.

Tap tap.

His head jerked up. No one had come to the tub. He returned to folding a towel in an origami swan just like Honda had showed him.

Tap tap.

He tossed his basket to the floor. "What? Who is it?"

Again, there was no one.

Tap tap.

He wandered around the tub space, looking in every open space no matter how big or small, high or low. Spirits were good hiding and came in so many forms that he had been very quick to expect anything truly unusual.

It was as if everyone in the bath house had disappeared. It was so quiet. The lights flickered.

The only movement he had seen caught his eye. He whipped to the window.

A dark shape with a white face hidden behind a mask stood in the darkness outside. Wild white hair peeked out from behind it.

"Ryou," he whispered.

Another figure no one in the bath house would be caught dead spending time with. Yugi had never spoken to him, wasn't even sure if the being was capable of speech.

But it was dark. A full moon, and he knew there were creatures out there who could hurt him.

He smiled. Approaching the door, he undid the latch and slid it to the side, giving his new guest space to enter.

"You must be tired. It was hot on the bridge today. Come inside. I'm sure someone will find you something to eat in the kitchen."

Ryou was nearly transparent yet Yugi watched as he stepped up onto the floor with narrow legs like twigs. They shook with the effort. Yugi wondered how long it had been since the creature had known what it was like to come inside and simply rest.

He pointed down the hall lined with lamps from other tubs. "Otogi is the consierge. He can help you."

Ryou only stood still staring at him, a ghostly smile on his lips that wasn't in the rest of his facial features.

Yugi pursed his lips. "Um, I have another client who will be here soon, but if you want a bath later, ask for me. Okay?"

The unmoving, silent smile from Ryou continued.

Yugi nodded awkwardly. "I'll uh," he slid the door closed with a quiet slap of wood, "I'll leave you to that. Just get yourself something to eat, okay?"

He returned to his tub just in time for Jounouchi to arrive. They got right to work setting the mood for the next god who was coming from a park in Tokyo, pollution choking him beyond belief. His eyes glowed like neon.

Ryou faded like steam toward the ceiling when Yugi wasn't looking, leaving nothing behind but the line of a smile in the middle of the air.

Chapter Text

Night was the most dangerous time to try and travel through town. Creatures near and far came to dine and drink their fill at the man shops and bars. Yugi did enjoy the aromas coming from the grills that surrounded him on the road. He slipped down another alleyway. He stayed away from lanterns on the front of another tavern and ran to the back passageways that were now as  familiar as his own home.

Home. Oh, his grandfather must be absolutely worried sick over him.

If he is still alive, that is. Such stress could-

He shook his head. Focus must now be on not getting caught away from the bathhouse. If he were caught, either his head or his stomach would roll. Akefia threatened many with execution or what he joked was worse: being turned into a pig to be slaughtered like one at a later time, feeling every slice of the butcher’s knife.

Such a price would probably keep a saner man away from the dark streets and send him running to his indentured servitude.

He crawled through a cloud of steam far enough away from the pipe so he couldn’t get burned. A god shouted above him, followed by the sound of shattering glass. He felt for whoever was on the other end of that growl like a werewolf.

Yugi skipped over a puddle that was formed from water dripping from pipes up above. Such a waste of water during these times would probably mean a new pig in the pens soon. Akefia surely didn’t like the share, but during a drought, it was all but certain that everyone would be on their guard, drinking only spirits to keep the mood jolly and the water in the baths flowing.

Spirits drinking spirits filled the night air with laughter when he emerged at the door. He crept up old stairs that had already given him plenty of splinters to go with the blisters from his work.

A warm breeze brushed against the back of his smock, almost like Akefia was breathing down his neck.

Anzu had used her own cooking oils to grease the door so it didn’t make a sound when he opened it.

“Yami?” he whispered before he could even close it behind him.

Like the sound he heard from the upper rooms of an inn, he heard the snap of wood and a frustrated growl from the next room in the alcove they called theirs.

Yugi swallowed. “Yami?” he said again.

The commotion stilled and fell immediately silent. “Yugi?”

Yami appeared in the open doorway, eyes wild and afraid. Yugi startled at his appearance, his clothes ruffled and looking like he had been through a scuffle, hair sticking out in all directions.

“What are you doing here so late?” the man in question asked him. “I told you I was coming later tonight.”

“I had to see you, and Jounouchi told me to take a little time. He thinks I’m sleeping. Human stuff,” Yugi spoke quietly, careful not to inhale too much dust and start a hacking fit. He rushed across the floor on his tiptoes. Wrapping Yami in a hug, he pulled him in tight and squeezed without even thinking about it. Yami smelled of saki and the soot from the fires. Had he visited Seto? Why would he?

Yugi shook the questions out of his head and focused on what was making Yami so distraught. He pulled back and cupped his cheek in his hand.

“What’s going on?” he asked.

Yami sighed heavily. “The puzzle. It’s almost complete.”

Yugi gasped. “What? Really? Let me see!”

They hadn’t worked on it in a couple of days and Yugi could tell they were getting close, but they finally found the shape it was meant to be. Pyramids were not a thing in Japan, but he had studied them enough because of his grandfather. He had yet to scratch the surface of this puzzle, and to find it was an upside-down pyramid made everything even weirder.

What was it doing here, he wondered. And how close had Yami gotten them to finishing it?

Yami grabbed his hand tightly and led him slowly to the table, where the pieces once covered the surface in a scattered mess. Instead, there lay the pyramid on it’s side, gold shimmering in the candlelight and a handful of pieces on the table.

Yugi counted them. “There’s only six left.”

“Yes, but there’s space for seven,” Yami explained. “I cannot find the last piece.” His eyes wouldn’t look at Yugi. He simply stared at the table, defeat evident in every inch of his weary face.

Yugi felt his stomach drop to his feet.

No, no, no, this was all wrong.

If Yami couldn’t be free, then Yugi wouldn’t be, either. Neither of them would ever get to a place they could call home. The mystery of it was tied to them somehow,

It couldn’t be lost. No, he wouldn’t let it be lost.

Yugi stomped his foot defiantly. “Well, it has to be somewhere!” he insisted.

“Yugi,” Yami sighed, “I looked everywhere in this attack. It. Is. Nowhere.” His eyes flickered back and forth between Yugi and the table, favoring the table. And the floor.

“No,” Yugi said, pulling at Yami’s arm to force them face to face. Yami’s flustered face sprang to life, eyes wide. “We’re going to find it. If it’s not here, then…it must be somewhere. I don’t know where, but I’m going to find out.”

Yami caressed his cheek in absolute awe. Yugi couldn’t know if it was magic from his internal being or the blossoming warmth in his chest whenever Yami was near, but he felt an energy from the touch. Revitalized, he clutched onto the hand, if only to try and pass the feeling back to the man.

“Yugi, if I overstepped-“

Yugi was the one to cut him off this time, closing the already tight gap between their faces with a kiss. Soft and just moist enough, he pressed into Yami reassuringly. Not too hard, just right, fitting against him just so for a few seconds until he pulled away.

“It’s okay,” Yugi assured him. “I wanted you to. And I think it’s better that way. We can better figure this all out as a united front.”

“But, when this is over…or if something were to happen to you…” Panic welled in Yami’s eyes again, staring at Yugi widely. “I care too much about you to let you be distracted by anything, even my own feelings. We need to find a way to get you out of here and break Akefia’s hold on you.”

“And you.”

Yami stepped back, lips pursed. “If there is hope for me.”

“There is,” Yugi stepped forward to meet him again, “In the missing puzzle piece. Look, we know what shape it is, and how many pieces are missing. Just one should be easier than finding five or even ten.”

Yami shook his head. “You never deserved to be in this place.”

“But then I never would have found you,” Yugi whispered. He thought a moment. “I saw Ryou, again.”

The stent shifted the atmosphere, and Yami’s panic morphed into a frown. “Why?”

“I let him into the bathhouse.”

“Yugi,” Yami shook his head, “There is a custom around here, and only creatures of balance are allowed in the bathhouse amongst the gods. To get too close to them while that spirit is uneven is dangerous to the maintenance of what they lord over. Oceans could be affected. Mountains, even.”

“But he looked so lonely outside,” Yugi reasoned.

“It’s not just that it’s…” Yami struggled for words, settling only on a shake of his head. “You’re so kind to all beings. How could anyone think to imprison you here? A soul like yours, so pure, would surely be tainted by this place. I need to get you out.”

“I’m doing this to get you out,” Yugi insisted. “You have to be the kindest soul here. I don’t get why you don’t think you deserve better than letting Akefia control you.”

“I may not even be a soul,” Yami lamented. “How can I be? The things I’ve done… I don’t even know my true name or home.”

“When we get out of here, I’ll help you.” Yugi touched his forehead to Yami’s. “And you protected me, a mortal in this place. Why would you do that?” He probably had asked the question a hundred times.

Yami sighed. “Why did you have to come here? I was going to come to you tonight.”

The pull this place, the bathhouse and village, had on him, Akefia’s captive hold on Yugi was a constant tug of war with the pull Yami had on him. Maybe it was the protective aura the man emitted. Maybe it was the way his eyes looked at Yugi whenever they spoke of the troubles they were having. Either way, Yugi could return to him again and again.

He kissed him lightly, as if their lips were but ghosting against each other.

“I have made friends here, but you’re the one I know will make me feel safe in this place.”

“You are stronger than you realize,” Yami told him quietly. “Yugi, you don’t know what you have done to me. You make me believe I could have more than this village. Than this realm. You could have solved this puzzle already without me, but you are trying to save me, and I couldn’t…” He swallowed heavily. “I will find it. For you. You don’t deserve any of this. Not even me.”

Yugi ignored his nerves trying their darndest to put a rock in his stomach over the loss of the puzzle piece.

If he had to dive to the bottom of the river, he would find it.

“I’ll look in the bath house,” Yugi vowed.

Yami held his hand so tightly that he could feel the circulation to his fingers cut off, but he didn’t protest. Spirits did not have to worry about blood flow, after all.

“I fear what I may have to do more than anything,” Yami said.

“Why? What do you have to do?”

Yami’s eyes held something Yugi had never seen before.

Terror.

“I will have to look in Akefia’s chambers.”

***

Yugi rubbed his eyes, having gotten not a single wink of sleep since he had tried looking around the bath house for the puzzle piece. Kitchens, baths, spas, saunas, and the smelly mens' chambers. No success found him in his search, leaving him tired and unsatisfied. Turned out that Jounouchi had not gotten as much done as he had promised in Yugi's absence, and he was working long into the daylight to catch up on his work that had not been completed, which meant he was much the same.

More tubs had not been cleaned than he had anticipated. At least the empty bathhouse was peaceful. It was nice to work alone and not have a foreman breathing down his neck with frog breath, yelling about another stain on the floor or a smelly mess left by a spirit whose land was now a landfill.

“Hey! Human! Akefia wants the light fixtures cleaned. Get up to the ceiling now!”

Yugi groaned. He was already not a fan of heights. Lucky for him, Jounouchi appeared soon enough with what reminded Yugi of the little wooden swing on the tree in his grandfather’s back yard.

“We got a pully system,” Jounouchi explained. He began to lead Yugi up the winding stairs that often made the human dizzy with how they went in all directions, higher and higher. It truly was a maze. How could all these creatures think this was normal?

He yawned as they ascended. It was an unwelcome distraction from what he was about to do.

“Shit, who did you piss off? Akefia usually gives this job to some of his favorite creatures to torture. Like a cat and mouse kind of thing.”

Yugi motioned to his body. “Pretty sure my being here has pissed off nearly everyone. Why wouldn’t Akefia be one of them?”

Jou snorted, which sounded like a frog croaking. Yugi had to cover his mouth with a fake cough to keep the laughter at bay. For all of the things that made this place scary, sometimes those same things could be humorous.

“Don’t tell me you’re sick,” Jou scolded, “Akefia will only come down on you harder.”

“He does seem…what’s the word?” Yugi mused.

“Sadistic?”

“If you want to put it that way,” Yugi said, shivering at the memory of his last run-in with the owner of the bath house. “He’s…scary.”

Jou scrunched up his froggy nose. “More than that. He could probably put fear into the toughest gods out there. Humans don’t really stand a chance. But you? Heh, I gotta say I’m impressed you’ve survived this long.”

Yugi hopped away from the railing on another landing. “Thanks, I think.”

“No, really. No one had any hopes for you surviving even a week with us! I think some thought it was just because you smell and you’re a klutz, but I think there’s something in you that’s different than other humans.”

“Have you ever met another human?”

“One or two have gotten captured,” Jou said after a few moments of thought. “They were pigs or goats within a week. You? How long has it been?”

Yugi had no idea. He had lost track of all time. Was time even the same in the spirit realm as it was where humans lived? Were they in the same world? He had no way of knowing. In the end, it didn’t matter, he figured.

“Longer than them, that’s for sure,” he said with a shudder.

Yami flashed in his mind. Hot, red eyes that softened to brownish scarlet when he spoke to him. How his lips were soft as the petals of a petunia. Maybe if he looked at how long it had been since he met him, he’d remember how long he’d been here.

Too long, no matter what.

But without being here, he never would have found him.

They reached the top of the stairs, high above the baths and foremen wandering around the cubicles for the customers. It was quiet in the entire space except for the muffled snoring of some gods behind the doors to their suites.

Yugi looked over the railing and gulped. “So, erm, how long should it take me?”

“Longer than you want it to.”

“Can’t we just ask one of the frogs to hop over and keep his mouth shut?”

Jounouchi scoffed. “I’m not dumb enough to get caught doing it myself after you were personally asked to, and I don’t have enough roasted newt or gold to offer someone to do it on the down low.”

Yugi tied the ends of his pants tighter. “Okay…hoist me up.”

***

Yugi turned the puzzle over in his hands over and over. As if looking at it from a different angle would help to find the missing piece. Or maybe it was that it wasn’t missing and they just hadn’t looked at it right. He admitted defeat with a sigh and stood from the table.

He took the lantern and blew out the tiny flame that lit the room in the dark. It was just before dawn, and he would be sought after for chores soon after a quick sleep. If he had more time, he would have looked around the attic for the puzzle piece for about the tenth time, but he knew it wouldn’t make a difference, no matter when it happened.

He navigated the narrow streets and alleyways as the sun began to paint the sky with shades of blue and yellow, sometimes merging together in a new color Yugi could not name.

A moment on the bridge allowed him to take it all in. It was quiet. Gods typically lived by the moonlight, and none were arriving for their services this late at night or early in the daytime. They were all settling in for the day light to hide away from the world and their responsibilities. Everything was still and quiet. In his mind, he wondered what would happen if he chose to run now. Where he would end up, who would find him.

He remained still.

A light breeze brushed his tunic away from his chest, sending a chill down his shirt. Yugi shivered and turned to the bathhouse again. He gasped when he realized he wasn’t alone.

Cloaked and silent as always, Ryou stood at the doorway of the bathhouse. Waiting.

“Is there anything I can help you with?” Yugi asked when he came to himself again from his startled stupor.

Silence. Ryou didn’t even move.

Yugi shifted on the wooden bridge. “Did you find a place to stay?”

Nothing.

He took a few steps forward, remembering Yami’s words but also knowing for certain that he felt nothing dangerous in the creature’s aura. Surely, he was misunderstood. There was nothing foreboding, uneven, or even slightly off about him.

“Yami said he’d meet me. I need to tell him something important. Do you want to come with me?”

Ryou’s head lifted and something akin to a smile crested over his hood when the fabric lifted ever so slightly. He nodded vigorously.

It was strange to be followed through the empty bathhouse by a spirit who seemed to be the outcast of the entire spirit world. It was like having a target on his back or walking around with some sort of illness that everyone knew he had. Still, he walked like he knew where he was going (which he did, despite the maze of hallways), and made his way to the men’s sleeping quarters for the workers.

Ryou slid the door shut for the both of them, even careful to be silent. Yugi wondered if there were feet touching the ground under his cloak or if he was simply floating. Then again, his lower half seemed to fade as it went toward the ground, so perhaps he was just an illusion as it was.

Yugi sat by the fireplace and put some more kindling in, causing the flames to hop, skip higher. Ryou pulled away from the fire and moved toward the balcony.

“You don’t mind being seen?” Yugi whispered.

Ryou looked at him for a long moment, eyes without pupils and endlessly deep. He looked toward the sun with a gentle hum from the back of his throat.

“Yeah, I love sunrises too.”

“Yugi?”

Yami sprang from the rafters, eyes wide. “What is he doing here?”

“I told you, I trust him. I think he’s lonely.”

Yami sighed long and hard after staring at Yugi’s pleading eyes. “He shouldn’t see me here. No one should. Besides, they don't want me spending time with you. I'm dangerously close to Akefia. You shouldn't want to be around me, either.”

Yugi smiled and put a hand on Yami’s. Such a simple touch told him everything was going to be okay. “He’s fine and I'm fine. I promise he won’t say anything. Will you?”

Ryou shook his head.

“See? He knows you’re here to help me. You wouldn't hurt me. And so is he. At least, I think. I can’t make out exactly what it is he wants to do all the time. But he wanted to come here today.”

Yami sighed like an exasperated parent. “Fine. Fine. Just…” he pinched the bridge of his nose, “just make sure no one sees him when you leave for your chores. He shouldn’t even be in the bathhouse, anyway.”

“He needed somewhere to go,” Yugi mumbled. “But that’s not the point. I needed to talk to you.”

Yami touched his forehead to Yugi’s. “Since when do you not?”

Yugi smiled. Sure, he had come up with plenty of excuses to see Yami, not all of them about the puzzle or finding a way out of this place. Mornings like this were probably one of the reasons to stay. It was beautiful here. Peaceful, even. Except that was only because Akefia wasn’t around, or at least preoccupied too much so to give him hard labor or taunt him with his current predicament, being slavery.

He hid his blush as well as he could with the collar of his shirt and a shrug of his shoulders.

“Well, actually, something to tell you.”

“Oh?” Yami sat back, his face now layered with concern.

Yugi took a deep breath. Surviving this bathhouse meant standing up for himself. Even if he let himself be forced to clean when he was terrified of heights, he had to try.

“I decided I’m coming with you to look for the puzzle piece.”

Yami’s eyebrows furrowed in a deep glare that almost made Yugi jump back. “Absolutely not,” he snapped.

Yugi glared right back at him despite the adrenaline coursing through his veins that threatened to make him shake. “Yes, I am.”

“No. I’m putting my foot down on this. You’re not coming. It’s too dangerous. There are things in his chambers you know nothing about.”

“I don’t care. I want to find the puzzle piece with you.”

“You’re not coming.”

“Yes, I am!”

Ryou looked between the two men as they argued back and forth in harsh whispers that hardly sounded threatening, but held ice in every word nonetheless.

“Why do you want to come with me?” Yami asked with a growl.

“Because maybe I care about you and want to help. And you know I can help you, even if you don’t want to admit it.”

The room went silent except for the faint crackled of the fire. Ryou stepped forward. With a mumbled hum, he raised his hand.

“I think he wants to come, too,” Yugi said with a chuckle.

Yami ran his hand over his face. “Ryou, I don’t know if this risk will help you or not.”

“But it will help you. I’m willing to take it. And he can too, if he wants.” He offered a smile. “It’s an adventure. Like the movies I used to watch as a kid.”

Defeated, Yami took Yugi’s hands in his. “I don’t want to be responsible for you getting hurt. I don’t know what I would do if something happened to you. We already know Akefia is out to get you, and this is very dangerous.”

“I know it is,” Yugi said back. “But,” he placed a hand on Yami’s cheek, “I need to know who you are as much as you do. And I can’t let you risk getting hurt, yourself. I couldn’t live with myself if I let someone I care about get hurt trying to help me.”

“You are the most peculiar human,” Yami said, voice dripping in awe. Perhaps endearment as he took Yugi’s cheek and kissed his lips.

“I’ll keep Ryou out of trouble,” Yugi vowed quietly.

Yami chuckled. “He’ll help. Won’t you, Ryou?” he said, finally addressing the other member of their new puzzle piece search party.

Ryou nodded viciously, nearly shaking with excitement.

Together, they made their plans long past when Yugi should have gone to bed. 

***

Anzu flipped through her book of old, flaky papers, her brow furrowing deeper and deeper. The front door of the bath house was dead silent, save for one or two workers cleaning the baths from the previous batch of customers. She concentrated and checked again.

“I’m so sorry, Sir, but I don’t see your reservation, here.”

The dragon hissed, but there was no anger in it. It was the equivalent of a sigh, if such a creature could do so.

“But we would be honored to place you in our finest suite, right next to Akefia’s chambers as compensation.”

She bowed lower than would be expected and stepped out from behind the welcome desk. Retrieving a stack of towels, she spread her arm out ahead of her. “We will take the lift just ahead to the penthouse suite.

The guest didn’t speak. He simply moved at a leisurely pace while the worker waited patiently for his scales to pass her. Though, they might not have been scales when she thought of it. They were more like feathers. And upon closer inspection, or at least a longer look at the guest, it had a golden aura coming off its golden feathers. The long beak and blue eyes were striking, enough to invoke a lightning strike of fear in her heart.

For the sake of the job, she pressed on. She attempted to make conversation with the guest to no avail. Perhaps they could not speak.

Yet, everything about its glowing golden look, the appearance of strength in its muscles and talons, and foreign appearance, this was not a creature to be trifled with. Such a being was one that Akefia would want to milk for every coin he could, and the employees would want to get out as quickly as possible.

But everywhere this feathered dragon walked throughout the bathhouse, everyone stopped to stare. If only to bask in the peace that fear of this creature brought with it.