A sorta Fairytale, Interlude I"



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Yuugi rearranged the flowers on the Mutou family grave. The incense on the edge of the grave gave off a lovely, earthy smell, yet when it reached Yuugi's nose, he found it bitter and melancholic. The fine trail of smoke curled up in the crisp, chilly air. November hadn't brought any snow yet, just cold and low temperatures. He straightened himself, wiggling his fingers inside his gloves. The death of his mother had left him in great pain and only now, almost three years later, the sharp edges of his loss and grief started to dissipate. Seeing his grandfather's name on the gravestone wasn't as painful as it used to be; time had healed this particular wound in his heart. He stepped away from the grave and solemnly folded his hands.

"I'll see you next weekend, kaa-san," Yuugi said. "I hope you like the flowers." He waited for just a few seconds, then heaved a sigh of relief as he felt the familiar weight of Atemu's hands on his shoulders.

"Aibou," he said.

"Yes, mou hitori no boku." Yuugi tilted his head a little to look at the other. Atemu despised the cold, but he would never rush or impose on Yuugi while he visited the family grave. He always had regarded Yuugi's family as his own and he had felt the same great sadness at the passing of Suguroku and Yusuke. "It's time for hot cocoa."

They left the cemetery and walked towards the subway. Yuugi shivered, despite his winter coat. "I'd really love some hot cocoa."

"I know you do, aibou." Atemu knew it wasn't about the hot drink, of course. Yuugi was always shaken a little after a visit to the cemetery and it was going to take him some time to get back to his usual self. For that reason, Atemu didn't mind that Yuugi sought out his hand to hold it – usually, the former Pharaoh would be very conscious about any public display of affection, but he valued Yuugi's feelings of safety and comfort higher than what anyone else might think of them. Walking hand in hand, they reached the subway. Domino City disposed over an excellent public transport system and with the current state of busy traffic, neither one of them had bothered to get a driver's license. Yuugi huddled closer to Atemu as if he suddenly realized how cold it was and searched out his warmth.

"We will be home shortly," Atemu said and Yuugi was grateful. It was particularly crowded this Saturday afternoon; everyone was busy with shopping, running errands and going places. Yuugi felt a little lost amidst the crowd and loud noises, and tightened his grip on Atemu. Would the pain ever go away? It always saddened him to see that cold, hard stone marker of the family grave, and it always angered him that there had never been a sign of his father, not even a phone call or a sympathy card. Yuugi knew it was going to take time, a lot of time, to come to terms with this, just like after his grandfather's passing. The subway arrived and the doors opened. It was so crowded that Atemu could only find one available seat and he insisted that Yuugi should take it.

"No, you sit down," Yuugi said.

Atemu shook his head. "Do not contest me, aibou." He glared at him. "Do not start about my age either."

"Fine, fine." Yuugi grinned weakly and sat down. Atemu moved to stand protectively next to him and Yuugi let him be. It was such an ancient dynamic in their relationship, even though it wasn't really necessary. Right now, Yuugi sought refuge in Atemu's strength and he didn't feel weak by leaning onto the other; they would always be there for each other, no matter what. He tried to distract himself a little and focused on the things that needed to be done at home. Laundry, dishes, dinner… maybe they could watch a game show tonight and just take it easy.


At home, Kazuo's death metal music came blasting through his bedroom door. Yuugi heaved a sigh. It was such a stark contrast with the quiet, solemn cemetery that it was painful. Fortunately they didn't have neighbors and Kazuo's bedroom was on the ground floor, so the music didn't reach too far. Yuugi banged on the door.

"Kazuo-kun, people in the house!" He hollered. He didn't receive an answer, but Kazuo did lower the volume, if only a little. Yuugi went upstairs after changing into his house slippers and walked into the kitchen.

"Tzuziko-chan," he greeted his eldest daughter.

"Otou-san," she said, holding the teapot. "I didn't know when you'd be back, or else I'd have tea ready."

"It's all right," Yuugi said. "I'm more up for hot cocoa."

"I'll make some." She pushed the heavy-rimmed glasses back onto the bridge of her nose. It made her look far older than she was, but Tzuziko had always been very mature for her age. She was a diligent student at Tokyo Medical and Dental University and she took everything very serious. Yuugi knew that Tzuziko felt indebted to her parents as they paid for her studies. She wanted to find a part-time job for the weekends, but both Yuugi and Atemu thought she was burdened enough by her intense studies to also hold a job. Instead, she helped out a lot with household chores when she was at home.

"I'm going to change into something else." Yuugi wanted to get out of his 'cemetery clothes', a distinguished yet slightly dated black business suit that he only wore when he visited the family grave. Upstairs, he found Atemu in front of the wardrobe, also changing into something more comfortable. He just slipped on a white cotton shirt and wasn't startled in the least when Yuugi sneaked up on him and wrapped his arms around him.

"Hello there, handsome," Yuugi said.

"Good afternoon to you too, beautiful man."

"Were you thinking about something?"

"Yes, I was."

"What was it?"

Atemu hesitated, and Yuugi knew why. He didn't want to ruin the mood. "Why can he be not more like his father?" Atemu finally said, voice soft, referring to Kazuo.

"Because you've set the bar extremely high, mou hitori no boku," Yuugi answered. "You have a successful business, people all over the world search you out for your knowledge on Ancient Egypt and antiquities, you're eloquent, intelligent…"

"I was not talking about myself," Atemu replied. He turned around to stare deep into Yuugi's eyes. "I was talking about his handsome, sexy father with kindness and gentle fierceness in his heart."

Yuugi blushed at the compliments. "He'll find his way in life, mou hitori no boku. It… just takes him a little longer. It hasn't been easy for him."

"I know." Atemu kissed him on the cheek. "He is not making it easy for himself. He does not know what he wants, he cannot be motivated, he lacks any kind of direction and his choice of friends is atrocious. I thought when he fell out of touch with that Fujimoto kid, that at least one big, negative influence in his life would be removed."

Yuugi heaved a soft sigh. He hadn't been very fond of Fujimoto Daisuke either. Ironically enough, he had coerced Kazuo into signing up for the army to rebel against their parents, only for his plan to backfire. Kazuo had dropped out after finishing the basic training but Daisuke had responded very well to the disciplined, structured environment and he rose through the ranks quickly. He already made it to lieutenant, the last time Yuugi heard about him from Kazuo. It was uplifting to know that a rowdy, loose cannon like Daisuke, who never had any respect for anything or anyone, could be molded into a contributing member to society. Unfortunately, Kazuo wasn't interested in him anymore, instead he spend a lot of time with the 'friends' of his mother, known junkies and minor criminals, much to Yuugi's and Atemu's worry.

"Yeah." Yuugi wasn't in the mood for a deep discussion, not today. "Did you really mean that?"

"Mean what, aibou?"

"The handsome and sexy part?"

"Of course!" Atemu sounded incredulous. "You are very cute, handsome and sexy. I wish you would believe it, instead of doubting it."

"If you say so, I guess it's true," Yuugi said. He never had a very high self-esteem, certainly not about his looks. Atemu leaned a little into him.

"What I truly love about you, is the way you squirm and writhe so lovely when you are under me, your legs wrapped around me…"

"Mou hitori no boku, you pervert!" Yuugi giggled and blushed deeper nonetheless. "I like it when you make me squirm."

"I know," Atemu breathed heavily against his ear, "I know everything you like, and how you like it, and how much you like it…"

"Stop," Yuugi said, finding it difficult to breathe, "or else I'm going to jump you."

"You know how much I like it when you jump me…"

"Stop…"

"Otou-san! Otou-sama! Hot cocoa is ready!" Tzuziko hollered from down below.

"Such a pity," Atemu continued in his low, husky voice, so close to Yuugi's ear that it made his knees weak. "We cannot keep our daughter waiting."

"You're going to pay for this," Yuugi growled and 'eeped' when Atemu firmly squeezed his lower backside. Still grumbling, he quickly changed into a comfy pair of pants and tossed on a shirt and he went downstairs after a precious moment of cooling down.

In the kitchen, Tzuziko had prepared hot coca for him and Atemu and tea for herself and Akina, all gathered around the large kitchen table. She excused herself as she wanted to prepare for an important test next week and took her tea with her as she went to study. Yuugi sat down next to Atemu and pulled his mug towards him.

"Akina-chan, are you finished with your homework?"

Akina grabbed a cookie from the generous large jar. "I'm all done!"

"You have an English test coming up," Atemu said. "Have you learned all the vocabulary?"

"Yes, Yami Papa," she said. "I know it's important to learn English. I'm going to need it for my new school!"

"New school?" Yuugi parroted.

"Yami Papa, Hikari Papa," she announced with her usual exuberance, "I want to go to the School of Performing Arts in New York!"

The former Pharaoh almost choked on his hot cocoa and it would've actually been funny, but Yuugi knew that he didn't appreciate being laughed at, so he turned his head away to hide his laughter.

"New York?" Atemu hadn't seen that one coming. Akina loved performing, that was no secret, but he had never thought she wanted to go to a school overseas.

"Yes, it's a very famous school!"

"We know how much you like to act, and sing and dance," Yuugi said after collecting himself. "Akina-chan, New York is very, very far away. Don't you remember how we had to pick you up last year from your field trip to Hokkaido, as you got homesick? And now you want to cross an entire ocean, away from your family?"

"I know," Akina got a little embarrassed at the memory. "I want to go there, Hikari Papa! It's the best school!"

"You still have a couple of years to finish high school," Atemu said, "and your grades are abysmal. You need to work on that first."

"I don't need math or geometry to be able to perform," Akina pouted.

"Akina-chan, without a diploma, your school of choice isn't going even to consider your application."

"Fine. I'll take some summer classes," she gave back.

"I would rather have you work on your grades now," Atemu reminded her gently.

"So if I can get my grades back up, I can go to New York?"

"I did not say anything like that," Atemu protested. "Even so, we will talk about it later."

"You always talk about how important good education is, Yami Papa!"

"I do, and I still stand for a good education," Atemu said. "It is not the type of school I object to, but the distance. It is an ocean away, far from your family and friends."

"I won't be alone! My friends are coming with me!"

"All of them?" Yuugi asked, incredulously. Akina was very popular at school, with lots of female and male friends. She was very social and made contact easily, but he had a hard time believing that her entire circle of friends had the same ambition and opportunity to go to New York. Besides, he knew a little about their parents from Atemu and, while holding responsible jobs, they didn't make enough to send their children all the way to the United States, to such a prestigious school. "Akina-chan, do you realize that you have to search for an apartment, that you have to make rent, and food… who's going to pay for all that?"

Akina arched an eyebrow, as if he had asked the stupidest question in the world. "You are," she said. Now it was Yuugi's turn to almost choke on his hot cocoa. He wanted to say something just as Akina opened her mouth as well, but Atemu cut the both of them short: "We are done talking about this for now. New York is too far away. We will discuss it again in due time."

"You're just sixteen, Akina-chan," Yuugi softened Atemu's words. "You have years to grow and to decide what you want."

"I know what I want! You traveled all around the world for Duel Monsters tournaments when you were sixteen, Hikari Papa," Akina said. Yuugi exchanged a look with Atemu, as if he wanted to tell him she's got me there. "And Anzu-obasan went to New York when she was eighteen!"

"Anzu worked three jobs to get there," Atemu said. "She graduated with honors and trained her dancing since she was very young. A performing arts school is incredible much work, Akina."

She tried to stand her ground. "You allowed Tzuziko-chan to leave for Tokyo!"

"Domino City doesn't have a medical university," Yuugi pointed out. "Tokyo was the best choice, and she still comes home in the weekend. Tzuziko-chan takes her studies very seriously…"

"No wonder Kazuo calls Tzuziko perfect all the time, she can do nothing wrong!"

"This reaction alone shows that you are far from ready to go to New York," Atemu said. "Tzuziko is much more focused and independent."

"Yami Papa, don't compare me, judge me on my own!"

"You want to hear my judgment? Your first priorities are cute boys, not your homework. You lack discipline, as you start many projects but you never finish them. You often count on others to do your work for you. You dislike duties, you shirk your chores and you have an unrealistic outlook on a life in the spotlights. It is a hard, tough world and it is not only talent that will bring you there, but hard work. Boring work, tedious work including math and geometry, and you will be disappointed along the way. To gain great success, you have to dedicate yourself to your work and devote your time and energy to it. For now you only look at the fun, bright side and you do not seem to understand at all that many difficulties have to be overcome before you can even think of stepping up on that stage and perform. Do you even think about that?"

Akina looked at Atemu, mouth wide open, before tears welled up in her eyes. "You are so incredibly mean!" she blurted out before storming off.

Yuugi had been silent during the entire lecture and pursed his lips.

"Too much Pharaoh?" Atemu asked.

"Way too much Pharaoh," Yuugi said. He calmly finished off the rest of his cocoa. "I'm not going to do damage control this time around, mister."

"You are right." Atemu heaved a sigh. "I should have known better."

"On the other hand, this isn't something new to her," Yuugi said. He reached over the table for Atemu's hand and received a grateful squeeze in return. "We keep telling her over and over again that the world isn't all rainbows and unicorns, and she won't listen. She has this idea that any performing arts school will be nothing but fun and the world will be at her feet, with everyone attending to her every whim. Maybe your choice of words was a bit harsh, but how else are we supposed to get through to her? New York, of all places!"

"And to think that we are considerably lucky how she is going through puberty so far," Atemu said. "I hear a lot from other parents and what they are going through..."

"We had… have our fair share with Kazuo-kun," Yuugi said, thinking of their son who had so much difficulties finding a direction in his life.

"This is just the beginning," Atemu said. "She has cute boys on her mind, but what if she starts bringing them home? They're hanging onto her skirt already."

"Promise me one thing, mou hitori no boku. No batsu games."

"Not?" Atemu narrowed his eyes. "I reserve every right as a concerned father for the well-being of his daughter to…"

"No, Pharaoh," Yuugi said. "And talking about 'concerned father', why don't you go patch up things with your daughter before she gives you the silent treatment?"

"Fine, fine." He got up from the kitchen table. "But you do the cooking."

"Fair enough," Yuugi said, hiding a smile behind his hand.


Later, Yuugi decided to check up on Akina and Atemu. The door to the girl's bedroom was open and he could hear their voices, calm and lovingly. Akina had a big, warm heart; of course she wouldn't stay mad at her father, especially not her Yami Papa, for long. Yuugi pushed the door further open.

"Is everything all right?" he asked.

"Hikari Papa!" Akina beamed at him. Her eyes were still puffy from crying, but her frustration seemed to have ebbed away. Yuugi had been thinking all afternoon about the discussion in the kitchen and wanted to tell them his idea. He smiled at Atemu who looked so much out of place with his golden jewelry in Akina's pink princess room, adorned with posters from the latest J-Pop stars as well as international actors and actresses.

"I have an idea," Yuugi said. "Why don't we invite Anzu over to tell about her experiences in New York?"

Akina clapped her hands in delight, bouncing on her bed. She was very fond of Anzu.

"That is a good idea," Atemu agreed. "She can tell you all about how it, Akina."

"That'll be great! Can she come over, pleasepleaseplease?"

"I'll give her a call right away," Yuugi promised.


Anzu adored the idea of getting together for dinner. "Of course I want to share my stories with Akina-chan," she said. "How about next Saturday?"

"At our place," Yuugi confirmed. After he had hung up, he panicked about what kind of dishes to make. To keep the focus on Akina, Anzu would only come over with her husband Warimi, leaving her daughter Ishimi, of Akina's age, at home. It had been a while since they had been together and Yuugi wanted dinner to be perfect. Akina helped dutifully with the preparations; in her heart-to-heart talk to Atemu about discipline and work, she had promised to be more independent and taking up on her responsibilities. Once he learned that Anzu would come over, Kazuo was very ecstatic. Just like Akina, he was very fond of her, but for a different reason. He had always wanted Anzu to be his mother, even claiming that she actually was his mother, as he rebelled against having two fathers.

Yuugi started to regret his idea. Kazuo had extremely high expectations of Anzu's visit despite knowing that she came to see and talk to Akina. As soon as she'd leave, Kazuo's dream of having her for a mother would be shattered once more, souring his mood. He would take it out on the one person he blamed for everything: Atemu. Finding his biological mother hadn't changed a thing about Kazuo's enormous love and fondness of Anzu. Yuugi was so worried that he tried to talk to Atemu about it, but the former Pharaoh had already relented to what was going to happen, which almost broke Yuugi's heart.

The week flew by and when Saturday rolled around, the entire family was prepping for a wonderful, nice evening. The house was cleaned from top to bottom and every Mutou had dressed up nicely.

"It's like the Queen is coming over," Yuugi couldn't help but comment.

"She is the Queen," Atemu said seriously and looked at Yuugi from head to toe. "You are approved."

"So are you," Yuugi said. "You look so sexy in black tie."

"And you look as cute as a button."

"Mou hitori no boku, I'm well over forty years old. By now, I should look at least 'mature' to you."

"Mature my ass," Atemu muttered and made sure to hop out of the room before Yuugi could give a reply. The doorbell rang and they both hurried downstairs to welcome their guests. Kazuo and his two sisters were anxiously waiting in the hallway; no 'welcoming' death metal today. Yuugi opened the door.

"Anzu! Warimi-kun!"

"Yuugi," she greeted him warmly and kissed him on the cheeks. "Atemu-san," she held out her hand as he was prone to kiss her elegantly on her fingers.

"Yuugi-kun," Warimi stepped inside with a large bouquet of flowers and a bag revealing the contours of a few bottles of wine, "Pharaoh." Even though he was married to Anzu for almost twenty years and considered a good friend, if not part of the family, Warimi was hesitant to call Atemu anything else but Pharaoh, after hearing Jounouchi once refer to him as such, albeit jokingly. People who didn't know Atemu that well referred to him as Mutou-sama, and those who did know him, including his past, either affixed the more distant '–san' to his first name or simply called him Pharaoh, knowing how delicate the use of his first name actually was.

"Come in, come in!" Yuugi all but pulled them inside. Atemu took the flowers and the wine, so that Yuugi could busy himself with the guests. Anzu and Warimi greeted the children, standing in line to welcome the visitors, and complimented them.

"Let's go upstairs," Yuugi said. "Dinner's ready!"

"I made the miso soup," Akina announced proudly. They all went to the kitchen and soon enough, everyone was served a bowl of miso and a lively conversation was held. Yuugi enjoyed himself immensely. He was very happy that Kazuo was behaving so well; his speech was polite and he showed the right table manners, all the while focusing on Anzu. If she was bothered by his continuous attention, she didn't let it show; in fact, she made sure to give him some attention as well.

"Kazuo-kun, how have you been?" she asked.

"I'm looking for a new job," he said. Yuugi glanced at Atemu. Kazuo hadn't worked in a while, as he was always hanging out with his biological mother and her circle of 'friends'; they had never forbidden Kazuo to interact with her, but they were worried about the people he came into contact with; drug users, small criminals, deadbeats. "I want to make enough money so I can afford an apartment for the both of us!" He didn't notice everyone else going silent.

"Would you really like to live with your mother?" Anzu asked, her voice slightly sharper. He didn't pick up on it.

"Of course! We have so much time to make up for! It's going to be great!"

Anzu steered away from that direction. "You used to work for Jounouchi-kun, right? You're very handy, and technical personnel is very high in demand."

Kazuo nodded, apparently content. Yuugi remembered the painful conversation he had with his best friend; Jounouchi had felt terrible about it, but he had to fire Kazuo because he was too unreliable in his work. Ever since then, Kazuo hadn't been able to keep a job for a longer period of time, yet he always had money on him. Yuugi had seen the latest consoles and a large TV in his son's bedroom, neither him nor Atemu had paid for such luxurious goods. It worried the both of them of course, and Kazuo would never give a direct answer to any questions, if he answered at all. The dinner was continued by serving the second course. Yuugi and Akina had prepared a myriad of small dishes to appeal to everyone's taste: salmon, chicken teriyaki, agedashi tofu and tempura. The topics of conversation were lighthearted, ranging from the latest movies, weather, to fashion and music. Anzu asked Tzuziko about her studies. When everyone had finished the main course, Yuugi served green tea ice cream for dessert.

"I'm completely full!" Anzu said. "That was amazing, Yuugi!"

"I'm very glad you liked it!" Yuugi beamed at her. He collected the empty bowls to take them to the sink.

"Akina-chan, where would you like to talk?" She asked the girl.

"My room!" Akina immediately jumped up.

Yuugi was enamored by her enthusiasm. "Well, while the women are holding their important meeting, the men will do the important cleaning."

"Otou-san, may I leave?" Kazuo suddenly asked. "I have agreed to meet up with friends."

"Of course you may," Yuugi said. "Thank you, Kazuo-kun." He was surprised that Kazuo asked for his permission, even though it was probably to show off his good manners to Anzu. Yuugi watched him get up and brush past Atemu without acknowledging him. It had to hurt, Yuugi knew, and yet Atemu was used to it; maybe one day their relationship would be truly father and son, instead of the forced, difficult 'bond' they had right now. Anzu and Akina left the kitchen to talk in the girl's room and Tzuziko excused herself as well. Warimi grabbed himself a dish towel while Yuugi ran the water. Atemu stacked a few bowls on the kitchen counter.

"Warimi-kun and I will do the dishes," Yuugi said to him. "You can go to the living room and relax, all right? I'll bring you some coffee later."

Atemu looked from one to another, but nodded nonetheless. "If you need more help, just call me."

"I will." He quickly pecked Atemu on the cheek before he left the kitchen. Yuugi added dish soap to the water and started to rinse the bowls. Warimi was next to him.

"Yuugi-kun, do you mind if I ask you a question?"

"Of course not, Warimi-kun!"

"Pharaoh… Atemu-san… what's his age?"

Yuugi was surprised by the question, but he answered truthfully. "He's about the same age as me," he said. He figured that Anzu had told her husband about Atemu's background, but on the other hand, the former Pharaoh's origins were hard to explain. Yuugi left out that technically three millennia could be added to Atemu's age. He guessed Warimi was just curious, as Atemu was showing fairly grey hair; it had extended from his temples to the back of his neck.

"Anzu mentioned that you were a little worried about him, about tiring so soon," Warimi continued. "Have you ever thought of consulting a doctor?"

"I want to ask Watanabe-sama," Yuugi said, "but Pharaohs and doctors don't really mix. He usually brushes it off. I'm not sure whether I should be really worried or if it's just because of his busy life. Apart from the store, the children and the household, he's often asked and sought out for his knowledge on antiquities and Ancient Egyptian artifacts."

"And you work fulltime for KaibaCorp., right?"

"Yeah, almost as much hours as you put in the management of your chain of supermarkets."

"Work, work, work," Warimi said. "There's more to life than just that."

"We have our partners and our children." Yuugi handed him a clean plate. "Many obligations and duties take up our spare time, yes. How are your kids doing anyway?"

Warimi rubbed the drying towel over the plate. "Ishimi… sort of discovered that she doesn't have the talent or the perseverance of her mother when it comes to dancing. It's really a blow to her as she aspired to become a dancer and she has a hard time accepting that she has to find a different goal in life. At this moment, everything is 'stupid' or 'boring', and she balks at everything."

"Akina-chan has her mind set on that school in New York," Yuugi said, rinsing off another plate. "We don't mind that it's a performing arts school, but the United States! She can't even stand being away from her father for less than a day! How about Tanaka-kun?"

"That's a bit difficult." Warimi took the plate from Yuugi. "I had hoped that he would aspire to work with me and take over the chain of supermarkets in the future. He's more interested in sports and wants to be a professional baseball player. I can't force him and I don't want to. It makes me think of how my father pressured me into management while I wanted to become a doctor. I hated him for it all my life and I don't want to do the same to my son."

"Still, you'd be even prouder of him if he did follow into your footsteps."

"Yes, but it has to be his own choice. Like I said, I don't want to be the man like my father was."

"It's tough," Yuugi said, "but I don't think we're too hard on our children. We taught them about life and how wonderful it is, but also about disappointments and downfalls. Tzuziko takes everything too seriously, Akina takes nothing seriously at all, and Kazuo…"

"It must be hard for the both of you, now that his biological mother is back in his life."

"She's a drugs addict, and I'm concerned about her and the friends she surrounds herself with, exposing her own son to drugs abuse and criminality."

Warimi knew that Kazuo had once been apprehended for shoplifting. Ever since then, he had stayed out of trouble with the police, but Warimi understood Yuugi's worries about his son. "Sooner or later, Kazuo will learn that his mother isn't the right person for him. His fathers are."

"I hope so." Yuugi finished up the last of the dishes and asked Warimi if he wanted coffee.

"No, thank you," he declined, "I think it's time for the girls to have some tea, don't you agree?"

Yuugi nodded and prepared a pot of tea so Warimi could take it to Anzu and Akina. He was about to make coffee, when he decided to pour a glass of Chardonnay instead. Not for himself, Yuugi never drank alcohol as he didn't like the taste, but for Atemu. He took the glass to the living room, finding the former Pharaoh on the sofa, engrossed in a book, with Chopin's Nocturne no. 2 playing softly in the background. It was a rare, peaceful moment and Yuugi waited, smiling until Atemu noticed him. He looked over the rim of his reading glasses.

"Aibou," he said.

"You need a black cat perching on your shoulder," Yuugi said, "then you'd make the perfect picture."

"We can always get ourselves a pet once the children have left the nest," Atemu said. He arched an eyebrow when he saw the glass in Yuugi's hand. "Is that for me?"

"Because you behaved so well at dinner," Yuugi gently teased him. "No lectures and no speeches."

"Aibou, please." Atemu was content, though. He accepted the glass and Yuugi sat down next to him, putting his hand on his knee, just cuddling close. He listened to the classical music while Atemu continued reading; the two of them close, no words were needed. After a while, Warimi, Anzu and Akina joined them in the living room.

"I'm glad my husband brought us tea," Anzu said cheerfully. "My throat ran dry!"

"Do you know everything you need to know about New York, Akina-chan?" Yuugi asked.

Akina shrugged awkwardly. She looked a bit hesitant, insecure, yet stubborn enough to not let go of her original goal. "I do want to go to a performing arts school," she said.

"There's still time to figure it out." Yuugi watched her climb onto the sofa and she moved herself between the plush cushions and Atemu.

"It is close to bedtime for you," he said. "It is already very late."

"I want to stay up for a little longer, Yami Papa? Please?"

"Just a little longer, then." He took a sip of his Chardonnay. Warimi had brought the teapot along and there was enough left to serve everyone else another cup of tea. In this relaxed atmosphere, with the light-hearted conversation and the warm, strong bond between them, they spend the rest of the evening until it was time for Anzu and Warimi to go home.


Sunday morning was Yuugi's favorite morning. A perfect opportunity to sleep in, wake up lazily and cuddle with the man he loved… even Atemu didn't get up as early on Sundays as he did on the other days of the week. When Yuugi rolled over, he wasn't surprised to see the former Pharaoh still asleep. It was Yuugi's guilty pleasure to watch Atemu sleep; he looked so relaxed yet solemn, not to mention cute… he scooted a little closer and was about the kiss him good morning, when Yuugi heard noises coming from downstairs. He recognized the voices of his children: Kazuo and Tzuziko. It sounded like they were debating pretty heatedly, their voices getting louder. Concerned, Yuugi rolled out of bed and put on his bathrobe. He took another look at Atemu, still asleep, and traipsed out of the bedroom.

"… as perfect as you, Tzuziko-chan," Kazuo sneered.

"Stop rehashing that same old 'argument'," Tzuziko retorted, irritation obvious. "I'm not perfect, nor have I ever strived for perfection. There's nothing wrong with wanting to do your best which is not the same as being perfect!"

"Right, right," Kazuo said, bored. "Not everyone strives to be perfect or to do his best, because there's more to life than just that."

"What more is there? Don't we all want a job, a house, friends, family and a partner? Who do you think you are anyway, some kind of rebel? That you're living on the edge?"

"As soon as I can find a house for my mother and myself, I can live the life I want!"

"And what kind of life would that be? What is it that she can give to you, huh?" Tzuziko demanded to know. "She hasn't been a part of your life for ages, she gave you away, and still you value her over your true family?"

"You would never understand," Kazuo snapped at her. "You like it here! This isn't my true family. It's not my mother's fault that she had to give me up."

"Your mother is a woman who prostitutes herself to get money for her next shot," Tzuziko said. "She didn't even bother to change her ways to protect or care for her baby! And if you do manage to find a house, who's going to pay rent? Utilities? Maintenance? You can't even hold a job! Do you think your mother will help you pay? She spends all her money on drugs!"

"Everything will work out just fine as soon as I can leave this place!"

"Deep down, you know it's not going to work out," she went on, mercilessly. "If you truly were so eager to live with your mother, you would've moved to her place, wherever that is. But you come home every time because here's food, a hot shower, clean clothes and a clean bed, and the few yen otou-san leaves under your pillow in the hopes you buy yourself a healthy bento box, instead of pot or pills."

Busted, Yuugi thought.

"It's easy for you to say," Kazuo gave back. "You're the favorite, you can do nothing wrong and oooh, you're going to be a doctor! Good, wholesome and steady Tzuziko-chan! You don't even care about your true parents!"

"My biological parents don't add anything to my life," Tzuziko said, her voice slightly mellow. "I'm not mad at them. They had their reasons to give me up for adoption."

"Don't you want to know?"

"It doesn't add anything to my life," she repeated. "Knowing my 'true' background doesn't change anything. I'm happy and content with the life I have now, with the parents and the family I have."

"You're just afraid," Kazuo said. "What if your mother was a failure? A loser?"

"I don't know what's going on in your mind and I don't want to know," Tzuziko said. "But I do know one thing, and that is that otou-sama doesn't deserve your anger. He never has. It's so easy to take out your frustration and dissatisfaction on someone else, but look at yourself for once! You can keep blaming others and think the world's a rotten place, and you can think you've had bad luck for having two fathers, but in the end, the only one you'll end up with is yourself, all alone as you've managed to drive anyone away from you."

"You're just as annoying as Atemu," Kazuo said.

"I take that as a compliment," Tzuziko answered calmly. Kazuo shut the door right in her face, slamming it close. Yuugi could hear his daughter's frustrated sigh. She would probably turn around and go upstairs, running into him. Before she could be startled by his presence, he coughed a few times.

"Otou-san," she said, "did you hear everything?"

"Not all of it," he said. He didn't need to keep his voice down as the ever-present death metal music was blasted from Kazuo's room.

"I'm sorry, I was out of line." Tzuziko bowed her head. "I just wanted to say how much I loved the family dinner yesterday, and how well he behaved. Before I knew it, we dissolved into this bickering. I shouldn't have meddled."

"No, maybe if he hears it from someone else for once, he might actually start to care." Yuugi didn't know if Kazuo even iwas/i able to care. His son had always been rambunctious and he had no sense for finesse or subtlety, and very little regard for other people's emotions or feelings.

"I want to clear my head," Tzuziko said, but she didn't move.

"We could go for a walk," Yuugi suggested. "It's chilly outside, but no rain or snow."

"Is otou-sama up yet?"

"He probably is, by now."

"He looked tired, yesterday." Of course Tzuziko would notice. Yuugi gave her a reassuring smile.

"If you start breakfast… or brunch, we'll get dressed and go for a walk together."

Tzuziko nodded. She was about to walk away when she halted, all of the sudden. "Otou-san..?"

"Yes?"

"Never mind." She hurriedly moved up the stairs, leaving Yuugi behind, baffled. What had she wanted to say? Pensive, he went back to his bedroom, finding Atemu sitting on the edge of the bed, catching him mid-yawn.

"Let the whole world know that the Great Pharaoh is a lazy ass on Sundays," Yuugi teased him.

"The Great Pharaoh used to have a court of Priests who would do his bidding, like punishing those who doubted his god-like statue," Atemu gave back, but yawned again nonetheless. Yuugi hugged him briefly.

"Crankypants. You want to take a shower first?"

"Yes. What are you doing, in your bathrobe still?"

"I heard voices downstairs so I went to check it out. Tzuziko-chan and Kazuo-kun were arguing," Yuugi said. "Just a little talk between siblings, mou hitori no boku."

"All right," Atemu said and got up from the bed. "I am going to take a shower now, aibou. Feel free to join me."

"I will, but no fondling or groping," Yuugi said, semi-sternly. "Tzuziko-chan is making brunch and we want to go for a walk to Domino City Park after."

"Fine," Atemu pouted. "I will keep my hands off of you."

"You're not coming along?"

"Of course, but this lazy-ass Pharaoh was focused on iyour/i ass, aibou."

"Pervert! Now, get naked and into the shower!"


After brunch, Yuugi asked Akina to join the family walk. She wasn't really fond of physical exercise unless it involved dancing, so he wasn't too surprised that she declined. She was going to meet up with friends instead and promised to be home before dinner. Yuugi went to see Kazuo, but his room was empty. He hadn't heard him leave; that the loud music had stopped wasn't always a sign that Kazuo was away, as he was prone to put on his headphones while playing violent videogames. Yuugi closed the bedroom door.

"Let's go then," he said as the rest of the family dressed up warmly. It was deep in autumn and the wind was quite chilly. They put on scarves, mittens, hats and a warm coat before leaving the house. Domino City Park was twenty minutes away and they strolled in a lazy tempo, talking about whatever came up in their minds. Tzuziko dropped the name of Hosokawa Isao, a fellow student who she had met during one of her medical residencies. Yuugi was immediately interested, whereas Atemu wanted to know if this young man took his studies just as seriously as Tzuziko. Yuugi elbowed Atemu as he could see that Tzuziko's eyes started to shine in a different manner as soon as she mentioned Isao, and he didn't want her to be overwhelmed with a third degree interrogation. He decided to treat everyone to tea and they visited a quaint, yet cozy tea house.

With a red color on his cheeks, Yuugi enjoyed this family moment, knowing that Atemu appreciated the finesse and tradition of the tea ceremony and Tzuziko the presence of her fathers. These were the best kind of Sundays: warm and cozy, in the company of family and the other half of his soul, the man he loved so dearly. This was everything and exactly like he had imagined his life to be. Time flew by and as much as Yuugi loved the moment, they couldn't sit in the tea house for ours. On their way back home again, Yuugi hooked his arm through Atemu's and in a rare moment of public display of affection, the former Pharaoh allowed it. Tzuziko was on Yuugi's other arm. Warm and fuzzy from all the happy feelings, Yuugi thought that nothing could ruin the moment.

His warm and fuzzy mood was shattered quickly, unfortunately. When they took the corner and the Game Shop building came into sight, Tzuziko took a deep gust of breath.

"There's a police car in front of the house!" she exclaimed.

"Oh no!" Yuugi's stomach plummeted. He increased his pace and all but ran the last meters, with Atemu and Tzuziko right behind him. He threw the front door open, taking the two police officers standing in the hallway, by surprise.

"Akina-chan!" It took him a moment to realize that she wasn't at home; she had left earlier to meet up with friends. "Kazuo-kun!" His voice hitched.

"Mutou-san?" The police officer turned towards him. "I'm Huchiwa Tako and this is Datamoto Yuichi, my partner."

"Huchiwa-san, Datamoto-san," Yuugi bowed to them. "Please tell me what's going on? Is it about my son, Kazuo?"

"Yes, Mutou-san." Huchiwa eyed Atemu and Tzuziko who entered the building. Tzuziko's face fell at the sight of the two uniformed officers.

"I'll be upstairs, otou-sama, otou-san," she said. Everyone waited until she was upstairs.

Huchiwa cleared his throat. "Mutou-san, we followed up on information about a disturbance in the Tatsuya district. We found a group of people trespassing in a warehouse, and Kazuo-kun was among them. He wasn't in possession of drugs or drugs paraphernalia, but it's obvious that he has been using. He did have identification on him, and we knew you'd appreciate it if we brought him home."

"Oh Kazuo-kun." Yuugi heaved a sigh. He bowed to the officers once again. Kazuo's criminal record for the one time he'd been arrested for shoplifting, was expunged when he turned eighteen. Now he would be in the system all over again. "I'm sorry that my son caused you trouble. Thank you so much for bringing him home."

"Get him professional help, Mutou-san," Datamoto said, no judgment in his voice. "He's young and strong; he should be focusing on school, work or family instead of hanging out with the wrong crowd."

"Thank you for your compassion," Yuugi said. "We try our best to help him."

"We don't doubt that." Datamoto looked at his partner, ready to leave.

"What is going to happen to him?" Atemu asked. He'd been silent so far and Yuugi searched for signs to see if he was upset.

"He'll get a fine for trespassing," Huchiwa answered. "He won't be charged for drugs possession, because he didn't have any on him and he didn't have any intention to sell. The prosecutor might send him to rehab, though."

"That's probably for the best," Yuugi said, wincing at his own words. Perhaps the legal system would impress Kazuo more than his fathers ever could. Still, to admit that your son would be better off in rehab… he shivered. Atemu came to stand next to him.

"Thank you for your hard work," Atemu said, addressing the police officers. He knew, just like Yuugi, that Kazuo was on the very edge of becoming a regular drug user if something drastic didn't happen, right now. A rehab program was the best choice, if only he would cooperate…

"We would like to ask some questions to complete our report," Datamoto said. "Is there a private environment…"

"Yes, we will go upstairs." Atemu pointed to the staircase. Yuugi looked behind him, at the closed door to Kazuo's bedroom.

"I'll talk to him," he said, determined.

"Are you sure, Mutou-san? In his current condition…"

"I'll give it a try." Yuugi mustered up his most confident smile. He was worried for Kazuo and wanted to see him. Atemu could deal with the police's questions just fine, it felt too painful for Yuugi. He managed to touch Atemu's hand, if only for his own reassurance. With a heavy heart, he waited until Atemu and the two police offers had left before he faced the door to Kazuo's bedroom and knocked on it.

"Fuck off!"

"Kazuo-kun, it's me," Yuugi said and he opened the door. His son's room was a mess, as usual; Kazuo had closed the curtains but in the small ray of light peeping through them, Yuugi could see his son lying on his bed, curled up in a fetal position. He refrained from commenting. "I'm coming in," he said and stepped into the room. Kazuo shifted around on his bed, not looking at Yuugi.

"What are you doing here? Leave me alone!"

"You just got escorted home by the police," Yuugi said. He couldn't make out Kazuo's pupils in the darkness, but he assumed they were dilated. Kazuo twitched and shifted around restlessly. "You were with your mother and her friends, weren't you?"

"Yeah, so what?"

"Kazuo-kun, don't you realize how fortunate you are? They took you ihome/i, instead of throwing you in jail. If you had been in possession of drugs-"

"Stop lecturing me!" Kazuo spat at him and Yuugi took a step back. He had always been on the sidelines, watching this aggression being displayed towards Atemu, but now that he was on the receiving end of it, he felt so much sorrier for Atemu. Now he understood perfectly what the former Pharaoh had gone through, and it made him sad.

"Fine, I'll stop lecturing you," Yuugi said. "Then, allow me to tell you something. I'm sure this isn't the first time you're under the influence. I'm blaming myself for not opening my eyes any sooner, but we did try to help you, Kazuo-kun. Should you ever be under the influence again or bring drugs into the house, you'll have to leave. You're endangering our family. I don't want any of this to happen under my roof."

"Fine, just throw me out! See if I care," Kazuo grumbled. "It's all his idea, isn't it?"

"No, it isn't. It's your idea, the moment you started using," Yuugi answered. "I wish I could help you, Kazuo-kun, but I think we did all that we could do. You won't accept counseling or guidance, you won't listen, you don't care and you add stress and strain to this household."

"Fine. I'm leaving," Kazuo said but he didn't get up. "My mother will be happy to see me."

"Have you found a place for you two yet?" Yuugi asked, dreading the answer. When push came to shove, he didn't like the idea of Kazuo leaving; as long as he was under his roof, he could have at least a little bit of control over his son's life and see how he was doing.

"No, but the market is difficult," Kazuo answered. "Rental places don't come cheap."

Yuugi choose his words carefully. "Your mother has very little money, Kazuo-kun. I… seriously doubt if she has anything else she can give you, especially that what you're so desperately looking for."

"Don't you start on me too, Yuugi," Kazuo said, tone of voice menacing.

"I only want the best for you. You're my son. I want you to be happy, and I can't exactly see you becoming happier and happier as of late, ever since you met your biological mother. We have never forbid you for meeting her; we've always been honest and upfront about you being adopted. But she did give you up because she wasn't able to take care of you… and it's highly doubtable that she can take care of you now."

Kazuo pursed his lips. Yuugi was getting nauseous from the smell in the room. It smelled like some animal died in here and Kazuo himself hadn't been generous with showering either.

"If only he wasn't a man," Kazuo said. "If only you had fallen in love with a woman! Why couldn't you have chosen Anzu-san? She's perfect and such a good mother!"

"It's not who I am," Yuugi answered. "Even if he'd been a woman, even if I had married Anzu, it would've been the greatest lie, for everyone involved. Do you really think that would've made for a happy family? I'm very sorry that you can't seem to deal with that, Kazuo-kun. I love your father with my heart and soul and I can only wish and hope for you to find such a love, Kazuo-kun."

"I don't want to talk about it!" Kazuo said and he rolled towards the wall. "Go away!"

Yuugi realized that he wouldn't get much more out of Kazuo, and that an intense discussion wouldn't help matters right now. He said nonetheless: "Kazuo-kun, rejecting your father also means rejecting me. Your sister was right; you can't blame everything on the world and everyone else. You have your own responsibility and as long as you don't want to take it, it's going to be much more complicated in your entire life. Remember what I said about drug use; I don't want it to happen in this house."

"Fuck off," was Kazuo's parting shot.

Yuugi left his son's bedroom. How had it all derailed like this? It had gone downhill when Kazuo had met his biological mother. He was obsessed with a motherly figure in his life… why did he detest Atemu so much? Why couldn't he see that these 'cool friends' of his mother were destroying him? More so, could he, Yuugi, really follow up by throwing Kazuo out of the house, the next time something bad happened? He had to protect his family, but even from his own son? He went upstairs and straight to the living room. Atemu wasn't there; no sight of the police officers either. Yuugi flopped on the couch. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice Atemu sitting next to him at first, then he turned towards the former Pharaoh and buried his head against his shoulder.

"I can't believe it," Yuugi said. His hands trembled. "This is getting out of hand."

"We already tried so much, aibou." Atemu sounded defeated, but Yuugi knew he hadn't given up on Kazuo and that he was frantically searching for a solution. But how? They couldn't handle him physically and he refused any help. Atemu sunk his hand in his hair, petting him lovingly, and it calmed him down, as usual. "We have asked professionals for advice, but if Kazuo does not want to cooperate, there is not much we can do."

"I told him that if he ever brings drugs into the house, I would show him the door."

"As radical as it sounds, it might be the best for him. We enable his… current lifestyle by providing food and shelter for him."

"But we can't stop caring for him, mou hitori no boku. He's our son!"

"He certainly is," Atemu said, "but I will not tolerate his behavior any longer the moment he endangers our family. I will personally throw him out, no matter how much my heart bleeds."

"He has nowhere to go," Yuugi whispered. "He'll end up with his mother and her friends and we'll know how it goes from there."

"That is his choice," Atemu said. "We gave him more than enough chances and opportunities. There is a limit to everything, aibou."

"You're right." Yuugi scooted just a little closer, taking comfort and solace in Atemu's presence. "Maybe if he's forced into rehab by court order, he'll finally listen."

"Time will tell."

"How's Tzuziko-chan?"

"Sad, frustrated. She wants Kazuo to live a healthy, happy life just like we all want him to; she is afraid, just like us, that he will end up shooting heroin." Atemu shivered. "I will tell Akina-chan about it as soon as she gets home."

"It was such a lovely day," Yuugi said, downtrodden.

"Do not let it ruin your mood, aibou."

"Mou hitori no boku…"

"Hm-m?"

"Nothing. Just kiss me."

Atemu leaned into him and they firmly pressed their lips together. Yuugi responded hungrily, passionately – he hadn't exaggerated when he had told Kazuo that he hoped and wished for him to find a love similar like this… to be with the other half of your soul in every sense of the word, in every fiber of your very being… Yuugi couldn't imagine himself one day without his Pharaoh, without him he felt like nothing. He needed the other, he wanted him, he was devoted to him and he felt every feeling being requited with enormous passion.

"I love you," he breathed between kisses.

"I love you too," Atemu replied and held him tight.

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