Yuugi was hungry after he left his office at KaibaCorp.. It had been hours since his copious lunch, together with Kaiba and a few international business partners. His stomach growled. He'd been working diligently on the design of a new game. Kaiba encouraged the direction he was heading into: children's games with an educational purpose. That didn't mean he had left other genres behind, not at all. Yuugi worked on several projects along with his colleagues of his department, enjoying the variety and diversity of developing games. He contemplated getting a snack from the vending machine but decided against it. It was just another thirty minutes before he was home and Atemu would be sure to have dinner on the table. Yuugi had send him a text message; the former Pharaoh enjoyed modern technology for its usefulness, but often he would lament the 'modern days' and prefer actual pen on paper.
The day had been filled with long, exhausting meetings ending up with Kaiba yelling at some of his employees as they had failed to reach their target. Yuugi's Game Developing Division was safe, but all the deadlines added to the stress and he was tense and irritated. He tried to shake the feeling as he didn't want to add to the tension at home. Ever since the last… incident with Kazuo, the situation had worsened. Every moment, the court order to force Kazuo into rehab could arrive, hanging like a sword of Damocles over their heads. Atemu thought it was the only way to get him into rehab; what little respect Kazuo had, was for people in power, and court was indefinite power. Yuugi wanted his son to go to rehab too, but of his own volition; what good would it do to force him? Kazuo had to commit himself, but so far he hadn't shown one ounce of willingness to work on his problems. Akina felt the tension too, of course; she muted her usually cheerful demeanor when Kazuo was around. Yuugi couldn't exactly blame her, though it worried him that she didn't bring her girlfriends over any more; lately she hung out with one boy in particular, Tetsuo. He didn't know the kid's last name, as Akina hadn't introduced him to her parents yet. At seventeen years old, Akina had matured into quite an attractive young woman, very social and outgoing - but she could be selfish and dreaming too much of impossible things. She hadn't mentioned New York in a while, but her good intentions to help out with the household and focus on her homework had dissipated quietly and quickly. Tzuziko still came home every weekend, not to be deterred by the tensions surrounding her brother. Yuugi adored how she and Atemu could talk about anything, from books, history, medical to anything in the news, but she came to him if she wanted to talk about 'emotional', more psychological things. He decided to not ruin his evening by thinking things over too much; he just wanted to enjoy his time off.
"Mou hitori no boku! Tadaima!" Yuugi hung up his coat, kicked off his shoes and put on the house slippers. Strange, no cooking scents… had Atemu not received his text message? He wasn't really in the mood to prepare his own dinner tonight. Yuugi climbed the stairs to the first floor. Well, he could always call for take out. "Mou hitori no boku?"
"Over here." Atemu's voice came from the living room.
"You won't believe…" Yuugi's voice died down as soon as he entered. The entire living room was decorated with candles and soft, classical music was playing. His eyes went even wider. "What…?"
"We are alone tonight," Atemu said, his voice husky and low.
"We are?"
"Akina is at a friend's for a sleepover," Atemu said. Yuugi felt bad that he had forgotten about that, but he chalked it up to the stress as of late. "Kazuo is with his…ah, 'friends'. It is just the two of us. I ordered something to eat. It will be delivered soon."
"That leaves me just enough time to slip into something more comfortable," Yuugi said, already starting to feel more relaxed.
"Please do," Atemu said. Yuugi's cheeks colored a deep shade of red and he hurried upstairs, to his bedroom in the attic. As he took off his business suit, he heard the doorbell; that had to be the delivery. Yuugi threw on a shirt and a pair of baggy pants and went downstairs again. The kitchen was dark and empty; apparently dinner was served in the living room. Yuugi wasn't disappointed when he saw the two luxurious sushi dishes, displayed on the table.
"It looks delicious!" He said, almost salivating.
"Let us eat," Atemu said and picked up his chopsticks. Yuugi didn't know what to eat first, every piece looked like art, so colorful, elaborate and tasty. They didn't eat sushi that often and it was a real treat; Yuugi savored every bite, enjoying the different flavors and types of sushi.
"I'm full," Yuugi said after he finished his plate. "It was wonderful!"
"I will take care of the dishes." Atemu picked up the dirty dishes to bring them to the kitchen. When he returned, Yuugi teased him gently. "You are always so organized."
"I have to be, with three…no, four kids," Atemu said. "The biggest kid currently sitting opposite of me, mister-Head-of-Games-Development, playing videogames all day long."
"Hey, that's not fair," Yuugi protested half-heartedly. "I design games, I don't play all day long!"
"And who gets to test these games?" Atemu asked, deadpan.
"Not the entire day…" Yuugi surrendered.
"I know you love your job, and it is the best job for you," Atemu said. "It is completely who you are."
Yuugi tilted his head a little. "But what about you, mou hitori no boku? It's perhaps a little too late to ask… but… staying at home probably wasn't your idea of the best job, right?"
"I was able to take care of the children," Atemu said, "which was an experience and a joy that I will never forget. I have my store, and my knowledge on Ancient Egypt that often gets tested by people and peers in the world of archaeology and artifacts. I doubt I could have found any other job as satisfying and as complete as I have now, aibou."
"What if Kaiba offered you a job?"
"I think I would have declined. I do not work well for a boss."
"It would be unheard of… a Pharaoh working like a salaryman..!" Yuugi smiled as the other came around to kiss him on the neck. After all their years together, even the smallest kiss Atemu gave him still evoked the most passionate feelings inside him. Yuugi moved up his arm and Atemu immediately responded, taking him into an embrace.
"Mou hitori no boku, I think you have something very specific in mind, don't you..?"
"Only if you want me to and only if you are feeling up to it, aibou."
Yuugi's smile grew wider. How lucky he was to have such a wonderful, considerate lover! He brushed his lips past the other's again, a shiver of anticipation and excitement running through him. "I want you to," he breathed, "I want you so much!"
The last words were smothered in another passionate kiss. Yuugi moaned, enjoying the attention he was receiving. They moved over to the sofa and Atemu undressed him slowly and seductively, sending shivers down his spine. Atemu's fingers darted over his skin, his touches and caresses making him gasp with lust and desire. Yuugi pressed kisses all over Atemu's neck and shoulders, his hand in his hair, gently sifting through the strands. The couch was covered with cushions and afghans, and Yuugi reveled in the warmth of the plush fabric against his bare skin as he lied down. With Atemu on top of him, he felt like a sandwich, a very happy and loved sandwich. He held the former Pharaoh as close as possible, enjoying their long foreplay of kisses and touches. Every day he loved Atemu more and more; his fingers traced the gray hair at his temples, behind his ears and the back of his neck.
"What are you thinking of, aibou?" Atemu asked him, kissing him on the collarbone.
"How handsome you are, my Pharaoh," Yuugi said. He could feel how Atemu smiled against his skin.
"You do not call me that very often."
"I know. But sometimes 'mou hitori no boku' isn't enough. Then it's Pharaoh, because you truly are my king."
"That is kind of you, aibou."
Yuugi tightened his grip on him. "Why do you love me?" he asked.
"What kind of question is that?" Atemu asked worriedly, his eyes darting over Yuugi. "You are the other half of my soul. Aibou, you do not question my love for you, do you?"
"Of course not," Yuugi reassured him. "I was just thinking… I've always been this shy, bullied high school kid that brought games with him to school. I only had Anzu as a friend, and I didn't get to meet the others until I solved the Puzzle…"
"Are you wondering how your life would have been if you had not solved it?" Atemu had stopped the physical attention and Yuugi realized he was upsetting him. Why was he bringing up such idiotic thoughts at this moment, right now?
"I'm not wondering," he said and put his hand on Atemu's cheek. "I know how my life would've been without the Puzzle. Empty. Loveless. Lifeless. Soulless. Without you, my life would've been nothing. Even if I had all of my friends, I wouldn't have you… and without you… I just don't want to live without you." He craned his neck a little to kiss Atemu on the lips. The other was a bit tentative at first, but soon enough melted into the kiss, much to Yuugi's relief. "I'm sorry if I upset you, mou hitori no boku. I understand if you don't want to go on. I don't know why I brought it up."
"It is all right, aibou." His hands were on Yuugi's body again, those long slender fingers touching and stroking. Yuugi arched his back a little, feeling completely at ease. He moved his arms, trying to touch Atemu wherever he could. His breathing turned slightly erratic and there was nowhere else he wanted to be, with no one else in the far known world but his Pharaoh.
Two days later, Yuugi came home in a much better mood. Finally, it was Friday! Tonight, Tzuziko would come home for the weekend and he would make okonomiyaki, Akina's favorite, for dinner and he had two days off. What could be lovelier than spending your weekend with your partner and children?
"Tadaima!" He hollered, his voice barely reaching above the blaring death metal stemming from Kazuo's room. "Kazuo-kun, people in the house!" This time, his son didn't turn the volume down. The door next to Kazuo's room, Atemu's study, was open and Yuugi could see the man he loved so much, sitting at his desk.
"Mou hitori no boku?"
"Aibou," he said and waved at him to come closer. "I have something for you to read."
Yuugi tried to hide his soured mood as much as possible. Atemu's voice was grave, and he didn't like it one bit. When he was handed the paperwork, he realized why.
"The official court papers for Kazuo-kun," he said.
"Yes, he is to report at the Koyanagi Clinic next week," Atemu said. "I already told him."
"So that's why he's playing the loud, angry music." Yuugi sighed.
"I am sorry to ruin your weekend, aibou. I know how much you look forward to your time off."
"It's okay, mou hitori no boku. One of these days it had to happen. It gives us little time to prepare, though."
Atemu moved his hand and Yuugi grabbed it. "It weighs much harder on us than it does on him," he said. "He is so aggressive and negative."
"I'm not sure if a forced retreat into a rehab clinic is going to improve that attitude," Yuugi said.
"We show him love, affection and care," Atemu said. "We want the best for him, and this is the best for him."
"I know." Yuugi leaned into him, so that their foreheads touched. "I'm sorry, mou hitori no boku. It's been so hard for you."
"I will be fine," Atemu said. "We will be fine. Now, Tzuziko will be home any time soon, and I prefer it if we were not to ruin her weekend as well."
"We won't allow it to ruin our weekend," Yuugi said, determined. "We can work through this together. I'm going to start on the okonomiyaki."
"Delicious," Atemu said and sneaked in one more kiss before Yuugi left for the kitchen.
Kazuo didn't deign to join the dinner table despite Yuugi calling for him, so they shared the okonomiyaki with the four of them: Yuugi, Atemu, Akina and Tzuziko. Yuugi checked the family calendar and noticed that Akina didn't have anything scheduled for Saturday. He was used to his youngest daughter having all kinds of commitments on that day; he and Atemu had accompanied her to many performances, rehearsals, sports or friends she would meet up with.
"Akina-chan, you don't have any plans for tomorrow?" he asked.
"Sure, Hikari Papa! I want to go with Tetsuo-kun to the arts and craft fair!"
"Tetsuo-kun?" Atemu repeated. Yuugi heard it for the first time too; since when had the boy gone from -'san' to -'kun'?
Akina beamed at her parents. "I want to bring him over for dinner, if that's all right with you?"
"Sure," Yuugi said. He was quite curious and he knew Atemu wanted to meet Tetsuo too, if only to see who he was and how he behaved around their daughter. Akina had male and female friends since birth; Yuugi was extremely happy that she had so many friends. Deep down, he had always been afraid that (one of) his children would go through school like him: lonely, alone, bullied. Akina was nothing like that, she made friends left and right and was quite popular. Her big, warm heart was one of her greatest assets, but sometimes her selfishness acted up, especially when people fawned over her. Despite her firm denial, she wasn't as independent as Tzuziko; Akina liked to be praised, coddled and taken care of, instead of standing up and doing things on her own. "Is there something he likes, for dinner I mean?"
"Oh, just about anything, except for spinach," she giggled.
"All right, I'll be sure not to prepare anything with spinach," Yuugi promised. Akina was seventeen and acted quite girlishly for her age. She could be a flirt, but Tetsuo seemed to be her first, serious 'boyfriend'. Yuugi shuddered at the thought of Akina, apple of Atemu's eye, being sexually active. He was sure that Atemu was going to kill anyone who would treat Akina's… femininity light-heartedly. The topic of sex wasn't a taboo in the Mutou household. Yuugi had asked Anzu to talk to his daughters as woman to woman, about the monthly…discomfort and how the female body operated, with hormones and all. The girls weren't ashamed of asking their fathers to bring home pads or tampons with the weekly grocery shopping, and they knew they could always ask them anything… but it wasn't like they told them about their active sex lives. Not that Yuugi wanted to know each and every detail, but on the other hand…
"Thank you, Hikari Papa," Akina said. Dinner was over and there was enough okonomiyaki left for a tasty lunch the next day, or if Kazuo wanted to have a late snack. Long after the family had finished dinner, Yuugi could hear his son prowling around in the kitchen for food. It saddened him. The gap was widening so much that he wondered if there would ever be a bridge large enough to cross it.
Yuugi enjoyed a moment to himself. A very rare moment, as his time was usually filled with work, kids, a Pharaoh, household and many other obligations and chores. Akina and Tetsuo were at the arts and craft festival, Tzuziko was running errands and Atemu was at his store, receiving guests. For once, Yuugi didn't hear music coming from Kazuo's room and curiously, he went downstairs. It was as silent as a grave. Had he left to meet up with his friends again? He hesitated in front of the bedroom door. Well, he could always claim he was collecting dirty laundry… he knocked to be sure and opened the door. No wonder Kazuo hadn't heard him; he was playing Bloodborne with his headphones on. He did notice Yuugi coming in and immediately pressed the button to pause the game.
"What are you doing here?" he snarled.
"Kazuo-kun, I wanted to ask if you had packed your stuff already." Yuugi went further inside and left the door open to get some of the stench out. It reeked like an overly sweaty gym room where a couple of bodies had been decomposing.
"Yeah, I'm almost done. I just need to decide which family picture I want to take with me." According to the clinic's rules, the patient was only allowed to bring clean clothes and some toiletries. Smart phones and any other electronic devices were forbidden, as well as money, jewelry and pretty much anything that could count as a personal belonging.
"Kazuo-kun…" Yuugi didn't know what to say. "Why aren't you playing your music?"
He shrugged haphazardly. "He asked me to keep the volume down because some ancient farts are in his stupid store."
Yuugi smiled at him nonetheless. It was really something that Kazuo was willing to turn the music down at Atemu's request. He didn't bother to explain to his son that the 'ancient farts' were clients who traveled all over the world to buy ancient artifacts. "Thank you for honoring your father's request," he said. "I appreciate it very much."
Kazuo hunched a little. He didn't like it when his father was mentioned, as always his anger and frustration directed at Atemu. He made a non-committal sound.
"It's only four weeks," Yuugi said. "It may sound like a long time, but I know you can do it."
"You're glad to be rid of me," Kazuo said brusquely.
"We worry about you," Yuugi corrected him. "You hang out with a crowd of people who live on the edge of society. They're drug users, Kazuo-kun, and you're copying their destructive behavior. You're damaging not only yourself, but also the people around you, your family, who loves you and cares for you."
"Who loves me?" He snorted loudly. "Akina, you mean? With her head in the clouds and her dreams of becoming a Hollywood superstar? Tzuziko? With her fancy medical degree and always so studious and diligent? Atemu? You know how I think about him. You?"
"I love you," Yuugi said. "You're my son. No, let me finish. When I saw you, it was love at first sight. The love of a father for his son. I never thought any otherwise of you but my son. I've never lied to you, Kazuo-kun. I've always been upfront with you about your adoption. I never kept you from seeing your biological mother. I'm your father, Atemu is your father, Tzuziko and Akina are your sisters. This is your family."
He remained silent, as if confused. "What about my mother?" He finally asked.
"Your mother made certain choices," Yuugi said. "And perhaps, she didn't have a choice. You were given up for adoption but to us, that doesn't mean all ties have been severed. That's why we decided to encourage contact with your biological parents, instead of forbidding it. The same goes for Tzuziko and Akina."
"Why don't they care for their real parents?" Kazuo asked. Yuugi cringed at the word 'real'. Weren't they real parents enough? "Tzuziko said that it doesn't add anything to her life. Akina just shrugs and starts babbling about her next school play."
"I think Tzuziko-chan's answer says more than enough," Yuugi said. "To her, knowing her biological parents doesn't change a thing to how she stands in life right now. She has accepted us as our parents, irrefutably, unconditionally, and that means more to her than a search for her biological parents. As for Akina-chan… I think she does care, but not now. Maybe later, when she's a little older. She's far too occupied with boys, plays and school at the moment. Which reminds me… today she brings over Tetsuo-kun. I'm not sure if he's her official boyfriend, but would you like to join us for dinner?"
Kazuo shook his head. "No, I don't feel like playing cute and innocent."
"I appreciate your honesty," Yuugi said. "Now, if you have any dirty laundry, put them in the hamper, okay?"
Kazuo rolled his eyes and continued the game, not paying attention to him anymore. Yuugi was pleased, though; maybe the gravity of the situation was finally getting through to Kazuo and improving his attitude after all. He went upstairs and decided to spoil himself with a nice cup of tea and something sweet.
The table was set. Yuugi was about to send Akina a text message to ask what was keeping her so long, when he heard the front door open and slammed close. Akina's cheerful voice filled the hallway.
"Hikari Papa! I'm home!" she hollered.
"Right here! Kitchen!" he hollered back. The stumbling of feet on the stairs announced her arrival and Akina appeared in the doorway. "There you are!" Yuugi had expected her earlier, but apparently she had lost track of time at the arts and crafts fair in the company of her boyfriend.
"Sorry we're so late," she said, but she didn't sound apologetic. "We had so much fun! I bought a lot of fabric!"
"Fabric? Why?" Yuugi arched an eyebrow. Akina had never shown any interest in working with needle and threads. Behind her, a boy her age appeared, his hands stuck deep in his pockets, wearing oversized clothes and with a bored look on his face.
"Where's Yami Papa? I want to introduce Tetsuo-kun to you both!"
"Your father is with clients," Yuugi said. He hadn't seen Atemu all day, but he knew how the former Pharaoh took his time for his clients. You didn't sell a genuine ancient artifact in just five minutes. "Why don't you introduce us already?"
"Sure! Tetsuo-kun, this is my dad, Mutou Yuugi."
"Mutou-san," Tetsuo said and bowed to him, albeit very sloppily. Yuugi returned the greeting, bowing deeper to him. "Welcome to our home, Tetsuo-kun. May I ask your family name?"
"Fukata," he answered and he moved to stand next to Akina.
Fukata? The name rang a bell, but Yuugi couldn't connect it right away to a person.
"Is Kazuo going to be here?" It was painful to hear the tension in Akina's voice. He mustered up a weak smile.
"Your brother is with friends," Yuugi said and it was even more painful to see the relief washing over her face. Tetsuo still looked bored. "All right, we're pretty much set. We just have to wait…" He heard footsteps. "Ah, your father is done." He had just finished his sentence or Atemu entered the kitchen.
"Yami Papa! There you are!"
"It took me longer than I expected," Atemu admitted, "but the sales are final and completed."
"That's great news!" Yuugi turned off the stove. In front of the children and guests, they didn't use the 'mou hitori no boku' and 'aibou' references, and didn't display their affection like kisses or holding hands. Atemu was very reserved in front of others, unless in the company of their good friends, of course. "Well, sit down… dinner's ready!"
"I'll call for Tzuziko!" Akina sprinted out of the kitchen, leaving Yuugi and Atemu with Tetsuo. He grabbed a chair and sat down. Yuugi busied himself with the pots and pans, studying the boy from under his bangs. He sat slouched in his chair, arms crossed in front of his chest defensively, as if he could build up an impenetrable wall around himself. He didn't initiate a conversation and the bored look shifted into an uninterested look, despite him studying Yuugi and Atemu on his own, especially the former Pharaoh who didn't look like an average citizen considering he was wearing his heavy golden earrings and a considerable amount of rings on his fingers.
"Tetsuo-kun, how long have you been in Akina-chan's classes?" Yuugi decided to start a neutral topic.
"Two years," the boy answered with hardly any intonation in his voice. He didn't elaborate and switched the position of his hands, stuffing them in his pants pockets again. He glared at the door and his eyes lit up when Akina returned.
"She's on her way," she said. She hesitated, obviously torn between taking a seat next to Tetsuo or waiting until the eldest of the household, her Yami Papa, had taken his place at the head of the table. Atemu sat down and Akina joined Tetsuo, blushing slightly. Yuugi knew that Atemu insisted on proper etiquette and manners, and he hoped he didn't judge Tetsuo too harshly on his faux-pas. He put the large kakuni pan on the table just as Tzuziko swept into the kitchen. She was introduced to Tetsuo, who showed her a small smile. Yuugi chalked it up to the boy being nervous and decided to not pay too much attention to it. After serving everyone a generous portion of the dish, he continued the conversation about school. Akina took over, chattering about the arts and crafts fair and the fabric she had bought; she needed it for her costume for the annual end-of-the-year school play.
"The roles haven't been decided on yet, but I'm sure they're going to give me the main part," Akina said confidently.
"They would be stupid if they didn't give it to you," Tetsuo agreed. His eyes rested on Akina, but it wasn't a doting look, contrary to Akina's smitten gaze. Yuugi frowned. She had played the main part, the female leading character, quite a couple of times. Her talent for acting was unmistakable, but she wasn't the only one vying for the part. Other talented girls loved to get a chance to demonstrate their skills too. He didn't like how Tetsuo was looking at Akina. That possessiveness reminded him of his earliest days after solving the puzzle, when Atemu didn't know who he was and only emerged to dispense justice on those who harmed Yuugi, his first instinct to obsessively protect his 'vessel'. However, the possessiveness that Tetsuo was showing had some kind of greedy undertone to it; Yuugi couldn't really describe it, but he didn't sense any warm feelings of love and care coming from the boy.
"Whatever play your school's going to perform, we'll be there to watch it," Yuugi said, carefully avoiding any comment on who should get the main part. Akina smiled brightly.
"But of course! I want my family to be there!"
"Make sure it's in the weekend," Tzuziko said in an attempt to make a quip. "I'm not available during the week."
"My sister studies to become a physician," Akina said proudly. Yuugi noticed the smile on Tzuziko's face.
"What are your academic interests, Tetsuo?" Atemu asked. It was his first question, but Akina had prepared her boyfriend well, telling him that her father valued education and knowledge very highly. He smoothly answered: "I want to study engineering or architecture, Mutou-sama. I've always been interested in the design and properties of buildings."
Atemu was pleased with this answer. Yuugi took another bite of the kakuni and didn't know if Tetsuo's answer was honest or just meant to be flattering. The atmosphere was nice and friendly however and when dinner was over, Akina asked if it was okay if she and Tetsuo could go to her room.
"Just to hang out," she added, not too quickly.
"Did you finish your biology homework?" Atemu asked. "You had to write a paper, right?"
"Yes, Yami Papa," Akina answered. "I finished it yesterday."
"Good, show it to me later. I will help your father with the dishes."
Akina smiled half-heartedly and left with Tetsuo. Tzuziko took the dirty plates out of Atemu's hands. "You had a long day with your clients, otou-sama. You should rest."
"I am fine," he protested. Yuugi took the plates from Tzuziko to put them in the water.
"Listen to your daughter," he winked at him. "We'll be joining you shortly. Is that quiz show still on? You like to outsmart the participants and we can guess the answers together."
"You are conspiring against me," Atemu muttered. "But three is a crowd, so I will go."
"We'll bring you coffee soon," Tzuziko promised. The former Pharaoh was still muttering as he left the kitchen and Yuugi shook his head. Sometimes even Pharaohs could be like a whiny toddler when things weren't going their way.
Later that evening, Akina and Tetsuo joined the family to watch TV. The quiz show had ended and an action movie came on, with quite some explosives and wild car chases. Yuugi had made sure to bring plenty of sweet and savory snacks from his grocery shopping and it was past ten o'clock when the end credits rolled on the screen. Akina turned around in her chair, munching on the last of the strawberry daifuku.
"Hikari Papa, Yami Papa, I want to go with Tetsuo-kun to the Grab Bar," she said bluntly.
"Grab Bar? What kind of name is that?" Yuugi frowned.
"It's just a name," she said. "It's for us school kids, from sixteen to eighteen years old, who are too young to go to a bar and too old for the kiddie disco. We have supervision and alcohol isn't allowed," she added. "It ends at midnight. Can we go, please? Please?"
Yuugi looked at Atemu. "If there's supervision…" he said.
"Who is supervising?" Atemu asked.
"This evening, the Osadas," Tetsuo answered. "I can give you their contact information, if you like."
"Yes, I like that," Atemu said. Akina batted her eyes at him, to no avail. "Young lady, your father has immunized and desensitized me to that look. He was the best at giving me the sad puppy dog eyes and I am sorry to say, but you do not even come close. I will decide if you go after I have spoken to the supervisors."
"Yami Papa, you're so rigid," she grumbled. "It's okay to loosen up once in a while."
Atemu didn't deign her with an answer as he called the phone number that Tetsuo had given him. He walked out of the living room to keep the conversation private and returned not a minute after.
"I have spoken to the supervisors," he said, "and you have my permission to go."
"Thank you, Yami Papa!" Akina gave him a peck on the cheek before grabbing Tetsuo's hand. She dragged him out of the living room, chirping enthusiastically about dancing. He didn't offer any parting words.
"You're not really enthusiastic about Tetsuo-kun, are you?" Yuugi deposited his socks on the floor and started to take off his shirt as he yawned. He didn't expect an answer at the moment as Atemu was brushing his teeth. Yuugi sauntered over to the bed to pick up the top of his pajamas. Atemu finished up in the bathroom and turned off the lights.
"He failed to make a good impression on me, that is for sure."
"We have to take into account that he's Akina-chan's choice for a possible partner, not ours."
Atemu shuddered. "Impolite, uninterested, antisocial and leering. His focus was on Akina only, but not in the right way."
"Of course you would notice it too." Yuugi looked up at the other, even though their height difference was minimal. "He doesn't sound like an ambitious, caring, good-intentions-at-heart kind of guy. But he's only seventeen, mou hitori no boku, just like Akina-chan. Remember when we were seventeen?"
"We saved the world from darkness and destruction, twice," Atemu reminded him. Then his voice turned soft, almost sad. "At seventeen, you and I faced each other in the Ceremonial Shrine."
"Yes, the Ceremonial Duel." Yuugi lowered his head. The memories of that particular duel always made shivers run down his spine, from the sheer intensity and the incredibly high stakes. He had defeated the former Pharaoh and for a moment Yuugi feared he had lost his life, the other half of his soul… but Atemu chose to stay, begging the Gods to let him stay, and they granted his wish. All in all, it was a very emotional moment to think back to. "Maybe Akina-chan's right, maybe we should loosen up. When we were twenty, we already had children, responsible jobs and a lot of obligations. I'm sure Akina-chan thinks we've never truly 'lived', if you know what I mean."
"I do not see why getting drunk, listening to loud music or wasting your time at clubs or bars is 'life'," Atemu protested.
"We didn't need to go places to meet the partner of our dreams," Yuugi said, smiling. "We were destined for each other the moment I solved the puzzle. We sort of skipped young adulthood, mou hitori no boku. For Akina and her peers, it's very normal to meet up with each other while clubbing, dancing the night away…"
"M-m." Atemu peeled back the blankets and slipped under them.
"Who did you talk to on the phone?"
"Osada Koichi," Atemu answered. "I know him; his daughter is in Akina's class. He told me that it was a local initiative, to provide entertainment for kids between 16 and 18… too young to go clubbing, but too old for children's activities. While supervised, they can still dance and interact, without anyone getting drunk or in trouble. After the club closes for the night, the teens are escorted home."
"Just like Akina-chan said." Yuugi slipped under the covers as well, immediately searching out Atemu for warmth and comfort.
"She will be home just after midnight," Atemu mumbled as he wrapped his arms around Yuugi.
"This is only the start. Soon, she'll want to go clubbing every night, until the wee hours of the morning."
"I could agree to that, perhaps… if her school results would not suffer any more."
"That biology test?"
"I will ask about it tomorrow," Atemu said. "For now, I have something even more important on my mind."
"Really? What's that?" Yuugi asked, tilting his head.
"You, silly," the former Pharaoh answered and proceeded to kiss him passionately, much to Yuugi's delight.
To make sure that Kazuo would follow up on the court's orders, two officers came along to accompany him to the Koyanagi Clinic. Yuugi wanted to be there when his son was leaving for rehab and had taken the day off of work, feeling sick to his stomach. He kept telling himself it was the best for Kazuo, before everything went out of hand, to the point of no return. He was glad that Atemu stood next to him, his face tight and expressionless. Yuugi knew about Atemu's inner turmoil and he wanted nothing but to kiss and hug him and tell him everything would be all right. The police car halting in front of the building made him swallow. Two police officers got out; the same two officers who had arrested Kazuo previously; Datamoto Yuichi and Huchiwa Tako.
"Datamoto-san, Huchiwa-san," Yuugi greeted them, his voice a pitch higher.
"Mutou-san, Mutou-sama," they offered greetings in return. Kazuo slung his bag over his shoulder, but didn't step forward. He looked extremely angry. Yuugi didn't know what to say. He turned towards Kazuo. "You're entitled to receive one phone call a week," he said, holding back his tears. Kazuo stared at him indifferently. "I'll call you every Tuesday, so please answer the phone, okay?"
Kazuo didn't answer and rejected Yuugi's attempt to hug him. Atemu wanted to say something as well, but decided against it after one look at Kazuo's angry face.
"Let's go," Datamoto said, without sounding harsh. "That's your luggage, right? We'll put it in the trunk."
Yuugi watched as his son stepped into the police car. He was going to rehab, not to the police station. He wasn't under arrest. Yuugi couldn't care less about what the neighborhood would think, it was his son's interest he cared about, not the neighbor's. Still, his heart tightened painfully as the car sped off. Akina was at school and Tzuziko back on campus, so they weren't around to say goodbye to Kazuo. Yuugi wasn't sure if the girls had spoken to their brother; there was tension between the siblings, but he hoped they had at least exchanged some words of comfort. The police car was out of view, yet Yuugi was still staring into the direction it disappeared to. Atemu put his hand on his shoulder.
"Let us go inside, aibou."
"Yeah." He still had the rest of the day off and for a brief moment he contemplated going back to the office. The rest of the afternoon seemed endless and he wasn't really in the mood for anything. He wanted to follow Atemu upstairs, when he saw the door to Kazuo's bedroom. A physical activity would keep his thoughts from going all over the place. Yuugi went straight to the cupboard where they kept their cleaning supplies. He grabbed the multi-purpose cleaner, a couple of garbage bags and some dusting cloths. Atemu picked up on his intention and he pulled out the vacuum cleaner along with a couple of air fresheners. After taking a deep breath, Yuugi entered Kazuo's bedroom and tried not to gag. Atemu walked past him and quickly opened the curtains to unlock the window.
"Fresh air," he said.
"Thank you," Yuugi said gratefully. He put a hamper in the middle of the room, opened the lid and started to fill it up with dirty bed sheets and all the clothes he could find on the floor: crumpled socks, jeans, shirts, underwear - all high end fashion brand names, garments that Kazuo shouldn't be able to afford on his allowance alone. Yuugi realized they were closing their eyes for another serious problem with their son. Where did he get all this money? Atemu carried a garbage bag, filling it to the brim with empty fast food packages, candy wrappers and paper and plastic coffee mugs. He picked up a rotten banana peel.
"At least he eats fruit," he muttered.
Yuugi looked under the bed for more dirty clothes. "Mou hitori no boku, I'm going to take this upstairs and put it in the washer," he said, pointing at the hamper.
"All right, aibou."
When Yuugi came back, Atemu had made great progress. Yuugi was relieved that he could breathe again in the room. The desk and chair were unearthed from a mountain of manga, western comics, more candy wrappers, discarded clothes and a lot of other stuff. The former Pharaoh had cleaned the table with the TV and the gaming consoles, and he had arranged all the games neatly and alphabetically into a stack next to it. Now the floor was free of clutter and Yuugi plugged in the vacuum. Atemu continued with dusting and cleaning the surfaces, grimacing at the dirt and dust. He put the air fresheners here and there in the hope that they would take care of the nasty, raunchy stench; how could anyone live in a room like this? Yuugi was done with the vacuuming and unplugged the apparatus. When the noise died down, he said: "At least he has kept his promise, mou hitori no boku. He hasn't brought any drugs into the house."
"I know, but I would rather find porn magazines in his room than looking at this filth," he said. The posters of Kazuo's beloved death metal bands send shivers down Yuugi's spine, especially the one with the gaping skull on fire with blood oozing out of its sockets.
"It's a matter of personal taste," he said, good-naturedly. He looked around the room, clean and neat. It would probably take Kazuo less than five minutes to muck it all up again. He heaved a sigh. Atemu was about to pick up the vacuum cleaner, but Yuugi stopped him.
"I'll put it back," he said. "Make us some tea, please?"
"Sure," Atemu said and left the room. Yuugi stored the vacuum cleaner in the cupboard and closed the door. The doorbell rang. Strange, he didn't expect visitors. Perhaps it was a costumer, wanting to visit Atemu's store but not realizing he didn't keep regular business hours? From the outside, the former Game Shop looked like a regular antique store, but due to the exclusivity of the artifacts he imported, Atemu only opened his store on request.
"I'll get it!" he hollered. Yuugi went to the front door and slid it open. He looked up at a young man towering over him, clad in a military uniform.
"Good afternoon, Mutou-san," the young man said. Yuugi had no idea why someone from the military would visit him; his voice didn't sound that familiar, yet something in his face rang a bell…
"Daisuke-kun?" he asked, incredulously.
"You remember me," the other said, sounding relieved.
"I had to think really hard," Yuugi said apologetically. "I haven't seen you since you and Kazuo-kun parted ways."
"Yes." Daisuke nodded sternly. "I would like your permission to talk to you and Mutou-sama."
He sounded very serious and Yuugi took a step to the side. "But of course, come in." Fujimoto Daisuke was the last person on Earth he had ever expected to see again. He stepped over the threshold and Yuugi closed the door behind him. Daisuke waited patiently for Yuugi to show the way; Yuugi remembered that Daisuke had been plenty of times in front of the house to pick Kazuo up, but he had actually never been in the house. Yuugi went upstairs and directed him to the living room. "Please wait here," he said. Daisuke bowed to him, his movements sharp and crisp. Yuugi went to the kitchen to find Atemu, busy with the tea.
"We have a visitor," he said.
"I heard you coming up the stairs," Atemu said. "Who is it?"
"You never guess," Yuugi answered. "Daisuke-kun."
Atemu frowned. "What is he doing here?" He never had been fond of the boy, as he used to be the direct instigator of many of Kazuo's troubles.
"I'm not sure. Don't judge him before you've talked to him, mou hitori no boku."
Atemu pursed his lips. "Very well. I have just finished making tea."
"Great, we'll take it with us."
Yuugi carried the tray and as soon as they entered the living room, Daisuke bowed to Atemu.
"Mutou-sama," he said. "Thank you for receiving me."
"You owe this to my partner," Atemu said curtly. "What is the nature of your business?"
"Daisuke-kun, please sit down," Yuugi said, trying to take the sting out of Atemu's words. He served the tea, filling up the cups and handing them out.
"I understand your reservation," Daisuke said, accepting the tea. "I'm here specifically for you, not for Kazuo."
"Kazuo-kun's not around," Yuugi said, not elaborating.
Daisuke nodded. "I wanted to talk to you about him and me, back when we were younger."
"Are you looking for redemption?" Atemu asked sharply. "You encouraged our son to shoplifting."
Daisuke swallowed slightly nervously, but he didn't avert his eyes and faced them both, meeting their gaze.
"Yes," he said. "I want to apologize for what I did. I'm not going to make up any excuses. I was bad and rebellious, and I didn't want to listen. I hated my parents, I hated school and I couldn't find any connection with my peers."
Yuugi let him talk and Atemu didn't interrupt him either. "When I met Kazuo, we became friends instantly. He followed me around, and I was very flattered with all his attention. In hindsight, I should've pushed him away."
"We knew he had trouble fitting in at school," Yuugi said, downtrodden. No wonder that Kazuo had searched out friendship with someone who felt just as miserably out of place like he did. From his youngest years, Kazuo had trouble dealing with having two fathers, instead of a traditional family. Combined with his volatile temper, he bullied and dominated his classmates, taking out his anger and frustration on them. Kazuo had never invited friends over, and it had always been difficult to get a play date for him, as he was so rambunctious and violent.
"It's my fault." Daisuke shook his head. "I never questioned why he wanted to be my friend. Like I said, I was flattered, but I wasn't really friendly to him. I was too old for the kids in my class and I regarded them as little snots, but I was too young for the big kids in the upper classes, where I desperately tried to belong to. So I used… yes, I used Kazuo to make me feel better. I…spurred him on to doing things I didn't dare to do myself. It was to test him, to see how far he would go."
Daisuke didn't touch his tea. "I figured soon enough that he didn't have any limits," he continued. "He wanted my appreciation and approval, just like I longed for the older kids to notice and see me. I dared him to do things to make myself feel special. He would do anything I told him to do, without questions, immediately… the shoplifting, for instance. We had done that for over a year, when we got caught."
"I thought so," Yuugi said. He stole a quick glance at Atemu, who looked angry and upset. "When I was called to pick up Kazuo-kun from the police station, the arresting officer made a comment that he didn't believe this was Kazuo-kun's first time."
A somber nod. "We stole candy, DVDs, cell phones, videogames…"
"What did you do with it?"
"We ate the candy or gave it away at school," Daisuke said. "It was nothing short of buying people's 'friendship', but I was too stupid to notice. It gave me the attention I craved. The rest we used for ourselves, or we sold it for cheap."
"Is that where Kazuo-kun got his games from?" Yuugi said. "I noticed an entire stack in his room."
"I don't know if Kazuo continued shoplifting after we… parted ways," Daisuke said. "I set the demise of our friendship in motion myself. You see, he was constantly saying… bad things about you, Mutou-sama. He couldn't stand that you were… well, that you are a man."
"We know," Yuugi said before Atemu could react. He put his hand over his, not to provoke but to give support. Atemu's hand felt cold against his. "Kazuo-kun reacted like this at home as well."
"He kept telling me how lucky I was to have a mother," Daisuke said. "He adored my mother and said that a woman was so much better for a family than two men together. I… it was all so toxic, Mutou-san, Mutou-sama. I got angry with him because he repeated over and over again that I should be so lucky, but he didn't know my mother at all. She never cared for me or my sister."
"I didn't know you had a sister," Yuugi said.
"Matsuko-chan," Daisuke said. "She's four years younger and about to graduate Domino High."
Yuugi nodded, encouraging Daisuke to continue. "The irony is, that I was extremely jealous of Kazuo," he said. "I would've given anything for his family, for your stability and support. For your rules, devotion and dedication. My parents never care about anything and just… left us dangling. They didn't even bat an eye when Matsuko-chan announced she's moving away, to Hokkaido, as soon as she graduates. Their disinterest and irresponsibility were the main reasons for me to join the army. I wanted to shock them, but they merely shrugged. I asked Kazuo to go with me, and he thought it was a wonderful plan. 'I'm sure it's going to rattle him', he said, and we all know who he was talking about."
"If you are looking for my forgiveness, you will not find it here," Atemu said curtly.
"I know, Mutou-sama. It was too much to ask or to hope for. I… I'm just not sure what I'm trying to do. I'd like to be redeemed in your opinion, that you'll think better of me than just a rowdy street kid with a big mouth."
"Daisuke-kun, it wasn't easy for you either," Yuugi said, empathically. "You had a bad situation at home. Still, you pulled Kazuo-kun down with you, and you very consciously dared him to do things that were against the law… or against any form of friendship."
"Yes, I know. Like I said, I'm not sure what I'm trying to do or what I'm looking for. Maybe I just want to tell you that I'm sorry, also on Kazuo's behalf. I'm sorry what I did to him, that I dared him and that I got him into trouble. I took out my own anger and pain on him, jealous of what he got, while he envied me for having a mother."
The tea had gotten cold, no one had touched it. "My stupid plan to join the army worked out for me in the end," Daisuke said, almost wistful. "I have finished my training and my education. I've already made it to gochŏ, corporal, and I'm planning to climb up the ranks. It's the best decision I've ever made. I'm independent now, contributing to society and a better person in general."
"Just one more thing," Yuugi said. "Why did you track down Kazuo-kun's biological mother?"
Daisuke slumped in his chair. "I regret my actions very much, Mutou-san. I was so sick and tired of Kazuo talking about how perfect my mother was, that I, out of spite, tracked down his mother. I wanted to show him that not every woman makes a good mother, or a perfect one. He never wanted to listen to me. He thought his own mother was perfect and I wanted to prove him wrong. It took some asking around, but it wasn't that hard to find her."
"What's her name?" Yuugi asked. The adoption agency had withheld that information as she had a criminal record. They had only disclosed that she had given up her child for adoption because of her drug addiction.
"Kawagichi Sayoko," Daisuke said. "I found her at the Hasimoto district, amidst a bunch of wannabe gangsters and drug traffickers. She's… a mess."
"And you brought our son into contact with her," Atemu said, agitated.
Daisuke had kept a straight face so far, but now he cringed under the former Pharaoh's harsh voice. "Yes," he admitted. "I wanted to confront him with the woman who abandoned him. I wanted to show him that his perfect picture of a mother wasn't true."
"What happened when they met?"
"Kazuo was ecstatic," Daisuke said. "He all but flung himself into her arms. She was staring at him blankly, and asked him for money."
Yuugi didn't comment. He knew that the allowance he gave his son, was immediately spend on this woman, and more. He hadn't told Atemu that lately, he was missing cash from his wallet. There was only one person who could've taken it; Atemu did the family finances and made his own money with his store... he would never take something out of Yuugi's wallet.
"I am asking you to leave," Atemu said abruptly. Daisuke got up from his chair and bowed to the both of them.
"I'm very grateful that you were willing to receive me in your home, Mutou-sama, Mutou-san."
"I'll show you out." Yuugi got up as well. His hand slipped away from Atemu's, but not before he had squeezed it a little. He guided Daisuke to the front door and opened it.
"Daisuke-kun, wait," he said. The young man halted in his tracks. "Thank you for stopping by. You came here to ask for forgiveness, but don't feel bad that you didn't get any - there's nothing to forgive. It took great courage to come here."
"It did make me feel better to talk about it," Daisuke said. "Mutou-sama is exactly as I remember. I also remember from school that most parents were a little afraid of him."
"I don't think that was his intention," Yuugi couldn't help but comment.
"He commands respect as a king, wherever he goes," Daisuke said. "I heard that a lot of people refer to him as Pharaoh-sama, also because he knows so much about Ancient Egypt."
"His roots lie there," Yuugi said. "He asked you to leave because it upset him to hear what you said. You know how much he suffered the brunt of Kazuo-kun's anger."
"Yes, I know better than anyone else." Daisuke bowed to him for the last time. "Thank you, Mutou-san, for listening to me. I'm sorry that Kazuo has a hard time appreciating what he has. I've always been jealous at the obvious love and support he had from his family. For Mutou-sama's sake, I hope Kazuo will come to understand what he's thrown away."
"Goodbye, Daisuke-kun," Yuugi said and slowly closed the door. He turned around and quickly went up the stairs, searching out his other half. Atemu was standing in front of the window, his arms crossed in front of his chest. The bright afternoon sun shone upon his large, golden earrings, complimenting his tan skin so beautifully. Yuugi couldn't help but smile softly at the man he loved so much. With different clothes and a golden crown in his hair, Atemu would be every inch his former self, a great Pharaoh ruling justly and wisely. But Yuugi could see how human he was, upset at Daisuke's words. Silently, Yuugi closed the distance between them and slipped his arms around his waist.
"Is he gone?"
"Yes, mou hitori no boku. I don't think we'll see him ever again. He tried his best."
"For his own redemption," Atemu said. "He did not even think of how we suffered."
"He was young and clueless," Yuugi answered. "Don't fall him too hard. We can't blame him for everything. Kazuo-kun made his choices too."
"I know." The sunlight colored Atemu's eyes a bright red. Yuugi shifted a little so he could press a kiss to his cheek.
"Our tea has gone cold. I'll get fresh, hot tea - how about that?"
"Fine," Atemu said, but his thoughts were obviously somewhere else.
For the rest of the afternoon, Atemu was occupied with things he had to do for his store and he had another lecture on Ancient Egyptian artifacts to prepare, so Yuugi went in search of something else to do. After Daisuke had left, they had spend another hour on the couch - not to talk about what happened, but to hold each other in silent support. Yuugi wanted to talk, but he noticed that Atemu wasn't in the mood and he didn't want to put any strain on him. So when Atemu went back to work, Yuugi pulled out a box from the wardrobe in their bedroom that the former Pharaoh had asked him multiple times to clean out, but he hadn't had time for it until now. Yuugi carried the box over to the kitchen, so he had room to work. He pulled stuff out of the box and put it on the kitchen table to sort through. A door opened and Akina's voice filled the hallway. She passed the kitchen and hopped inside.
"Hikari Papa!"
"Akina-chan," he greeted her. "Have you… ah, Souma-kun, I didn't hear you!"
"Good afternoon, Mutou-san," the boy bowed to him. He was a classmate of Akina and Atemu had hired him as a tutor, to get her grades up. He was very serious and quite intelligent, and social and kind to boot.
"Would you like some tea after all that your hard work?"
Akina looked a bit annoyed and Souma bowed again. "My mother wants me to come home immediately after tutoring," he politely declined. "Thank you very much for the offer, Mutou-san. Please send Mutou-sama my regards."
"I will," Yuugi said. "Akina-chan, will you show Souma-kun out?"
She pursed her lips but did as she was told. Yuugi was convinced that Akina knew how much Atemu viewed Tsutsumi Souma as a very suitable boyfriend: he was polite, studious, serious and had an interest in ancient cultures and civilizations, which always scored big points with the former Pharaoh. In his personal opinion, Yuugi thought that a calm, down-to-earth person like Souma was a much better stabilizing factor in Akina's life than someone who mindlessly fawned at her and encouraged her superficial, sometimes selfish ideas. But who was he to comment on love? His children were allowed to make their own mistakes, to learn from the consequences of the choices they made and the life experience they build up. He couldn't, and wouldn't, hover over their shoulders for the rest of their lives. Besides, his own partner was a millennia old Pharaoh, a former spirit who had emerged from a hunk of gold; no, he couldn't comment on the choice for a boyfriend… love was a mysterious thing, and it didn't always work out the way you expected. Yuugi continued with the box when Akina returned.
"What are you doing, Hikari Papa?"
"Your father asked me to clean out this box," Yuugi said. "It's full with old stuff and I'm just looking through it. I don't think I'm going to keep all of this… my grandfather kept most of this just as a memento… look, here's one of my report cards!"
Akina studied the piece of paper. "Your grades weren't exactly excellent, Hikari Papa!"
"I was too busy with games," Yuugi said, apologetically.
"Is that why Yami Papa always hammers on studying and good grades?"
"It's very important to have a diploma, Akina-chan," Yuugi explained. "I had the luxury to have a grandfather with his own Game Shop. I could've continued the store if I wanted to, without going to college. But you need a diploma to prepare yourself for your future and to find a job that pays enough to cover the bills and rent. Without a diploma, you'll only end up doing low-paid, tedious work."
"I'm going to be an actress," Akina said. "I'm going to make lots of money, live in a big house and hire my own personnel!"
Yuugi grimaced. Akina had been saying that again a lot as of late, and he didn't like it. He loved his daughter, no doubt about that, but he had thought she had let go of those impractical fantasies. It wasn't about her wanting to become an actress; Yuugi had every faith in her abilities and talents. It was about the things she imagined that came with her acting career: fame, fortune, fans - and she wouldn't even consider the possibility that those things wouldn't come to pass. Most of these daydreams kept her from helping out in the household, and she only put in the minimal effort in her studies. If Atemu hadn't hired Souma as a tutor, she would've failed her classes a long time ago. Akina didn't seem to have learned a thing from her talk with Anzu. Sure, she had let go of her initial idea to travel to New York, but the dream of a glorious acting career without a sweat, not believing for a moment that she could fail an audition or that she could be disappointed, was still very strong in her mind. Yuugi didn't want his daughter to fail, but she had to be realistic and take into account that her dream might not come true. Life was full with surprises, both positive and negative, and he wasn't so sure if his daughter could deal with any setbacks. Why was she obsessed with material things or her own personnel anyway? He and Atemu hadn't raised her to be focused on things like money or many possessions.
"Akina-chan, fame and fortune aren't all that there is in life," he said, tentatively.
"I know, Hikari Papa," she said. "It's okay! I'll buy you a great house when I make my first million!"
He hid his horror at the thought of Akina buying a house for her parents. He was never going to accept it, let alone move out of this house, where he was born and raised. Atemu would be aghast as well at the mere thought of leaving this quaint, homely building, the former Game Shop. Why would she even think a new home would be a suitable 'gift'?
"Focus on your diploma first," he tried to slow her down.
"Tetsuo-kun thinks I can be a great actress," she said.
"I'm glad you have his support, Akina-chan."
"I'm glad too," she said enthusiastically. The girl turned more serious. "I want you and Yami Papa to be proud of me."
"We are proud of you," Yuugi said. He tilted his head when he saw the look on her face. "Why are you looking like that?"
"I'm not sure if Yami Papa is proud of me," she said. Yuugi stopped what he was doing; his daughter's feelings were much more important than the contents of an old box.
"What do you mean, Akina-chan?"
"Yami Papa values knowledge so much," she said. "I know how proud he is of Tzuziko-chan and her medical studies. She's going to be a physician, someone really important, not like Kazuo who didn't even graduate and me… I just want to act and perform. It's not like I can add a professional title to my name."
"We're proud of you no matter what," Yuugi reassured her. "Title or no title. Your father is very intelligent and interested in many cultures, and yes, he values knowledge. But that's not all there is, Akina-chan. We would never enforce you to study something you wouldn't like, that would be very counterproductive. We believe in your creative talents and support you in every way of pursuing them."
"Thank you, Hikari Papa!" She looked relieved and happy. "Can I go see Tetsuo-kun now? I'm done studying."
"You spend an awful lot of time with Tetsuo-kun," Yuugi said. "Are you in love with him?"
"I'm not sure if it's 'love', but I like him very, very much." She didn't blush, but she didn't look him in the eyes either. "He believes in me unconditionally, and he supports me to go to New York."
"Ah," was the only thing Yuugi said. "We have never promised you could go to New York, Akina-chan."
She pouted. "Yami Papa said that if my grades were good…"
"He said nothing like that," Yuugi corrected her. "He said that it was up for discussion later, after you have improved on your grades and increased your participation in the household. And I'm sorry Akina-chan, you haven't been doing your chores for a while now."
She pouted harder. "I'm studying very hard!"
"You still need a lot of help from Souma-kun," Yuugi said. The boy had to make a fortune with all the tutoring he did.
"Yes, but can I spend some time with my boyfriend now?"
"After you've finished your homework and your household chores," Yuugi insisted. He could notice her growing frustration; usually he would let her off much easier.
"I'm so going to hire my own cleaning staff later!" she said dramatically, throwing her hands up in the air. He frowned.
"Akina-chan..?"
"Tetsuo-kun thinks I can make it in New York, and I think so too," she said, heatedly. "I want to show you that I can be mature and independent too!"
"You can show it by being responsible and considerate," Yuugi said, getting a little fed up with Akina's babble about New York. Had Anzu not been able to get through to her after all?
"As responsible and considerate as Kazuo?" Akina asked, mercilessly.
"That's below the belt and you know it," Yuugi said back, a warning tone in his voice. Akina was silent for a moment.
"Tetsuo-kun wants to tutor me," she said.
Yuugi was taken aback by the sudden change of subject. "What? Why?"
She fidgeted with the buttons on her blouse. "He doesn't really like me spending so much time with Souma-kun."
"There's nothing romantic about it," Yuugi said. "Tetsuo-kun realizes that you need Souma-kun's help to get your grades up, right?"
"Tetsuo-kun can tutor me! He's really smart!"
"Your father's in charge of the education, Akina-chan," Yuugi said. He realized why she had come to him; the kids knew that with most things, Yuugi was much more lenient than Atemu. "He personally selected Souma-kun on his grades and intellect. If Tetsuo-kun can offer the same or even better, suggest him to your Yami Papa."
From the look on Akina's face, she was already sure that Tetsuo wouldn't meet Atemu's strict requirements, and her attempt to persuade Yuugi had failed.
"Tell me more about Tetsuo-kun," Yuugi continued. "He didn't offer much information on himself. What are his hobbies? What kind of music does he like?"
"Oh, he likes a lot of stuff," Akina said. "He's interested in so many things! Now he has taken up filming and photography, just to help me! I pose for his pictures.."
"You pose for his pictures?"
"Yes, to build up my portfolio," the girl beamed. "Glamour pictures! I do my own make-up, clothes and styling!"
"That sounds pretty neat, Akina-chan."
"Yes, and he's also going to film the rehearsals of the school play, as soon as the senseis announce the cast," Akina said. "Then we can replay it and see how and where I need to improve."
"That's indeed very smart and supportive of him," Yuugi admitted.
Akina smiled. "He wants nothing but the best for me. He just knows I can make it, and he wants to help me wherever he can!"
Yuugi nodded, but Akina hadn't really answered his question about Tetsuo's personality. He still didn't know much about the boy, and it started to annoy him.
"He has many plans," Akina interrupted his train of thoughts. "He wants us to save up for our future together." Well, that was perhaps the smartest and wisest thing Yuugi had heard about him so far. But his opinion was trampled with Akina's next words. "I can work at Burger World, just like Anzu-obaasan did!"
Yuugi shook his head. "Akina-chan, Domino High doesn't allow their students to have part-time jobs. Besides, with all the tutoring you need, a job is the last thing you should be thinking about!"
"They're hiring," Akina cajoled, "and the rules have become much more lenient since you went to school!"
Yuugi made a mental note to investigate. He couldn't imagine that Domino High had loosened the rules that much. It would only take him one phone call to find out. He didn't think Akina was lying and yes, it had been quite a while since he'd been in high school…
"No," he stood his ground, "and you know what your Yami Papa will say about it, too."
Akina wasn't about to let go. "We need a lot of money to go to New York. Tetsuo-kun says it's very expensive, and that was what Anzu-obaasan said too!"
"And what's Tetsuo-kun going to do for a living while you work at Burger World?"
"He has to take care of his father," Akina said. "He's in very poor health. His grandparents
live with his family, so he has to do a lot of stuff for them too. I don't mind working, Hikari Papa! If it gets me to New York…"
"Domino City is good enough for you for a while to come," Yuugi said. "You're not going to get a job, not with your schoolwork not being up to par. New York is out of the question for at least another year; you need to graduate first!"
"But Hikari Papa, if I want to be accepted in New York, I need at least a year to prepare in advance," Akina said. "I want to become an actress, and the best thing for me is to start in New York!"
"Focus on your schoolwork and your obligations at home," Yuugi repeated. "You can spend time with Tetsuo-kun and film as much as you like, as long as your homework and family don't suffer from it, okay?"
"Okay," she grumbled. She looked like she was going to say something more, but decided against it the very last second. Abruptly, she turned around and left the kitchen.
"Mou hitori no boku."
"Hm-mm."
"You're not asleep, mou hitori no boku, and you're terrible at faking it. Are you not interested in what the other half of your soul has to say to you?"
"It has been a very long day, aibou."
"I know, mou hitori no boku. I was kidding. At least, I tried to be. Sorry, I was being lame."
"What is it that you want to talk to me about?" Atemu opened his eyes lazily. Yuugi scooted a little closer.
"I want to do something fun with the family," he said. "It would be nice if Kazuo-kun was around as well, but I think we need to do something, just for fun, just to relax."
"What do you have in mind?"
"We can go to the beach this weekend? Or did you have other plans?"
"No, nothing in particular. The beach, aibou?"
"Yeah, the weather forecast is good, and before the hot summer and tourist season starts, we can enjoy some time off. No studies, no lectures, no work… just a day away from the daily grind. What do you think?"
"It sounds good to me," Atemu said, "but do you not want to wait until Kazuo is home again?"
Yuugi heaved a sigh. "We need a break now," he said. "Yes, I'd love it if Kazuo-kun was here, but I'm not sure how he'll react."
"You talked to him," Atemu said.
"Yes." Yuugi curled up even closer to Atemu, seeking out his warmth and his strength. "He hates rehab, of course. He can't take all that 'nagging and whining', it reminds him too much of you, he said. I'm so sorry, mou hitori no boku."
"It is all right." Atemu shifted around a little. "I can handle it, aibou. I am glad he still wants to talk to you."
Yuugi brought up his hand to cup Atemu's face. "This will pass," he said. "It will pass."
He was relieved to see his partner smile, but an answer wasn't given, and it made him feel sad.
Akina was immediately enthusiastic about the plan to visit to the beach and asked if she could invite Tetsuo and some friends over. Neither Yuugi nor Atemu had any objections. Tzuziko didn't need any conviction; she loved to go, if only to put her mind off her medical residencies in favor of a nice, long day at the beach. Yuugi helped Atemu prepare a giant cooling box with drinks and snacks and gathered towels and swimming gear, as well as sun protection and light, comfy clothes. The ocean water was perhaps too cold yet, but he wasn't going to parade around the beach in his business suit. Yuugi was looking very much forward to this day; everyone needed a break every now and then, right? Just before the weekend arrived though, the cast for Akina's school play was announced and to her total astonishment, she didn't get the leading part. Yuugi and Atemu were completely surprised as well, as they subconsciously had assumed their daughter would be assigned the main female role. It was a big disappointment, and she threw a temper tantrum the size of Hollywood itself - moaning and grumping, drama and hysterics, only to miraculously improve when Saturday arrived; time for a visit to the beach.
The family took the subway to the Domino City Port and from there, a shuttle bus to the beach. It wasn't as crowded as Yuugi had expected, so they could secure a nice spot. They set up their space and Akina was greeted by her friends, who she had agreed to meet up on the beach. They set up a net to play volleyball. Tzuziko wasn't interested in sports and had brought along a couple of books; not her medical text books but something to read at her own leisure.
"I didn't know you liked Stephen King, Tzuziko-chan," Yuugi said when he noticed an evil looking clown on the cover of her book. She looked at him over the rim of her heavy, dark framed glasses.
"It's just fiction, otou-san," she said. "And his settings are deliciously creepy."
"Brrr!" Yuugi shuddered.
"I'm going to play volleyball!" Akina had changed into her bathing suit and threw off her towel. Atemu, who was sipping from a bottle of fresh water, promptly choked on his drink. The 'bathing suit' Akina was wearing was nothing short of a flimsy piece of fabric, barely held together with a couple of thin strings. Tzuziko arched an eyebrow when she saw her sister and Yuugi got furiously red in the face. To make matters worse, Tetsuo had brought his video camera and was filming her as she turned around and showed off her body, while being admired by her friends for her slim figure and flawless skin.
"Akina-chan," Yuugi said as for the first time since a long time, Atemu was all out of words, "is… is this your only bathing suit? I… we… everyone can see everything," he said as he reddened even more.
"It's a real Fashion Kawaii one," she said and turned around once more. "It's really cute, don't you think?"
"What's so 'cute' about it?" Tzuziko commented. "You might as well have put nothing on at all!"
"Oh, don't be such a grouch!" Akina waved at her sister, wearing a prudent black one-piece swimsuit. "I'm off!" She all but skipped with her friends to the volleyball net, leaving her parents flabbergasted. Tzuziko shook her head and rolled over to engross herself into her book again. Yuugi stole a glance at Atemu, who looked like he was about to punch something.
"You want to go for a walk?" he asked softly.
"Yes," Atemu said and they both got up.
Walking along the sea shore was wonderful. The water was indeed a little cold, but the waves washing over their feet as they walked were a nice touch. Yuugi held Atemu's hand tightly, uncaring for the public opinion. Besides, half of Domino City had to know by now that KaibaCorp.'s head of Gaming Design and the leading authority on Ancient Egypt with his own antiquity store were together. Yuugi didn't have any difficulties with Atemu's hesitance to show PDA, which made these moments when the former Pharaoh didn't show such restrictions, even more special.
"It's such a wonderful day," he said, knowing that Akina's little stint wasn't going to ruin the mood. Atemu agreed.
"You chose a good day for a trip to the beach."
"Tzuziko looked relaxed too, don't you think?"
"She needs it. In a few months, she will officially graduate from medical school."
"We should think about a graduation gift," Yuugi said.
"I doubt she will accept it," Atemu said. "She is already burdened with unnecessary guilt about us paying for her studies."
"I know." Yuugi heaved a sigh. "Maybe a short holiday? A medical starter kit?"
"She will be leaving our home soon," Atemu sighed along with him.
"That's… hard to imagine. I don't think she'll be gone that soon, though." Apartments didn't come cheap in Domino City and as a starting physician, Tzuziko wouldn't bring home a fat paycheck yet. He didn't believe that his eldest daughter was anxious to leave the elderly nest, contrary to Akina who dreamt of New York. Kazuo was keen to leave the house and boasted for a while now that he was looking for an apartment for him and his biological mother. The cold, hard truth was that he didn't have a reliable, stable source of income, not counting the mysterious origin of the money he had spend on clothes and video games. But one day he would be gone, as would Tzuziko and Akina be… it was hard to imagine, and he really didn't like to think about it. Yuugi noticed that they had walked all the way to a fairly secluded area.
"Let's sit down for a moment," he suggested and they settled down in the sand. Yuugi had brought a bottle of water with him and shared it with Atemu. He grabbed a small handful of sand and dropped it on Atemu's leg. "You're so handsome," he said. "Your skin colors so well with the sand."
"Maybe we should remove the carpets in our house and replace them with sand," Atemu answered dryly. He put his arm around Yuugi and tilted him back a little, kissing him on the neck. Yuugi gasped softly. Fortunately, no one was around to take any offense; he enjoyed the moment very much.
"Maybe we can travel when the kids are older," Yuugi said. "We can visit other romantic beaches."
Atemu pressed another kiss to his skin. "That would be wonderful. This beach has no personality."
"It was created to accommodate the tourists." Yuugi defended his hometown's creation but he had to admit, the beach felt a bit artificial. A coastline had to be whimsical, fickle, not a boring, neat inlet that was drawn in a perfect straight line.
"It was a good decision," Atemu said.
Yuugi was pleased and allowed the other to kiss him again and again. They cuddled until Yuugi's stomach started to growl dangerously.
"We should go back," he said, apologetically. "Did we pack enough for lunch?"
"I think the youngsters would like to eat at that small cafeteria we saw before we walked onto the beach," Atemu said. "They prefer burgers and fries to the sandwiches we made."
Yuugi's memory was triggered by the word 'burger'. "Did Akina-chan talk to you lately about school, mou hitori no boku?"
They walked back along the seashore, once again hand in hand. "She showed me her biology report," Atemu said. "Her grades are sufficient, but it takes so much effort. She needs so much tutoring and Souma told me that she is intelligent enough to do it all on her own, but she does not want to. It is frustrating."
"Did she mention New York?"
He shook his head. "I have not heard anything about New York from her."
Yuugi decided to leave it at that. Apparently, Akina hadn't suggested changing tutors to her Yami Papa, indeed knowing what his answer would be. Yuugi reminded himself to call Domino High about their policy on students and part-time jobs; it had completely eluded his mind. "I do think she's dealing really well with her disappointment," he said.
"Aside from yelling and screaming that life is not fair and that the girl who had received the leading part, was a horrible bitch who deserved to get pimples and gain massive weight? Or aside from turning blue from said yelling and screaming, and falling to the floor and rolling around, crying?"
"Yeah, that." Yuugi felt a little second-hand embarrassment. "But after the initial hissy fit was over, she moved on quite quickly."
"That is true. She can be very tenacious, but she can also show remarkable flexibility to bounce back."
They reached their spot on the beach. Tzuziko sat up straight under the large parasol, enjoying a drink from the cooling box. She waved when she saw her parents approach. Akina and her friends were laughing and having fun, as they tried to push each other into the water while Tetsuo was filming, the volleyball forgotten.
"Tzuziko-chan, have you eaten already?" Yuugi asked as they joined her under the parasol.
"I got hungry, yes," she admitted. "I took a sandwich and some fruit."
Yuugi opened the cooler. The number of drinks and fresh fruit had dwindled down and the youngsters had pilfered all the popsicles, but plenty of bottled water and sandwiches were left. Akina noticed that her parents had returned and darted towards Atemu.
"Yami Papa, can I go with Tetsuo-kun and the others to the cafeteria over there?" She hopped from one leg to the other. "I want to eat there."
"That is fine," Atemu said, "but you will put on some clothes first. I do not want you to sit there with… almost nothing to cover your body."
"All right," she mock-pouted and grabbed a towel to drape it around her waist. She put on her t-shirt, hiding the huge amount of skin she was showing off, while Atemu searched for some money to give to her. "Thank you!" She dashed off to her friends, Tetsuo welcoming her by sliding his arm around her, hugging her close. Yuugi handed Atemu a sandwich and they enjoyed lunch, basking in each other's company and the warmth of the sun.
Daily life resumed after the fun day at the beach. With replenished energy, the Mutou family continued their activities, work and studies: Tzuziko and her current medical residency, Yuugi and his many projects at KaibaCorp., Akina and her homework, and Atemu and his store and his many other obligations.
Yuugi was at his office and had just leafed through the first draft of a guide for a game he had recently developed, when he noticed a large, red circle from the corner of his eyes. Ah yes, that was the mark he had put on the paper calendar on his desk; it marked the moment of three more weeks before Kazuo was allowed to come home again. So far, Kazuo had answered the phone every time Yuugi called him, which was once a week. He complained about the program and grumped about a lot of other things, but he was still adamant on finishing the program. Yuugi had great hopes for Kazuo, and it filled him with pride and joy to think of his son coming home, and rebuilding his life. His smartphone buzzed all of the sudden. Yuugi read the display and quickly answered it.
"Mou hitori no boku?" Atemu hardly ever called him on the phone at work. "Something wrong?"
"I would like to ask you something, aibou," Atemu said. "This evening, I would like you to talk to Akina."
"What's the matter?"
"She has been silent as of late," Atemu elaborated, "and she will not open up to me. We just talked and I tried to find out if something was wrong, but she avoided my questions."
"I see." Yuugi had noticed Akina to be silent, but hadn't given it much thought. He had chalked her silence up to the upcoming school exams, which always made her nervous, and some residual anger and annoyance about not getting the main part in the school play. But if she really didn't want to talk about it with her Yami Papa, the father she adored…. Atemu didn't ask for help very easily; he was genuinely worried. "I'll talk to her, mou hitori no boku."
"I will be at the store, so you can have all the privacy you need."
"All right." Yuugi hung up and was happy to have heard the voice of the man he loved so much, despite the gravity of the message.
At dinner, Yuugi observed Akina. The girl was fidgeting with her food, not eating with much gusto. She was silent indeed, compared to her usually bubbly behavior. She was dawdling, stalling for time. Yuugi realized how sharp Atemu watched the children, he had noticed much sooner than Yuugi about Akina's different behavior. After they had enjoyed dessert, Atemu announced that he was going to spend time at his store to sort through some paperwork. Akina smiled at him as usual but looked anxiously at his retreating back. Atemu was right, there was definitely something wrong. Yuugi collected the dirty dishes and put them in the sink.
"Are you going to help me with the dishes, Akina-chan?" he started up the conversation.
"Sure." She shrugged haphazardly and grabbed the dishtowel. Yuugi ran the hot water and added detergent, waiting for Akina to continue the conversation, but she remained silent.
"Is there something you wanted to talk to me about, Akina-chan?"
"Not really," she said, too quickly. She picked up a mug and started polishing it. Yuugi didn't want to pry or to push, so he washed the dishes. The silence wasn't uncomfortable, but it took Akina a couple of minutes before she said, softly: "Hikari papa?"
"Yes, Akina-chan?"
"Have you done anything… something that didn't feel right?"
Yuugi halted his movements, alarm bells going off in his head. He reminded himself to stay calm, he didn't know what exactly Akina was talking about.
"I had to fire a colleague once," Yuugi said. "Eh... well, I didn't fire him, but I recommended his exit. He was frustrating the team and the development of the game, and I found out he'd been sleeping on the job."
"That's not what I mean," Akina protested. "He wasn't a good employee, so you were right to fire him!"
"But it didn't feel right, and that was your question," Yuugi said. "He had a young child and he was working two jobs to pay the hospital bills for his wife. He needed the job, and though he made mistakes, he had some talent for programming… but he couldn't keep up with the team, couldn't meet the deadlines, and he couldn't get the results we wanted… so I let him go, but it didn't feel right, here." He tapped at his chest, his heart area. "Akina-chan… did someone ask you to do something that didn't feel right to you?"
"I really want to go to New York, Hikari Papa," she blurted out. "I want to go to a performing arts school and become famous!"
"Akina-chan, as your father and I have been telling you… you should go to a performing arts school for the love of your art, not for the fleeting sensation of fame."
"I love acting, I really do," she said, and lowered her head just a little. "Tetsuo-kun keeps telling me that I can become really famous and that we'll travel all over the world in our own private plane…" her voice trailed off.
"You can achieve anything you set your mind to, Akina-chan," Yuugi reassured her. "Even though I think Tetsuo-kun is a little bit too focused on the prospect of your fame and fortune."
"Yes, yes he is." She seemed to be relieved somehow. Yuugi didn't understand. Was her boyfriend the reason for her silence and restlessness? Did she want to break up with him, and she didn't know how? "Too focused," she repeated.
"Is that why you haven't been spending as much time with him as you did last week?"
She nodded, rubbing the dishtowel over the clean mug again and again. "He wants to help me with my acting career so badly. He was so disappointed that I didn't get the leading part in the school play."
"You were pretty disappointed too, Akina-chan."
"Yes, I was." For all her flaws, Akina had a good, great heart that allowed her to bounce back quickly. She had been appointed a minor role in the play, and she went about it with the same enthusiasm as if it were the main lead. "Tetsuo-kun was really pushing it, and he… I started to get annoyed with how he kept going on and on about my career, and that he would help me and it started to suffocate me."
"Maybe it's better if you stop seeing each other so much," Yuugi suggested. He stared at Akina. He had the feeling this wasn't what she had wanted to talk about.
"He kept saying that there are other ways to go to New York. That we didn't need you…" she swallowed, "…or your money." Akina avoided looking Yuugi in the eyes. She finally put the mug and the dishtowel on the kitchen table and leaned on it for support. She trembled, desperately trying to hold back her tears. "He said we didn't need anyone! We should just make movies ourselves, not a silly school play, and we would become famous on our own!"
No wonder Atemu had disliked the boy from the start. Yuugi was desperately seeking for something positive to say at the moment, but there was nothing he could think of. Tetsuo had been pushing Akina, only to gain fame and fortune? There had to be an ulterior motive, right? For some strange reason, the boy's family name popped up in Yuugi's mind. As Akina started crying, he suddenly recognized the name. Tetsuo had to be the son of his former colleague Fukata Sasuke. Yuugi had lost sight of him after Pegasus sold I2 to KaibaCorp. and he didn't know whether Fukata had been fired or transferred. The entire team had been taken apart and reassembled and Yuugi hadn't seen Fukata ever since. He had known his colleague as an intelligent, talented, hard-working man and Yuugi was appalled and shocked at the thought that this power-tripping, money-hungry kid was his son. He left the dishes in the sink and quickly dried his hands before taking Akina in his arms.
"You like making movies, don't you?" he said. "You could write the script yourself, and act in your own movies any way you wanted…"
"No, Hikari Papa… to make money for our trip to New York… he said… he said I could easily do another kind of movie," Akina whispered between sobs. Yuugi felt his stomach plummet. "A movie that would make a lot of money and we'd never have to worry about anything!"
"Akina-chan, did he ever say what this 'another kind of movie' was about?"
She nodded. "He wanted to use the footage from our day at the beach… hot young girl playing volleyball… and as an extra scene… I'd take my bikini off. But I didn't want to!"
Yuugi held his daughter tightly. "You said no," he said, silently praying that Akina hadn't taken that last step.
"I said no!" Akina wailed. He believed her. "I walked out on him. Tetsuo-kun… he said that I didn't love him enough! That if I truly loved him, and if I truly wanted to go to New York with him, I would do this! It was just a movie! But Yami Papa…"
"You knew what your Yami Papa would say when he heard that his daughter had taken her clothes off for a movie, didn't you?"
"He would be so disappointed," Akina said, in-between sobs. "Please don't tell him, Hikari Papa, don't ever tell him!"
"Akina-chan…" Yuugi froze over. Not because of what Akina had asked him, but because he knew Atemu was close. After being together for so long and sharing body, mind and soul for years in a connection that went beyond human comprehension, Yuugi and Atemu had all but developed a sixth sense about each other's presence. Yuugi turned his head around, infallibly spotting Atemu in the door opening. Akina only noticed him after Yuugi shifted his position; her eyes went wide and her sobbing increased.
"Mou hitori no boku," Yuugi said. "How long have you been standing there? What did you hear?"
"I heard crying, so I came to see what is going on," Atemu said, his voice clipped. His barely withheld anger wasn't meant for Yuugi or Akina. "I heard something about a movie and the removal of garments."
"I said no, Yami Papa! Nothing happened!" She bawled.
"If I see my daughter naked in any form of media…" he didn't even finish his sentence, the tone and menacing growl in his voice was more than enough to make Akina flinch harshly.
"Mou hitori no boku," Yuugi said, "go to the living room and I'll be there shortly, all right? I want to stay with Akina-chan for a moment."
"Of course, aibou." Atemu turned around and left. That was easy, Yuugi thought and he focused his attention back on Akina, sobbing so hard that she was shaking violently.
"I never want to see him again," she blurted out. "I don't want to go to school tomorrow! After what he asked of me… I'm afraid!"
"Afraid of what, Akina-chan?"
"That he'll turn all my friends against me," she whispered. "That they'll mock me and laugh at me."
"Anyone who laughs and mocks you shows his or her true colors," Yuugi said. "True friends will stand up for you and defend you. I think Tetsuo-kun has been blinded by material things, and saw in you a way to make money, without having to do much himself. I'm so sorry, dear. You don't deserve this."
"I don't feel well," Akina said. Yuugi gently broke up the hug so she could straighten herself.
"Do you want me to call your girlfriends? So you can talk?"
She nodded and rubbed frantically at her eyes. Yuugi touched her upper arm. "I'll call your girlfriends and bring you some hot tea. I want to talk to your Yami Papa."
"Are you mad at me?"
"I'm very proud that you said no," Yuugi said. The thought of his daughter in a raunchy movie that would haunt her for the rest of her life had frozen his heart over. He was barely recovering from the shock himself. "You stood up for yourself and you didn't allow yourself to be manipulated."
"I'm so sorry," Akina said, voice hitching. "I don't feel well."
Yuugi knew that Akina's 'not feeling well' was her way of telling him that she wanted to retreat to her room, where she'd feel safe. He gently let go of her.
"I'll check up on you later," he said. Without another word and still crying, she nodded and left the kitchen. Before searching out Atemu, Yuugi made true on his promise to call Akina's girlfriends. He invited them over so they could support and talk to Akina. Then, he prepared a large pot of tea and while the water was boiling, he went in search for Atemu.
"Mou hitori no boku," he called out. He wanted to talk to him about what happened, and what they should do next. A stern talking-to Tetsuo was in order and maybe Akina needed another lecture, but not right now… "Mou hitori no boku? Where are you?" Now Yuugi got nervous. Where was he? Not in the living room, not in the kitchen… not in the store… the quaint house might be large, it wasn't a maze and Yuugi hollered Atemu's name loud enough to be overheard throughout the building. There was only one answer left: Atemu wasn't at home anymore. Just as Yuugi was about to go downstairs again, he passed Akina's room and the girl stood in the door opening, small and vulnerable.
"Where's Yami Papa?" Akina asked, her voice child-like. "He's not here?"
"Akina-chan, where does Tetsuo-kun live?" Yuugi asked. Akina's face crumpled up in confusion.
"Where he lives? Why?" Then it dawned to her. "Yami Papa is going to kill him!"
"The address, Akina-chan," Yuugi urged her. She gave it to him. Yuugi was reluctant to leave her alone, but fortunately her friends arrived just as he was shrugging into his coat and shoes. He send the girls upstairs, knowing they could give Akina better support and comfort than he could at the moment.
Yuugi ran to the closest subway stop, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. He was worried. Atemu never took rash decisions; why had he left the house and searched out Tetsuo's address? He and Atemu did everything together, as parents and as partners. It wasn't for the first time that Yuugi was worried for Atemu's mental well-being. Not that the former Pharaoh was going insane, but Atemu was very reclusive with his own feelings. He always took care of Yuugi, the children and others first, putting their wants and needs far before his own. Atemu hadn't cried at Sugoroku's or Yusuke's passing, he hadn't cried about Kazuo and all the difficulties concerning his son… sure, Atemu voiced his concerns, his opinions, but he barely mentioned what he actually felt deep down, in his heart… Yuugi knew Atemu's emotions and how he felt deep inside, simply because they were two halves of the same soul. He hurried along, his stomach going up and down.
The Fukatas lived in a quiet suburb of Domino City. The travel by subway didn't take longer than fifteen minutes, but every passing second was pure agony in Yuugi's mind. He managed to locate the right address and he subconsciously braced himself as he took the few steps leading up to the door. Nothing seemed out of order, no disturbances or any screaming or yelling. Yuugi raised his hand and knocked a few times. No answer. He knocked again, and now he heard someone stumbling about. The door went slightly open and a man peeked through the crack, looking agitated. When he saw Yuugi, a great deal of relief washed over him.
"Mutou-san," he said. "It's you!"
"Fukata-san." Yuugi recognized his colleague, who had aged terribly. "Is my partner here?"
"Yes, yes, please come in." Fukata Sasuke opened the door wider. "Help us," he begged him when Yuugi stepped inside. "He's in the living room with Tetsuo, and we… we can't reach him."
Yuugi pursed his lips at the familiar, heavy darkness of the presence of the Shadow Realm. It had been very long since he'd been caught in it, trapped by Malik Ishtar's dark half, and the traumatic experience would stay with him for the rest of his life. A small woman stood next to the entrance to the modest living room, obviously crying.
"It's going to be all right," Yuugi reassured her. He took a deep breath before walking into the cold, harsh darkness. He shivered as it enveloped him, the shadows clinging to him like a thin film, a bizarre intimate touch that preyed on his fears and flaws. He picked up on Atemu's presence right away, ironically the glowing eye on his forehead a lighting beacon in this overwhelming sea of darkness. Yuugi made his way over to him. There he was, standing like a Pharaoh who was about to speak judgment before the Gods would execute their ancient rituals. Yuugi put his hand on Atemu's cheek, gently caressing his skin.
"Mou hitori no boku," he said softly, "it's all right. It's all right."
Atemu didn't move and didn't look at him. His eyes were fixed on Tetsuo, kneeling on the floor. Yuugi didn't know how the boy experienced all of this, but as cruel as the thought was, Atemu was more important to him.
"I didn't know you had any residual shadow magic in you left," he said casually, as if striking up a conversation on a warm, sunny day. "Didn't the Gods take it away from you after the Ceremonial Battle?"
The question seemed to shake Atemu out of his trance, and he turned his head towards Yuugi.
"I can see you're angry." Yuugi made sure to keep physical contact with Atemu, caressing his cheek, trying to not feel unsettled at his lover's cold, harsh eyes, staring at him as if he was a total stranger. "I know, I'm angry too. But it's not our place to deliver judgment, mou hitori no boku. It's not your place to deliver judgment. They made mistakes. Tetsuo-kun was greedy, Akina-chan was naïve. They're allowed to make mistakes. They're children, on the road to grow into adults. We're not perfect either. Please listen to me, mou hitori no boku."
It took another minute for Atemu to realize that Yuugi was next to him, and the coldness disappeared from his eyes.
"Aibou," he said with a sigh and the next second, the darkness dissolved and the glowing eye was gone. Yuugi smiled at him.
"There you are."
"I… I am cold," Atemu said.
"I know." Shadow magic drained one's warmth and energy, all that negativity that fed on one's deepest and darkest feelings, converting everything positive into this cold, harsh, desperate sensation. Yuugi took Atemu by the hand and guided him towards the sofa in the corner. He made sure he sat down comfortably and grabbed one of the afghans, draping it all around him. "You sit here, while I go look after Tetsuo-kun," Yuugi said, receiving a terse nod in return. He kissed Atemu on the top of his head before turning around and checking up on the young man, still kneeling on the floor.
"Tetsuo-kun, please, stand up," he said.
Confused, Tetsuo looked up. "Mutou-san," he said, also relieved. "I was so afraid!"
"I know," Yuugi said. "I apologize. It wasn't anyone's intention to scare you, but after what you asked of Akina-chan, it wasn't a surprise that we would be mad with you."
Tetsuo got up and swayed a little. He swallowed. "It was stupid of me," he said. "It was a bad joke, a cruel joke. I never wanted to go through with it. I just… I just…"
"…saw someone who you could manipulate into achieving your own goals," Yuugi said, albeit not harshly. "Money and fame, an easy ticket to get out of here, right?"
Tetsuo looked ashamed. "I blamed you at first, Mutou-san," he said. "I wanted my father to have your job! But he said that he didn't have the same talent, perseverance and amount of creativity to fulfill the position, and that he was happy to be second place, working together with someone as talented and creative as you." A small sob. "But you moved on, Mutou-san. You climbed up higher and higher, until you were the head of the entire division of Game Development and Design, and my father… was stuck."
Yuugi didn't know what to say. He had lost sight of Fukata after Pegasus had sold I2 to KaibaCorp.. No jobs were lost during that takeover, and Yuugi had simply figured that Fukata had taken his career into a different direction. "And then his department was shrunk, and my father was laid off," Tetsuo continued.
"I'm sorry to hear that," Yuugi said, genuinely feeling sorry. Not even KaibaCorp. had been able to avoid all the economical challenges and crises in the gaming market.
"We have very little money left," Tetsuo said, "and when I met Akina-chan… I know she has talent, and she's so lovely and beautiful. I never willingly set out to manipulate her, Mutou-san, believe me!"
"I believe you," Yuugi said. "I'm not here to blame you. Akina-chan is a good person, but her head is often in the clouds. We, her parents, support her even though we have our reservations about the reality of what she's dreaming of. In you, she found someone who supported her unconditionally, no matter how wild her fantasies were. Your encouragement, with whatever goal in mind, made her lose all reality out of sight, until your crossed the line."
Tetsuo didn't answer, his body shaking. "I saw Mutou-sama at school once," he said. Yuugi nodded. Atemu did a lot for Domino High, presiding committees and helping out with whatever needed to be organized. "I knew that he'd never agree to Akina-chan going to New York, just like that. I knew he wasn't very happy with me… but I really loved Akina-chan, I really do!"
"Despite your love, you still suggested something very indecent and told her that she didn't love you enough if she didn't do what you wanted," Yuugi said. This time his voice took an unfriendly tone and the boy shrunk in front of his eyes. "That's not really loving of you, Tetsuo-kun, especially not if you were only thinking of money. You'd rather expose your girlfriend to the world for your own gain, some monetary profit?"
"It was a bad joke," Tetsuo repeated. "A very bad joke. I never would've followed through on it, honestly!"
Yuugi believed him, even though he wasn't completely convinced. As it was, just like he had told Atemu, it wasn't his place to deliver judgment on Fukata Tetsuo. The boy had been scared out of his mind by an angry Atemu already, and if he had caught even the tiniest glimpse of the Shadow Realm, that was more than enough punishment. He would leave Tetsuo in the care of his parents. As soon as he noticed that Yuugi wanted to leave, Tetsuo grabbed him at the sleeve. "Mutou-san, if it's worth anything… Akina-chan and I have never gone beyond kissing. Even before I made that suggestion, she never wanted to go any further than that."
"It's actually worth something," Yuugi said. "Thank you for telling me, Tetsuo-kun." He was pleased that Akina hadn't been too frivolous with her body, something he and Atemu had been worrying about, especially after her displaying so much skin at the beach. Yuugi straightened himself and went to Tetsuo's parents, huddled together in the door opening. He smiled at the woman.
"My partner is cold," he said, "and I think Tetso-kun could use something warm as well. Would you be so kind as to make us some tea?"
"Yes, yes, of course," the woman said hastily and bowed to Yuugi. "Yes, Mutou-sama." He actually cringed. Atemu appreciated the distance in the '-sama' honorific, but Yuugi really disliked it. He turned towards Fukata Sasuke.
"I'm sorry to hear that you've fallen on hard times, Fukata-san," he said.
"I really wanted to follow into your footsteps," the other admitted, "but I quickly realized that you were out of reach. People used to gossip that you obtained your position because you used to be a classmate of Kaiba-sama and you beat him in Duel Monsters... but now everybody knows you deserved your position on your own merit, and that Kaiba-sama should consider himself lucky to have you, as KaibaCorp. owes much of its profits and reputation to your Gaming Division."
Yuugi was flattered to hear the compliments, but he had rather heard them in a different context. Fukata noticed his embarrassment and clearly didn't know how to comport himself.
"I'm sorry, I didn't want to make you uncomfortable," he said. "It's not your fault, Mutou-san."
"It's not your fault either," Yuugi said. "I wish I could do something for you, Fukata-san."
"Life's not a bed of roses, unfortunately." Fukata mustered up a small smile. "My health is ailing, but I'm still breathing. I still have a job, I can pay the bills. I might not have made it that far, but I can support my family with modest means. It's too bad that I didn't realize Tetsuo was affected by it so much. I never knew he was looking for a way to escape."
"Tetsuo-kun is very dedicated to whatever he chooses to focus on," Yuugi said. "I hope that'll help him in his future career, whatever he decides."
"Thank you, Mutou-san. And thank you for…" he made a gesture with his head towards the living room.
"I apologize," Yuugi said. "My partner has been under great strain. Our lives are not a bed of roses either and unfortunately, it escalated at the worst time possible. I'm sorry."
"You have nothing to be sorry for, and neither has Mutou-sama," Fukata said. "I just didn't know how to respond to him. When he was at the door, I mistook him for you, Mutou-san. But after one look at his eyes, I realized I was wrong. I'm not sure what has happened exactly, but I doubt my son's going to think of fame and fortune anytime soon."
A few seconds later, Fukata's wife returned with a tray with the teapot and cups, her smile still a bit hesitant and shaky. They went into the living room where Atemu sat on the couch, wrapped in the afghan. Tetsuo, a bit pale, sat in the seat in the opposite corner. His mother went to him, while Yuugi took the tea to Atemu.
"Here, drink some." He held the cup in front of Atemu and carefully tilted it, so he could sip the hot liquid. "Good?"
"Good," Atemu answered. "I am tired."
"Yes, you are." Yuugi sipped his own tea. "We'll go home shortly." They drank the tea in utter silence, Atemu leaning against Yuugi comfortably.
They left the Fukata household soon after. Yuugi hooked his arm through Atemu's elbow. He didn't like it that Atemu was silent, but the last bit of shadow magic had drained him. Yuugi truly hoped it was the last he was ever going to see of that darn Realm; it brought back too many bad memories. When they arrived home, Akina sat on the top of the stairs leading to the first floor. In a stark contrast with the flimsy attire she wore at the beach, she was now dressed in a sturdy pair of flannel pajamas, covering her from head to toe.
"Akina-chan, what are you doing?" Yuugi asked. "Where are your friends?"
"I couldn't sleep," she said. "It was getting so late and you didn't return…" Her voice choked. She thundered down the stairs and all but flung herself into Atemu's arms, bawling. He was almost knocked over by her forceful hug, but he managed to stay upright and wrapped his arms around her.
"I spoke to Tetsuo," he said, "he will never suggest anything like that to you, ever again."
"I'm so sorry, Yami Papa!" She cried against his chest, but then tilted her head, just a little. "You didn't kill him, did you?"
"Nothing of that sort." Yuugi shook his head. Despite the presence of dark powers, Atemu didn't have enough magic in him left to kill someone. At least, that was what Yuugi hoped… no, he was sure that Atemu would never allow himself to be pushed that far. He had come a far way since he first emerged from the Puzzle, confused, vindictive and borderline psychotic. "We talked to Tetsuo-kun and his parents, and it's all right, Akina-chan. However…"
"I know, I got the message," Akina said, suddenly looking much older than her seventeen years. "I'm sorry that I dreamt of such flimsy things."
"It's okay to dream about fame and fortune," Yuugi said. "And maybe you'll even achieve it one day, Akina-chan. But it's not okay to act upon greed or self-importance, just to get whatever you want... or think you have a right to get everything you want."
She didn't answer but nodded, cheeks tear-stricken. Atemu gently patted her long hair.
"Let us go upstairs," he said, "and you go back to bed, young lady. You have school tomorrow."
"Yes, Yami Papa," she said meekly. "Do you mind if my friends stay over for tonight? They brought all their stuff."
Nobody minded and the family went upstairs. Akina retreated to her room and soon enough, they heard loud giggling. Yuugi closed the door of their bedroom and picked out his business suit for tomorrow and set it aside. Yawning, he undressed himself and put on his pajama top. He sauntered over to the bathroom, joining Atemu to brush his teeth and comb his hair. Atemu left the bathroom before Yuugi was finished; Yuugi peeked past the door to see what Atemu was doing. He was putting on the pajamas bottoms, his movement slow.
"Come here, mou hitori no boku." Yuugi tugged at the waistband of the pajamas, to make sure the garment was comfortable. He pressed a kiss - with minty fresh breath - to Atemu's cheek.
"My handsome Pharaoh. Always ready to defend and protect his kingdom." It was a comparison Anzu had made quite a while ago, and in the course of the years, Yuugi had started to see the truth behind her words. His family, his friends, his home - it was Atemu's kingdom, and he would go to great lengths to defend and protect it. "It hasn't been easy for you as of late," he said. "Everything that happened with Kazuo, with Akina…"
"You have had a rough time as well, aibou."
"No, no, it's not about me. Don't play it back to me. It's about you."
"I do not think I understand…"
"I've said it before and I'll say it again," Yuugi said, "you're so goddamn strong. But I know you better than anyone, mou hitori no boku. I can feel you everywhere I go, I can sense how you feel, because of what we have shared and what we still share. You can lean on others. You can lean on me. You don't have to carry the burden all by yourself. Trust us to be strong and supportive as well."
"I know I have your support," Atemu said.
"Then allow yourself to trust us." Yuugi raked his hand through his hair, touching the multicolored strands. "Even when we make the wrong choices."
"Was it wrong of me to go to the Fukata house?"
"It wasn't wrong, but you scared the living crap out of me. I never knew you still had some shadow magic left… I actually think it was an accumulation of the stress as of late. Tetsuo-kun was the unfortunate straw to break the camel's back. If I had come any later, you would've challenged him to a batsu game and that's just…"
"I vowed to never use the magic of the Shadows again," Atemu said. "I thought it was gone."
"Your anger called it back into existence," Yuugi said. "There's a reason why the children always call you Yami Papa, my love. Even if only Akina-chan uses it affectionately these days, it's still Yami. 'Dark'. The children instinctively felt that you are the dark side of the whole sum. You always were, my beautiful Dark Pharaoh."
"I do not want to be like that again," Atemu said. "When I just emerged from the puzzle…"
"You didn't have your memories and you lashed out at the first person you saw. Ushio-san had beaten me up and I was lying on the floor, battered and bruised. Even then, your first instinct was to protect what you regarded as yours."
Atemu nodded. "From the moment I saw you, I knew you were mine."
"Only you can say that to me." Yuugi nuzzled him. "Now, that's enough for tonight, don't you think? Don't feel bad, mou hitori no boku. Get ready for bed. It's very late."
"Yes, aibou."
Yuugi pecked him on the cheek and rolled into bed. Usually Atemu would be the first to get in, so he could wrap his arms around Yuugi and be the big spoon. Tonight, the roles were reversed. Atemu didn't comment on the switch-around and without another word, he curled up against Yuugi, who put his arms around him protectively. He kissed him on the top of his head and closed his eyes, reveling in the warmth and comfort of the presence of the man he loved so much. A strong, dark presence, and he was all his.