Yuugi could barely keep his eyes open. It had been a hectic week and this Friday evening was the first moment he could actually sit down without any of his colleagues (or Kaiba) disturbing him. He didn't even have the energy to cook dinner, his usual way to wind down from work; fortunately, he had taken care of that problem by text-messaging his residential Pharaoh and asking him with a kissy face if he would do the cooking tonight.
"Aibou! Dinner is ready!" Atemu called out to him.
"I'm too tired!" Yuugi hollered back. "Can't you come here and feed me?"
Atemu approached the living room, his stride firm and confident. He stuck his head around the corner.
"Do you want me to bring you a bowl..?"
"No, no, I was just kidding. I'm coming over." With a deep groan, Yuugi got up from the comfy couch and straightened himself. The scent of grilled fish lured him to the kitchen. His appetite was tantalized by the spices used in the dish; both Yuugi and Atemu had incorporated Egyptian-style food into their diets, especially after Malik Ishtar had taught them the basics during his visit. Yuugi sat at the table and yawned.
"You should go to bed early this evening, aibou," Atemu said with slight concern in his voice.
"No, I want to watch the game show with you." Yuugi didn't want to miss out on their Friday evening tradition of watching a particular game show, a quiz on TV they both enjoyed.
"As you wish," Atemu said. "Well, eat up, aibou."
Yuugi ate a few pieces of the delicious flaky fish and instantly felt better. Those long days at work had just been killing him. "Kaiba-kun's really pushing his Virtual Reality System V," he started talking. "It's going to be revolutionary when it's finished!"
"Leave it to Kaiba to come up with technology that surpasses every boundary and imagination." Atemu put more vegetables on Yuugi's plate and he dutifully ate everything.
"It's delicious, mou hitori no boku."
"I am glad," Atemu said, content. "Now you will go rest, while I take care of the dishes."
"Oh, just forget about the dishes," Yuugi said. "Come to the living room and relax with me?"
Atemu was sorely tempted. Yuugi batted his eyes at him, looking as cute as he could be. It worked, as usual; Atemu gave in quickly and they went to the living room to watch the game show. After it had ended, Atemu retreated to his study to answer some mails. Yuugi booted up his own laptop and groaned at the sight of the sheer number of emails waiting for him. Fortunately, Kaiba paid him a good salary to put up with all this work pressure. Even though Atemu didn't mention anything about financial woes, Yuugi put in overtime a lot because of Akina's expensive private performing arts school and recently, the entire roofing of the house had to be replaced… and that was aside from all the regular, monthly bills that kept pouring in.
Yuugi didn't like to work alone and trotted towards Atemu's study, Tzuziko's former bedroom. Their eldest daughter had left the parental house and she was about to get married. Her boyfriend, Hosokawa Isao, had proposed to her after their graduation from Tokyo Medical & Dental University and now they were settling into their lives. Yuugi was very happy for the couple and was looking forward to the day, though a definite date hadn't been picked yet. Tzuziko didn't want it to coincide with her younger sister's graduation. Akina was in the second year of her studies at the Masuda performing arts school and her graduation meant the world to her. Tzuziko didn't want to take that place in the spotlight away from her, but as a physician, she was also extremely busy and simply hadn't had the time to make arrangements for the wedding. Yuugi went into the room, as always feeling comfortable in the warm, cozy study. It was such an improvement from the former cold and small study on the ground floor. Yuugi had told Atemu to decorate it the way he wanted to be. Atemu never asked something for himself, and he felt the former Pharaoh deserved his own space, exactly the way he'd like it to be. To no one's surprise, the study had ended up Ancient Egypt-themed; Yuugi loved the sandy and beige colors.
"Do you mind if I sit here?" He wanted to have Atemu's permission as he felt like he was entering the Pharaoh's palace, and he didn't want to disrespect him by just plopping down somewhere uninvited.
"Not at all," Atemu said as he looked at Yuugi, a soft smile on his face.
"You can barely keep your eyes open either." Yuugi walked over to Atemu and glanced at the laptop in front of him. "You have as much mail as I do!"
"They are mostly inquiries from tourists, aibou," Atemu said, slightly derisively. It happened quite often that people approached his store to buy an Egyptian themed (mass produced) trinket, hence why Atemu referred to them as 'tourists'. Whenever something interesting happened in Egypt, like the discovery of a tomb, he would receive a surge in emails from customers wondering if he had an online store where they could buy Tutankhamun-related gifts, not understanding that his antiquities store was rather exclusive, dealing in genuine ancient artifacts with a price tag that most people couldn't afford. However, he did reply to every email and answered every inquiry; he had a professional reputation to maintain. "Let me show you something, aibou."
Atemu switched programs, calling up a picture of a beautiful lapis lazuli necklace with as small scarab, refined and elegant. "This will be arriving soon," he said. "It is beautiful, is it not?"
"It certainly is," Yuugi agreed. "The buyer will be extremely pleased."
Atemu nodded. "Let us work for another hour," he suggested, "and then we shut our computers off. We need to think about our health and well-being."
"You're right. One more hour, then."
Yuugi was pleased with what he was able to accomplish in an hour and he had no trouble shutting his laptop down when the time was up. They decided to retire for the night.
"Akina-chan's going to be late?" Yuugi asked.
Atemu held his toothbrush and the toothpaste. "She did not expect to be home before midnight," he answered. They both weren't all that happy about Akina dancing and drinking until late at night, but the girl was almost twenty; they couldn't keep her cooped up at home. They had to trust her, no matter how difficult it was. Yuugi slipped under the covers and Atemu followed suit. As usual, like every other night, Atemu spooned behind Yuugi, wrapping his arms around him. Yuugi was unable to sleep without his lover's safe and warm presence and protection. After a while, he turned around to face Atemu.
"Mou hitori no boku."
"Hm-mm?"
"When was the last time we had time for each other? Real quality time?"
Atemu opened his eyes. A small ray of moonlight fell through the skylight, lighting up the contours of his face. "I am afraid I do not know, aibou."
"Exactly," Yuugi said. "We're working so hard. I thought it might lessen a little when the kids were older and more independent, but it feels like we're putting in more hours than ever before."
"There is just so much to do," Atemu said. "The house, the store, everything for Akina's school, your work…"
"We're on the top of our careers, and even growing," Yuugi said. "Kaiba wants to involve me all sorts of business and you're asked for so many lectures and conventions, that we forget about ourselves, in every way." He pressed a kiss to Atemu's cheek. "Isn't it sad that we can't remember the last time we took the time for each other?"
"We kiss and snuggle a lot," Atemu protested, albeit gently. Yuugi looked at him, drinking in the sight of the handsome face of the man he loved so much.
"I like kissing you, and I like snuggling with you," Yuugi agreed and crept even closer. "But I want to feel you too. All the way. I want you on top of me, and I want to look you in the face when you take me." He kissed him on the tip of his nose. "We shouldn't have to schedule, but with our busy agendas, it's probably for the best. I miss you."
"You are right, aibou," Atemu said. "We should definitely reserve time for ourselves. We should not lose sight of each other, due to all our obligations and duties."
"We'll start tomorrow, right away," Yuugi said. "After we've done the grocery shopping, how about we take the rest of the afternoon off? We'll do something together, like going to that tea house that opened recently?"
"I am all for it," Atemu said.
"Great!" Yuugi snuggled up to him and completely entwined, they fell asleep.
Kazuo's music was blaring upon their return from the supermarket; it sounded like a group of people was trying to kill each other with chainsaws and motorcycles, screaming and wailing as loud as possible. Atemu went upstairs while Yuugi yelled: "Kazuo-kun, people in the house!". That made him lower the volume most of the times, if only a little. Yuugi went upstairs as well, shaking his head, and bumped into Atemu and Akina in the kitchen.
"Good morning, Akina-chan," he said. "We didn't hear you come home yesterday."
"Good morning, Hikari Papa," she returned the greeting. "Sorry that it got so late. We've been so busy, we just had to dance the stress away." Her graduation projects consisted of a group effort to produce a short movie and a play (one in Japanese, one in English), and two solo projects: for one, she had to write her own script and for the other one, she had to write and play a re-imagination of a scene from her favorite movie, free of choice. Needless to say, she was pouring every free minute and all of her energy into it.
"How are the projects coming along?" he asked.
"Completely going according to plan," she said, smiling. "I have to learn my lines for the English script though, and I asked Souma-kun to help me."
The young man had tutored Akina before. Yuugi nodded. "That's okay."
"Is it also okay if he stays for dinner? It's going to take a while before I have all that English memorized."
"But of course," Atemu said, putting the groceries into the cabinets. "You need to eat well after so much hard work."
Akina couldn't help herself and stuck out her tongue to her Yami Papa, not to mock him but because she knew he was quite smitten with Tsutsumi Souma, in his eyes the perfect husband for his daughter. She wasn't in love with him at all, she just regarded him as a good friend. Her current boyfriend, Kimura Yoshitora, wasn't as popular in the Mutou household, though neither Yuugi nor Atemu let it show. The former Pharaoh thought he was a pompous ass and Yuugi didn't exactly disagree, but for the well-being of their daughter, of course they welcomed her boyfriend in their home.
"We won't be around in the afternoon," Yuugi said.
"Not? But I wanted to perform in front of you," Akina said. "Who else is going to listen to my declamation?"
"We'll be back before dinner," Yuugi reassured her. "That leaves us plenty of time to watch your performance, Akina-chan. We want to go to a tea house."
"Neat," she said. "Have fun! I'll be ready when you get back."
"This is an exquisite blend," Atemu said after the first sip of his tea. Yuugi inhaled the aroma, he hadn't tasted it yet. He felt very relaxed already, not having to think of any other obligation for this afternoon. Maybe scheduled time-off wasn't such a bad idea after all. This kissaten, a typical tearoom annex coffee shop, had opened recently at the edge of Domino City Park. It was a bit of an outdated concept, especially with the impressive (and aggressive) rise of many Western-style cafés appealing to the young population in town. The Kyubei, a couple in their mid-forties, understood that not everyone was fond of a hip, cool place with lots of loud music and youngsters drinking coffee, and provided a place where the original tea ceremony and its traditions was kept in high regard, and where customers could sit down comfortably, no stress or pressure. Yuugi carefully sipped the hot liquid.
"I like it," he said. "I think it's very deep, more like a winter blend."
"You are right," Atemu said. "I like how the flavor is so deep and rich."
Yuugi nodded. He reclined into his seat, knowing that Atemu wanted to talk about something. It wasn't something grave, or else he would've sensed anxiety or worry coming from the other.
"What's on your mind, mou hitori no boku?" he asked. Atemu wasn't surprised at all that Yuugi asked before he could bring it up himself. Their bond ran so deep and was so intense and unique that it looked like they were sharing a mindlink again, just like when they had shared the same body. They were so in sync with each other's emotions and feelings that they could simply sense what was going on with the other, anticipating without words.
Atemu put his cup of tea down. "Aibou, I got an invitation to an antique fair," he said. Yuugi nodded, this wasn't uncommon. "The International Antique Fair in Tokyo. It is an excellent opportunity to meet people in my field, and to exchange experiences and knowledge."
"And you would like to go," Yuugi assumed. "You don't need to ask for my permission, mou hitori no boku. It's your line of work, your field of interest. Of course you should go!" He wondered briefly if Atemu wanted to ask him to come along. He certainly had more than enough free days, but an antique fair was so boring. Atemu shook his head, answering Yuugi's unspoken question.
"It spans several days," he said. "This year's theme is Ancient Egypt, and along with my invitation, I was asked to give a couple of lectures and attend several meetings."
"That's great," Yuugi said, until the full realization hit him. "Several days?"
"Three, actually," Atemu said apologetically. Tokyo wasn't exactly close to Domino City. In their corner of the kissaten, Yuugi put his hand over Atemu's.
"You should go," he said. "Accept that invitation and go. It's about your home, your roots. You belong there."
"But… three days, aibou."
Yuugi knew what he meant. They hadn't been apart for one day since a very long time. Atemu visited fairs, conventions and other antique shows quite frequently, but he was always back home by the end of the day, come hell or high water. However, this Tokyo fair was too much of an opportunity to pass up, and Yuugi would never forgive himself if he didn't give his consent.
"You should go," he repeated. "You're going to like it there. Take this opportunity, mou hitori no boku."
"It is in the middle of the week," Atemu said. "Wednesday through Friday."
"All right." Yuugi took another sip. "That means we'll have the weekend to catch up on lost time." He showed Atemu a lewd grin. "And I know exactly how."
"Aibou..!" Atemu was very pleased though, as he hid his smile behind his cup. More seriously, he said: "I wish you would come with me."
"I know," Yuugi answered. Atemu knew just as well that Yuugi would be bored; not because of the Ancient Egyptian theme, but because of all the meetings with other antique dealers, talking about nothing but artifacts and other stuffy old objects. It made Yuugi feel extremely guilty, that he didn't share any interest in this part of Atemu's life. He'd seen more than enough of Ancient Egypt and since the Puzzle was gone, he didn't care for other artifacts either. "I'm going to miss you very, very much."
"So am I." Atemu hadn't touched the bowl with sweets, while Yuugi had been snacking on them.
"The dango is delicious. Would you like some?"
"No, thank you, I am fine," Atemu said. It always amused Yuugi to no end that the former Pharaoh didn't like sweets, yet he doused honey all over his yogurt, making Yuugi squirm at the sheer amount. He picked up the last of the dango.
"We should do this more often," he said. "Reserving time in our agendas, just for ourselves."
"It has been so hectic," Atemu admitted. "And there is still a lot going to happen: Akina's graduation, Tzuziko's wedding…"
"Busy, busy, busy," Yuugi said. "What are we going to wear to the graduation and the wedding? A tux? Should we rent or buy?"
"I would like to buy a new one," Atemu said. "What do you think?"
"As long as we're going to buy it together," Yuugi said. "You look so sexy in a suit."
Yuugi's hours at KaibaCorp. were mostly hogged by Duel Monsters. The game had attained the same crazy height in popularity as in Yuugi's teenage years. He was asked to give demonstrations and master classes and as he had helped to relaunch the game, by designing many new cards and revamping the rules, Yuugi was completely submerged by it once more. However, at home, he never played the game; too many connections to the Ceremonial Duel. He didn't even play the board game, and Atemu never asked about it either. He didn't mind to hear Yuugi's stories about the game though, but neither one of them suggested dueling ever again – two minds alike, as usual.
Atemu was preparing for his upcoming trip to Tokyo, gathering materials and information for his lectures. Yuugi wasn't looking forward to him leaving. With Akina so often away and Kazuo also being scarcely around, he didn't like to sit alone at the kitchen table for three consecutive evenings. He planned to ask Jounouchi and Honda over for dinner so they could catch up, and perhaps Otogi for the second evening. He could always invite himself over at Anzu's for the third evening, so if he planned it right… Yuugi's head was still spinning from all the details he had heard about Kaiba's new Virtual Reality system today and he wanted to do nothing else but to kick back and relax. When he opened the front door, Kazuo's voice rolled downstairs, voluminous and angry.
"…. fucking put it in your fucking stupid study!"
"…. asked you politely where you put it," that was Atemu's voice. What was going on? In record time, Yuugi put up his coat and changed into his house slippers, running up the stairs at breakneck speed.
"I don't have it!" Kazuo yelled as Yuugi appeared in the door opening of the kitchen.
"What's going on?" he immediately blurted out. Father and son stood opposite of each other, Kazuo towering over Atemu.
"I only asked him a question," the former Pharaoh said.
"He accuses me of stealing things!" Kazuo yelled.
"Kazuo-kun, volume down. What happened?"
"Remember the lapis lazuli scarab necklace I showed you earlier?" Atemu elaborated. "I called the shipping company why it hadn't arrived yet, as I was expecting it two weeks ago already. They told me they had delivered it by private courier and that someone had signed for it upon receipt. I asked them to mail me a copy of the signed document. It was Kazuo's signature."
"I don't deny that," Kazuo said, heatedly. He bounced from one foot to another.
"He told me that he had put it on my desk, in my study," Atemu continued. "But I cannot find it."
"That's not my problem! I put it there, right there!" Kazuo held his hands apart. "It wasn't that big. I took it upstairs!"
"It is not there," Atemu repeated.
"I didn't take it!"
Yuugi eyed his son suspiciously, not because of what happened with the necklace. He could see that Kazuo's eyes were dilated, and that jittery bouncing from one foot to another was a tell-taling sign. "I'm so sick of being treated like a criminal!"
"You leave us very little choice, Kazuo-kun," Yuugi said. "You've been using again. What did I say about that?"
"No drugs in the house," Kazuo mocked his tone of voice. "You can check my room. I have nothing on me!"
Yuugi refrained from answering. Technically, Kazuo had never brought drugs into the house indeed, but it was apparent that he had taken something and the conversation would only get worse from here, with more screaming and yelling.
"I'm going to get to the bottom of this," he finally said. "Go to your room, you're high and aggravated."
Kazuo grumbled, but he accepted Yuugi's order and walked out of the kitchen, muttering expletives under his breath. Atemu was angry as well, and Yuugi directed him to a kitchen seat.
"I did not accuse him of stealing," Atemu said. "I simply asked where he had put the package. Before I knew it, he was screaming his head off."
"He's high," Yuugi said. "Whenever he's been using, he flies off the handle about the littlest things."
Atemu supported his head with one of his hands, heaving a sigh. "I wanted to take the necklace with me to Tokyo. The client who ordered it, will be there."
"I'll help you search for it," Yuugi offered.
"No aibou, you need to rest and eat. You just came home from your busy workday."
"And you don't need to eat?" Yuugi looked sternly at him. "You know I don't like it when you skip meals. You're always so quick to forget to eat and you're already thin, mou hitori no boku."
He relented. "All right, we will have something to eat and then we will search for the necklace."
"No one else could've taken it, somehow?" Yuugi didn't want to imply that Akina might've been the culprit; she never came into her father's study and she wasn't the kind of person to snoop around. Kazuo on the other hand, had lied before, yet Yuugi was hesitant to accuse him of stealing the necklace. He had accepted the package and claimed to have taken it upstairs and put it in Atemu's study- but had he really done that? If he'd been high when accepting the package, he might think he had taken it upstairs… Yuugi felt guilty. They had visited the lovely kissaten that Saturday afternoon, just to break away from their hectic schedules and obligations, and right that moment, the private courier had arrived.
"I doubt it," Atemu answered. "It has to be around here somewhere."
They had dinner, but Yuugi obviously noticed that Atemu wasn't enjoying the food, so he hurried to finish as quickly as possible. He plunked the dirty dishes in the sink and they started their search. Hours later, they had turned the entire house upside down, safe for Kazuo's bedroom and Akina's, as Atemu and Yuugi didn't want to enter her bedroom without her permission.
Exhausted, they sat on the couch, both exhausted from the search. No sign of the necklace anywhere. It was a precious artifact that couldn't simply be ordered again.
"I will own it up to the client," Atemu said, downtrodden. "He has not paid in full yet, but it is a great sale I am missing."
"I'm sorry, mou hitori no boku."
"Why are you apologizing, aibou?"
"I know how much it affects you," Yuugi said. "You're upset, and we both know what we don't want to say out loud."
Atemu lowered his head a little. He didn't look Yuugi in the eyes. He knew he was right; neither one of them wanted to say that Kazuo might've stolen the necklace and sold it cheaply to buy himself or his mother drugs. Atemu was also missing a small statue that he had ordered for a client who withdrew from the sale at the last moment. He had kept the artifact, knowing he could sell it any other time, but it had disappeared from the store. He first thought he had misplaced it, but he was extremely meticulous with his inventory, comprising of valuable artifacts and objects. He had never spoken it out loud, and Yuugi never asked. Yuugi often missed money from his wallet; he had confronted Kazuo about it, but the boy had never admitted nor denied taking the money. Yuugi made all of his purchases with his debit card and only kept loose change, but it disappeared just as quickly, as if the thief didn't even want to bother hiding the actual theft. He didn't like the idea that it was wasted on a quick fix of weed or a couple of pills. At Yuugi's request, Atemu didn't meddle with Kazuo anymore to keep the peace, but Yuugi had already realized that Kazuo, despite treating him with a little more respect, didn't listen or obey him either. He had told his son to make a choice, but he never came back to it, keeping the situation in an impasse. Something had to happen. If Kazuo was truly stealing from the store... Yuugi opened his mouth, but Atemu raised his hand, pressing his fingers to Yuugi's lips.
"Not tonight," he said.
"I understand." Yuugi snuggled up to him on the couch and enjoyed their time together.
Domino City Airport was crowded, as usual. Yuugi pushed the trolley with Atemu's suitcase and his laptop bag. He tried to ignore his anxiety as he was about to be separated from the love of his life. It was just three days, just three days… earlier this morning, Akina had said a teary-eyed goodbye to her Yami Papa; the girl didn't like it one bit that her favorite father would be gone. Yuugi kept repeating the 'just three days' mantra to himself as they arrived at the gate. Atemu checked his ticket and the departing time once more. Yuugi put up a brave smile. Atemu had asked him again and again if he was okay with it and Yuugi had said yes; this was important to the former Pharaoh, and he would never forgive himself for denying this to him.
"You've got everything?" he asked for the umpteenth time. Atemu showed him his ticket.
"Yes, I am all set."
Yuugi halted the trolley and moved to hug him. He couldn't care less if people were offended by two men hugging and kissing, he was going to miss him and he wanted to be with him until the last moment!
"Come back safe and sound, mou hitori no boku," he whispered.
"I will, aibou." Atemu returned the hug. "I will call you as soon as I arrive."
"You better." They had waited until the last moment, as to make the painful goodbye as quick as possible. Yuugi would return to KaibaCorp. as soon as he had seen Atemu off; he was glad that he had his job to distract him. Jounouchi hadn't been available for tonight but he would come over tomorrow, together with Honda. Yuugi was looking forward to that, but not to being alone tonight; Akina wasn't at home either, busy with her graduation projects. A quick kiss as Atemu didn't like much more than that in public, and they exchanged a couple of sweet words, as his flight already was boarding. He had to hurry; Yuugi waved at him as Atemu went through the gate and as soon as he was out of sight, he heaved a very deep sigh. It was time to get back to work and get distracted.
On his way home, Yuugi ran some errands and got himself groceries. Maybe Kazuo would have dinner with him, but he wasn't counting on it. His son was all but reclusive, retreating into his room all the time. He only came out to take a shower or to raid the fridge, and for the rest Yuugi didn't know where his son hung out. Maybe in the next couple of days he could have a talk with him. With his arms full of grocery bags, Yuugi opened the door and was greeted by the infamous death metal Kazuo liked so much.
"People in the house, Kazuo-kun!" Yuugi hollered. Usually Kazuo would lower the volume, but now he didn't. Yuugi didn't think much of it. He took off his coat and slid into his house slippers. He went upstairs, into the kitchen and took care of the groceries. He pulled out pots and pans, and the heavy drumbeat of Kazuo's music almost shook the entire house. Most of the time, Yuugi would simply shrug it off or remind Kazuo once more to turn the volume down, but he was already agitated, missing the other half of his soul, and the loud thumping noise and throaty grunting voices grated on his nerves. He stomped down the stairs and hollered again: "Kazuo-kun! People in the house!"
Only now he noticed that the door to Kazuo's room was slightly ajar. That was strange, as he always closed himself off, listening to that loud music or playing those violent video games. "Kazuo-kun?" Yuugi stuck his head around the door. Kazuo was on the bed, lying face down, his arms spread over the bed linens. There was nothing relaxed about his posture. Yuugi's first instinct was to leave him alone and close the door again, but something told him it wasn't right. Kazuo was lying too still. Fear crept into his stomach. He went into the room and shut down the music first. Yuugi approached the bed, calling out Kazuo's name more urgently with every step. His hand trembled slightly as he reached for his son's shoulder.
"Kazuo-kun?" He shook him. No reaction. Yuugi leaned a little into him and saw a very small, plastic bag next to his elbow with remnants of ground white powder. A few cans of cheap beer, the liquid still leaking on the bed, surrounded the bag. His heart froze. Quickly, he grabbed his cell phone and dialed the emergency number.
"Send an ambulance!" Yuugi yelled his address. "My son has taken an overdose! Hurry!" He took the small plastic bag and stuffed it into his pants pocket. Perhaps in the hospital, they could research the ground white powder and determine its properties. He didn't want to think about it, forcefully steering his thoughts into a different direction. He yearned to call Atemu. His strong and wise Pharaoh, he would immediately drop everything out of his hands and take the first plane home. Yuugi was still in doubt whether to call him or not, when the ambulance arrived. Everything happened in a flash; the paramedics stabilized Kazuo before hauling him off on a gurney to the hospital, to get his stomach pumped. Yuugi was allowed to come along and during the ride to the hospital, he held his son's hand and told the unresponsive Kazuo that everything was going to be all right.
In the hospital, Yuugi was told to wait. As he paced back and forth, his phone rang – it was Atemu, probably to tell him that he had arrived safely. Yuugi stared at the display. What should he do? If he mentioned one word about Kazuo, Atemu would immediately return home. As a matter of fact, Yuugi would love it if Atemu would be here right now, holding him, comforting him. This was a very serious matter, and Atemu would be terribly upset with him if he didn't tell him. Yuugi took a deep breath. He was going to lie to his other self. It was a terrible decision, but he would deal with the consequences later. He pressed the button to accept the call.
"Mou hitori no boku," he said, thanking his lucky stars he was in an empty waiting room, so the hospital sounds weren't that obvious. He was also lucky that Atemu was calling from the hotel lobby, creating a lot of distracting noises on his side.
"Aibou, I am in Tokyo," he said, "and I had a terrible flight. I just made it in time for the dinner!"
Ah yes, the invitation-only dinner for the participating and visiting antique dealers. Yuugi kept his fingers crossed. Atemu was too occupied to notice his slightly high-pitched and jittery voice. He had never been good at lying, and if Atemu hadn't been that far away and slightly distraught, he would've picked up on it effortlessly.
"You eat well now, hear me?" Yuugi said, focusing on Atemu, which calmed him. "You have the terrible habit of not eating when you're not feeling okay. And after dinner you'll get some rest, all right?"
"I will," Atemu said. He sounded amused, even. "I will think of you in my dreams."
"I'll dream of you too," Yuugi said. Atemu said that he had to go and they ended the connection. Yuugi released the breath he'd been holding. A few other people had joined him in the waiting room, discreetly turning away from him as to not intrude on his phone call. Yuugi sat down and picked up a magazine, but he couldn't focus. When a nurse finally came for him, he dropped the magazine out of his hands.
"Mutou-san?" She gave him a friendly smile. "You can go to room 50 B."
"Thank you so much." He bowed to her and quickly left in search of the room. It was on the second floor; a spacious room with four beds. Only two were occupied at the moment. Kazuo was in the one closest to the window, looking pale and haggard. In the harsh hospital lights, Yuugi could actually see how skinny he was. Despite eating so much, Kazuo looked underfed. His collarbones protruded from his ghastly skin, and the IV attached to his bony hand formed a grotesque bump.
"Kazuo-kun," Yuugi said, keeping his voice low as to not bother the other patient. He opened his eyes, slowly. When seeing Yuugi, he frowned weakly and turned his head away. "What happened? Why did you do this?"
"Did you call him?" He brusquely asked, his voice raspy, throat irritated.
Yuugi didn't understand at first. "Who?"
"Him, of course," he said.
"Your father," Yuugi answered. "No, I haven't called him yet. I was too busy worrying over you."
Kazuo refused to look at him and stubbornly stared out the window.
"Why?" Yuugi asked. Kazuo shrugged. Maybe it was the wrong question to ask. The last thing they needed right now, was a heated discussion about how, why or what. Yuugi relented. "Is there anything I can do for you, Kazuo-kun?"
"I don't want to see him," Kazuo said.
"He's in Tokyo, for crying out loud," Yuugi said, unable to keep the irritation from his voice. What had Atemu done to Kazuo to make him despise him so much? Why had Kazuo picked him and isolated him to take out all his frustrations on? "You know, if I were to call your father, he'd fly over immediately to see and to help you. I know you'd never do the same if it were the other way around, but think about what your father would sacrifice right away if he heard you were in the hospital."
"I don't care. He can stay in Tokyo forever."
Yuugi felt anger well up in him and he mentally urged himself to stay calm. "Is there anything I can do for you?" he asked again. Kazuo stared at his hands.
"I want to see my mother," he said, voice soft. For the briefest of moments, Yuugi caught a glimpse of that rare vulnerability that Kazuo had shown before, the hurt and lonely boy who desperately searched for love and attention in all the wrong places. It was replaced immediately by that dense wall that Atemu had crashed himself into, and Yuugi was about to do the same. All that pain, all that grief, and nothing ever changed, no matter how hard he tried.
"I'll look her up," Yuugi said. "Where does she live?"
Kazuo gave an address in the Hasimoto district, an old, ratty suburb most people avoided. Local government had petitioned to tear the dilapidated buildings down and transform it into a hip, new suburb with restaurants, cafés and businesses, but no project investors had come forth. Every city had an underbelly, and Domino City wasn't an exemption. Hasimoto was a gathering place for the social weak, the outcasts, the criminals and the rejected. Yuugi checked his watch. "I'll go see her tomorrow," he said. "I'm going to talk to a doctor."
"When can I leave?" Kazuo asked.
"I'm sure the doctor wants to keep you for the night, for observation. I'll see you tomorrow and then I'll bring some clothes for you."
Kazuo didn't answer and Yuugi left the room, emotions running high. He couldn't find the doctor but a helpful nurse told him what he had already expected: Kazuo had to stay for the night. Tired and upset, Yuugi went home and straight to bed. An empty, cold bed and for the first time in decades, he wished he had the Puzzle with him, yearning to feel its familiar weight.
Yuugi had put in more than enough overtime throughout the years, but he didn't want his work to suffer. Family problems were his problems, not KaibaCorp.'s. He was very lucky with such a flexible employer; KaibaCorp had granted him time off for family-related issues before: when the children were adopted, when his grandfather and mother had passed away. KaibaCorp. was very lenient, and not because he was Mutou Yuugi; their employee benefits were simply the best in all of Japan. Yuugi told his secretary that he'd be at his office until three o'clock. He skipped lunch and any other break to get his daily work done. When it was around three, he took his coat and left, hurrying towards the subway station. Yuugi had no idea how to prepare himself mentally and dreaded the stop for the Hasimoto district. Well, he had dealt with the likes of Pegasus, Dartz and Kaiba, surely he could deal with the biological mother of his son?
He immediately regretted not going home and change first. He obviously stood out as a sore thumb in his business suit; not that his clothes were expensive, it was just a very different… attire from the people on the streets. Ragged clothes, mismatching and ill-fitting, often stained. They looked unabashedly at him, eyes taking in his suit; he refused to back down and met their gaze, one by one. Holding a straight posture and walking upright in a confident stance, he searched for the right address. It was daunting to see the young age of many people on the streets. Some of them crept back into the shadows, hiding themselves from public view; others dared him to look at them, taunting him with just their eyes. Some of the girls wore exclusive clothes, often stressing their slender figure, but they had that same worked up, hyper active glitter in their eyes like Kazuo after he had used something.
Yuugi shivered and continued walking. People kept staring at him, some turned away from him, and others looked at him curiously. He halted in front of another run-down house. This had to be the right one. The door was open and a rotten stench hit his face. Grimacing, Yuugi went inside the building. In the hallway, with empty pizza boxes and garbage strewn all over the floor, a boy and a girl younger than Kazuo, were kissing. There was nothing romantic or cute about the couple; they both looked worse for wear, their eyes soulless and empty. He shivered once more. The girl was too young to be Kazuo's mother, so he kept looking. The kitchen was empty, the sink filled with dirty dishes and empty food cartons, wrappers, and more garbage accumulating around an open trash can. He went upstairs. Someone was sobbing loudly and a harsh voice told him or her to shut up, aggressively. Yuugi looked around when he reached the first floor; a man walked straight up to him, zippering up with a lewd grin on his face.
"Second door on the left," he grinned at Yuugi, who stared at him incredulously. The man went downstairs and Yuugi waited until he had disappeared out of sight before moving on. The second door on the left was open and he pushed against it. A woman, with her back turned to him, sat on the rumpled bed, putting on her bra. The room held no more furniture than said bed, a chair and a cupboard. The window was open, letting a cool breeze in; it barely covered up a rancid smell of sex, sweat, dirty clothes and various drugs, burned for consumption.
"Kawagichi-san?" he asked when the woman was done dressing herself. She reached for something on the chair; Yuugi didn't recognize the attributes and hoped it wasn't any drug paraphernalia.
"It's been a long time since someone addressed me with -'san'," she said, barking a crude laugh. "Leave me alone, I'm done for today."
"I'm sorry to bother you, Kawagichi-san, but I need to talk to you." His polite speech made her turn around, her face carrying a suspicious look, and she narrowed her eyes as she gauged him, measuring him up and down.
"What do you want from me?"
"It's about Kazuo-kun," Yuugi said.
"What about him?" She put her chin forward. "Isn't he going to bring me the shit I wanted? Are you going to get it for me? I told him to get it to me! I need it!"
"Your son is in the hospital," Yuugi said.
"So?"
Yuugi was aghast. "Don't you even want to know what happened to him?"
She shrugged, in the same way as Kazuo always did. It hurt. "He can take care of himself."
No, he can't. "He was asking for you," Yuugi said. "For his mother."
Silence. She looked at Yuugi again. "At least I did something right," she said without any hint of sarcasm or self-pity. "My son ended up with someone with a steady job and a roof over his head. You're his father, right? The Egyptologomist."
"I'm his father, yes," Yuugi said. "My partner has roots in Egypt."
She made a dismissive gesture. "Sorry, too posh for me. I barely finished high school. A baby will do that to you."
"The adoption agency didn't give out any information," Yuugi said, withholding the "only that his mother was a junkie" part. "I'm not here to judge you or condemn you, Kawagichi-san. He asked for you, so I'm here to ask you to go please see your son."
She mulled over his words. She looked much older than she was supposed to be, the prolonged drug use having left its marks. She scratched her arm. "How am I supposed to get to the hospital?" she finally asked, annoyed. "I don't have a car."
Yuugi took out his wallet and held out a couple of bills. "This should be enough to cover your fare."
She grabbed it, all but tearing it from his hand. "Fine, I'll go visit him." Yuugi opened his mouth, wanting to hear an "I promise" from her, but he knew it was too much to ask for. She glared at him and he stepped back, out of the room. He left the house as fast as his legs could carry him, and it was only in the subway on his way home that he realized that she never asked which hospital Kazuo had been taken to.
Jounouchi slurped the noodle soup and put down his bowl as he was done. "Delicious as usual, Yuugi," he said. "No matter how often I try to make it myself, I never succeed as well as you do!"
Yuugi smiled at him. No matter how bleak a situation, Jounouchi always succeeded in making him smile and laugh again, distracting him from the things at hand. Honda was just as good a friend as Jounouchi and Yuugi was glad they had came over, especially after he had told them about what had happened. After leaving the Hasimoto district, Yuugi had hurried home and taken a shower of at least thirty minutes. He had dumped his clothes in the hamper and had tried everything to get that rancid smell out of his nose, by burning incense everywhere in the house and using lots of air refreshers. After that, he had called Jounouchi who couldn't believe him and immediately said he'd come over, and by default, Honda as well. Yuugi had ordered take-out as his mind wasn't exactly focused on cooking dinner and so he ended up with his best friends at the kitchen table, laden with food; he had ordered way too much.
"So, what does our Pharaoh think about the entire situation?" Honda asked, after finishing an entire box of ebi fry. "Is he on his way back home?"
Yuugi colored a deep shade of red. Jounouchi tilted his head.
"You can't be serious, Yuugi. You haven't told him yet?"
As to make matters worse, Yuugi's cell phone buzzed constantly with messages and pictures from Atemu, showing how much of a good time he had at the convention.
Honda was in shock. "You didn't tell him?"
"Not yet, not yet," Yuugi defended himself weakly. "It's so important that he's doing something for himself, I don't want to take that away from him."
"But Yuugi, Kazuo is his son too," Jounouchi protested.
"I know, and I also know he's going to be very upset and disappointed," Yuugi said. "But that's for me to deal with. I made this decision."
"You made a lousy decision," Honda said harshly. "You can't keep this from him!"
"I will tell him," Yuugi answered heatedly. "I don't want him to miss out on the opportunity of his lifetime. He's at that convention, having the time of his life talking to people he know about his beloved homeland. Besides, he has taken the brunt of everything for far too long. I told him that I would step up to the plate. Enough is enough."
"This is too much for one man alone," Jounouchi reminded him. "We're not talking about a fever here, Yuugi. He has taken an overdose. He could've died!"
"I know," Yuugi almost yelled in despair. "I'm having a hard time dealing with it, and mou hitori… he's going to take it hard. I want him to have some time for himself, to not be burdened…"
"I understand your reasoning," Jounouchi filled up his bowl again, "but I don't agree with it. This is far too important, Yuugi. If it were one of my kids, I'd be devastated if I hadn't been told about it. He's definitely not going to be happy about this."
"I know," Yuugi repeated, voice a mere whisper.
Jounouchi took pity on him. "You know where you can reach us," he said, leaving the 'when the shit hits the fan' unspoken. They continued dinner, but no one commented on Yuugi not touching any of the food.
Yuugi had an incredible bad night. He tossed and turned, not used to sleeping alone. He missed Atemu's arms around him, his familiar calming presence. It was eating him alive that he had lied to him; but what other option did he have? Yuugi sighed and turned on his side again, blinking at the alarm clock. He was glad that at least someone in the house was sleeping peacefully; Akina had come home late, after Jounouchi and Honda had already left. She was shocked to hear the news about her brother. She wanted to visit him, even though he hadn't always been kind to her and had often mocked or belittled her choice to become an actress. Yuugi had promised to accompany her to the hospital whenever she wanted to go. He felt so conflicted. He couldn't wait for Atemu to be home again, yet he dreaded the moment at the same time. He had to come clean, he had to confess that he had lied to him. Every hour seemed to go by like an agonizing century. Maybe it was for the best if tomorrow never arrived. Yuugi buried himself in the blankets. He should've told the other half of his soul, convention be damned.
He was startled out of his restless sleep by the beeping alarm clock. Yuugi chugged down several cups of strong, black coffee to keep him awake after his broken night. Grumpily, he rode the subway to KaibaCorp. and locked himself into his office. His secretary only needed one look at his facial expression to understand that he didn't want to be disturbed, and he was grateful for her tact and discretion. Unfortunately, work didn't distract him as much as he hoped it would and he was still struggling to answer his email when it was time to go to the airport to pick up Atemu. Sighing once more, Yuugi packed up his stuff, bade his secretary goodbye and took the bus to Domino City airport. His stomach was bouncing up and down and going around in circles. He hadn't eaten anything since yesterday afternoon, yet he wanted to throw up.
Yuugi checked the arrival times; the flight from Tokyo had a fifteen minutes delay. It was only delaying the inevitable. He bought himself another cup of coffee but couldn't get himself to drink it; the hot liquid burned holes in his stomach. He waited and waited, his anxiety growing. Watching the electronic message boards, Atemu's flight had landed and the passengers were en route to retrieve their luggage. Finally, the first passengers showed up and reunited with friends or family. Yuugi craned his neck. Atemu was easy to spot in the crowd; relief and love washed all over him and he waved exuberantly. The former Pharaoh noticed him immediately and returned the wave, picking up the pace to close the distance between them as quickly as possible. Wordlessly, Yuugi flung himself into his arms. The moment he inhaled Atemu's familiar scent, he started to sob.
"Aibou," Atemu said fondly. Just to hear the sound of his voice, set Yuugi off even more and he sobbed louder. Atemu shifted his arms, keeping one around Yuugi's waist and the other one on the back of Yuugi's head, his hand soothingly stroking and petting his hair. "I am never going to leave you again. It is not worth it."
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," Yuugi said, his voice muffled against Atemu's chest. "I did it all wrong. I'm too weak, mou hitori no boku."
"What are you talking about? You are the strongest person I know." Atemu held him close, the two of them an island amidst a sea of travelers. People were too occupied to pay attention to them; even so, Atemu would value Yuugi's comfort above anyone else's. "Let us go home," he said.
"No, we can't," Yuugi said. He wanted to break himself free and look Atemu in the eyes, but he couldn't. Shivering, he pressed himself even closer.
"What do you mean?" Atemu sounded alarmed. Taking another deep breath, Yuugi mustered the courage to look up and blurted out everything about Kazuo and his overdose. Atemu's expression went from shocked to angry to concerned. Yuugi didn't let go of him and clung to him, fearing the inevitable silence.
"Mou hitori no boku, say something."
"We will go to the hospital first," Atemu said.
"Are you sure?"
"He is my son," Atemu said. "I want to see him." Yuugi nodded and he hooked his arm through Atemu's. Together, they left the airport.
Atemu was silent during their ride to the hospital, which took twenty minutes by subway. Yuugi knew that the hard part still had to come, it wasn't over yet. Right now, he didn't speak either but simply sat next to the man he loved so much. No words were exchanged while they climbed the stairs to the second floor, to room 50-B. All the beds were occupied and Kazuo, close to the window, looked up with eagerness and hope, until he saw Yuugi and Atemu. His facial expression changed in a split second, but Yuugi was sure Atemu had seen the disappointment. As they had traveled straight from the airport, they still had Atemu's suitcase and laptop bag with them. Atemu set the luggage aside to approach Kazuo.
"What are you doing here?" Kazuo spat.
"I came to see my son," Atemu said. He too was shaken by how ghastly Kazuo was looking, despite having a little more color to his cheeks than yesterday.
"Well, you've seen me, now you can go," he grumped.
"Kazuo-kun," Yuugi said. "We came directly from the airport."
"So what?" He defensively crossed his arms in front of his chest.
"What did the doctor say?" Atemu wanted to know.
"Ask him," Kazuo pointed rudely at Yuugi, "he spoke to a doctor."
Yuugi shook his head. "Not yet." He looked from one to another, unsure whether this had been his cue to remove himself so Atemu and Kazuo could talk... but the tension had already increased tenfold, hanging thick and heavy in the air. He grasped for something to say. "Has Kawagichi-san paid you a visit?"
"She'll be here," Kazuo said. "She can be here any moment!"
"Kawagichi-san?" Atemu repeated, not immediately recognizing the name.
"My mother," Kazuo said, "she'll come to visit me!"
"Your mother? How would she even know you are here?" Atemu didn't understand, while Yuugi turned red. Kazuo picked up on it infallibly.
"She'll take me home," he said.
Yuugi shook his head. "Don't go there, Kazuo-kun," he pleaded, but it was too late.
"She'll never accuse me of stealing," Kazuo didn't bother to keep his voice down, "it's all your fault! You and your stupid fucking necklace!"
"What?" Atemu visibly paled.
"I never thought to take the stuff, until you pushed that shit with the necklace on me," Kazuo insisted. Yuugi didn't know what else to say but 'stop, please!'. Kazuo's voice increased even more in volume and everyone in the room stopped to listen to them. Atemu made a movement and for a moment Yuugi thought he was collapsing, but instead he grabbed the handle of his suitcase and tugged at it.
"I need some fresh air," Atemu said, turned around and left the room.
Yuugi stood next to his son's bed, curling his fingers around the chrome bars. He looked at Kazuo who defiantly stared back. His expression was mixed, like triumph was fighting over something else that Yuugi couldn't identify. He found himself uncaring; his limit had been reached.
"You think you have nothing to fear from me," Yuugi said, voice uncharacteristically low and cold. "You think that because I'm the one who gave you the most chances, you can manipulate me to do whatever you please. You have crossed the lines again and again, and yes, I've allowed a lot. I've allowed it to come this far. I believe in second chances, in third chances. But now the time has come to draw the definitive line." He didn't give Kazuo an opportunity to respond. "Have you forgotten who you were talking to? Have you forgotten who you have hurt and rebuked, over and over again? To you, he's your father, but to me, he's my life. He's more than my life, he's everything I have, everything that gives me a reason to exist. I love him with every heartbeat more than the previous heartbeat, and you dared to accuse him of being responsible for your current situation. This is where I draw the line, Kazuo."
His son's eyes went wide, without hearing the so familiar –'kun' to his name. He opened his mouth, but Yuugi cut him off. "The man who taught you how to walk, how to read, how to write. The man who loves you and believes in you as the son you are to him, and you gave him nothing but disdain. You were so busy disliking him that you forgot what he meant to me. You took me for granted, and your father as the ultimate punching bag to take out your frustrations on. Do you even realize how many times he stood up for you, defended you, protected you? No, you were too busy 'caring' for people who don't give a rat's ass about you, using you for the money and stuff you bring them, and in return they 'reward' you with substances that puts you in the hospital! We tried to help you, we willingly perpetuated the cycle because we wanted to keep you safe. That's going to change now. You just broke your own safety net, Kazuo. My place is no longer at your side, but at his side. I don't care anymore how that makes you feel. We both have done more than enough for you. As soon as the doctor discharges you, you're going to a rehab and you'll stay there as long as it takes for you to kick the habit. Then, we'll look for a place for you to live. You're not coming back to our house. It's our house, not your home anymore."
Yuugi shot his son one more look, daring him for once to protest. Kazuo didn't answer, his hands fisted into the fabric of the sheets. A minute passed by slowly, without anyone talking. Yuugi relaxed his own hands and let go of the bed frame. He walked out of the room, calmly, his back straight. It didn't mean he was happy. His heart was breaking into a million pieces as he walked away, overwhelmed with guilt. Was he abandoning his son? Could he have hope that Kazuo would understand him? Did it really come as a surprise that his mother hadn't visited him? He should've known better than to give her money; he should've called a cab. She had probably spent it on whatever shot of drugs by now, and it hurt so much that Kazuo was hung up on her, instead of his two, loving fathers. Yuugi stalked through the large hallway. He didn't need to wonder where Atemu went; he knew where to find him. When he had said that he needed some fresh air, he had meant it literally; Atemu was outside the hospital, next to the entrance, staring into nowhere. Yuugi approached him and took him by the elbow, gently.
"Let's take a taxi." Yuugi wasn't up to sitting in public transport. It was a luxury to take a taxi, but they could afford it. He flagged one down and helped Atemu to get in, putting the suitcase and the laptop bag in the trunk. The drive was silent, even the taxi driver instinctively felt that no one was in a talking mood. At home, Atemu brought his luggage upstairs while Yuugi heated up the leftover soup from yesterday, when Jounouchi and Honda had come over. He listened if Atemu was taking a shower but no, he came down the stairs again. He poured the soup in the bowls.
"Here, eat something," he said and put the bowls on the table. As expected, Atemu stabbed the noodles in the soup and Yuugi wasn't very hungry either. He took a deep breath and blurted everything out: how he had found Kazuo, the ride to the hospital, the empty beer cans and the white ground powder. He told everything about Kazuo asking for his mother, and how he had went to the Hasimoto district to look for the woman, giving her money to visit her son and how she had failed to do so. He talked until there was nothing left to say, his throat raw and dry. A deep, awkward silence fell.
"So you went to the Hasimoto district to look for the woman who's ruining her own son," Atemu said, and the bitterness in his voice was extremely painful. Yuugi cringed. "A district known for its yakuza, junkies and garbage? What were you thinking? Did you not consider the danger? You could've been robbed, stabbed or worse, killed!"
"I'm sorry, mou hitori no boku," Yuugi said. "I didn't think it over very well. I wanted to fulfill Kazuo-kun's request…"
"You risked your life to find this woman, who I refuse to refer to as 'mother', yet you did not think of warning me, his father?"
Yuugi cringed some more. "You were at the convention, and you had such a good time," he said. "I wanted you to have a couple of stress-free days, doing something you love…"
"No convention, no matter how unique, is more valuable or important than the life of my son," Atemu said. "I should be at his side, even if he does not want me there. I cannot believe you withheld this from me, aibou."
"It wasn't the best decision I ever made, no," Yuugi apologized. More silence. He hated the silence, even though he knew Atemu didn't do it to punish him. He was too caught up with his own emotions to speak. Sure enough, Atemu stopped eating.
"I do not feel very well," he said. "Excuse me." He got up from the table and left Yuugi alone in the kitchen. He stared into his bowl, at the rapidly cooling soup. No tears came, but he felt miserable. He lasted for only half an hour before he went upstairs, to the attic. Yuugi wanted to talk, he had to know if Atemu would forgive him. But when he opened the bedroom door, Atemu had already gone to bed, exhausted from the busy convention, the flight and the visit to the hospital and all the ensuing emotions. Yuugi wasn't so cruel as to wake him, just to get his own peace of mind. Atemu had forgotten to turn off the light in the bathroom, so Yuugi flipped the switch and silently snuck out of the bedroom again.
The following day was Saturday. With Atemu still asleep, Yuugi silently got up and dressed himself, to do the usual weekly grocery shopping. To his delight, Akina went along to help him. She wasn't rehearsing today; she and her group had decided to take the weekend off as they had worked non-stop for the last couple of weeks and needed a break. He appreciated her help and agreed to go with her to visit Kazuo in the hospital later that day. When they got home again, Yuugi could hear Atemu rummaging in his study, and he brought him lunch. He put a plate with food on his desk and gently raked his fingers through Atemu's hair. He didn't start talking about what had happened, leaving Atemu all the room he needed to process everything.
"I'm going with Akina-chan to the hospital," he said. "We'll be back later. Please eat something, mou hitori no boku."
Atemu nodded and Yuugi pressed a kiss to his cheek. He was excited that Atemu turned his head to respond to the kiss, which lifted his bad mood indefinitely. After one more ruffling of his Pharaoh's hair, Yuugi left to go with Akina to the hospital. He was actually kind of curious to Kazuo's reaction after his stern lecture yesterday. When they arrived at his room though, Kazuo was grumpy and irritated, not responding to Yuugi at all. Akina talked about school and her graduation projects, and Yuugi took the opportunity to search for a doctor. He was about to call for a nurse's help when doctor Watanabe passed him.
"Ah, Mutou-san," he said.
Yuugi bowed to him. "Watanabe-sama," he greeted him. Watanabe Akihisa was the family's physician, after following into his father's footsteps.
"This way," he said, leading Yuugi to his office. "I was shocked, Mutou-san, to learn about your son here at the hospital."
"I was very shocked too," Yuugi said. Watanabe closed the door behind them so they could talk in private. Yuugi explained to him about Kazuo's situation, not skipping any detail. The man looked somber when he finished.
"Dealing with an addiction is tough, and it's even tougher for friends and family in particular," he said. "It's a miracle Kazuo-kun hasn't been using hard drugs. From what I gather, any other person would've been shooting heroin by now. He must still have fear for the hardcore substances, but he's very close to the edge, Mutou-san." Watanabe consulted his computer and studied a file. "The ground white powder you brought with you for examination, came back as a mixture of XTC, painkillers and cheap aspirin. We were in time to pump his stomach, and during observation he hasn't shown any symptoms of memory loss, dehydration or disorientation. I'll discharge Kazuo-kun as soon as possible."
"Thank you, Watanabe-sama. I just don't know what to do anymore," Yuugi said. "We can't force him, and he doesn't want to change. It's so complicated."
"It's very hard indeed," Watanabe said. "I don't envy you in this, Mutou-san. I'm sure you're doing the best you can. How's Mutou-sama? He's not with you?"
"He had a very busy week and he needs to rest," Yuugi said. "He was here yesterday, but… Kazuo-kun said some exceptionally harsh words and he thought it was for the better not to accompany me today."
"I see." Watanabe folded his hands. "Yes, sometimes you need to take some distance. I wish you luck in this, Mutou-san. Send Mutou-sama my regards."
"I will, Watanabe-sama. Thank you so much."
When Yuugi walked back into the room, Akina's throat had run dry as the girl had been talking nonstop, just to fill the silence. Kazuo still looked grumpy and made non-committal, grunting noises. Yuugi tapped Akina on the shoulder.
"It's time to go," he simply said.
"When can I leave?" Kazuo asked brusquely.
"Watanabe-sama will discharge you as soon as possible. I'll come pick you up when you're ready to leave," Yuugi answered, his voice neutral. Kazuo arched an eyebrow, but didn't comment. Without another greeting, Yuugi took Akina with him, out of the hospital. On their way back to the subway, as they passed a fast-food restaurant, she asked: "Hikari Papa, can I have a milkshake?"
Yuugi didn't see why not. Rather silly, he bought himself one too: vanilla, and a strawberry one for Akina. She smiled at him, happy with the frosty treat. After a while, she said: "What's going to happen to Kazuo-kun, Hikari Papa?"
"He has no other option but to go back into rehab," Yuugi said. He never lied to his children and Akina was smart enough to realize what was going on.
"I just don't get it," she said, pensively. "I don't dare to ask him, though."
"Ask him what?"
"Why he's doing this. Why he's always going on and on about his mother while he has us as a family."
"I'm not sure, Akina-chan. Just like Tzuziko-chan, you never asked about or showed any interest in your biological parents. Kazuo-kun on the other hand, seemed to be rather obsessed with his biological mother."
"I'm curious about them, yes," she admitted. "But I'm not invested enough to actually search for them. Maybe one day I'll call the adoption agency and ask, but no, I'm not really interested. Maybe later? I don't know. I'm just happy with both my fathers."
"That's sweet of you," Yuugi said.
"It's the truth," Akina said vehemently. "I can understand Kazuo-kun's longing for a mother, but to put her above you? She lives in a bad place, she can't take care of herself, let alone of her son! He has everything, why is he throwing it all away?"
"Maybe he can't help it," Yuugi said. "Kazuo-kun was born addicted, and it has affected him his entire life. Maybe it influenced him so much that he was predisposed to get into drugs, like he was pre-wired to go search for his mother. Sometimes a longing can get so great, that you'll forsake everything to just fulfill it."
"He might be more vulnerable to addiction because of his birth," Akina agreed, "but he made the conscious choice to go visit his mother, when his friend found her. He could've decided against it."
Now it was Yuugi's turn to arch an eyebrow. Akina was much more perceptive than he gave her credit for. She might be often with her head in the clouds, daydreaming about becoming a famous actress, but she sure knew how to analyze a situation when necessary. She heaved a sigh and sipped her milkshake.
"I hate it when Yami Papa is silent."
"I know, dear." Yuugi hated it too. "He's not as talkative as you, though."
"He always has something to say," Akina said. "News, weather, culture, Ancient Egypt, food, my clothes are too revealing, I should do my homework, tea…"
Yuugi chuckled. "True that. Just be extra sweet to your Yami Papa, all right? It's not easy for him."
Akina happily agreed. "I'll do my best!"
Instead of spending a romantic weekend with his lover, Yuugi called private clinics to see if there was a vacant place for Kazuo. It was painfully obvious that, no matter how much his heart ached, it was no option for his son to come home and perpetuate the cycle again. Yuugi wasn't sure if Kazuo was going to learn anything from his overdose, and he'd rather not watch him slipping away further into this downward spiral. It hurt so much. What more could they do to help him? As long as his biological mother and her 'friends' kept this hold over him, Kazuo wasn't going to improve and Yuugi was no longer willing to have his family and most of all, the man he loved, suffer because of it. He finally found a private clinic in Hokkaido who could take Kazuo in at such short notice, but before he gave the definitive yes, he wanted to talk to Atemu. He found him in his study, his favorite place to retreat. Tzuziko's former bedroom wasn't overly large but it was square, allowing enough space to have a seating arrangement next to the window. Atemu loved to read in the big, comfy chair he had bought for this purpose. With the sun setting at the end of the day, the warm light shone so lovely through the window, casting a beautiful glow on him. Yuugi stood for at least five minutes in the door opening, just admiring his profile. Atemu looked at him over the rim of his reading glasses.
"Aibou," he said.
"Mou hitori no boku, do you have a moment?"
He closed the book and put it on the small table next to him. Yuugi closed the distance between them. He wasn't going to nag about how little he had eaten; Atemu's appetite would return once this storm blew over.
"I found a clinic in Hokkaido that has a place for Kazuo-kun," he said. 'It's a private clinic, so I wanted to ask if you'd agree… it's pretty expensive."
"We want the best for our son," Atemu answered. "If they can help him…"
"The minimum stay is at least six months," Yuugi said, "with barely any outside contact. Intensive therapy, cold-turkey detox… it's a very rigid and strict program."
"For his sake, we will give it a try," Atemu said. "He needs supervision and discipline, and much more that we cannot give him. I am not sure though, if we can keep it up much longer."
"I know," Yuugi said. He knew that Atemu wasn't referring to the financial aspect, but the emotions involved. "We have to protect ourselves, and protect him from himself."
"We did everything in our power, aibou. What more is there to protect? We cajoled, we discussed, we negotiated..."
"He's addicted, mou hitori no boku. He's sick. He needs our love and support, no matter how tough it is. We'll be there in the background, and we'll step up when he needs us. But for our own sake, we have to give him this chance."
"You have always believed in chances," Atemu said. "That is what makes you so strong, aibou."
"You believe in chances as well, mou hitori no boku. Otherwise you wouldn't agree."
Atemu showed him a small smile. Taking that as a confirmation, Yuugi retrieved his cell phone. "I'll call the clinic and tell them we're bringing Kazuo-kun over this Sunday." He redialed the number and walked out of the study to make the arrangements. His stomach tied itself into knots, but strangely enough, after finishing his conversation with the clinic, he felt a little better. He had good hope that the clinic would be really good for Kazuo and if so, they could return to being one, whole family. Yuugi wanted to tell Atemu the news so he went back to his study, but the former Pharaoh wasn't there anymore. Yuugi took the stairs to the bedroom in the attic. Atemu stashed a pile of clean laundry in one of the cupboards. Daily life continued as usual, and to see his lover busy with common, domestic things always endeared Yuugi.
"Mou hitori no boku," he said, "everything has been arranged for. I can take Kazuo-kun to the clinic this Sunday."
Atemu nodded, yet he looked displeased. Yuugi put his hand on Atemu's upper arm. "Why don't you sit down?" he asked.
"I have work to do," Atemu said.
"Sit down on the bed, mou hitori no boku. Please."
Silently, he did as he was told and sat down on the bed. Yuugi leaned into him and reached for his face; not to kiss him, but to take off his heavy earrings. Atemu let him be, completely trusting him. Yuugi put the jewelry on the nightstand and then unbuttoned Atemu's dress shirt. In the weekends, he usually wore a simple t-shirt underneath. Taking off the garment, Yuugi put it aside and then climbed on the bed, positioning himself behind Atemu. He rubbed his hands together to warm them up, before placing them on Atemu's neck. Gently, he rotated his thumbs over his skin.
"You're so tense," Yuugi commented. "I feel knots all over."
"Hm-m."
They had massaged each other before and Yuugi continued to work the knots out, using different techniques. He wasn't a professional, obviously, but he pressed and pushed with his hands, using his fingers, rotating, kneading and dabbing. Atemu had closed his eyes, totally surrendering himself to Yuugi. He put his hands on his shoulders once more and pressed a feather-light kiss on his neck.
"I made a stupid decision, mou hitori no boku. I'm sorry."
"There is no need to apologize, aibou," Atemu said. "You scared me. The thought that something could have happened to you…"
"I can take care of myself," Yuugi reminded him gently. "I know you want to protect me, and I revel in your strength… but I can hold my own."
"I know," Atemu said. "It is not like that. You are your own person. The last thing I want is something to happen to you. It was the mere thought that you could be gone… I cannot live without the other half of my soul. I would never forgive myself if something bad happened to you."
"I'm sorry to have worried you." Yuugi knew he had played with fire. He'd been at a very dangerous place, without even considering the consequences.
"You are my everything," Atemu said. He looked over his shoulder. Yuugi pressed a kiss to his lips.
"You're the other half of my soul."
Atemu leaned back and craned his neck to kiss him. Yuugi moved his arm around Atemu's chest to cradle him, his other hand cupping his face. They kissed passionately.
"Promise me," Atemu whispered against his lips, "that you will never do something like this again. That next time, if there is a next time, you will at least take someone with you."
"I promise." Yuugi kissed him again. "I won't rush into dangerous situations without calling for you."
"That is all I wanted to hear." He moaned into the kiss. Yuugi's hand traveled lower, his fingers tugging at the rim of Atemu's shirt. He pulled the fabric up, exposing the bare skin of his abdomen. Leaning backwards, Atemu moved up his arms so Yuugi could pull the shirt over his head and discard the garment. Shifting his own position, he gently pushed Atemu down on the bed and hovered over him, his hands on his sides, kissing him on the collarbones and chest. "This is not really a massage anymore," Atemu added, sounding very amused. Yuugi tickled him slightly, eliciting a snort and a laugh from the former Pharaoh. Atemu pulled Yuugi closer and roughly pulled at his shirt, removing the offending garment. While he was at it, he hungrily nipped at Yuugi's lips and used the opportunity to revert their positions. Yuugi didn't mind to be rolled onto his back and he looked at Atemu, surprised at his ferocity. He knew his passion and his need, but he hadn't often seen him this ferocious before. His body and mind responded to it with even more intensity, and he didn't protest at all when the rest of his clothing was removed, and he could even hear some fabric rip. All he wanted was to feel the other in every way possible, around him, inside him, reveling in the attention and love, the protection and strength and he cried out with the same love and care in his voice, calling the name of the man he loved more than anything in the world.
Domino City Hospital was familiar territory to him. Yuugi didn't like hospitals at all, but he was here to pick up Kazuo. As before, Atemu had decided not to come along, but it bothered him greatly that he couldn't say goodbye to his son; Kazuo would only react badly to his presence. Yuugi steeled himself. This was going to be difficult. He had to tell Kazuo that he wasn't coming home with him. He walked into the room and saw Kazuo sitting on the edge of his bed, a small suitcase next to him. Yuugi had brought him clothes and toiletries during an earlier visit, and Kazuo had packed up everything, looking quite anxious. He hadn't forgotten Yuugi's words, even though he did his best to look as disinterested as possible.
"Let's go," Yuugi said. The love he felt for his son, wasn't any less. He wasn't mad at him. He wasn't even disappointed. He just wanted to help him, but it was obvious Kazuo wasn't going to accept his help. He had to protect his family. He had to protect Atemu. He had to protect Kazuo from falling down further. Kazuo picked up his suitcase and followed Yuugi without a word. He huddled into his coat when they walked outside and he had to adjust his stride to Yuugi's, as he was much taller than his father. At the subway stop, Yuugi choose another line color and number than he was used to, and Kazuo couldn't help but to shoot him a curious look. This particular subway line had Domino City Central train station as its last stop.
"Where are we going to?" he asked.
"To Hokkaido," Yuugi answered. "I'm accompanying you to the Fuzukawa clinic."
"Fuzukawa clinic?"
"It's a rehab facility," Yuugi said. He had the greatest trouble keeping himself calm and he kept repeating the mantra in his mind: 'stay calm, stay calm'. This was so hard. "You'll be treated there for your XTC addiction."
"I don't want to go there," Kazuo said and put his suitcase down, defiantly standing still.
"I can't force you to get on board of the train," Yuugi said. "But you can't come home with me either. This is the moment you have to choose, Kazuo-kun. It's up to you. Your choice. You can either shape up and work on your life and your future, or throw it all away and have nothing left."
It didn't matter that Kazuo was much taller, his height wasn't of any importance. More so, he seemed smaller than his father, now that he was confronted with such a forceful choice. Kazuo pursed his lips and frowned in anger. He didn't like it at all, and neither did Yuugi - he rather took Kazuo home with him to lead a happy life than to accompany him to a rehab facility, that was for sure. The subway arrived and the doors opened, allowing the travelers, commuters and passengers to leave or to get in. Yuugi waited patiently. It didn't surprise him that Kazuo let the subway pass. The next one would arrive in another ten minutes. Neither one of them said anything and stood amidst the Sunday crowd. The ten minutes passed and the next subway arrived. It also left and Yuugi stared after it until it disappeared from view.
"What do you think?" he asked.
"I don't have a choice," Kazuo said. Yuugi didn't want to suggest he could choose to live with his mother, as he rather didn't want them to be together in such deplorable circumstances. The fact that Kazuo even didn't mention her, told him enough. The woman had never shown up at the hospital, fueling his son's general bitterness.
"Believe it or not, it's the best choice," Yuugi said. "We love you and want to help you, Kazuo-kun. Unfortunately, you'll have very limited contact with the outside world the first few months, but I'm going to do my best to get you permission to visit Akina-chan's graduation play and Tzuziko-chan's wedding day."
Kazuo snorted loudly and stepped forward on the subway platform, crossing his arms in front of his chest. Lips drawn into a tight, small line and eyes narrowed in suppressed anger and dismay, he waited until the next subway arrived. Yuugi picked up the suitcase and came to stand next to him. No other words were spoken during their travel to Hokkaido. The clinic was just outside of the city and they had to take a bus before they finally arrived at the secluded gates. Yuugi had the feeling he was delivering his son at a prison, despite the painstaking efforts the personnel had undertaken to make the facility look friendly and inviting, by placing plants and decorations everywhere. He repeated his words to Kazuo, that he was loved and that his family would support him, only to receive another snort in return. After the official admission papers were signed, Yuugi watched how Kazuo surrendered his small suitcase to the staff as no personal belongings were allowed. He disappeared behind a door and that was it. Yuugi swallowed. Not even a word of goodbye. His heart cried out and he couldn't wait to go home and find solace in Atemu's arms. The travel back home seemed to take hours and he stared out of the window, seeing nothing.
"I'm glad we decided to buy new tuxedos," Yuugi smiled at his lover.
"I think we will be getting a lot of use out of them," Atemu agreed. Today was Akina's graduation play and two months later, Tzuziko would get married. According to Yuugi's expectations, she had settled for a traditional wedding, much to Atemu's delight and Akina's disappointment; she had hoped to be a western-style bridesmaid. Yuugi put his hands on Atemu's shoulder to brush away a few dust particles.
"You look so sexy in a suit."
"I know." Atemu gave him a very confident and lecherous grin, just before he dove for Yuugi's lips. "You look very handsome as well, aibou."
"Mmm…" Yuugi reveled in the kiss. "Have I told you today that I love you?"
"No, you have not."
"I love you."
"I love you too."
"We're going to be late. Akina-chan will never forgive us…"
"You are right. We cannot miss our daughter's performance."
"I'm really glad she studied so hard," Yuugi said. "She held herself perfectly to all the assignments and deadlines."
"With help from Souma," Atemu added.
"I know how much you like him," Yuugi tapped his nose, "but Akina-chan isn't in love with him, so I think you can kiss him goodbye as your favorite son-in-law, mou hitori no boku. We want her happiness to come first, remember?"
"Am I that obvious?"
"I can see right through you." Yuugi teased him.
"Let us go," Atemu said after checking his watch and turned around to leave.
"Ah, wait!" Yuugi exclaimed. He grabbed the large earrings from the nightstand and held them up. "You weren't forgetting about these, were you?" Atemu inclined his head for Yuugi to clip the jewelry to his lobes. "Now you're all set."
Yuugi couldn't believe how quickly two years had passed. It seemed like yesterday when he and Atemu had that conversation with Masuda Kameko about Akina's admission to her performing arts school. Now Akina was graduating; the school offered two extra years of study, focusing not only on acting, but also on producing, script writing, camera techniques and directing. She wasn't all that interested in the technical aspect, so she was still weighing her options: to get acting jobs or continuing to study for another two years. "I'm pretty much done with school books," she had said, as Masuda, true to her word, demanded her students to study languages, history, geography and many other subjects as well, as she didn't believe in 'empty-headed actresses and actors'. Now the moment had arrived for Akina and her class to perform the final part of their graduation ceremony: a play that they had arranged themselves, without help from their teachers. The group had chosen for a modern take on the Romeo and Juliet tale, with Akina playing the part of Juliet.
Yuugi looked around to see if he saw a familiar face. Having lost Atemu in the crowd somewhere, he felt a bit alone in the sea of parents, friends and guests invited to see the play. He was hoping to catch Tzuziko, who had sent him a text message that she'd be over soon. Of course she had made room in her hectic schedule to attend her sister's graduation play. Kazuo however, hadn't been granted permission from the clinic to visit. The imposed regimen was very strict and as long as he didn't show any improvement, he wasn't allowed to go anywhere, not even with supervision. Yuugi made sure to send him a weekly care-package, with candy or a snack, and something like a game or a book. He also put in a letter, just like Atemu; often Akina would add a personal note too.
"Otou-san," a female voice rang out close to him. Yuugi turned around with a happy smile on his face.
"Tzuziko-chan! I knew you'd find me."
Amused, she looked briefly at his hair and Yuugi chuckled. It wasn't hard to spot him or Atemu in any crowd, of course; their hair was conspicuous enough.
"Isao-kun," he said as her fiancé popped up next to her.
"Yuugi-san," Isao greeted him. Yuugi had given him permission to call him by his first name and it had taken the young man some time to get used to it. "Where's Mutou-sama?"
"I lost sight of him," Yuugi said, "he's around here somewhere." He turned his head into a different direction, spotting the former Pharaoh perfectly even though other, taller people were surrounding him. "I think they're trying to cast him because of his foreign looks. Excuse me while I go save him."
Akina had mentioned that talent scouts would be present during the graduation, leading to much excitement and anticipation on her part. Yuugi was used to Atemu's tan skin and his love for large golden jewelry, but it was a given fact that he stood out in the general crowd. He managed to 'save' him from more prying looks and questions by pointing out that the play was about to start. Everybody took their seats and the lights dimmed. Yuugi took the opportunity to put his hand on Atemu's knee and Atemu put his hand on top of his. Together they enjoyed the play, proud of their daughter on the stage, performing with such natural talent as if she was born there. When the play was over, the performers were met with utter silence, the highest form of respect and praise the audience could give them.
"Truly, a magnificent performance," Atemu said. The lights went back on and the performers left the stage to quickly change, as the official graduation ceremony would be next. Yuugi stole a quick kiss.
"What if Akina-chan's leaving for Hollywood?" he asked.
"That is not going to happen." Atemu frowned a little. "At least, not anytime soon. She is barely twenty; she needs to build up her experience first."
"Mou hitori no boku, Anzu was barely eighteen when she left for New York."
"Anzu was better prepared and never allowed any fame or fortune get to her head," Atemu said. Yuugi patted his hand. This was something they had discussed many times before. If it were up to him, Yuugi would rather have Akina close than to see her off to Hollywood; but who knew what the future was going to bring her?
The ceremonial part was over and everyone was invited to attend the reception, offering a drink and a bite. The guests discussed the play and congratulated each other with the performance of their daughter or son. Yuugi smiled at all the compliments regarding Akina, thanking for the kind words. He hoped she would join her family soon; like a real diva, she was changing for the third (or fourth?) time today before making a grand entrance. It took a while before she appeared, this time she was wearing a short, colorful dress, with her hair curly and bouncy.
"I'm so glad you could come!" She hugged her fathers and her sister. "Did you enjoy the play?"
Before anyone could answer, she was swamped by her friends and fellow students. A lot of people wanted to talk to the star of the play, vying for her attention. She shot a helpless look at Yuugi, not knowing what to do.
"It's all right," he said. "This is your moment. You deserve the spotlight, Akina-chan."
She smiled at her fathers. "Can I paint the town red tonight, Yami Papa? No curfew, just this once?"
Atemu wasn't really fond of not knowing when his daughter would be home for the night, but this was her graduation day and he didn't want to spoil her moment, so he nodded. She hugged him quickly again, said goodbye to Yuugi, Tzuziko and Isao and disappeared into the crowd. Tzuziko turned to her parents.
"Otou-san, otou-sama," she said, "we came here straight from work, and we haven't had time to eat properly yet… we don't know anyone else around and the play's over, why don't we go to a restaurant?"
Yuugi didn't have a problem with that. A light donburi wouldn't be that hard or too much to stomach.
"That is fine by me," Atemu said. "Do you have a place in mind?"
"Have you ever been to Tsuda's?" Isao asked. "Good portions, nice prices, and they serve excellent yakitori."
"Ooh, I haven't had that in a while," Yuugi said. "Let's go there!"
Yuugi enjoyed his yakitori. He sat next to Atemu and opposite of Tzuziko. Her fiancé was talking to the former Pharaoh about budget cuts in arts and culture and Yuugi knew how passionate Atemu could get over the 'downfall of cultural values in modern day society'. He focused his attention on Tzuziko instead.
"Akina did very well," she took the words out of his mouth, "she was really born to be on stage!"
"Oh yes, we never doubted her talent," Yuugi said. "We ah… often doubt the things that come along with an acting career."
"I'm still not sure if she can handle the stress of auditioning and the disappointment of not getting the part," Tzuziko said. "Akina likes the appeal of fame and adoring fans, but I doubt she realizes what fame actually entails. No privacy. Paparazzi. Stress. She's talented enough, but sometimes she misses a reality check."
"Exactly." Yuugi was almost finished with his plate. "Masuda-san touched upon any possible negative impact of an acting career, but I don't think Akina-chan really listened to that part. We have to have faith, of course."
"Of course, otou-san." She looked from him to Atemu and showed a warm, appreciative smile. "I'm so glad you're both looking so well and happy with each other. After everything that has been going on with Kazuo…"
Yuugi returned a beaming smile. He wasn't going to deny that the both of them were still struggling, but finding solace and comfort with each other. He didn't want to add any tension to the fun mood by talking about Kazuo, sad as it was. "We're never going to be apart, Tzuziko-chan. Nothing can separate us." He sipped his drink. "How about your wedding day?"
"We've got everything arranged for now," she said.
"Efficient as usual," Yuugi said. "We're looking very much forward to it, dear."
"I can't wait either." Tzuziko looked fondly at Isao, who was too caught up in his conversation with Atemu to notice, but the former Pharaoh did and winked at his daughter. Tzuziko couldn't help but laugh, a genuine upbeat laugh that was so rare for her. After the impromptu dinner, they said their goodbyes. Tzuziko and Isao had an early shift at the hospital and wanted to catch some sleep.
"We'll see you soon again, otou-san, otou-sama," she said as she kissed them goodbye.
"Then you'll be the bride, Tzuziko-chan," Yuugi reminded her.
"Enjoy the rest of your evening, Yuugi-san, Mutou-sama," Isao said. Yuugi and Atemu waved the couple goodbye. They knew they didn't have to worry about their eldest daughter, she had everything under control. Maybe she was a little too strict and stern, but nobody was perfect; she wasn't in any kind of trouble like Kazuo and she didn't like to drink and go to clubs like Akina. Yuugi decided not to wait up for her. After all, she had permission to 'paint the town red', and he didn't expect her to be home anytime soon… which left him plenty of opportunity to peel Atemu out of his exquisite tux and do deliciously indescribable things to him.
The Shinto priest's voice was perfectly audible as he performed his ritual chants to purify the shrine. He stood on the right of the ceremonial wedding altar, laden with salt, water, fruits, vegetables and the sake for the upcoming san-san-ku-do ceremony, the traditional exchange of sake cups, reflecting 'three oaths taken three times'. The to-be-married couple, Tzuziko and Isao, stood in the middle of the room. She was wearing a beautifully white uchikake kimono with intricate embroidery, combined with a Tsuno Kakushi hood, richly adorned with ornaments. Akina, dressed in a colorful tomesode kimono, had been as kind as to take care of her sister's make-up; she looked absolutely stunning. Isao couldn't keep his eyes off of his bride, he was just dying to kiss her. But first, the ceremony had to be completed: sipping the sake, reading the vows and the offering of sakakitree branches to the altar, to appease the kami to bless this union.
Yuugi watched attentively and discreetly blinked a couple of times. He was not going to cry at his daughter's wedding day. It was just that… his desire to stand there in front of the shrine and marrying his beloved Pharaoh, was simply overwhelming. It was such a devastating reality that they could never be legally married. Atemu picked up on his strong emotions, their bond so deep and intense, that he sought out Yuugi's hand in a rare initiative of public display of affection, to offer him comfort. Yuugi leaned into him briefly, overwhelmed by the emotions. He wanted nothing but to scream their love to the rest of the world and make it official; of course, no piece of paper, no written document could be a confirmation of what they shared, they'd been together for so long now, but still… it would've been so lovely! He watched how the couple exchanged the cups of sake and tried to stomp on his misplaced feelings of jealousy. How could he be jealous of his daughter on her most wonderful day?
He was a lot more relaxed at the wedding reception. The guests - family, friends and coworkers - mingled and he truly enjoyed himself. He received many congratulations on behalf of his daughter and many well-wishes for her wedding. Atemu received many congratulations as well as Isao's parents: kind, good-natured people who didn't have any trouble with the parents of their daughter-in-law being of the same sex. The newlyweds had changed into less traditional wear to attend their own reception, interacting with all of the guests. The happy bride took her time to talk to everyone around her and she smiled when she saw both her fathers standing together.
"Otou-sama, did you enjoy the ceremony?" she asked.
"It was wonderful," he answered. "A beautiful bride, a handsome husband and so much happiness."
"I'm glad you liked it," she said. "It's such an amazing day!"
Yuugi beckoned her closer. "Don't forget to relax every now and then," he urged her. His ambitious daughter would work herself to death if she didn't watch out.
She pecked him fondly on the cheek. "Thank you, otou-san. Don't forget to relax yourself, such a busy-body as you are, and you're not twenty anymore."
"Are you…" Yuugi started, but she cut him off, hugging him.
"I was just kidding, otou-san. But seriously, you've been under great strain." She knew about his visit to the Hasimoto district and how mad Atemu had been that he had walked into such a dangerous situation without asking for help. He admitted defeat.
"You're right, Tzuziko-chan. I promise I'll take it easy for the rest of the week, alright?"
"Alright. The same goes for you, otou-sama," she said at a particularly innocent looking Atemu. "I know all about your conventions and artifacts and lectures. So take it easy, the both of you!"
"Yes dear," they answered in unison.
It was getting late. After the wedding reception, the guests moved on to the nijikai, the after party. Yuugi spoke with Isao's family and friends and as always, when the topic got to work, everyone was interested in what his job entailed at KaibaCorp.. Atemu kept a little distance though and took a seat in a corner, sitting upright, like a ruler overseeing his nation. Yuugi excused himself and went over to him. The music was playing a slow, romantic song.
"Dance with me, mou hitori no boku?"
Atemu didn't hesitate to accept the invitation and followed Yuugi onto the dance floor. Slowly moving to the music, Yuugi adored being in Atemu's arms like this. It was such a perfect fit; their height difference was minimal, with Yuugi just an inch or two shorter. He was still a bit emotional.
"I wish I could marry you," he whispered.
"I know, aibou," Atemu whispered in return. "If I could put a wedding ring on you, I would've done so a long time ago."
Yuugi looked at his ring, the one Atemu had bought from the money he had earned by working at the Game Shop. They had been wearing the same ring since they were seventeen. Yuugi thought it was the most beautiful and unique ring in the world and he had never taken it off, not even for a second.
"This is my wedding ring," he murmured. "My engagement ring, my promise ring, my friendship ring, my everything ring…"
Atemu shifted his arms a little to hug him while they shuffled to the music, forgetting the people around them. "Everything."
"Everything," Yuugi sighed. He tightened his arms around Atemu. "Mou hitori no boku…"
"Yes?"
"You're not going to leave me, are you?"
"Aibou, why do you even ask? I will never leave you." Atemu rubbed him on his back. "I loved you since the moment I first saw you."
"I can't imagine that I was scared of you at first," Yuugi said.
"It was a very confusing moment for the both of us," Atemu admitted. "I thought I was you at first, and I did… certain things to protect myself and my friends… but I always knew you were there, and I loved you from the start."
"I know. I guess I just wanted to hear it again."
"I will tell you as often as you like it, aibou." He ruffled his hair. "I think it is time for us to go home."
"I think so too." Yuugi was tired, and he hadn't even been the center of attention like the newlywed couple. The after party was at its end, and truthfully enough, Yuugi longed to be in his bed and rest. The intensity of the last few months was getting to him, and all he wanted to do was sleep.
A few weeks later, Yuugi rearranged the pictures on the side table in the hall. It used to be a shrine to his mother and grandfather, but over the years it had turned into the 'family pictures' table. He had put a prominent picture of Yusuke and Sugoroku in the middle, surrounded with more pictures of the family, with the wedding picture of Tzuziko and Isao as the latest addition, right next to Akina's graduation ceremony picture. Yuugi couldn't stop smiling. His fingers rested on a separate picture of Kazuo, who hadn't been present at the latest events, due to his stay at the rehab clinic. Yuugi shoved his picture a little closer. Kazuo was still his son, he was part of the family and Yuugi didn't want to exclude him. The hallway was silent. Strange how it felt so disheartening that he missed the loud, obnoxious death metal music Kazuo always was playing. Akina was now the noisemaker in the house; she chattered constantly on her smartphone. If she wasn't talking on the phone, she had her many friends over or her boyfriend, Kimura Yoshitora.
She was still waffling back and forth on taking the second part of Masuda's performing arts school and she had heated discussions with Yoshitora about it. He had enrolled already and tried to persuade her to do the same. Yuugi wasn't very fond of him, thinking he was a pompous youngster with a rapidly growing ego and arrogance. Not the confident arrogance of Atemu during a Duel Monsters game, but the arrogance of someone who thought that everyone and everything was beneath him. It was a mystery to Yuugi why Akina had fallen in love with him, but it was quite serious nonetheless. He hoped that Yoshitora wouldn't become his son-in-law, though… and then he felt guilty. It was Akina's choice and it was her happiness that counted. Despite everything, Akina had landed a couple of acting jobs in commercials and some voice-over work. As long as she 'hadn't made it big' as she called it, she continued to live at home and even offered to pay a modest contribution towards rent and household expenses. Yuugi had deferred her to Atemu as he was the one in charge of the finances, but he didn't think he would ask for much, if anything at all. He stared at the pictures on the table and moved them around once more, when the front door opened and Akina bounced in, waving enthusiastically with a wad of paper, cheeks red with excitement.
"Hikari Papa! It was so great! They want me to play the part of Tanizaki Minami!"
"That's wonderful, Akina-chan!" He shared her enthusiasm. "I don't have to ask how your meeting went, then."
Akina twirled around. A group of young, up-and-coming writers had invited her for an audition; they had scouted her at her graduation play and they were busy translating a typical Western soap-opera to the Japanese audience. "I'm going to be a lead character in a soap opera!"
She twirled towards Yuugi and hugged him. "I think Yami Papa will like it too," she said, still flailing the huge wad of paper. "Where is he? Oh, read this first!" She ran up the stairs after handing Yuugi the paper, which was the script of the first two episodes of the soap opera. Yuugi took it with him as he went upstairs, to the kitchen. Akina was making herself some tea.
"I didn't want to disturb him," she said. Since a couple of months, aside from his highly sought-after opinion and advice on Ancient Egyptian artifacts, Atemu's expertise had also been called in for restoration of ancient jewelry, a chore he had surprisingly much patience and talent for. It required utmost concentration and Yuugi sometimes wondered if Atemu didn't surround himself with too much Ancient Egyptian. He would never deny his lover to pursue his own interests; after all, Atemu had a pretty unique background. "Will you read the script, Hikari Papa?"
"Of course. I'm actually kind of curious." He tilted his head. "Where's Yoshitora-kun?"
Akina dunked the teabag in the hot water and shrugged, a little too nonchalantly. "He doesn't think very highly of soap operas in general," she said, sounding slightly aggravated. "Sure, it's not the newest Shakespeare and the influences are mostly western… Yoshitora wants everything to be traditional and old-fashioned, just like Yami Papa."
"I don't necessarily agree with that, Akina-chan," Yuugi said. He took the opportunity to pour himself a cup of tea as well. "Your Yami Papa has roots in a very ancient culture and yes, he embraces it with perhaps a little too much heart and soul. But he acknowledges and respects the influence and importance of other cultures, instead of rejecting them like Yoshitora-kun does."
Akina nodded, pensively. Her lip quivered a little and Yuugi pressed on, albeit gently.
"What did he really say?"
"That a soap opera would rot what little left I had of my brain," she said and busted out in tears.
"What?" Yuugi immediately jumped to her defense. "How dare he!"
"I love him so much, Hikari Papa," Akina wailed, "but he can be so mean! Just because he received offers from prestigious theater groups..! He's so talented, I can learn so much from him, but lately…"
"Akina-chan, he might be approached by well-known theater groups, that doesn't give him any right to look down on your work. Anyone who's mean to you, looks down on you and thinks himself much better than anyone else…"
"I know, I know." As quickly as the tears had come, they stopped. She used a tissue to dab at her eyes and groaned in annoyance when she noticed that she had smeared mascara all over her face. "I love him," she repeated.
"You don't have to convince me," Yuugi reminded her gently. "It's your heart, Akina-chan."
"When I was at Tzuziko's wedding…" she said, "I thought to myself: 'I want that too!' Getting married, I mean. But I want to get married to someone I really love… like how you love Yami Papa. And I'm not sure if I love Yoshitora as much."
"Matters of the heart are complicated," Yuugi said. "You're so young, Akina-chan. You're barely twenty and your career is about to take off. You have plenty of time to fall in love and get married."
She looked at him. "You got together with Yami Papa since you were fifteen, Hikari Papa. You told me so yourself. I'm a late-bloomer compared to you!"
Yuugi blushed. "Please don't compare yourself to us, Akina-chan. Our circumstances were quite… unique."
She wiped the rest of her mascara off. "You two were so cute when dancing at Tzuziko's wedding. You were totally engrossed with each other, you barely noticed anyone around you!"
"Yes, true," Yuugi said and blushed even harder.
She picked up on it. "I'm sorry Hikari Papa, I didn't want to bring up a painful subject. If only it was legal for you two to get married."
"I don't see the laws change anytime soon," Yuugi said, a little downtrodden. "In any case, it doesn't make our love less significant."
"Of course not. You're my parents, you're together… as far as I'm concerned, you're married."
"Thank you, dear." He continued to sip his tea, pleased to be in the company of his youngest daughter, wondering what the future had in store for her.