WARNING: ANZU BASHING! RYOU / BAKURA LIME!

Kura Magician girl: Our kid made breaksfast for her mother on her b-day. the bread had so much butter, it clogged your arteries just looking at it.

Sakiyama: Robbie and Aten are really cute in the next story…and I get to the good stuff…..PUBERTY!

Valea: Asher will have to be a recurring character in the “Public Relations Department.”

Broken Time: Things “mysteriously” disappear when she is on the rag. The toaster…the remote controller….Aten’s things start disappearing.

Lady Elfskye: I don’t plan on any lemons or limes with Hayden. Personally, too creepy to really write. But, I will if I get harassed for it enough. Like I said, in my head I have them worked out, but as far as writing them, I don’t think I got the brass nuts to do it.

Veggie_tart: *hands Ryou plushie* All new reviewers get Ryou or Bakura plushies. I am doing a fic with Marik and Malik’s past. It’s called “Reunited.” Just a few chapters are up now and I work on it as I have time. Thank you for the praise! *hands Marik plushies*

redconvoy: I think Bakura will end up passing out when he hears that news. But, that is Bakura’s attitude…he doesn’t want to let her grow up. He’ll pay for that attitude. I’ve seen you around and I’m so glad you reviewed for me! *hands Bakura plushie*

Shadow of Light: We all feel bad for the scorpion. Miranda will never have another kid. Robbie will be her only son.

Terra: mmmm…..ham.

Thoughts of You

Ryou and Miranda stood outside of the gates waiting for their children to come out of the school. Miranda gave Ryou a small box after hearing from Marik that morning that it was Ryou’s birthday. He was turning 23 years old today.

Ryou opened the little box and it had a small angel pin inside. “Oh my goodness! Thank you, Miranda! You didn’t have to get me anything.”

Miranda shrugged. “You’re my friend, Ryou. Why wouldn’t I get you something? It’s not everyday you turn 23, you know. I remember when I turned 23. Daniel was home for my birthday that year. We went out for dinner and a movie. It was a great time.”

Ryou pinned the angel to his collar. “It’s beautiful. Thank you.”

She gave Ryou a tight hug. “Us mothers have to stick together, right? Besides, you’ve been such a big help with Robbie and…….” Miranda looked down. “When I lost the baby, you and your family were there to help me when I needed help the most. I won’t forget about that, Ryou.”

“It’s the least we could do, Miranda.”

Ryou and Miranda looked up and saw Aten walk out somberly.

“Aten? Something’s wrong….terribly wrong.”

Aria threw herself at her mother. “HI, MOMMY!”

Ryou ran to his son and daughter. “Aten? What’s wrong? Where’s Robbie? He always leaves with you.”

Aten looked around at the playground. Nearby, the bullies were watching him. He sniffled, having received enough taunting through the day for crying. Everyone thought he was crying because Robbie wasn’t in the class. But he cried because he could not understand what the teacher was saying. He couldn’t understand her instructions.

It was literally a foreign language to him.

“Robbie’s not in my tass dis year.”

Miranda gasped. “What?”

“They toot Robbie and put him in a smar-er tass than me. Thas betwaws I tupid,” Aten said looking down sadly. “They even toot Aria away and put her in anudder tass. I’m all alone.”

Ryou narrowed his eyes. “Take my hand, Aten. We’re going to the principal’s office this instant!”

Miranda clenched her teeth. “Ryou, we’re going together! I’m going to stop this nonsense!”

Robbie walked out of the school sadly. “Hi, mommy,” he said unenthusiastically.

“Robbie, we’re going to get you boys back in the same class.”

Miranda and Ryou took their sons to Adams’ office. Miranda crossed her arms. “Mrs. Adams, as much as I respect your position, I am the one paying your salary. If Robbie does not wish to be separated from Aten, they do not get separated.”

Adams sat back in her chair. “Robbie is an exceptional child.”

Ryou placed both of his hands on Adams’ desk. “My child is not an idiot, Mrs. Adams. He is an exceptional child in his own right. Show me a third grader who can draw like my son. What other third grader in this school has paintings in the Domino Museum with shows dedicated exclusively to his artwork? What child at this school has a painting hanging at the Louvre in Paris? I don’t appreciate my son being told that he is stupid because he has a hard time with the English language.”

“His learning disability keeps him at the bottom half of his class.”

“I’ve never seen a child with dyslexia struggle and try so hard as my Aten. He tries….hard.”

“That is my point, Ryou. Aten can get the special help he needs in Remedial Grade 3. Robbie won’t get challenged in Remedial Grade 3. Why don’t we do it this way…Aten and Robbie can stay together for some classes. Robbie will have to return to the Accelerated Program for Math, English, and Reading. He can stay with Aten during his Math, English, and Reading hour. The two classes do not have the same subjects at the same time. Robbie can stay with Aten for History and Art class if he wishes.”

Robbie smiled and nodded. “I’d love that!”

“Why did you separate Aria and Aten?” Ryou asked.

Adams folded her hands on the desk. “Aria was placed in

Grade 3-C. She was placed in the next class which studies at a slightly faster pace than Remedial Grade 3.”

Aria raised her hand. “Why am I not in Aten’s class?”

“Because your class learns faster, Aria. That is why. You are perfectly capable of handling Grade 3-C. Aten, after school you have tutoring with Mr. Cullen, correct?”

“Yes.”

“Mr. Cullen will remain your personal tutor. Now, Robert, as a member of the Accelerated Program, you are encouraged to take a language as part of your curriculum.”

Robbie scratched his head. “Aten’s teaching me Arabic. What can I take?”

“You may choose from Spanish, Italian, French, Latin, or German.”

Robbie turned to Aten. “What do you think?”

“Spansh, Talin, Fensh, Late-in, or Sherman. Hmmm….”

Robbie smiled. “I want to take German. That’s one of the languages my daddy speaks. I want to learn, too.”

“It’s never too young to learn a foreign tongue,” Adams added.

Ryou took Aten’s hand. “I expect my son to be treated with respect like any other student, Mrs. Adams. Not only will I pull my children from this school, but Seto Kaiba will hear of my displeasure if your attitude does not change. Good day.”

Aten hopped off of the chair and left.

Aten turned to Robbie. “We’re bat in the same tasses for the moss part, Robbie!”

Robbie smiled. “My mommy gets really scary when she gets angry, Aten.”

Aten squeezed Ryou’s hand tightly as they walked to the car. ‘I love my mommy,’ he thought.

Robbie hugged and kissed Aten goodbye. “Goodbye, Aten. I don’t care what anyone says. We stick together. Right?”

Aten nodded. “You and me, Robbie. It’s always been lite that.”

“Always will be, Aten.”

Aten watched Robbie leave with his mother.

“Aria, baby, get into the car. Aten?” Ryou kneeled down to Aten. “I don’t want you to believe that you are stupid, Aten. You are a talented little boy. You’ll always be our gifted little guy.”

Aten looked up at his mother with a small smile. “Really?”

“Really.”

Aten hugged his mother. “Love you, mommy. I’m glad you’re my mommy.”

Ryou smiled, burying his face in Aten’s hair. “You make me proud, baby. You and Aria are my treasure.”

Aria bounced in the car. “COME ON, MOMMY! BIRTHDAY CAKE TONIGHT! YEAH!”

***************************

A knock sounded on the door and Aria ran to answer. She let out a high-pitched squeal as Seto reached down and picked her up.

“I won’t be able to pick you up for much longer, princess.”

The chibi yami pouted. “Aww….”

Hayden, Jaimen, and Joey walked in carrying Ryou’s presents.

Seto walked up to Ryou and kissed him on the lips. “Happy Birthday, angel.”

“Thank you, Seto! Hi, Joey! Hi, Hayden! Jaimen, so glad you could make it!”

Jaimen glomped Ryou. “This is what birthdays are all about!”

Sekhmet ran to Seto and licked his hand. He rubbed against Joey’s leg and panted heavily.

“Hello, Sekhmet, boy!” Joey said, rubbing the puppy’s head.

Another knock sounded on the door and Aten ran to answer. “Unkie Tris! Unkie Togi!”

The tall brunet picked up the skinny eight year old with his muscular arms. “How’s our little monkey doing?”

“It’s my mommy’s birfday today! Our birfday is tumming up soon!”

“I already have your birthday present,” Tristan smiled deviously.

Aten’s eyes lit up. “Is it a real money?!”

Tristan shook his head. “You’re going to have to wait, little man.”

Otogi shut the door behind them. “Joey! Ryou! Ryou, Happy Birthday, you!”

Ryou threw himself at Otogi. “Hi, Otogi!”

The Dice Master buried his face in Ryou’s soft hair. “You’re looking smashing, Ryou! Have you lost weight?”

“I’m not sure. My jeans are a little looser, though.”

Sekhmet stood up and licked Otogi’s hand. Sekhmet leaned against Tristan and let out a little bark.

“Hello, Poochie!” Otogi said happily.

Aten and Aria ran to the door when another knock sounded. “Unkie Yugi!”

“Hello, there, you two! Happy Birthday, Ryou!”

“Yugi! I’m so glad you could make it!”

Yugi smiled. “Why wouldn’t I come, Ryou? You’re my friend!”

Otogi gasped. “Oh My! The little tea sandwiches are so cute!”

“Malik mated them,” Aten said grabbing one of the tiny chicken sandwiches.

Otogi bit his lip. “They are so good! Malik out-done himself!”

Aria reached up and plunged her hand into the bowl of M&M’s.

“PARTY!” a loud, shrieking voice sounded from outside.

Everyone stopped.

“Marik?” Seto asked the blond yami.

“Yes, moneybags?”

“Did you put balloons outside?”

Marik blinked and shook his head. “Oh…….shit.”

Anzu burst into the house. “Ryou! I heard it was your birthday!”

Marik rolled his eyes and Bakura sighed in defeat. “We really should have learned by now not to put any balloons outside.”

Anzu wrapped her arms around Ryou tightly. “HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RYOU! Today is your friendly day!”

“Anzu….get…off.”

Anzu released Ryou and saw the table with snacks. “OO! ARE YOU HUNGRY, PINCHY?”

Sekhmet growled at the girl whom he saw as a threat.

Aria stepped to the puppy and told him to behave himself. The puppy lowered its head in obedience to her.

Marik and Bakura sighed. They could feel the intelligence of the room being sucked clean by the presence of the brainless girl. She was like a vacuum or a dark hole…sucking the joy and intelligence out of the air.

Anzu put the scorpion on the dinner table. “OO! Tea sandwiches! Chicken! Roast Beef!”

Malik peeked his head out of the kitchen. “Oh no! Anzu!”

The scorpion crawled over the table.

Aten looked at the scorpion. “Pity!” Aten reached out to grab it and Marik yanked him back. “Watch it, son. That scorpion is deadly.”

Anzu pouted. “Pinchy wouldn’t hurt anyone! He’s a cute-sy, wootsy-foo-foo Scorpion! Aren’t you, Mister Pinchy?”

Anzu grabbed the scorpion and clutched it to her chest. The scorpion stung her and she squealed. She dropped the scorpion in the punch.

Marik could see the scorpion trying to drown itself. The yami pitied the poor creature.

The brainless girl picked the desperate creature out of the punch bowl and squeezed it tightly. “I love my Pinchy!”

The insect tried to sting Anzu, but she refused to let go.

Malik shook his head. He never felt so much pity for a creature in Anzu’s slimy grip. Then again, Fluffy the Crab also tried to kill himself to get away from Anzu.

Marik and Bakura sat next to each other on the couch, growling quietly. Neither of them had the energy to get Anzu out of the house. They had to put up with her brainless chatter.

Malik stepped out of the kitchen. “Let’s open presents. Anzu, you have to leave after we open the presents.”

“But I want Friendly birthday cake! Please?????”

Malik groaned. “Fine.”

Ryou sat on the high-backed chair and watched as Otogi handed Ryou his present first.

“I made it myself, Ryou,” Otogi smiled proudly.

The white-haired hikari opened the present and squealed. “Oh my! It’s a sweater!” Otogi had crocheted Ryou a light blue sweater. “I didn’t know you could sew.”
Otogi smiled. “I taught myself how to do it. It’s not as easy as it looks at first, you know. I tried to make Tristan a black scarf with pretty little tassels on the ends and it came out absolutely wretched! I had to pull it apart and do it all over again.”

Tristan nodded. “He did. He cried, too, when it didn’t come out how he wanted it exactly.”

“Well, I had to get it right, Tris!”

Tristan handed Ryou his gift. It was a gift certificate to the local amusement park. He would be given a free admission with the purchase of one ticket. “Now you and Bakura can go to the amusement park together one day. Just the two of you.”

“Wow! Thank you, Tristan! I’ll be sure to take advantage of this one! When you get better, Bakura, you and I can go! What do you think?”

“Sounds good, Ryou. It won’t be for a while, though. I’ve only been out of the Ring for two hours and I feel tired.”

“Go back inside, then, yami.”

Bakura shook his head. “I’m not missing your birthday.” The yami handed Ryou a box. “This is from me.”

Ryou opened the box and found a picture. Bakura had taken the only picture of Ryou’s mother that he had and had a professional frame it. A tear came to Ryou’s eye.

“You….you framed my mother’s picture for me.”

“That frame was custom made, Ryou. I figured you would like to have it hanging in the house.”

Aten looked at the picture and his jaw dropped. “The lady in my dreams!”

Aria ran to the picture. “It’s her! She comes to me in my sleep, too! She’s my nanny!”

Ryou knew his mother appeared in his kids’ dreams. Aten often spoke to her and painted pictures of her hugging him and holding him in her arms. One of his paintings had Rhea holding him in his arms after being rescued from the cabin with his mother. He titled it ‘Rescued Angel.’

It was this painting that was hanging in the Louvre.

“We’ll put it here in the living room, Bakura. Thank you so much for doing this!”

“It was the only picture you had of her. It shouldn’t be sitting in her jewelry box. It should be where all of us can see her.”

Ryou nodded. “You’re right, yami. She belongs in the living room with us.”

Seto gave Ryou a tiny angel statue holding his birthstone, a brilliant blue sapphire. “An angel for my angel.”

“Thank you so much, Seto! You didn’t have to.”

“Sure, I did! It had your name written all over it. I even inscribed the bottom of the statue with your name.”

In the metal bottom of the tiny statue was engraved: ‘Ryou Thomas Bakura. Love Forever, Your Blue-Eyed Dragon.’

Joey looked at the inscription. “Seto took three days to come up with that, Ryou. He didn’t know what to engrave on there.”

Ryou kissed Seto on the cheek. “It’s beautiful! This is going right by mother’s jewelry box.”

Joey handed Ryou his present. Ryou opened it up and found Duel Monster cards. Ryou opened the pack and whistled. “’The Agent of Judgment-Saturn! If your life points are higher, inflict damage to your opponent equal to the difference! Wow! Good card! I need ‘The Sanctuary in the Sky’ to activate it. I have that card! Thank you, Joey! ‘Agent of Force-Mars’!”

“I know you have ‘The Agent of Creation-Venus’ in your deck. I got you all of the other cosmic cards to go with it! I got you ‘The Agent of Wisdom-Mercury,’ too.”

Ryou bounced up and down excitedly. “I wanted these cards for my deck! Thank you, Joey!”

Anzu let out a shriek of excitement that temporarily deafened Joey.

“They are all fairy cards like mine! YEAH FRIENDSHIP!”

Anzu threw herself on Ryou and the man let out a scream. “Get her off of me! Get her off of me!”

Seto and Joey pulled her off. “Anzu! Get off!”

Ryou brushed himself off. “I feel all disgusting now.”

Aria gave Ryou another pack of Duel Monster cards and a little stained glass picture reading ‘A Mother’s Love Warms the Heart.’

“The mother in the picture is a woman, mommy. They had no Boy Mommies on the pictures. Sorry, mommy.”

Ryou chuckled. “Don’t worry about it, sweetheart. My darling little girl.” The mother picked up his daughter and covered her cheeks in kisses.

Aten handed Ryou a box. Inside the box Ryou found a painting of Ryou holding Aria and Aten as infants.

“I found this pisher and I painted it for you, mommy.”

Ryou looked at the painting of Aria sleeping with her head on Ryou’s shoulder. She was swaddled in her clean birthing blanket. Aten was in Ryou’s other arm. He looked small and thin, weighing about three pounds at birth. This picture had been taken when the children were only one week old.

“Baby, this is beautiful! Thank you!”

Ryou kissed his son on the cheek. “I love my kids!”

Anzu let out another squeal and wrapped her arms around Hayden tightly. “I danced naked in front of Seto and I had a baby! YEAH FRIENDSHIP!”

Hayden growled. “Ew! Don’t hug me, girl!”

“I am a girl! GIRLS ARE FRIENDLY!”

Aten curled his nose. “Girls aren’t fendly! They are weird.”

“I danced naked! Yeah!”

Bakura grabbed his stomach. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

The white-haired yami disappeared into the Ring.

“Me, too.” Marik disappeared into the Millennium Rod on the kitchen countertop.

Hayden pushed Anzu away. “Never touch me again!”

“Anzu, we don’t need to know that you danced naked for Seto,” Otogi said, taking a bite out of his roast beef tea sandwich.

Seto rolled his eyes. “Centuries of therapy couldn’t erase that horrendous image from my head.”

“Anzu, we told you that is not how you get pregnant,” Joey said.

Yugi raised his hand. “One more present and then we can have cake, okay? Here’s mine, Ryou.”

Ryou opened the present and found a gold box covered in rubies and sapphires. “Oh my! This box looks priceless!”

Yugi smiled. “Open the box.”

Ryou opened the box and found it was filled with pearls!

Ryou’s jaw dropped. “Yugi? Why would you give me this?”

Yugi smiled up at Ryou. “I had them assessed and they are worth a lot of money.”

Sekhmet sniffed the box and sat by Ryou.

“Why would you give me this? How could you afford this?”

Yugi looked away. “It was Yami’s. I can’t have anything that reminds me of him. The memories……are too painful.”

“Yugi, what if you need this for the Game Shop? You can use it to help keep your shop open.”

“The Game Shop is doing fine by itself, Ryou. I want you to take this. If you want to keep them, you can. If not, you can get good money for them.”

Ryou hugged Yugi. “Thank you, Yugi. I don’t know what to say.”

Yugi hugged Ryou back. “I know what you can say. TIME FOR CAKE!”

Yugi rushed into the kitchen, followed by the kids and Sekhmet.

The puppy remained by Aria’s side at the table. Malik lit the candles and everyone had a piece of cake.

******************************

Ryou was talking with Otogi, Tristan, and Joey over coffee. Malik and Yugi were talking out in the backyard and watching the children were playing on the swing set. Hayden played on the monkey bars with Aten. Jaimen and Aria played on the swings together. Anzu had thankfully left, chasing a floating balloon into rush hour traffic at a nearby highway.

Ryou looked around the table and outside. Seto had disappeared. “Has anyone seen Seto?”

Joey shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe he stepped outside for a moment.”

Ryou checked the backyard. Seto wasn’t with Yugi and Malik. Ryou opened the front door and Seto was sitting on the steps.

“Seto? Why are you out here alone?”

Seto was staring at the ground, biting his lip. “Ryou…I have to ask you something important. I need an honest answer.”

Ryou sat beside his friend and took his hand. “I’ve always been honest with you, Seto. I’ve never lied to you. Something is bothering you. Why don’t you talk about it?”

Seto squeezed Ryou’s hand. “It’s about Joey.”

“Oh no. He hasn’t started---.”

“No. Joey’s been doing really good with not drinking. It’s….something else.”

Ryou nodded. “Okay.”

If Ryou had learned one thing about Seto Kaiba over the years, it was not to rush him when he needed to talk about something serious. During his childhood, he was taught not to talk about anything regarding what he was feeling. His feelings were called “wrong” and “a sign of weakness.” Ryou had learned to give Seto his time when needed.

“I want to ask Joey to marry me.”

Ryou smiled. “Really? That’s great! You’ve been together for about ten years!”

“I’m nervous about asking him.”

“Seto, I’m sure that Joey won’t deny you. Just ask him.”

Seto shook his head. “What if he doesn’t want marriage? What if he just wants to remain my boyfriend?”

“Joey ADORES you! You’ve helped him through so much, why would he even think of turning his back on you? I don’t see him doing that.”

“I know he loves me. I want to make him mine, Ryou. I want him to be mine.”

Ryou pat Seto’s back. “He’s always been yours, Seto. If you feel that you want to marry Joey, I think it is a good idea. Joey wouldn’t say no to you. He hasn’t before, has he?”

“No, he hasn’t.”

“Then go for it, Seto. You won’t be disappointed.” Ryou kissed Seto on the cheek. “You need to know that this is right for you, Seto. Come inside and join the party.”

Seto stood up. “Don’t say anything to Joey, Ryou.”

“I promise. You have my word.”

**************************

The party was over. The kids had been tucked into bed and were now sleeping quietly in their rooms.

Ryou took a shower and slipped beside Bakura in bed.

The yami gathered his husband into his arms and held him close.

This was much different compared to his fourteenth birthday. Bakura had taken Ryou’s virginity when he was fourteen on the living room floor. Ryou was forced to clean the blood up alone, sobbing and aching.

Bakura sighed and kissed Ryou on the forehead. “Another year has gone, baby.”

Ryou looked up at Bakura. “Yes. A year older. Oh well, it was a good one. I still have you with me. That’s all I wanted for my birthday.”

Bakura smiled and held his hikari close. ‘It’s his birthday. I should…..get…amorous with him. This isn’t Yami. It’s Ryou.’

The yami tipped Ryou’s chin up and placed a soft kiss on Ryou’s lips.

‘Gods, I would have died to taste these lips in the Underworld.’

Bakura’s hand moved down to rub Ryou’s chest, taking care to explore his chest slowly.

Bakura kissed down the front of Ryou’s neck, sucking at the skin gently.

“Bakura….baby, feels good.”

The yami kissed down to Ryou’s left nipple and took the tender bud between his lips. A gentle suckling motion resonated sparks of pleasure which flowed within Ryou.

Ryou turned on his back and pulled Bakura on top of him. The two engaged in a deep passionate kiss. Bakura felt warmth spread through his body as he rubbed against Ryou.

‘This is Ryou…..not the pharaoh.’

The yami kissed down Ryou’s body, stopping along the way to kiss down Ryou’s sides.

The hikari could feel his forehead becoming damp from his yami’s touch and his kisses.

“I love you, Bakura.”

Bakura smiled. “My angel.”

‘This is Ryou, not the---.’

Bakura kissed Ryou’s belly, taking time to tenderly kiss Ryou’s scar on his stomach.

‘This is Ryou---.”

Bakura migrated lower and Ryou closed his eyes in anticipation.

Bakura closed his eyes and swallowed around Ryou’s length. The hikari gave a quiet moan of pleasure.

‘This is pharaoh!’

Bakura’s eyes shot wide open and he released Ryou’s manhood. “YAMI!”

Ryou’s head shot up. “Bakura?!”

Bakura ran for the door, screaming. “Get me out! Get me out!”

Ryou jumped up and ran to Bakura. “Yami, you’ll wake the kids!”

Marik burst into the room and Bakura clung to him tightly.

“What is going on in here?”

Bakura fell to his knees, clasping onto Marik. “The pharaoh…Yami…Yami…pharaoh……”

Ryou shook his head. “We were just starting to make love when he freaked on me.”

“Ishtar, don’t let Yami come near me!”

“Bakura, I’m not Yami. I’m Ryou. See? Smooth hair? Brown eyes? I can’t be him.”

Bakura dashed away from Marik and knocked Malik onto the hallway floor.

“Ow! Bakura! What’s the big idea?”

“YAMI!” Bakura screamed as he pointed at Ryou.

“That’s Ryou, Bakura. Not Yami.”

Aten let out a scream in his room. “AUNTIE YAMI? WHERE? WHERE? MOMMY!”

The eight year old boy ran out of his room and tripped over Bakura and Malik on the floor.

“Oush! That hurt!”

Malik pushed Bakura off of him. “Aten, baby, go back to bed.”

“But Auntie Yami is here! Don’t let him get me!”

Ryou grabbed his bathrobe and wrapped it around him. “Aten, Yami is not here. Go back to bed, sweetheart.”

“Why is Daddy Bakura on the floor? Why doesn’t he have any coafs on?”

“He….He just got out of the shower, Aten.”

Bakura turned to Aten, his eyes blazing red. “GET BACK INTO YOUR ROOM! NOW!”

Aten let out a squeal and ran into his room, terrified.

“Yami, yelling at Aten is not going to help him.”

Aria yawned and stumbled out of her room. “What’s going on? DADDY! YOU’RE NAKKIE!”

“Aria, baby, girl back to bed. Daddy just got out of the shower.”

Aria’s eyes opened wide. “Wait!” The eight year old girl disappeared into her room and returned with one of her doll’s blankets. “Here, daddy, this will hide your penis. It’s not good to

let other people see it. Just like I wouldn’t let anyone see my vagina.”

Ryou, Marik, and Malik blushed red at Aria. Raising a girl in a house of five men was not an easy one. Raising a girl in a predominantly gay family was not an easy chore, either.

“Thank you, honey. Go back to bed.”

Aria kissed her father on the cheek. “Good night, daddy. Sweet dreams.”

Aria returned to her bed.

“Marik, maybe you should take Bakura into your bed tonight. He’d feel more safe with you.”

The blond yami kneeled down. “Itemri, you stay with me. Okay?”

Bakura nodded emphatically. “Please don’t let Yami touch me anymore.”

Marik turned to Ryou. “I won’t, Bakura.”

The blond yami picked Bakura up and helped him into the Ishtar bedroom.

Ryou waited until the door was shut to knock on Aten’s door.

“Aten?”

Ryou could hear Aten praying quietly to himself. He opened the door a little. “Aten?”

“Is Yami goned?”

“He’s gone, baby.” Ryou tucked Aten into bed and kissed him on the cheek. “Go to sleep.”

Ryou returned to his bedroom, hearing sobbing coming from the Ishtar bedroom.

“Yami tried to rape me again……I tried to stop him, Ishtar……”

Ryou lowered his head and returned to his bedroom, quietly shutting the door.

Malik was already waiting for him in the bed. Ryou removed his bathrobe and shifted close to Malik.

The blond hikari covered his friend and held Ryou close to him.

He kissed his friend on the lips. “Happy Birthday, Ryou.”

Updates: Thursday

Next Chappie: I’m jumping to the kids’ ninth birthday party.

Note: It’s now gotten to the point where this story is going to end soon. I plan a few more chappies. The kids’ birthday chappie. I also plan to do a Halloween scene where the kids dress up. (I need one of these before they hit puberty!) Then one more scene and then the epilogue.

This story is almost done.