Shadow of Light: *Ryou hugs you* That’s my favorite! Yellow cake with dark chocolate. Yummy. I was born on Oct. 25. I was always my mom’s Halloween Baby.

veggie tart: *hands Ryou plushie* I’m doing Reunited as I get the urge. Things have been crazy here lately, so I’m a little behind on that chappie.

Jupitor Knight: I’ll really try to get a birthday lemon for you. Not feeling too hot today and we find out how today they are going to treat my dad’s cancer. They diagnosed him last week. I’ll definitely try.

Mariku 182: You’re not weird. Our chibi did that for my wife’s birthday. The toast had enough butter on it to make her die of cardiac arrest just by looking at it! was cute, though.

I Is Me: *throws Marik plushie* Flashbacks can be a pain in the ass.

Kura Magician Girl: We all pity the Pinchy…like we pitied Fluffy.

Lady Elfskye: Oh, I won‘t stop writing. Don’t you worry. *hands Marik plushie*

Sakiyama: Ryou was not too happy about being thought he was Yami, but he knew Bakura couldn’t help it.

Tari Helyanwe: The chibis will be 12 going on 13. Hayden will be 13 going on 14.

Harvestgirl 64: Puberty is going to be fun for us, trying on her parents.

Broken Time: Pinchy will get out alive….she’ll have to have another pet after that, though.

lost light: I’m not sure what I’m going to do with Yugi yet. He’ll still be around and more active, but I don’t know who I’m going to pair him up with.

ZL Chan: Aten and Robbie will be fine. Promise. *hands Aten and Robbie plushies*

Girls Day Out

Aria waited outside excitedly for Miranda to arrive. She bounced up and down on her toes. Aten sat outside by her, patiently waiting for Robbie to arrive with his mother.

“This is going to be the best day ever. Aten! I’m so excited!”

“Betaws it’s our birfday today?”

“I wonder what Unkie Seto got me for my birthday! I can’t wait! I can’t wait! I cannot wait!”

Aten sighed with a smile. “I get to play with Robbie all day today. It’s going to be the best day ever in the whole wide, wide world!”

“Also, mommy told me that we’re going shopping!”

“For what?”

“A bra!”

Aten raised his eyebrow. “What’s that?”

“I dunno! But my mommy said that I’m getting to be a big girl and all big girls have bras! But he said I can’t show it to Umi when I get it. I wonder why.”

Aten bit his lip and shrugged. “I don’t know. I think it’s something like…..you know….something pers-nal.”

Aria continued to bounce up and down. “I don’t know, but mommy said it’s a thing that all girls get when they get older!”

Aten sighed. “I don’t want to get older.”

“But getting older is great, Aten! You can do whatever you want! Kiss whomever you want! Eat whatever you want! Go to school whenever you want! You can go to bed whenever you want! Don’t you want to do that, Aten?”

Aten stretched. “Yeah, I guess.”

Aria crossed her arms. “You aren’t very excited. Why?”

Aten turned his head away from her. “No reason.”

Aria ran to his other side to look at him. “It was the dreams again last night, wasn’t it?”

Aten wrapped his arms around himself. “I don’t want to talt about it. I just want Robbie to get here.”

Miranda’s car pulled up to the front of the house. Aten’s face lit up. “ROBBIE!” Aten stood up and ran to the car.

Aria ran to Miranda. “Hi!”

“Happy Birthday, kiddies!” Miranda laughed, taking Aria and Aten into a hug in each arm. “So, how old are you going to be this year? Thirteen? Eighteen?”

Aria laughed. “We’re nine, Miranda!”

“Oh! Silly me! Then I guess I have to cancel the entertainment. You’re too young for dancing boys, Aria.”

Aria pouted. “Umi dances for me! He’s a really bad dancer, though. He isn’t co-co-cordinated.”

“Aten can dance very well. Can’t you, Aten?” Aria said.

Robbie smiled. “You dance, Aten? You should dance for me sometime.”

“I can’t,” Aten smiled, blushing.

The four men left the house.

“Hello, Miranda,” Ryou said with a smile. “So nice to see you! You look lovely today!”

Miranda pulled down her shirt a little, noticing Marik starting to drool over her already. “Well, Ryou, you have to dress up on an occasion like this.”

Bakura shifted his eyes between his husband and Miranda. “What occasion?”

Miranda hugged Aria tightly and pat her on the head. “We’re going bra shopping!”

Bakura’s jaw dropped. “What?”

“We’re going to get Aria her first bra, yami,” Ryou said checking his money.

Bakura closed his eyes. “Oh no. Goodbye.”

Bakura walked back to the house and shut the door behind him.

“What got into him?”

Malik ran his fingers through Aria’s spiky hair. “Bakura isn’t taking this too well. He doesn’t want to see that Aria’s growing up.”

Aria smiled proudly. “I am growing up! I’m going to be a big girl today!”

“Yes, you are.”

Robbie pulled Aten’s arm. “Let’s go play, Aten!”

“Otay!”

The two boys ran into the house.

Marik grinned. “So, Miranda……you going bra shopping today?”

The woman crossed her arms in front of her suggestively. “Marik Ishtar, would you like to go bra shopping with me?”

The yami licked his lips. “Only if I get to take the bra off of you.”

The woman’s eyebrow raised. “Oh, really? You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

“Very much so.”

“Any excuse to see my breasts?”

“You say that as if it’s a bad thing.”

Ryou and Marik exchanged glances. “You DO realize, Malik, that you are in trouble when you enter that house.”

Malik sighed. “Why me?”

“Do you want to go get a bra of your own, Marik?” Miranda snickered.

“No, one of yours will be fine.”

Ryou snickered. “You are in a lot of trouble, Malik.”

“I know I am.”

Marik grinned and a little growl came out of him. “So, what do you say, Miranda? Want me to come with in case you need to pick up one for yourself?”

“Not necessary, Marik.”

“I’m only trying to be helpful.”

Miranda laughed. “Mmhmm….Right.”

“I am.”

Miranda smiled and winked at him. “Well, I might just ask you to come along sometime, Marik…..in case I need a second opinion.”

Malik felt a wave of desire come through the mindlink and it sent him trying to creep towards the house.

“Malik….come here, hikari!” Marik grinned as his hair spiked.

“AH!” Malik screamed and ran to the house with his yami in hot pursuit.

Ryou sighed. “I do hope Malik can walk alright for the kids’ party tonight.”

Aria looked up at Ryou. “Why wouldn’t Malik be able to walk?”

“No reason, dear. Let’s go.”

“YEAH! GIRLS DAY OUT!” Aria squealed as she pulled on the car door to open it.

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

Miranda, Ryou, and Aria stood in the middle of the lingerie section of the department store. Ryou raised an eyebrow at the frills and lace surrounding him.

“Half of me thinks I should pick some of this up for Otogi. I don’t know if he wears this stuff, but knowing him, he’d love it,” Ryou said with a laugh, touching a red silky lacy thong.

Miranda walked Ryou and Aria through the bra section of the department.

“Ryou, do you know what you are looking for? A certain style?”

Ryou sighed. “I’m a gay man. I know little if nothing about bras.”

Miranda went to the training bras and told Aria to take a look and see if she found any one that she liked. Aria went around with excitement.

“I need a pretty one that Umi would like.”

Miranda kneeled down. “Aria, Umi shouldn’t see this. This is something that is….personal. Get something that you would like.”

“Umi can’t see my bra?”

Ryou closed his eyes and wavered a little. “No, dear. He can’t.”

Aria looked around with a sigh. “Okay…umm….what about this one?” Aria picked up a lace training bra.

Miranda kneeled down. “Aria, I’m going to have to look at you to see what size you might need.”

Aria lifted her shirt. “My breasts are getting itchy.”

“They’re growing, honey. That’s normal.”

“My breasts are really itchy and they hurt.”

Miranda nodded. “That’s normal, honey. Your breasts are growing.”

“Why do I need them?”

Ryou kneeled down. “When you have a baby, the breasts produce milk for you to feed your baby.”

“Like you did when Aten and I were really young?”

“Yes.”

“Your baby feeds off of you, Aria, and that is what they are for. Or…if you are Marik Ishtar, they are akin to an amusement attraction.”

“I like amusement parks. They’re fun. Does this mean I have milk in my breasts now?”

Miranda chuckled. “No, honey. There’s fat and tissue in there now. When you get pregnant, your body makes breast milk to feed your baby.”

“I want lots of babies. Umi and I are going to be married, you know.”

“Well, when you and Umi tie the knot, you know Robbie and I will be there.”

Aria nodded. “You know you can come to my wedding! I’m going to have lots and lots and lots of babies with Umi. So, my breasts have got to grow for me to do that?”

“No, you have to physically develop, Aria. You’re not ready for a baby yet.”

Aria looked up at Ryou. “How will I know when I am ready?”

Ryou kissed Aria’s forehead. “If I was your father, I’d say you’d never be ready.”

“You never really ‘know’, Aria. These things happen. Look. You don’t have to worry about that right now. Let’s go put this on.”

Miranda took Aria into the changing room. Ryou waited outside.

Aria removed her shirt.

Miranda unhooked the bra and wrapped it around Aria. She hooked the bra on her and turned it around.

Aria found it a little tight, so Miranda went to get another one.

Aria tried to put the next one on by herself.

“See the cotton padding? That goes against your skin.”

Aria growled. “This is confusing.”

Miranda pulled down her shirt slightly. “See? The padding has to be on the inside, Aria.”

“So, it has to go like this?” Aria asked, holding the lacy part of the bra towards her.

“No, it goes like this.” Miranda put the bra on her. “See? The padding goes by your skin.”

Aria sighed in frustration. “I don’t get it.”

Miranda went to get a bra and Aria tried to put it on herself.

Aria snarled at herself in the mirror. ‘Stupid bra!’

The bra disappeared off of her body. Aria gasped. “Uh-oh….I sent the bra to the Shadow Realm! Daddy’s not going to be happy.”

Miranda returned. “Where is that bra, Aria?”

Aria shifted uncomfortably. “I don’t know,” she said with mock innocence.

Miranda went to get another size for her when Aria shifted her eyes.

“The Blue Eyes probably has a bra hanging off of him right now. Unkie Seto won’t be happy about that.”

Miranda returned and showed Aria how to put a bra on again.

“This is hard.”

“It’s new, Aria. That’s all.”

“If I need help, Miranda, can I ask my mommy to help me or do I need to run to you?”

Miranda chuckled. “I’ll show your mommy how to put a bra on when we get home, okay?”
”Okay.”

Miranda showed her how to put the bra on again and Aria managed to put the bra on by herself.

Aria picked up two more of the same size and showed her mother. “See, mommy?” Aria lifted her shirt to show him her bra. “I’m a big girl now!”

Miranda took Aria and Ryou home.

Marik walked up to her and winked. “So, is it our turn to go bra shopping now?”

“Marik, I didn’t think you wore a bra.”

Malik staggered down the stairs with an obvious limp. “Miranda, not again. I don’t think I could handle any more of that.”

Miranda walked up to Malik and gave him a little kiss on the cheek. “Did Marik pounce you again?”

“’Pounce’ is putting it nicely.”

Marik laughed. “Go me!”

Aria ran into the house. “Look, daddy and Daddy Marik!” Aria lifted her shirt. “I got a bra!”
Bakura and Marik blinked quietly.

“Excuse me,” Bakura said, walking up the stairs.

Aria watched her father leave. “Is daddy upset?”

“I wouldn’t go showing your father that you’re wearing a bra, honey,” Ryou said, feeling the mindlink with his yami being severed sharply. “Ouch. I hate it when he does that.”

Aria ran into the backyard. “Aten! Robbie!”

“Hi, Aria. How did your bra-thing go?”

Robbie hung upside down from the monkey bars. “Oh! You went for a bra? My mommy has those.”

“It’s something that big girls have!”

Robbie swung himself up and grabbed the monkey bars with his hands. “Yeah. I know she does. I’m glad I don’t have to wear one, though. It looks uncomfortable.”

Aten looked over at his sister. “So, what is a bra anyway?”

“Keeps my breasts up so when I get older they grow and when I have a baby, the baby will feed off of it.”

Aten’s jaw dropped. “That’s gross.”

“What part? The breasts or the baby?”

“Bests. I don’t lite those.”

Robbie shrugged. “I don’t know. When I skinned my knee playing last week, I cried and cried and ran to my mommy. She hugged me and I put my head on them. I must have been really tired because I fell asleep really quickly. They’re comfortable.”

“You stinned your knee?”

Robbie nodded and pulled his legs out from the bars so he was dangling on the monkey bars by his hands. “Yeah. I was running from the attacking army of Galbadia when I fell. They were all around me! Surrounded me with their tanks! They came at me from the right! And the left! I took my toy gun and I was taking them down. I was running away from this big robot that they had when I fell and ran to my mommy.”

Aria looked at the band-aid on Robbie’s knee. “Did it hurt?”

Robbie nodded. “Yeah. I wasn’t crying, though. My daddy says little soldiers don’t cry. I’ve never cried. The only time in my life when I cried, I was a tiny, tiny baby. I cried after the doctors opterated on my foot.”

“I know when I’m playing with Sekhmet…that reminds me…SEKHMET, COME!”

The Boarder Collie ran out of the doggie door in the back door. The puppy ran to Aria and sat by her on the swing.

“When I was playing with Sekhmet one time, I fell and I scraped my hand. My mommy cleaned it, kissed it, and made it better.”

Aten dangled from the monkey bars looking at Robbie.

“What about you, Aten?” Robbie asked.
Aten felt his palms becoming sweaty. ‘Why are my hands becoming sweaty? It’s not hot outside.’

Aten released his grip on the monkey bars. “I thint I have to tate my meditation.”

Aten ran into the house.

Robbie looked at Aria. “Did I say something?”

Aria shrugged. “I don’t think so. Aten’s not excited about growing up. He’s nervous about it.”

Robbie jumped off of the monkey bars and sat on the swing beside Aria. “When I turned nine on August 25th, I felt the same.”

Aria shrugged. “I don’t feel any different now that I have a bra on. Maybe I’ll feel differently later. But right now, I’m a big girl because I got my new bra! I wonder what Unkie Seto is going to say!”

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

Ryou and the family arrived at KaibaCorp. At the front desk was Asher.

Aten and Aria ran to Asher with their arms opened wide.

“HI, ASHER!” Aria squealed.

“HI, ASSER!” Aten screamed loudly.

Asher hugged the kids even as Robbie ran to him giving him a big hug.

Miranda smiled as she walked up to him. “Hello, Asher. How are you doing today?”

Asher’s eye twitched and he gave a blank stare at Miranda. “Fire is good.”

“Yes, honey. Fire is good.”

“Master Kaiba is upstairs in the library waiting for you.”

Marik saw the crazy look in Asher’s eye. It was the same look that he himself had at Battle City. The eye twitch was a common trait that they both shared.

They went upstairs to the library. Tristan, Otogi, Hayden, Seto, Jaimen, and Joey waited for them.

“UNKIE SETO!” the two chibis squealed as they ran to Seto.

“Hello, kids!” Seto smiled with the two kids in his hands.

Robbie ran to Joey. “Hi, pups!”

“Unkie Seto! Unkie Seto!” Aria jumped up and down excitedly.

“Guess what?”

Seto ruffled her hair. “What is it, princess?”

“I got my first bra today!”

Ryou bit his lip, trying not to laugh at Seto’s look of shock.

“Really?”

“Yup! My breasts are growing and I’m getting to be a big girl, so I needed a bra. Hey, Unkie Seto? If I get a bra, does Aten have to get anything?”

Bakura started to laugh. He poked Marik in the chest. “Ha, Ishtar! My daughter may have needed a bra, but you’ll have to go jock strap hunting with Aten!”

Aten gasped. “A strap? Lite, a belt? I don’t want to be hit with a belt!”

“No, Aten. It’s an article of clothing that…..”

Bakura crossed his arms with a cocky smile. “Go ahead, Ishtar. Explain to him what a jock strap is.”

Marik growled at Bakura. “Some father you are! You didn’t even go bra shopping with your own daughter.”

The white-haired yami snarled. “Don’t go there, Ishtar.”

Malik stepped between the two yami fathers. “Now, now, you two. This is not the time to be down each other’s throats.”

The two fathers separated.

Aria and Jaimen ran to the presents. “Wow! Look at all the pretty pink and blue presents!”

Jaimen nodded. “The pink ones are yours. The blue ones are Aten’s.”

Aria started to count her presents and Aten’s gifts. “We got the same amount.”

Jaimen nodded. “Yeah, daddy wanted you both to have the same. Tristan and Otogi brought one gift each and even my daddy’s brother, Mokuba, and his girlfriend gave you each one.”

Mokuba and Jeanie walked in hand-in-hand.
”Jeanie!” Aria ran to Jeanie and hugged her tightly. Miranda and Jeanie were the only two women in Aria’s life. Aria took every opportunity to spend time with both of them.

“Jeanie! I got my first bra today!”

Jeanie pinched her cheek. “I’m so proud of you!”

“I’m getting to be really tall! See?” Aria stood on her toes.

“You sure are!”

“ARIA!” a voice called to her.

Aria looked over and saw her best friend, Gabby.

“GABBY!”

Aria and Gabby ran to each other and hugged tightly. They started talking at the same time, not stopping for breath.

Aten and Robbie looked at the two girls chatting and talking endlessly.

“What are they saying, Robbie?”

The two girls chatted together.

“I don’t know, Robbie. I don’t speat ‘girl.’ It’s a diffent langish.”

Robbie shook his head. “They’re talking, but they’re not saying anything!”

“I find that girls are lite that. Sometimes they can talt and talt and talt and not say anything.”

Ryou and Seto called Aria over to them. The little girl ran over to her mother and the CEO.

“Yes, Unkie Seto?”

“Aria? Something happened to day that I thought you’d be able to explain.”

Aria’s smile disappeared. “Like what?”

“Joey and I were dueling today. Just for fun. I summoned my Battle Ox and something wasn’t right.”

Aria gave a tiny smile and shifted her eyes uncomfortably. “What was wrong?”

“My Battle Ox had a bra hanging from his horn when I played him. Is there something that you should tell us?”

Aria lowered her head and shifted her eyes away from her mother and the CEO.

“Aria, dear, it really isn’t a good idea to send unpurchased things to the Shadow Realm. That’s stealing.”

Seto shrugged. “I’m more concerned that my Battle Ox had a bra hanging from his horn.”

“I’m sorry, Unkie Seto. I just got frustrated with it and I just send the bra to the Shadow Realm.”

Ryou kneeled down. “Honey, I know you were upset, but sending things to the Shadow Realm when they frustrate you is not good.”

“I know, mommy, but I got really, really mad at it.”

Seto took her hand and patted it gently. “I know, princess. Look, when something makes you mad, count to ten. Walk away from it. Distract yourself. Then you won’t send things to the Shadow Realm.”

Ryou kissed her cheek. “We love you, sweetheart, and it’s dangerous to send things to the Shadow Realm.”

“A bra can be dangerous?”

“No, but your father will not be happy if he has his monsters come to him clothed in bras and covered in makeup or whatever.”

“My Blue Eyes White Dragon does not need a makeover.”

Aria sighed. “I’m sorry. I’ll think about it better next time.”

“That’s my little girl. What do you say we open presents?”

“YEAH!”

The two looked around. “Where is your brother?”

“He ran off with Robbie.”

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

Robbie and Aten were playing with Hayden’s cars in the hallway.

“It’s the Robbie 500! Robbie’s purple car is speeding past Aten’s red car!”

“Aten’s red tar is fastening up to win the Aten 500! And……Aten wins!”

Aten pushed his car past the edge of the carpet. “Yeah! I won!”

“Play again?”

Robbie smiled. “Sure!”

Robbie and Aten both reached for the same purple car. Robbie’s hand covered Aten’s as they held the car together.

Both boys stopped and looked at each other.

Neither boy said anything as their hands touched on the toy.

They looked deep into each other’s eyes as if it was for the first time.

Aten felt something inside that he didn’t feel for Robbie before.

It was a new feeling.

Something he couldn’t put his finger on.

He stared into the icy-blue eyes of Robbie that had reminded him so much of his grandfather’s eyes.

Robbie looked at Aten’s brown and purple eyes deeply. Butterflies were soon flying around in his stomach as he looked at Aten.

‘What is this?’ Robbie thought as he felt Aten’s warm hand under his. Robbie shook his head. ‘I never noticed how….good looking Aten is.’

‘Why is Robbie looting at me lite that?’ Aten thought. ‘He’s looting at me funny. Why tant I stop looting at him? He has such pretty eyes!’

Robbie shook his head again. ‘Aten is my friend.’

Aten took a deep breath. ‘Robbie is my friend.’

“Sorry, Aten. Did you want the purple car?”

Aten’s forehead broke into a sweat. “Ummm….no, you can have it.”

“KIDS! Time to open presents!” Otogi squealed excitedly, running into the hallway.

Aten and Robbie stood up and walked into the library. Aten and Aria sat by the pile of presents.

Aria opened her gift from Joey. It was a dress and a pretty gold bracelet. Aten opened his and it was a case. He opened it up and found a violin in it.

“Wow!”

“Now you can play the violin music we listen to while we paint! I also got you some instruction books. This will help you count and help your hand-eye coordination.”

Aten and Aria hugged Joey.
Otogi gave Aria a child’s sewing machine. “Now you can make your own doll clothes, Aria!”

Aria squealed. “My own doll clothes! WOW! THANK YOU, UNKIE TOGI!” The chibi hugged Otogi tightly.

Otogi bought Aten a series of mystery books to help him with his reading.

Tristan bought Roller Skates for Aten and bought Aria a gift certificate to the local cloth shop so she could buy material for her sewing machine. Aria and Aten hugged Tristan tightly.

Yugi bought Aten and Aria Duel Monsters cards. Aria opened her pack of cards excitedly. “Wow! The ‘Demon Dragon!’ ‘Agent of Rebellion!’ Wow! good cards! Thank you, Unkie Yugi!”

Aten opened his pack. “’The Forgotten.’ ‘Heart of Darkness.’ ‘Wow. I got the ‘ The Loyal Friend’ tard!”

Robbie looked at it. “I got that one, too! Now we both have one, Aten!”

Aten nodded and the chibis hugged Yugi tightly. The small duelist hugged them with a smile.

Seto gave Aria a gold ring with a sapphire surrounded by diamonds. “It’s your birthstone, Aria. Aten, I got you a gold chain. It also has a sapphire gem that you can remove if you just want to wear the chain.”

Aria hugged Seto. “Thank you, Unkie Seto! It’s beautiful!”

Aten hugged Seto tightly. “Thant you! It’s pity!”

Robbie bought Aten a monkey statue. The monkey was holding a banana in its hand. Robbie bought Aria a dress for her dolls. Robbie didn’t know what to buy her. Aria was the only girl he knew….or even cared to know.

Ryou, Bakura, Marik, and Malik bought the kids some clothes, more dolls for Aria, some math games and reading games for Aten.

Ryou bought the kids books according to their reading levels. Aria’s reading was becoming more advanced. Aten struggled, but he was determined to overcome his difficulties.

After the gifts were opened, Aten and Aria hugged everyone again.

Otogi and Ryou ran to the Dining Hall to light the candles. They had bought two cakes, according to Egyptian tradition. One cake had candles while the other didn’t. They put all of the food out at once. Sesame sticks, chips, cookies, crackers and cheese, vegetables and dips lined the big dining room table.

Aria skipped alongside Seto. “This is the best birthday I’ve ever had! I got a nice dress! A sewing machine to make my own doll clothes! And a bra! This is the best day ever!”

Seto shook his head. ‘I wish she wouldn’t tell me about her bra.’

Aten walked beside Robbie. “Thank you for the money stashu.”

“It’s no problem, Aten. I saw it and was like ‘Oh my God! Mommy! Aten’s gotta have this!’ I bought it with my allowance money.”

Aten snickered. “You got me a money with your money! That’s funny!”

Robbie laughed. “That is kinda funny, isn’t it.”

They entered the Dining Hall. Marik, Bakura, and Malik sung ‘Happy Birthday’ in Arabic.

Sana Helwa Ya Jamil!

Sana Helwa Ya Jamil!

Sana Helwa Ya Aten Bakari and Aria Kanika!

Sana Helwa Ya Jamil!

The others sung ‘Happy Birthday in English and they cut up the

cake.

Marik grabbed the kids and kissed them both. “Eid milaad saeed!”

(Happy Birthday-Arabic)

Seto stood by the window. Ryou brought his cake over to him.

“Hello, Seto. Did you ask Joey?”

Seto turned to Ryou. “Asked him what?”

“You told me you wanted to ask Joey to marry you.”

Seto took a deep breath and ate a bite of his cake. “Oh, yeah. I’m nervous, Ryou. What if Joey doesn’t want to marry me?”

“This is Joey, Seto! Of course he’d want to marry you! Why do you think he wouldn’t?”

Seto shook his head. “I don’t know.”

“Ask him, Seto. I know Joey loves you. You love Joey.”

“I do love Joey. I love him with all my heart.”

Ryou smiled and pat Seto’s arm. “What’s the worst that could happen? Joey’s not going to leave you.”

Seto sighed. “I know he’s not.”

“Are you afraid that being married to him might change what you have together? That it might change your relationship?”

Seto avoided Ryou’s gaze.

“That’s it, isn’t it? Nothing changed between Bakura and I. Believe me when I say that definitely nothing has changed between Malik and Marik.”

“But that’s different, Ryou. You and Bakura and Malik and Marik are yamis and hikaris. Joey is not my hikari or my yami. He’s mortal like me.”

Ryou took a sip of his hot tea. “But Joey is more to you than a mortal. He’s your lover. He helped you through your abuse by your stepfather. You helped him through his alcohol addiction. There is more to Joey than skin and bone. Think of everything that you have been through together. Joey is more to you than just another face in the crowd.”

Seto sighed. “You know, Ryou, you make things so clear sometimes. Now I know why I feel so deeply for you.”

Ryou smiled. “Glad we could talk, Seto.”

“So am I, Ryou.”

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

Yugi returned to the Game Shop and found a small box on the doorstep. He picked it up and opened it slowly.

Inside was a small ring with a note attached. ‘Please Forgive Me.’

Yugi sighed and unlocked the door. He opened the door and walked into the darkness inside. The Game Shop was quiet, except for the creaking of the shop floorboards under his feet.

The duelist walked into the kitchen and grabbed a drink and a snack. The Game Shop was too quiet without Yami, but Yugi figured he was better off without Yami’s criticizing of Ryou and the kids.

He went into his bedroom and changed into his star pajamas. When he stepped into the hallway, he gasped. “YAMI!”

“Hello, Yugi,” Yami said with a grin.

“What are you doing here?”

Yami fell on his knees. “Take me back, Yugi. I’m a changed Yami.”

“Not likely, Yami. I’ve had enough of you trying to hurt the ones I love.”

Yami’s jaw dropped. “Who do you love?”

“They are all my friends! I love them all! You are too damned blind to see it!”

Yami folded his hands. “I want to see it!”

“No, you don’t! I’m not taking you back!”

“Please!”

Yugi felt the tears prick the back of his eyes. He loved his Yami, but how could he take Yami back with all that he tried to do to him, Ryou, and the kids?

Yami couldn’t be forgiven easily.

“No, Yami. I’m sorry. I want to forgive you, but I can’t.”

“I can change.”

Yugi pointed towards the stairs. “Leave, Yami.”

“Yugi, I---.”

“Please go. Please.”

Yami sighed. “If that is what you want, Yugi, then so be it.”

“It’s not what I want, but it’s what I must to do. Go. Please. And never come back.”

Yami stood up and passed Yugi. “I loved you.”

Yugi turned away from Yami. “I loved you once. I still do. But you’ve hurt me too many times. Go.”

Yami walked down the shop and out of the door. “Goodbye, Yugi.”

The pharaoh walked down the street and turned towards the Game Shop illuminated in the moonlight. “Goodbye Forever, Yugi.”

The pharaoh disappeared into the night.

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