Homecoming - A Yu-Gi-Oh Fanfiction by Onezumi-Daisuke

Hello there! This is my first attempt at a true chapter story. I honestly have no idea where this is going to wind up, but I wanted to give it a shot.

I hope you guys like it too. Let me know what you think. :) The rating will probably go up later, but nothing's happening as of yet, so it's okay.

I don't own YuGiOh! or any of its characters or branches. So... ye-ah.

Anyway, on with the story!

Chapter 1

Yugi rushed through the busy streets on his bike. It'd taken longer than expected at the campus library and now he was running late. Jonouchi would be expecting him anytime. They were supposed to hang out and watch a movie together tonight, the first night in several days that they'd both been free. Their second year in college was turning out to be harder than they'd thought it'd be. Both guys had been studying for tests near constantly. Yugi also had an on-campus job a few hours a week at the library. Not to mention Jou had a part-time job at a local eatery – delivering take-out mostly.

Sure enough, as he rounded the corner Yugi could see Jou's car parked in the small lot for his apartment complex. It was really a clunker of an old Honda, but they were fine with it. Yugi couldn't really say much; he didn't own a car at all.

He pulled alongside the car, not stopping. He banged his hand repeatedly along the trunk of the car as he passed, startling awake his blonde friend inside. He laughed openly as he continued coasting to the stairs.

Jou always stayed in his car if Yugi wasn't there when he came by. Yugi'd given him a spare key when he moved in, but Jou was adamant. He didn't want anyone thinking he was breaking in and calling the police on him. So instead, he'd nap in the car with the window cracked.

"Geeze, Yug," said blonde rubbed his eye, stumbling along after his shorter friend. "I wuz getting' old waitin' fer you. Wha' took so long?"

"Sorry, Jou," Yugi smiled apologetically as he hauled his bike up the stairs to his apartment. "The girl who was supposed to relieve me was fifteen minutes late. Then I still had to get our movie."

"Nah, no big deal. I wuz jus' teasin'." Jou nudged Yugi as he followed him into the apartment.

Leaving his bike propped against the wall by the door, Yugi went on to drop his book bag on his desk in his bedroom and change his shirt.

"Hey, Jou!" he called. "There's a number for that pizza place you liked on the fridge, why don't you order us something while I get the movie ready?"

"Sur thing, Yug. What'cha want'n yers?"

"Um, mushrooms."

"'Shrooms? Yuck, I don' know how you eat tha' kinda stuff, Yug." He pulled a face, even without his friend there to see it.

Yugi came back out into the living room/kitchenette area to find Jou sitting on the countertop, phone in hand, ordering their dinner. He shook his head and put the movie in the player, turning on his small television. He crossed to the couch, picking up yesterday's newspaper and tossing it in the trash.

A plaintive meow behind him got his attention. He turned just in time to see his cat jump onto the small table in front of the couch and perch herself directly in the middle, waiting for her greeting.

"Hello, Set," Yugi smiled, gently stroking her head and neck.

"I still don' see why yoos like tha' cat so much, Yug," Jou flopped onto the couch. "I think i's stuck up."

Set merely turned her face away from the offensive comment, pushing her head further into Yugi's hand.

"Nah, she's a good cat, Jou," Yugi smiled, knowing without having to look that his friend was scowling at him. "She keeps me company so I'm not alone… And, just look at her; she's so pretty." He moved his fingers under her chin. "How can you not love that shiny black fur?" He smiled wide, thinking for the thousandth time how Set looked as if she'd strolled right out of an Egyptian History textbook.

"Eh-nyways!" Jou sighed. "What're we watchin' today?"

"It's called 'Red House on Red Hill," Yugi said. "It's about a cursed house at the top of a hill that lures victims in and then kills them."

"Ye-ah, scary movie night. I'm in!" Jou kicked his feet up onto the table as Set jumped down.

By the time the previews were over, their pizza had arrived. They managed to scrounge together enough to give the guy a decent tip and tucked into their pizza and movie.

Before too long, both guys were absolutely glued to the television, watching as a creepy, demon-possessed cabin created mazes within itself to keep wayward travelers as terrified captives. Eventually the victims were all killed and/or dismembered in various bloody ways.

Both guys wound up with their feet in the couch; Jonouchi sitting cross-legged, leaning forward anxiously. Yugi sat with his knees drawn up and chest. Set slept peacefully on the back of the couch, behind her owner.

Two sets of eyes stared wide as the demonic house was set ablaze by the last remaining survivor – a blonde woman who now limped terribly. The house made horrible screeching noises as it burned, finally dragging itself back to hell, leaving the injured woman standing next to a blackened crater at the top of a wooded hill.

"Awe-some!" boomed out the voice from the other end of the couch, making Yugi jump more than the movie had.

"Jou!" Yugi smacked his friend's arm. "Don't DO that to me!" he huffed.

Jou just laughed and shrugged, "Wha' can I say? I's the bes' part'a watchin' movies wit'cha, Yug." He gave his friend a huge grin.

They said their goodbyes and Jou left for the night. Yugi decided there was no way he'd get to sleep any time soon after THAT, so he headed to his bedroom desk. He could at least read some for his classes while he's awake.