Moving Out

Pairings: YamixYugi, mentions of JoeyxSeto and RyouxBakura

Summary: Months after the ceremonial duel Yami continues to live in the modern world with Yugi. Now after graduating high school, Yugi and Yami are ready to move out of the Game Shop and start a new chapter in their life together as a couple. Will the two last living on their own in an apartment together?

Disclaimer: I DO NOT IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM OWN YU-GI-OH!

Sakura: I was asked by the authoress 'GirlWho HasNoName' to write a one-shot for a friend who is also an authoress by the name of 'CandyassGoth'. Today is supposed to be Candy's birthday so this one-shot is dedicated to her and I hope she has a very happy birthday!

At six in the morning the air was crisp and fresh. The birds were just waking up and singing their sweet songs. It was the perfect day and time for moving. A lone truck sat in front of the Kame Game Shop, the back already filled with a few boxes. The shop its self was not open and would not open for another two hours given it was an early summer day and most people would be sleeping or getting ready to go to work.

A lanky blond male walked from around the side of the shop carrying two garbage bags full of clothes. He opened the back door of the truck and put the bags in the back seat. As he was doing this two more individuals, who could have been seen as twins, came around the shop carrying more boxes. The two both had tri-colored hair with a few differences. One was slightly tanner than the other with crimson eyes, while the younger one beside him was a natural pale color with amethyst eyes.

The taller one helped the younger one get the boxes into the back of the truck before the two rejoined their blond companion. "How much more do we have to go?" The blond asked the other two.

The younger and shorter male of the bunch took a moment to figure out what else they had to get. "I think there are only three more boxes left to get," He replied, "Most of the furniture comes with the apartment and if I forget anything I can always come back and get it."

Once the three stepped back into the house they were met by an elderly man holding a tray of freshly brewed coffee. "Coffee..?"

All three took a cup and took a seat in the living area above the Game Shop, letting themselves take a break from all the work they had been doing that morning. The two look-a-likes took a seat on the couch, snuggling up to one another while the blond placed himself across from them on the floor.

"So are you ready to live on your own, Yugi?" The blond asked his friend.

The smaller of the two look-a-likes took a drink of his coffee before answering, "It will be a change, but I'll have Yami with me." He replied and looked up at his lover.

Yami looked down at Yugi and smiled. "There is no way I would let you live out on your own. It will be a new experience for the both of us."

A new experience it would be for the both of them. Yugi was an eighteen year old graduate from Domino High school and was about to attend the University of Domino in the fall and worked part-time at Kaiba Corp as a game tester. He used to be just a unique teenager who went to high school and played games all the time, but as he entered adulthood all that was about to change. Yami was an ancient spirit, who used to be locked in the millennium puzzle that Yugi still wore around his neck. The two went through many adventures together trying to figure out Yami's real name and who he was in a past life. It took two years before the truth was finally bought forth. After the discovery and saving the world one last time, Yami and Yugi went through one final duel to see if Yami was ready to pass on into the next life. Surprisely Yami was the winner of the duel and allowed a new chance at life until Yugi's time on earth was finished. They were two halves of the same soul and it would have ended up killing them had Yugi won and Yami moved on. The Ishtar family, who guarded Yami's tomb, was able to get him a birth certificate and make him a member of the family until Seto got Yami citizenship into Japan and change his last name to Mutou. As far as anyone was concerned Yami was a young boy found in the desert by the Ishtar family with no family and had lived with them in the underground clan until recently. It helped explain why he had no education and was not used to the modern world.

Now the two could live normal lives with no evil forces trying to take over the world or people coming after them for the millennium puzzle. Yugi was looking forward to living in an apartment with Yami just the two of them. The main reason they were moving to an apartment was because the University was an hour away from the Game Shop and Yugi was unable to afford a car at the moment. The apartments they were going to live in was only a short walk across the street from the University and Joey was going to be Yugi's ride to Kaiba Corp on the days he worked.

It was going to be different and sometimes hard living without his grandfather around, but Yugi would not be alone so it made the move all the more easier.

Yugi sat his empty coffee cup on the coffee table before standing up and stretching. "Well those boxes won't move themselves. The sooner we get this over with the sooner I can unpack before the weekend." He extended his hand to his friend who he helped off the floor. "Are you ready for more heavy lifting, Joey?"

Joey groaned at the thought of more heavy lifting. "Not really, but I'm only doing this because your my best friend." He would have loved to sleep in and be as lazy as possible. It helped to have a rich boyfriend, who bought you everything you wanted and you did not have to work for a living. He loved his friends to death but six in the morning was just too early for him. "I will never understand how you fit all that crap in your tiny room."

"A magician never tells his secrets," Yugi teased as he headed back down the hall toward his old bedroom. The only thing they were not taking was the bed and the desk, because grandpa had been kind enough to buy Yugi a new bed that would fit both Yami and Yugi more comfortable than Yugi's old twin bed. Yugi was going to see how everything would go for the new place before he looked into getting a new desk.

Most of the items they were taking belonged to Yugi and only two boxes belonged to Yami. Those two boxes held clothes and books. Yami spent most of his time reading or playing games than anything else. It was hard sometimes having only memories of the ancient times and only little of the modern world.

Other household items had been gifted to Yugi and Yami from friends so all the financial burden would not fall on Yugi and grandpa with helping Yugi make the apartment livable. The only thing the apartment came with was a couch, coffee table, recliner, dining table with chairs, fridge, stove, and a nice patio set for the balcony. The location and place it's self was fairly decent because they were mostly rented out to college students who did not wish to live in the dorms, but would like to live on their own. The place was right in Yugi's budge from the small pay check he received from Kaiba Corp once a week and grandpa would send Yugi money once a month for food.

"Are you coming Yami?"

Yami stood up and hurried after the two once he finished his coffee. This was sure to be just another adventure in Yugi and Yami's new life together.

A month had passed and apartment life was not so bad for Yugi. He had fixed the apartment the way he wanted just before college classes started and made a schedule for Yami letting him know when he would be in classes, at work, or coming home. Thankfully the ex-pharaoh had taken the time to learn how to use a cell and home phone so getting in touch with anyone was not a problem.

It was currently the third week for Yugi's classes and so far he liked all his classes and professors. The classes were just general courses for the moment, but he knew that the work would pile up if he did not watch himself. Monday morning, Yugi awoke the same as he always did and took a shower before waking Yami up and getting breakfast ready. The two ate breakfast together before Yami gave Yugi a kiss and wished him luck in his classes. While Yami stayed at home and watched TV, played video games, or read a book, Yugi went to classes until a little after twelve.

After twelve Yugi was picked up by Joey and taken to Kaiba Corp for a few hours and then returned to the apartment just before dinner time. After cooking supper and eating a meal, Yugi would sit down in the living space to work on any school work he needed to do. Yami would often sit with Yugi and help him if he could, or just be in the room in general since he hadn't seen Yugi all day.

Depending on the amount of homework Yugi and Yami normally did not get to bed until a little after eleven or as late as one in the morning. The late nights were for when Yugi needed to do some reading for the next day in class. The classes were different each day, but Yugi would save any reading for the night before the class.

Once the two get to bed they sleep until six than began their day all over again. Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays Yugi was in class from eight to twelve while Tuesday and Thursdays it was from eight to eleven. He worked from after school until dinner time every day except the weekends. The weekends were strictly days that Yugi would spend time with friends and family and more importantly his lover, so Yami never felt left out.

The two seemed to have everything worked out and Yugi was happy with the way they had things because it was less stress on him living on their own. The last thing Yugi wanted was stress in his life, because he knew stress could make people do and say things they regret.

Months passed and before either Yugi or Yami knew it December was there and Yuugi was one week away from finishing his classes. He had finals week and then a nice long winter break before more classes in the spring. Once the finals were over Yugi would do all his last minute Christmas shopping then enjoy the holidays with his lover, friends, and family. Kaiba was giving Yugi the whole month of December off since he just released a new game and Joey would have Kaiba's head if Yugi did not get some kind of holiday away from work. Sometimes not often Joey would have to get Seto to think more about his employees if he wished to keep them. Yugi would still be paid for the month so money was not an issue to buy gifts or pay rent; it was the most Kaiba could do because of all the hard work Yugi did for the company.

At the moment it was a Friday afternoon and Yugi had just finished the last class for the day. He had a full weekend to study for his exams next week and time to relax with his boyfriend. Over the last few months Yugi sadly had neglected taking Yami out of the apartment rather often because of papers, reports, and projects overloading him. He did not mean for it to get this bad, but somehow it did and he was sure Yami was in need of some attention.

As Yugi unlocked and opened the front door of his apartment he was surprised by the site that met him. Yami sat in the living room floor trying to get Kuriboh unstuck from the cookie jar they kept in the kitchen. The place looked like a tornado had hit with game consoles and controllers littering the floor in front of the TV. The coffee table was covered in Yugi and Yami's books that they failed to put away.

Yugi shut the door before one of his neighbors saw what was going on and stepped more into the apartment. His eyes caught site of the kitchen from the doorway to his left and his eyes widen. The sink was full of dishes and a few were on the table from where Yugi had to eat and run before he missed his first class. The garbage can and recycle container were over full.

Honestly Yugi did not want to even go see the bathroom and bedroom as he knew they were probably in just as bad as shape. He knew the place was a mess, because of the two papers and project he had to work on along with trying to help Kaiba finish the game before its release date for the last month, but this was crazy.

Yami finally got Kuriboh free and looked up to his lover to almost wish he hadn't. Yugi had a scowl on his face directed right at Yami with his hands on his hips. "Yugi…"

"You couldn't even pick up the place!" Yugi shouted, which was really unlike him. He was not one to shout at friends and family and more importantly Yami. He had to be mad if he was shouting.

"But Yugi…"

"NO! Don't but Yugi me! I've worked my tail off these last few weeks so I could come home and enjoy a nice holiday with you, but I come home to this!" Yugi gestured to the mess that was their apartment.

Yami didn't have to look around to know of the mess. He had caused some of it, but that was over the span of a few weeks not just a day. When they had first moved into the apartment Yugi was supposed to teach him the safe way to clean, but somehow Yugi forgot about it and Yami kept forgetting to remind Yugi. At the Game Shop Grandpa and Yugi took care of all the cleaning, but feared Yami would injury himself with the cleaning supplies if left alone with them. Now in a place of their own where Yami wasn't sure how to clean and Yugi did not have as much time as he used to, then the place looked like a hurricane hit it. The first few months they moved in Yugi had plenty of time to clean in his free time, but once the papers, projects, and work came at him full force, everything was neglected. It seemed Yugi's eyes had finally opened to the mess that was their apartment now that the stress of college and work was gone for the month.

"This is going to take days to clean!"

"Yugi, if we work together it will only take a day." Yami tried to calm his lover down.

"Work together! I'm living with a five thousand year old spirit, who can't even pick up after himself!"

"Hey it wouldn't be like this if you had taught me how to clean in the first place. I'm not some child you need to baby."

"Then why didn't you try to teach yourself you see me clean all the time, it's not that hard." Yugi growled out. "Oh wait I get it Pharaohs don't clean because it's beneath them."

Yami had stood up at that point and glared at Yugi. "Don't start with that! I know I'm not a pharaoh anymore, but I'm sure you think you are. Informing me what I can and can't do around here and when I can leave the apartment."

"You're accusing me of being controlling!"

"You're a controlling neat freak!"

The slap that sounded next shocked them both into silence. Yami slowly put a hand to his cheek as a perfect red hand print started to form. Yugi seemed to have realized what he had done because tears started to build up in his eyes from the remorse. Before Yami could stop him, Yugi left the apartment slamming the door on his way out.

Hours ticked by after that and when it started to get dark, Yami finally got the courage to call Joey to see if Yugi was with him. Thankfully that was the first person Yugi had turned to and Joey informed Yami that Yugi was spending the night to cool off. So it was up to Yami to find himself some dinner, but sadly he wasn't allowed to touch the stove or any other appliance besides the fridge since he nearly sent the stove at the Game Shop to the Shadow Realm for burning Yugi. This left him with the only choice of eating a sandwich that was about the only thing he could make and making one final phone call of the night, before curling up on the couch with Kuriboh.

It was a lonely morning for Yami that Saturday as he awoke at eight. Just one night without Yugi, made Yami feel alone and slightly upset. He had spent five thousand years in a puzzle where it was cold and depressing until his precious light saved him. The ex-pharaoh never wanted to feel that alone again so he knew he had to do something to make things right so Yugi wouldn't leave him. He was sure one fight wouldn't end their relationship, but Yami wasn't helpless so he needed to step up so all the burden did not fall on Yugi.

There were no messages or phone calls from Yugi, so Yami wasn't sure if Yugi was awake or not. He needed to call Joey and make sure Yugi did not come home yet until he was finished with the apartment. After a quick call to the blond, Yami set about finding any clean clothes for him to wear. It was thirty minutes into his search and moving clothes out of the floor so he could walk when the doorbell rang.

Quickly putting on jeans and a black tank top he went to the door and found Ryou standing on the other side with a smile and an unhappy Bakura standing behind him. He let the two in before closing the door behind them.

Ryou surveyed the place before turning on the two. "Alright, this place isn't as bad as I thought it would be. Before Joey moved in with Seto his place was ten times worst so it won't take us long." He gave Yami another smile. "I taught Bakura everything he knows so it shouldn't be hard teaching you Yami."

Yami sighed in relief. "I wish I had pushed Yugi to teach me sooner so it wouldn't have gotten this bad. It was going so good until the work piled up on him."

"So do you know where the cleaning supplies are?"

"I believe under the sink, but those have probably even collected dust." Ryou nodded and walked into the kitchen. He found the supplies where they were and set them on the table.

"Bakura go to the car and get my supplies as well."

The ex-tomb robber growled, before obeying and leaving to get what Ryou asked for. Yami was surprised at how much Bakura had changed. Without the influence of Zorc in his mind, the guy was just a normal thief who no one in their group could believe that Ryou had fallen hard for.

Ryou chuckled at the surprised look on Yami's face, before figuring out the best place to start. The kitchen was the best bet and washing dishes would be a good beginning for Yami. "First order of business is the sink full of dishes. I'm sure Yugi is just worried about you mixing the wrong chemicals together and hurting yourself, but you only need dish soap and a sponge for this." He found what he needed on the back of the sink and showed Yami what to do. "It's really simple just make sure the sink doesn't over flow with water and put all the clean dishes to dry in the wire basket to your left. Once all the dishes are clean or the wire basket is full, take a break and we'll move to something else."

As Yami set about cleaning the dishes Bakura came back and gave Ryou his bag of supplies along with a broom and a mop. Ryou gave Bakura a kiss before putting a bleach spray in his hands and a mask. "Be a dear and spray this in and around the tub, shower curtain, sink, and toilet. Let it sit for at least thirty minutes, but while that is sitting come find me in the bedroom and I'll give you another task."

"Why do I have to clean the bathroom?" Bakura whined he hated cleaning their own bathroom at home.

Ryou smiled his sweet smile and Bakura knew there was no way he was getting out of it. "Because Yami hasn't learned the proper way to use bleach and if anything happens to him, I'll just let Yugi know you were the one who got him hurt." He pushed Bakura in the direction of the hallway. "This is the only time you'll have to clean this bathroom so go ahead and get it out of the way. Yami will learn to clean it later."

Once Bakura was busy in the bathroom, Ryou turned his attention to Yami who was doing a really good job. "I'll be sure to get with Yugi and give him the list I wrote for Bakura about the proper way to clean a home. I'll be able to teach you a few things today, but we need to get this place cleaned up for Yugi and then he can teach you more another time." He placed a hand on Yami's shoulder, so Yami briefly looked at Ryou. "I know it is tough living in an era different from your own, but Yugi still loves you no matter what. He's just stressed out at the moment. I've had to live on my own for a while and it's not easy."

"I know he is stressed, I just wish he hadn't walked out like that. The fight was stupid and I can only hope all this will make up for what I failed at."

"It will and you'll both grow from this, just remember that all couples do have fights now and again." Ryou grabbed the dust cleaner, his broom, and a roll of paper towels. "If you need anything I'll be in the bedroom."

So the first few hours of the morning were spent cleaning up the kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom before all three stopped for a lunch break then worked on the rest of the apartment.

Joey dropped Yugi off at his apartment around seven that night just as the sun was setting. "Thanks for the ride it was nice hanging out with today."

"It was no problem at all, but you really need to go make up with Yami. I'm sure he has gone crazy missing you today."

Yugi gave his friend a sad smile knowing he was right. "I will, I miss him too and once I cleared my head I realized our fight was silly. It's just I didn't figure out how hard it was going to work and college at the same time. I'll never understand how my grandfather did it all those years ago. I'm just fortunate to have Yami to come home to every day."

"Well tell Yami I said hi and enjoy your holiday." After that Joey drove off and Yugi waited until he couldn't see the truck anymore before heading up the stairs to his apartment.

Once at the door Yugi took a deep breath, before unlocking his apartment and stepping inside closing and locking the door behind him. At first he was surprised by how dark it was, so he was quick to flip on the light curious if Yami had already gone to bed. He hated that he had left Yami to stay in the mess that was their apartment.

However once the light came on Yugi was shocked at how clean the place was. Nothing was out of place and it smelled wonderful. The scent of lavender filled the room and based on the candle lit on the coffee table he figured that was where the smell was coming from. It blew Yugi's mind at how great the place looked, because it looked like the first day they had finished unpacking when they moved in.

Just to be sure he wasn't dreaming, Yugi went to each room and was not disappointment by how tidy and clean each room was. Even their bedroom smelled great and you could see the floor instead of the piles of clothes they had yet to take to the laundry room that lucky for them was located in a room downstairs for everyone to share. It was nice to not have to walk far to do their laundry. Although Yugi was sure he wasn't going to have to do laundry for a while based on the fact their closet was full of fresh smelling clothes and so was the dresser.

"Yami!" He called out for his partner and returned to the living room. He hadn't seen Yami in his amazement and he almost wondered if he had walked into the wrong apartment.

"Aibou I'm out here…" The voice sounded like it was coming from the balcony.

The smaller adult made his way over to the curtain that covered the doors to the balcony and pushed them aside to realize the sliding door was open, so he stepped back out into the cold and found Yami sitting in one of the chairs to the patio set with a blanket wrapped around him. He had a book in his hands, which meant he was on another one of his novels. The turning night was cold but not completely cold that you couldn't sit comfortable outside.

"What are you doing out here?"

"I was waiting on you to get home and the afternoon was nice so I thought I would come out here and read for a while." Yami replied as he set his book down and opened his arms which Yugi gladly crawled into.

There was nothing in the world Yugi would rather have than Yami's arms wrapped tightly around him in a warm embrace. He loved the man so much and the guilt ate away at him all day for leaving out on Yami like that.

"I'm really sorry for what I said to you." Yugi apologized before Yami could stop him. "It was wrong of me to yell at you. I was so caught up in looking forward to relaxing after classes yesterday that I forgot how bad the apartment had gotten. I should have spent a little more time taking care of this place than working like a dog."

Yami place a hand under Yugi's chin and made him look at him. "You have nothing to apologize for. I should have taken more time trying to learn how to help out around here. I'm home all day with nothing to do so the least I could have done is taken some of the burden off of you so you could come home each day and relax." He placed a small kiss onto Yugi's lips. "I promise from now on to be more helpful and less lazy okay…"

Yugi smiled at that and gave Yami a longer kiss in return. After they broke apart Yugi did still have one more question hanging in the air.

"Who cleaned this place? It was a horrible mess when I left."

"I wanted to make things up to you, so I called Ryou to help me out. He and Bakura came over and taught me most of what it takes to keep this place clean, but I know I still have much to learn. I may not be able to get a job and help out financially, but I can at least be the perfect lover and keep this place looking spotless." Yami than chuckled as he couldn't get the idea of Bakura cleaning bathrooms out of his mind. "I never once thought I would see the tomb robber being helpful."

Yugi chuckled at that too. "If I know Ryou like I think I do then Bakura has to pull his weight around the house if he wants to continue to stay in the same bed as Ryou." He then hugged Yami and snuggled closer to him as the wind blew a gently breeze. "By the way you are already perfect just the way you are and I wouldn't change anything about you."

"Glad to hear it, now how about we get inside and have a lovely dinner together." Yami said as they both stood up to head inside and out of the cold.

As Yugi closed and locked the sliding door as smirk appeared on his face. "I'm not that hungry, so why don't we just skip to desert." He grabbed Yami's hand, causing Yami to drop the book and blanket he was holding, dragging him right toward the bedroom.

Yami clearly had no objections to that as he tackled Yugi to their warm, clean smelling full size bed and spent the rest of the night showing Yugi just how much he really loved him.

The End