Kristine: Ha, finally, another story to publish…
Yugi: What's wrong? You seem to look so weary.
Selene: Yeah, aibou, something bad must have happened to you.
Kristine: It's just that I have to wait for the right time; otherwise, it would have to wait. Writers had to take a break sometimes and focus on real life.
Yugi: Oh I see…
Kristine: Anyway, readers, I hope you enjoy the latest story I've cooked up just for you. Here's the disclaimer.
Selene: The author does not own Yu – Gi – Oh!, nor the characters, which belong to Kazuki Takahashi, and even the song "Runaway" by The Corrs. She just owns the plot, and watch out for spoilers.
It was another normal afternoon as people exited from the main door of the Domino High School building, classes finally over. Students from all walks of life discussed various topics, including trivial ones, and even friends flocked around to have special bonding moments.
"Bye, Yugi. Bye, Atemu. See you guys later," Joey Wheeler called out as he, Tristan Taylor and Tea Gardner waved at the two tri – colored haired teens.
"Same goes to you," Yugi Mutou answered as he and his other half and lover, Atemu, waved back at them, the two groups going on separate paths as they left the school gates.
He and Atemu were holding hands as they went towards the Kame Game Shop, where his grandfather, Solomon, was currently working. Yugi and Atemu had become lovers not long after the ex-pharaoh decided to stay with his light despite his loss during the ceremonial duel, when he was supposed to depart to the afterlife. The younger teen was truly very glad to have his darkness as his significant other, considering the times that he was always protected and taken care of by him. The strong bond of friendship that began during their first meeting, when he solved the Millennium Puzzle, had evolved into something greater, which was love, and that feeling was indeed blissful for him.
As for Atemu, there were truly so many things he loved about his hikari, from his child – like features to his innocent, shy nature when it comes to seduction matters. After all, Yugi was the reason why he was finally liberated from the dark abyss and even given a chance to enjoy life on earth. But still, he would be sometimes clueless about the twenty-first century, and had to get used to it.
"Do you know that our first anniversary will be after a few days?" Yugi asked his other half as they continued their way home.
"Oh yeah, I am supposed to plan for the celebration," Atemu replied. "But unfortunately, due to school matters, I might not have enough time to come up to how to make it worthwhile."
"It's ok, Yami. How we celebrate the anniversary doesn't matter," the amethyst – eyed teen commented. "What matters is that it must be memorable. Sure it must be special, but please, don't make it too extravagant."
"Oh, ok," Atemu became uneasy at the thought of how to celebrate. During his reign as a pharaoh, Atemu had witnessed grand balls and high – social parties at his palace. Now that Yugi had mentioned the condition of the upcoming event, there were now more points to consider that would make planning even more difficult. He really didn't want to disappoint his aibou.
It wasn't long before until they finally arrived at the game shop. Yugi slowly opened the door and called out. "Grandpa, we're home."
There was still no response, which startled them both. They entered the store and continued calling out, until Atemu saw a piece of paper on the glass counter. "Hey, there's a note."
Yugi approached his darkness and picked up the note, reading it.
I was requested again to go to another excavation in Egypt. I will be gone for a month. Take care of yourselves and the store for me.
- Grandpa
P.S. I have left money in the living room for the meals and groceries. Spend it wisely.
The two boys sprinted towards the living room, where they found a small rectangular case on the table. Atemu picked it up and lifted the lid, and there was indeed money inside, but with only some bills and coins.
"We shouldn't spend in all in one go," Yugi reminded him." We have to make it last for a month until Grandpa comes back."
The crimson – eyed teen nodded in understanding, gazing at the money for a long time. Limited budget became another point to consider for the anniversary event.
"I'm going to do my homework now. Make sure you finish yours as well," the younger boy ascended up the stairs to his room.
Atemu sighed. Planning would be indeed very hard with only that much money. I'll definitely help on this one, he thought, and there's only one person I can rely on.
- The Next Day -
"Your anniversary? In a few days?" Kristine Darkraven asked. She had She had short, chin – length raven black hair and emerald green eyes, with her height some inches taller than Yugi and a few inches shorter than Atemu.
"Yes," Atemu replied with a pleading look on his usual sharp, handsome face. "I want to make it a memorable event for both me and Yugi, but the problem is, he preferred it to be pleasing, yet not too extravagant, and I only have a limited budget. I really don't want to disappoint him."
"Oh, I see," Kristine understood what he said. "So what you're saying is that the event must be memorable, yet easy on the budget, is that right?"
The former spirit nodded in reply.
"Fortunately, Kristine and I know a friend who can help you on that problem. He's good at giving tips to make special events unforgettable without sacrificing one's budget," Selene, Kristine's dark side, piped up. Her hair had the same color and bangs as her hikari's, but it's longer, reaching past her shoulders. Her eyes were a deep shade of silver – gray, and she was indeed taller than her other half.
"You do?"
"Yep, she's right," the short – haired female replied cheerfully, raising her index finger. "Now's the right time to consult him, so you better start bringing your pen and paper to take down notes.
"Oh, your anniversary, eh?" Terrence Truesdale asked inquisitively. He's Kristine's boyfriend who was also known to be an expert duelist and violinist, and a suave gentleman. He would sometimes be consulted on guides to special events due to his experience in attending them. They were currently in the living room of his house, sitting down on the chairs beside the table.
"Uh – huh," Atemu replied. "It must be special, yet fitting to the budget."
"Let's see," the male with long cyan hair, tied into a ponytail, tapped his chin with a finger while thinking. "Let me ask you. What is your usual bonding place for you two?"
"Perhaps, it's the park. We have a spot there where the two of us usually stay to spend quality time together, but I would rather not tell you where it is right now, just to be safe."
"Good choice for a place. Since you already told me that your budget's limited, why not try whipping out food by yourself? Some say it's cheaper to buy the ingredients than to purchase the whole dish. Do you have any experience in cooking?"
"Ummm… I sometimes help my grandfather in cooking. I'm not sure about doing the food for myself, but I'll try my best to cook food for the occasion."
"Then it's settled," Kristine commented, smacking her fist against her palm of the other hand. "Well, I have a trick to make it a nice surprise."
"What is it?" Atemu asked.
The female teen gestured the rest of them to lean close to her. She whispered something softly, so that it would be inaudible for anyone outside the group.
By the time she was done, the rest nodded in agreement. "Great idea, hikari," Selene commented.
"And now, let's discuss about the food, as well as the theme," the green – eyed teenager said. "We will pick up suggestions, then we vote. We have to consider how much each of them costs to make it as well. The one with the highest votes will be chosen, ok?"
The rest nodded in reply.
"Ok then, let's start the planning phase!" Kristine gave the signal.
And without delay, the discussion began.
- The Big Night -
"What is going on, Atemu? Where are you taking me?" Yugi asked curiously. His eyes were blindfolded as he was led by his darkness towards the park. Both of them were dressed on polo shirts, khaki pants and black leather shoes, different from their usual all – leather ensemble.
"You'll find out once I ask you to remove the blindfold, so stop asking," Atemu replied. He knew his aibou was persistent to find out, but he wouldn't let him ruin the surprise he had set up for the night.
They continued walking until they reached a secluded spot at the park, where there was a pond with a steel arc bridge on top. "Ok, you can take off the blindfold now," Atemu said.
The hikari did as told and held his breath at what he saw. He immediately recognized that it was their special spot. "Why are we here at a time like this?"
The ex-pharaoh gestured him to the blue – white checkered picnic blanket, with food, two plates and utensils on top of it. A soft light glowed from a candle attached to a golden candle stand. "This is the reason why we're here tonight. Happy anniversary, my light."
Yugi was so touched that his amethyst eyes began to leak out tears. He immediately hugged his beloved tightly, whispering words of gratitude.
Atemu smiled softly and loosened his light's hold. "Well then, let's savor the sweetness of our love. Food is already served."
They sat down on the blanket and the tanned – skinned male scooped up some of the spaghetti onto his lover's plate, handing it over to him. Yugi accepted the plate and swirled some pasta with a fork, chewing it with his mouth. He gave out a hum of appreciation. "Delicious," he complimented. "How did you make it?"
"Just bought some groceries and used the ingredients for the dish," the crimson – eyed teen replied. "Don't worry; the groceries are enough to last for a month."
"Well, that's a good choice, because Grandpa would kill us both if he finds out that the money got run out for one day just to buy this kind of food."
They resumed their talk as they ate the spaghetti. When the dish was fully consumed from the tray, they put their plates down.
"Now that we're done with the food, how about a dance, to make it more romantic?" Atemu asked, a smirk crossing his handsome face.
The little angel nodded, a blush coloring his pale cheeks. He was always like that whenever the former pharaoh would do something romantic to him. But still, he adored how his darkness wooed him.
The tanned – skinned male stood up and reached out his hand. "May I have this dance?"
Yugi's blush deepened as he replied, "Sure thing. I would love to." He took Atemu's hand in his as he let him pull him to his feet.
The older teen led him to the grassland near the pond, the moonlight shining down on them. Once they stood there, they immediately positioned themselves for the dance, Atemu placing his hand on Yugi's waist and the younger teen clasping his other half's shoulder with his free hand, entwining the fingers of their joined hands on their side.
"Music, please," Atemu commanded, casting his gaze to the side.
"Sure thing," Kristine obliged, popping out from behind the tree together with Selene and Terrence, setting the radio music player on the picnic blanket. She turned it on and pressed the play button.
The first thing the couple heard was the melodious tone of a violin, and they immediately waltzed at the music started to play.
Say it's true, there's nothing like me and you,
I'm not alone, tell me you feel it too
The lovers couldn't help but to gaze into each other's eyes, amethyst meeting crimson. Various emotions shimmered through them, and their features glimmered with the moon's soft rays. It was like they were no longer in a park and instead ended up in the grand ballroom of a palace.
And I would runaway,
I would runaway, yeah, yeah,
I would runaway,
I would runaway with you,
Cause I have fallen in love,
With you, no never have,
I'm never gonna stop fallin' in love, with you
"How long have you been planning this?" Yugi asked, breaking the silence.
"Just two days," Atemu replied.
"Ok, about what you told me that you bought the groceries, do we still have money left?"
"Don't worry, we still have some to spare."
Close the door, lay down upon the floor,
And by candlelight, make love to me through the night
Yugi's face flushed shades of red at those words. Atemu chuckled softly at seeing his hikari like that. For him, that blush made his angel look even more adorable, especially during the nights when there was no one else but the two of them.
And I would runaway,
I would runaway, yeah, yeah,
I would runaway,
I would runaway with you,
Cause I have fallen in love,
With you, no never have,
I'm never gonna stop fallin' in love, with you,
"You know what, it brings back old memories, back when we confessed our love for each other, here in this special spot," the short duelist murmured.
With you…
"Same goes for me," the former pharaoh agreed. "In fact, it was indeed one of the happiest moments I've ever had in my entire life."
And I would runaway,
I would runaway, yeah, yeah,
I would runaway,
I would runaway with you,
Cause I have fallen in love,
With you, no never have,
I'm never gonna stop fallin' in love, with you
I have fallen in love,
With you, no never have,
I'm never gonna stop fallin' in love, with you
With you, my love,
With you, with you…
As the song reached its end, Atemu and Yugi finally stopped dancing and walked towards the steel arc bridge, where they both stood on it. The moon reflected on the pond, giving off its light as they gaze at the night sky.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" the amethyst – eyed teen asked.
"Yes," his other half agreed, casting his gaze onto his lover. "But not as beautiful as you are."
The pale – skinned teen blushed slightly as he met his gaze. He then giggled. "You always said that."
"I can't help it," Atemu replied, chuckling. He then held Yugi's face with both hands, stroking the flawless, cream – colored skin. "It's really wonderful to see that a year has passed, and yet we're still together through thick and thin. I just wish we could stay like this for eternity."
"Yeah, me, too," the younger teen agreed, loving the feeling of his lover's touch. "Considering how much you care for me and how much you're willing to put your life on the line to protect me, it was really worth the risky gamble. If not because of you, I would still be cowardly and timid, who doesn't have a chance to fight back."
"And you are the reason why I have a chance to live a good life, since you already freed me from the confines of the Millennium Puzzle," the owner of the ruby eyes added. "You had taught me that being kind – hearted is not a weakness, but rather, true strength, and I thanked the deities above for letting me stay with you."
Yugi's smile widened at those words. "I love you, my darkness."
"And I love you, too, my angel," Atemu replied.
Then they closed the distance between each other with a passionate kiss. The younger teen moaned at he let his pharaoh dominate him, arms encircling the taller's neck.
Not far from them, Kristine, Selene and Terrence gave each other a high – five, congratulating themselves and each other for their success of the plan for both of them to celebrate their anniversary wholeheartedly without breaking the piggy bank.
"This is one great anniversary I've ever experienced," Yugi complimented as they departed from the park, the ex-pharaoh carrying the picnic basket.
"And I'm glad you enjoyed it," Atemu agreed. "Of course, it wouldn't be successful without the help of those people." He gestured towards the raven – haired girls and the gentleman, who were just smiling and greeting him.
"You helped in all this?" the amethyst – eyed teen asked inquisitively.
"Yeah, we do," Kristine replied. "Besides, you should thank us for making this possible."
"I can't believe it!" the petite duelist exclaimed, throwing up his hands, feeling a bit annoyed. "I thought it was supposed to be just me and Atemu in the park, and you guys are like as if you just popped out of nowhere."
"Don't worry, we just assisted Atemu in the preparations, not to spoil the event," Selene assured. "It's just that we have to ensure that nothing bad will happen on the big day."
"Oh, ok," Yugi sighed. "Anyway, thanks for your help. I'll see you guys soon." He and Atemu waved at them good-bye as the two groups split up.
"Now that they're gone, let's end our anniversary with something intimate and naughty, if you know what I mean," Atemu whispered in his aibou's ear, smirking.
Yugi blushed at the thought, smiling shyly at his darkness. "Okay, but make sure it's just the two of us."
"Don't worry, I'll make sure no one hears or notices us. I'll just use magic to make the room soundproof."
"I like it, and I can't wait once we arrive back home."
"Same goes for me," Atemu agreed, wrapping a possessive arm around Yugi's waist as they walked towards the game shop, anticipating their sweet time alone.
"Thank you for helping Atemu on that, and I'm glad that we became part of your assistance," Kristine said in gratitude once they arrived at Terrence's house.
"It's my pleasure," Terrence replied. "Let's see each other again, shall we?"
"Sure thing," the green – eyed female agreed. "See you later, ministrel."
"Goodbye, my princess," the gentleman gave her a chaste kiss on the lips before the girls left his house, waving farewell.
"It's indeed pleasing that they enjoy the celebration tonight, don't you agree?" Selene asked her aibou as they strolled across the street filled with lights.
Kristine nodded in agreement. "It's indeed worth the hard work."
They kept walking until they reached their house not far from the Kame Game Shop. The long – haired girl looked at her hikari. "You know what, I'm lucky that we're given a chance to witness it, although we're just watching them privately. I wish they would stay together forever, as lovers."
"Yeah, me, too," the emerald – eyed teen agreed before letting out a yawn. "It's already late, and I need some sleep."
"Let's go inside, then," Selene approached the door and opened it, entering the house.
The hikari glanced at the night sky after watching her darkness going inside. Stars twinkled like white dots on black paper, with the moon shining on its domain.
Well, good luck to them. May their relationship last for a lifetime, she thought before entering the house as well, closing the door behind her.
Terrence: Hey, how come I get to be in here?
Kristine: It's just for the sake of the story, and I have my own reasons.
Terrence: By the way, by the time we have our anniversary as lovers, I hope you don't mind if I'll do the same as what Yami did to Yugi, but this time, more romantic and intimate… *wraps an arm around his girlfriend's waist*
Kristine: *blushes deeply* Umm… sure I don't mind
Yami and Yugi: *chuckles softly*
Kristine: HEY! Why are you two laughing?
Yami: Uhh… nothing…
Kristine: *eyes blazing* I'll get you for making fun of our relationship! *brandishes a giant axe*
Yugi: Waaa! Run, Yami! *grabs his yami's hand and runs*
Kristine: Come back here! *chases after them*
Selene: *sighs deeply*
Terrence: Anyway, please review if you like it… ^^
