AN: This is the sequel to "Like Pieces of a Puzzle" (hence the 2 tacked onto the end of it). Where the original story took place over three days, this one will take place over the course of a year. There will defiantly be Puzzle- Puppy- and Tendershipping in this story. That means Yami (who is going by Atem) and Yugi, Seto and Jounouchi (aka Joey, though not in my story), and Ryou and Bakura are together. Three gay couples in one story! Madness!

So yeah, if you don't like those kinda of stories then don't read :3

Also there is no Anzu bashing in this story.

Also also, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. If I did there would be more yaoi and less card games. Case in point, my stories. :D

Part one of September! Enjoy!

Month: September

"What!?"

Jounouchi, Honda, and Anzu sat with Atem up in Yugi's room waiting their friend's return from running an errand for his grandfather.

"Shhh!" Atem, who had gotten a deep tan over the summer, held a finger to his lips, waving at them with his other hand. "Not so loud!"

"You want to marry him!?" Anzu said more quietly, barely containing her excitement.

"Yes," Atem said, sitting on the edge of the bed heavily.

Honda and Jounouchi stared at the former Pharaoh in shock, but Anzu giggled and sat beside Atem.

"What's the problem then? Yugi'll say yes."

"Anzu's right," Jounouchi said, moving to Atem's other sigh and clapping a hand down on his shoulder.

"Well..." Atem blushed, staring at the floor. "The trouble is....I...don't know how...."

"What? How could you not know how to propose to someone?" Honda asked. "It's easy!" He grabbed Jounouchi's hand. "See you just go up to him and say-" the brown-haired teen cleared his throat, doing his best impersonation of Atem- "Yugi, I can't live without you!" He dropped to one knee, still holding Jounouchi's hand in one hand, the other swinging out widely. "Will you marry me?"

"Oh Atem, you sexy stud," Jounouchi said in his worst impersonation of Yugi. "Of course I'll marry you!"

"Really?" Honda asked, still pretending to be Atem. Jounouchi planted his foot in Honda's face and pushed him away.

"Don't be so serious, Honda! God!"

Anzu giggled, but Atem merely sighed.

"In my time, it wasn't anything like that," the former Pharaoh sighed. "I would have had an arranged marriage. There was no freedom to simply choose who I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. But I know that I want to be with Yugi."

"Well," Anzu said, folding her arms over her chest. "Lucky for you, we live in modern day Japan so you and Yugi getting married is perfectly legal. First, you'll need to get a ring."

"A ring?" Atem asked, violet eyes blinking at Anzu. "Why?"

"An engagement ring is a symbol of love and devotion. By offering Yugi an engagement ring, you are offering to be his alone forever. And if he accepts-"

"If?" Atem raised a brow.

"Oh," Anzu covered her mouth. "When he accepts it, he is, in a way, accepting you. Er...Does that make sense?" she asked, blushing.

"Hmn. I want to adhere to the traditions of this time," Atem muttered. "So while it doesn't really make sense to me, I will see about getting a ring. What else must be done?"

Anzu smiled, clasping her hands before her. "I can picture it now. You'll invite Yugi out to dinner or someplace special to you both and take his hand, looking deeply into his eyes and tell him-"

~~~Anzu Fantasy-o-vision~~~~

"Aibou, I love you," Atem said, taking both of Yugi's hands in his. They stood on a beach, the sun setting into the ocean. "Since we first met, you have completed my soul, my heart. I cannot live out the rest of my days without you by my side." Slowly, he dropped to his knee, holding a velvet box out to Yugi, a diamond ring glinting in the setting sun.

~~~Reality~~~

Anzu blushed, giggling as Honda and Jounouchi sighed, the latter covering his face with his palm.

"Anzu, he's proposing to Yu-gi! Not you," Jounouchi groaned.

"Who's proposing to Yugi?"

All eyes turned to the bedroom door, grandpa standing in the entrance holding a tray of sandwiches and drinks.

"Ahhh, um...well," Anzu waved at Sugoroku frantically.

"See, what we were saying was-" Honda laughed nervously.

Atem rose from the bed to stand before Yugi's grandfather. "I wish to, Ojichan." The three friends gaped at Atem, wondering how the old man would respond.

"That sounds good. Here you all are, I brought snacks!" he smiled. The trio stared in shock at Sugoroku.

After sandwiches and drinks had been distributed and everyone was breathing again, the old man chuckled.

"Atem, my boy, I have no problem with you being with my grandson."

"Thank you, though I am shamed to admit I do not know the proper technique to asking him to marry me." Atem pouted a bit as he took a drink of his tea.

"It's not the method that's important, Atem. People do it all sorts of ways now a days. The important thing is that love you both share. If you want to do it properly with a ring and all that fuss, that's fine too." Sugoroku nodded.

"Where would I get one?" Atem asked.

"A jewelry store," Anzu smiled. "There's one near my place. We could go there tomorrow after school and look around."

"Traditionally, you want to get a ring with a diamond in it, but I think I have just the style of ring that suits you both," Sugoroku said with a wink. "Follow me." He led the four of them to his bedroom, opening the top drawer of his dresser and digging around."Now where did I put- Ah! Here me go!" He turned back toward them and held out a small silver ring, half of it appeared woven together while the other was a simple band.

"Now this is-"

"Let me see!" Jounouchi said, snatching the ring and holding it up to look at it. As he did so, the ring broke into four thin, linked rings. "Uh...oops?"

"Good going, idiot, you broke it!" Honda shouted at the blond, punching him in the arm.

"I just picked it up! If it broke that easily, then it was pretty cheaply made," Jounouchi shot back. Sugoroku snatched the ring back and began fiddling with it.

"Actually, it's meant to do that," the old man said. "This is called a puzzle ring. According to legends, they first appeared in Asia and were widely used as wedding rings in the Middle East. They say that some royalty would request puzzle rings for their wives to make sure they were being faithful to them because, if you take it off, it usually falls apart and can be tricky to get back together if you don't know the solution." As he spoke, he carefully arranged and manipulated the pieces back into one ring. "Most importantly, puzzle rings symbolize the thought and effort that helps keep the bonds of friendship and marriage strong. There we go." He held the complete ring out to Atem, who carefully lifted and inspected it, a smile playing on his lips.

"It's perfect," he said finally, handing the ring back to Sugoroku. "Especially because Yugi and I met after he solved the Millennium Puzzle." The old man nodded at him.

"Of course, this is a simple one. You can find a lot more intricate and complicated rings these days."

Atem nodded. "I have some money saved up. Maybe I can buy one tomorrow."

"Yeah, then you could propose to Yugi this Sunday on a date," Anzu said, smiling brightly.

"Ah...well..." Sugoroku rubbed his chin. "Hmm, why the rush?"

"Huh?" Atem blinked at him.

"Why wait?" Jounouchi asked. "They love each other. Seems like a good idea."

"Hmm...well..." Sugoroku tapped his chin thoughtfully and then snapped his fingers. "You haven't met Yugi's mother yet." He nodded. "Yep, you have my blessing, but his mother is out of town and won't be visiting again until Christmas so you should wait."

"Christmas!?" Honda shook his head. "But that over three months away!"

"Kinda a long time to wait," Jounouchi agreed.

"We-well, really I think the perfect time to do it is New Year's Eve at the stroke of midnight," Sugoroku nodded, crossing his arms aver his chest. "That way you can meet his mother and you two can get to know each other for a week before you propose. It's better that way."

"Really..." Atem folded his arms over his chest and looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully.

"Well, I suppose that makes sense," Anzu said finally. "And it would be pretty romantic doing it then..."

"I suppose that would also give me time to earn more money..." Atem murmured thoughtfully.

"Then it's settled," Sugoroku said. In the distance they heard the shop door open and close.

"Jichan! Everyone! I'm back!"

Sugoroku let out a relieved sigh and shooed Atem out the door. "Go on now. Go greet the love of your life," he said with a grin and a chuckle..

Atem chuckled as well. "Thank you, ojichan," he said as he went to do just that.

Sugoroku waved the others close to him. "Before you go, there's something you three need to know."

AN: Kudos to whoever guesses what grandpa's up to!

*ninja vanishes*