Yugi: That's what you said when you told your parents you'd clean your room.
Edokina: C'mon, that was one time!
Yugi: See!? That's a lie, too!! You disappoint me! (Pouting)
Edokina: Aww, lookit how cute you are! (Snuggles) I love you sooo much!
Yugi: H-hey! You should know by now that my heart belongs to someone else!
Atem: Who's that, Aibou?
Edokina & Yugi: ...
Atem: What? Did I say something odd?
Yugi: No! Not at all! In fact, why don't you do the disclaimer?
Atem: Um... okay... Edokina-san does not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Although something tells me that things would have gone differently if she did...
Explanations
Yugi felt the warmth of the hot droplets of water prick his cold skin like dozens of hot needles. It relaxed his muscles, and the steam floated into the air and helped him think. Atem was back! He couldn't believe it, even after Atem's explanation.
Yugi walked over and placed the tea cup on the table and sat next to Atem, staring into his memorizing crimson eyes. Atem placed his cup on the table beside Yugi's, that smile still charming his features. Yugi's hands slowly moved up to Atem's face, and cupped it in his hands. Both Atem and Yugi's grandpa were taken aback, wondering what was on the young man's mind… It was an oddly intimate gesture after all, even for long time friends. Although the awkward moment quickly shattered when Yugi's thumbs and index fingers worked together to pinch Atem's cheeks and stretch his face in various directions.
"Ow ow ow!! Yugi! That hurts!" Atem swatted Yugi's hands away with a laugh. "It's really you!?" Yugi asked, his voice louder now. Atem nodded, "Who else could I be?"
"I-I dunno… an illusion?"
That made Atem laugh again. "Well, now that that's obviously not it, any other suggestions?"
Yugi shook his head.
"Good! Then I can explain properly, right?"
"Please do!"
That earned yet another chuckle, "It was simple, actually. I was shocked, myself. I was telling my father another story about you, and he seemed to notice that I talk about you and our friends with this… fondness, he had said. He asked why I left you all, because we seemed to have had so much fun. I told him, 'I thought you and everyone else wanted me to come back? You're my father, and they're all my friends…I thought I owed it to you all to come back after being gone for a few millennia.' My father shook his head and told me that I really should be where I want to be. You defeated me; I've learned all I need from you, and that in itself grants me my own body. And it's all my choice of whether to stay with you and our friends or go to the afterlife. Then my father told me, 'with a mortal body, you can come back and join us anytime. You're one of the few that get a second chance at life; don't use it hanging out with dead people you know you'll see again eventually. The few years you'll have left will seem like nothing once you get back here.' So, he somehow got the door to open, I bid everyone farewell, and stepped outside. The temple was exactly as we left it. However, I couldn't leave without the Millennium Puzzle. Literally." He grabbed the golden pyramid hanging around his neck by a chain, "I'd try to walk outside and I'd start hurting… It took me a while to figure out why."
Yugi looked a little dumbfounded, "Weren't the ruins destroyed?"
"Hm? No… how would I have gotten out, Yugi?"
"I… don't know. But after you went through that door, the ruins collapsed…"
Atem was silent as he debated this, "Maybe it didn't collapse, just… hid itself, the entrance, underground. And it resurfaced when the door opened again, so I could get out?"
Yugi nodded, supposing that he didn't really care. Atem was back! He gave the man a huge hug, "I missed you so much!"
Atem chuckled a bit, "I missed you too, Aibou. Although it appears I've come on the wrong day; Anzu, Jounouchi and Honda aren't coming?"
"No- we've got… a lot… of… awww, man! I'm loaded with homework today! You didn't time this right at all, Atem!" Yugi laughed, still overly grateful that he was back.
But now he'd come to a dilemma. If Atem had stayed behind the gate, then Yugi would have continued to feel empty, though maybe just until he'd found a… a significant other. He didn't know if he was bi or flat out gay. But when he thought about it like that, it sounded so… wrong. And love shouldn't be wrong.
Okay, then… I'm either… an equal opportunity lover, or… or I'm playing for the other team. That sounded better.
But it didn't help him solve his dilemma as he shut off the water valves and stepped out of the shower, drying himself off with a towel. It was raining, and he wasn't expecting anyone to drop by, and on top of that Atem had seen him in his pajamas a million times, so he had no problem changing into them even though it was only the afternoon.
When Yugi opened the bathroom door, steam leaked out of it like air out of a balloon. He went down the hall and into his room, where he found Atem watching television. He'd looked up at Yugi from the bed when he heard the door open, "This is new! When did your grandpa let you get one in your room?"
"A while ago…" Yugi answered, not exactly sure when. Atem looked exactly the same as he had the day the two of them finally split apart to duel. After a year, it was almost like seeing a ghost.
Yugi shook his head. How dare he think like that! Atem coming back to him like this was a miracle; there was no need to turn it into a horror story.
He sat on the bed beside him. Given that Atem had his own body, he also had his own, unique scent that reminded him of sand and sunshine. Scents of the desert.
"So, how've you been, Yugi?"
"Huh? Oh, great! Yeah. Actually, Anzu's signed up with a dancing company. So she's really busy with that, and becoming good enough to make it a career. Jounouchi and Honda are going to the same school as me, so I get to see them everyday."
"Wow, Anzu's dancing already? I thought she was going to finish high school first…"
"She did."
"What? But when I left, you guys were in your last quarter of senior year. And that was only about a month ago…"
"A month? Atem, it's been a whole year… exactly one year today, actually."
"What!?" Atem exclaimed, obviously shocked.
Yugi nodded, "I'm so loaded with homework because we're finishing up units and getting ready for finals. I've got a lot to study."
"I-I'm sorry, Aibou. We can catch up later. You start on your homework. I might even be able to help, if you need it."
"Thanks, Atem. I'm sorry we can't hang out right away. That's probably what you were expecting, and here I am not living up to that…"
"Yugi, there's no reason to think about it like that. I've lived with you for four years, remember? I completely understand. So don't worry about it; just get it done. I'll watch T.V. downstairs, if you want."
"No, it's alright. I've gotten into the habit of leaving it on, anyway. The noise helps me think." He lied. He thought better with silence. But he just didn't want Atem to leave; it was bad enough that he had to move from the spot next to him to his desk.
Pulling out what he would need, he sighed. Work was always harder to do when you were eager to finish and do the one thing in the world you wanted to do most.
Guess I'd better stop moping and get to it…
Edokina: And there you have it!
Atem: Have what? What is this?
Yugi: (Pulling back on Atem's arm) Aw, Atem- you don't wanna see that!
Atem: Hm? Why not?
Yugi: Because it's... It's Edokina's diary!
Edokina: My huh!?
Atem: Oh, I'm terribly sorry! (Turns around)
Yugi: That's right! Why don't you... um... go set up a game of Duel Monsters! Downstairs! I'll be right there!
Atem: Alright, Yugi... (leaves)
Yugi: (Winks) Bye now!
Edokina: That boy is so good with excuses, its frightening...
On a different note, thank you for the reviews! I really appreciate them! And to yugixyamiyaoilover: you can go ahead and beat Anzu up anyway! In fact, if I didn't need her, I woulda said she got hit by a truck six months prior. May seem harsh, but I hate her SO much!! As I just said, the only reason I keep her around is 'cause the storyline would be dead without her.
Next chapter title: The Big News! See you in a week!
