Welcome back, all! Thank you to all who read and reviewed chapter 1! So, let's get on with chapter 2!

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Yuma gulped and tried to settle his nerves with a couple of deep breaths. His eyes shifted back and forth from a confused Tetsuo to a concerned Kotori. He offered the latter a comforting smile and began his explanation.

"Tetsuo…" Yuma started. "There's something you should know about Astral and I…"

Tetsuo's eyebrows raised and he snorted.

"Yuma, I don't need those kinds of details."

Yuma whacked him on the shoulder irritably and tried to continued his story. He held the key in between his fingers and raised it up towards his friend's face.

"This key gives me and Astral a special kind of power. It's called 'Zexal', and it allows Astral and I to combine our bodies. I'm not 100 percent sure of it's main purpose just yet, but all I know is that it can be used to help save the Astral World, the place where Astral comes from…"

Tetsuo nodded his head, somewhat understanding.

"Okay…?" He questioned, motioning with his hand for Yuma to elaborate further.

Yuma sighed and swallowed. "Do you remember that time Kaito stole my key?" Upon Tetsuo's nod, he continued. "Well, Astral and I had to use Zexal to get it back, and…something went wrong."

Tetsuo's eyes widened in concerned for his good friend."What happened?"

Yuma looked to Kotori, who smiled at him reassuringly.

"Some of Astral's energy stayed inside me, and, well, started to… grow.""Grow…?" Tetsuo said uncertainly.

"Yeah," Yuma replied. "Into…a baby."

Yuma closed his eyes and waited for his friend's response. When there wasn't one, he opened his eyes to find Tetsuo staring at him and wide eyes and his mouth agape. Tetsuo looked over at Kotori, who was smiling as if to validate the information. He looked back to Yuma and without warning burst out into hysterical laughter.

"Tetsuo!" Yuma cried. "Stop it!"

Tetsuo wiped a tear from his eyes and slapped himself on the knee.

"A baby? Come on, Yuma, pull the other one! You seriously expect me to believe that you - a BOY - were out from school all that time because you had a baby?" Tetsuo exclaimed through his laughter.

Yuma's eyebrows furrowed in offense and he frowned.

"It's true!"

"Riiiiight." Tetsuo teased. "And maybe someday I'll get pregnant with a unicorn!"

Kotori rolled her eyes as she watched her friends argue.

"Tetsuo, stop! He's not joking!" She cried defensively, reaching over to wrap an arm around Yuma's shoulders.

Tetsuo immediately halted his laughter when he noted the hurt in his friend's eyes. Yuma stared down at the floor as he felt tears threatening to fall. He watched as Kotori patted Yuma on the back comfortingly and he gulped.

"You…you're serious?" Tetsuo asked in disbelief.

"Yes!" Yuma called quietly, but refusing to look his friend in the eyes.

"And you're in on this, too?" Tetsuo asked Kotori, poking her arm slightly.

Kotori placed a hand on her hip and nodded firmly.

"Yes! And this is exactly why I was the only one Yuma wanted to tell in the first place!" She huffed, turning her head to the side and sticking her nose in the air.

Tetsuo immediately felt guilty and regretted his reaction. He walked closer to his friend and patted him lightly on the arm.

"Sorry, Yuma." He said sincerely.

Yuma looked his friend in the eyes and smiled.

"Don't worry about it," He said quietly. "It's not like it's something that happens everyday. I totally understand you're reaction."

The three friends stood in an awkward silence until Yuma grabbed Tetsuo's arm and smiled.

"Do you want to meet her?" He questioned excitedly.

Tetsuo cocked his head in surprise.

"Her?" He said. "It's a 'her'?"

Tetsuo smiled as Yuma held up the pink sock he had picked up off the floor earlier and grinned brightly. Tetsuo laughed and uncharacteristically pulled his friend into a hug, which Yuma gratefully returned. Kotori threw her arms around both boys as they celebrated Yuma's joy together.

…

Yuma practically started skipping as the trio exited school and began making their way to Yuma's house. Yuma was still clinging tightly to Hope's pink sock and his heart was racing with the anticipation of getting to hold and cuddle his little girl after what felt like days. Tetsuo and Kotori followed behind him laughing amongst themselves at their friend's giddiness. When they reached Yuma's house, said boy practically sprinted to the front door and swung it open wildly. His delight increased more as he was greeted by the sight of Hope laying on her blanket on the living room floor with Astral lying on his stomach next to her. Astral looked up and smiled as his young counterpart entered the house and immediately approached them.

"Hope!" Yuma cried enthusiastically. "Look, I'm home!"

Hope squealed and began squirming about, practically rolling herself over amidst her excitement. Her arms reached out to her father and Yuma ran to her, throwing himself onto the floor and scooping her up greedily.

"I told you I'd be home soon!" Yuma cooed to her. "Did you have fun with Astral while I was gone?"

Hope clapped her hands and nodded, reaching out and gripping Yuma's face and planting a sloppy kiss onto his nose. Yuma bounced her joyfully and hugged her tightly, never wanting to let her go.

Tetsuo and Kotori admired the scene from afar; Kotori clasped her hands together and held them to her face whilst Tetsuo crossed his arms and smiled. He had never seen Yuma like this before and it was a rather refreshing sight.

Astral began rubbing Hope's back gently.

"She was a very good girl." He reported to Yuma. "But I know she misses you just as much as you miss her.""I bet." Yuma agreed, leaning towards Astral to return the kiss the blue ghost tried to give him. They eyed each other lovingly, Astral reaching up to pretend to stroke Yuma's face.

"Hey, Yuma, you know we're still here, right?" Tetsuo joked, interrupting their moment.

"Yeah, I know. You guys can come in and sit down! I want you to meet Hope, Tetsuo." Yuma said, motioning towards the sofa.

Tetsuo did as instructed and sat down, eyeing Yuma's daughter thoughtfully. He recalled the one time he had seen Astral before and therefore knew that Hope most definitely resembled him.

"Here, put your arms down…" Yuma instructed, placing Hope onto Tetsuo's lap. Tetsuo chuckled as the baby looked up at him and smiled, her one hand reaching up to poke at his chin whilst the other rubbed at his full stomach.

"I think she likes you, Tetsuo!" Kotori joked with a smile, sitting down next to her friend.

Yuma nodded and smiled in agreement.

"I think so, too!"

The friends laughed and joked together, Hope being passed between the four friends, including Astral, until Tetsuo spoke again, this time more serious.

"So, why didn't you want to tell me about this again?" He asked Yuma.

Yuma frowned, eyeing his daughter sadly.

"I don't want you to think that I don't trust you, or anything. I just…wanted to protect her. That's all…"

Tetsuo nodded in understanding. He knew that there were a lot of people who were after Yuma and Hope would be an easy target to lure him in. Tetsuo concluded that revealing her existence to too many people could put her in a lot of danger.

"Yuma!" The group heard Yuma's grandmother call from the kitchen. "Dinner!"

"Would you guys like to stay?" Yuma offered to Tetsuo and Kotori.

"I think we'd better get home, it's kind of late." Kotori answered, handing Hope back to her father.

"Alright. I'll see you guys soon! Say 'bye', Hope!" Yuma cooed to his daughter, who waved her hand awkwardly at his friends, making them laugh. Yuma made his way into the kitchen with Hope nestled onto his hip before setting her down in her highchair and handing her a rattle.

"Be a good girl while we eat, okay?" Yuma said in a soft voice, smiling when Hope giggled and began biting on the toy in her hands. He joined his sister and grandmother at the table with Astral floating faithfully behind him, who joined the family in their dinnertime conversation as best as he could.

Time passed rather quickly as the family dined; the lighting outside changing from sunset to darkness. Haru offered her grandson seconds, which he quickly accepted, and moved to sit closer to her great-granddaughter.

"What's my favorite little girl doing?" Haru asked playfully, rubbing Hope's cheek with her finger. Hope looked up from nibbling on her rattle and smiled at her grandmother, high-pitched gurgles escaping from her mouth as a steady line of drool dripped down her chin, which Haru was quick to wipe away.

Yuma finished his meal and shrunk back into his chair, rubbing his bloated stomach and sighing contentedly. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Astral lean down towards him with a smirk on his face. Yuma turned to him and smiled.

"What is it?" He asked quietly.

"Well, I was thinking perhaps we could have some time alone tonight?" Astral said with a slight wink.

Yuma instantly smiled and laughed.

"Hey, grandma?"Haru looked up from tending to her granddaughter and smiled at her grandson.

"Yes, dear?""Um, would you and Akari mind watching Hope tonight so Astral and I can be alone…?" He questioned nervously.

Akari looked at her grandmother and winked.

"Don't worry, kiddo," She said. "We'll take care of her for you guys."

Yuma smiled. "Thanks, sis."

Haru and Akari watched as Yuma excused himself from the table and made his way upstairs, laughing and conversing with the invisible spirit. They looked at each other and smiled as Akari moved to lift Hope out of her highchair to bring her back into the living room.

…

Yuma lay on top of one of the rounded golden gears of the key's airship, his eyes closed and his mouth curved into a smile. Astral lay beside him, propped up onto his right arm whilst his left arm caressed Yuma's face gently. After some time, Astral leaned himself down to rest his head next to Yuma's, his mouth against his ear.

"Have I ever told you, Yuma," Astral began in a whisper. "That you are the most beautiful person I've ever seen in the entire world?"

Yuma turned towards him and opened his eyes halfway, smiling softly

"You have, actually." He joked, also in a whisper. "But thanks."

Astral chuckled and began awkwardly running his fingers through the boy's hair. Yuma reached up his right hand to run it over Astral's cheek. Astral shifted again, this time to lean over and kiss the boy's forehead.

"I love you, Yuma."Yuma closed his eyes again and nestled his face into Astral's chest.

"I love you, too, Astral."

Astral began kissing all over the boy's face whilst Yuma just laughed and laughed, absorbing all of the attention. The kisses then moved down to his neck, then his chest. Yuma looked down at Astral teasingly as said ghost began silently insisting that he remove his shirt. Yuma complied, shrugging off his vest and lifting the purple shirt over his head and exposing his chest, which Astral was quick to cover with more kisses. Yuma moaned quietly and scrubbed a hand through Astral's thick blue hair, urging him on. Astral moved back up to his face to kiss him tenderly on the lips before leaning back to look him in the eyes.

"You want to make love?" Astral asked the boy in a gentle whisper.

Yuma smiled softly and nodded. "Yes, I do."

Astral laughed quietly and kissed Yuma on the forehead again. Yuma reached down and took one of Astral's hands into his own and rested it over the buckle of his belt. Astral took the hint and assisted Yuma in the removal of the offending fabric until Yuma was as bare as Astral himself.

Astral settled himself between the boy's legs as they continued to kiss and laugh, Astral pausing to look the boy in the eyes affectionately. Yuma gripped Astral's face with both hands, holding it steady as they continued to admire each other. Astral was about to lean down to kiss on the boy's neck until a horribly familiar voice interrupted them.

"How sweeeeeet." The voice purred.

Astral and Yuma both stiffened in shock and fear, theirs heads turning simultaneously to the side where the source of the voice came from.

"There's no need to stop," The voice continued. "Do go on. I was very much enjoying myself…"

The thick fog began to clear as the figure approached, easily recognizable by his remarkable similarities to Astral…

"Black. Mist…?" Astral whispered in uncertainty and fear.

"Why, of course!" His evil clone cried. "Who else?"

Astral immediately threw his body over Yuma's in an effort to protect the boy's modesty. Yuma shuddered and clung to Astral's back in terror.

"What's he doing here?" Yuma cried. "I thought you got rid of him!"

Black Mist pursed his lips and cocked his head.

"Yes. You thought you got rid of me."

Astral reached around to get a solid grip on Yuma for fear of the boy's safety, one hand behind his head and the other on his back, pressing Yuma's face into his neck.

"What do you want?" Astral snarled in a half-yell, half-whisper, glaring daggers at his evil twin.

Black Mist clasped his hands together and held them in front of his face, tapping a finger against his chin.

"I was just thinking of all the lovely things I'd like to do to that little girl of yours. I figured you had a right to know…" Black Mist purred dangerously.

"Hope…!" Yuma shouted fearfully. Astral's grip on him tightened.

"Don't touch her!" Astral screamed. "Don't you dare touch her!"

"How do you know I haven't already?" Black Mist questioned mockingly.

Yuma began whimpering and pushing against Astral's chest in an effort to get away. To get away and make sure his daughter was safe.

"A-Astral…!" Yuma panicked. "We…we have to…Hope! We have to…get to her…" Yuma trailed off in a whisper. He was beginning to hyperventilate.

Black Mist began roaring with laughter, hunching over and clutching his stomach.

"For Heaven's sake, little boy, calm down. I was just kidding. Your little love is fine…for now." He bit out.

And with that, Black Mist disappeared as quickly as he came. Astral barely had time to register what was happening as Yuma fought out of the blue ghost's grip and frantically began pulling on his clothes. With a flash of light, Yuma was gone from the key, and Astral hurried to join him.

The two found themselves in the attic, Yuma rushing and practically tripping over his feet to get to Hope's crib where he found the baby girl sleeping soundly, snuggled up with her rattle and a blanket where Haru and Akari had left her for the night.

Yuma immediately picked his daughter up and broke down into sobs, dropping to the floor and pressing the tiny girl into his chest, which surprisingly didn't wake her. Astral watched from the back of the room, still a bit in shock. Yuma continued sobbing and rocked Hope back and forth awkwardly, stopping to catch his breath and wipe the streams of tears from his face before they hit her skin. After several minutes Yuma's crying had lessoned and Yuma placed Hope back into her crib before crawling over to climb into his hammock and curling into a ball. Astral watched him sadly, still a bit unsure of what happened or what to do. Regardless, he opted that he should not retreat back into the key for the night and instead floated down to sit and the floor hugging his knees where he too began to cry.

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Whew! Well, there's chapter 2! What do you think, guys? I 'hope' you're liking how it's going so far! I wanted to jump right in with the dramatics as opposed to just write a bunch of 'filler' chapters, you know? Anyway, thanks for reading and I'll meet you back here for chapter 3!