Hey everyone,
So this will be my new update schedule. I will post one chapter per story at the end of every month, but this does not mean that all of my stories will be updated every month, just that I will update any new chapters that are done at the end of the month. So if you don't see your favorite story get an update, just wait till next month.
Hope that's clear,

Venquine1990

Chapter 10
Coming home

Yugi's POV

After coming home from our trip to KaibaCorp, had grandpa decided to start on a healthy dinner, telling us that now that Yami had a body of his own, he had two mouths to feed and two powerful duelists who needed to be kept strong and healthy, something that had made both Yami and me laugh at the old man's antics.
After this and after taking in as much love and comfort I can get from the arm Yami has wrapped around me as we laughed, do I kiss him on the cheek and whisper: "I'll be upstairs. I got to prepare my deck for tomorrow's finals." Yami nods and whispers: "Don't forget what I told Mahad and Mana about their cards."
And while the thought about Dark Magician, Dark Magician and their behavior still stings something awful, do I nod at my beloved and leave upstairs, telling him to call me when Grandpa's done with dinner. Then I head upstairs and take the first door to the left, closing it behind me and leaning my back against it.

Then I close my eyes and take a deep breath, trying to focus on my breathing as, like with the last few weeks at the end of a busy day, I try to get to terms with everything that happened and think: "Yami came back, he actually loves me, I won another duel, got to go shopping and got evidence that my worries for Kaiba were legit."
And just like every other time when I do this, is it the last thing of my gathered thoughts that make me sigh, sag down against the door and lean my head on my arms that are wrapped around my knees as I can easily envision how sick and weak Kaiba looked when we came into his office and how helpless he looked coughing.
Then suddenly do I hear a knock on the door and jump back and turn around startled, before I hear Yami's voice from the other side of the door asking: "Habibi, are you alright in there?" Only then do I realize that the mind link between us is still open and curse myself for forgetting before I sigh and open the door for Yami.
Instantly the powerful ex-Egyptian has me in his arms and whispers: "Why didn't you tell me you were this worried?" And I smile at him as I lie my head and hands on his chest and say: "Yami, I have been performing this little ritual for myself the last few weeks where I gather my thoughts after a busy day of dueling or school.
It's just something that makes it easier for me to get used to stress and to keep myself in check were something else to happen after a busy day." But to this do I feel Yami tensing even more, obviously displeased that I feel the need to do this and he whispers: "Why don't you talk with grandpa about things like this?"

And I smile as I answer: "I did, Yami. He's the one that recommended I do this. It helps calm me down and that helps me remember that no matter how stressful a day can be, there's always something good that came off it. It's helped me, really." To this Yami pulls away, kisses me on the forehead and whispers: "I'm glad."
Then he hugs me again and like this we both stay standing, me just contend to be in Yami's arms and Yami obviously needing to have me in his arms as a sign that I'm really alright. A few minutes later does grandpa suddenly shout: "Yugi? Imay?" And I shout back: "Up here, grandpa. Can we come down and eat?"
And after hearing grandpa confirm this, do I send another loving smile at Yami and head back down, not at all feeling bad that I didn't get to work on my deck as spending time with Yami is much more important to me. We arrive downstairs and head for the kitchen, Yami holding my hand the entire time we walk.

Then, at the bottom of the staircase, do I see another little problem I had not foreseen as mum seems home from work early and is already seated at the dining bar that is attached to the wall, her eyes wide when she takes in how Yami and I are still holding hands as we walk over or how Yami actually pulls up my chair for me as I sit down.
Hoping to ease some tension as quickly as possible, do I think of a possible way to explain all this to my mum as suddenly Grandpa, who sets some of the pots of food on the table, asks: "Joanne, do you remember the few times you came to me because you were worried over how Yugi sometimes spoke to himself in his room?"
And while I can tell that this question irks the Puzzle Spirit next to me and grab his hand to calm him down, does mum nod and grandpa asks: "When did that stop?" And mum answers: "Three months ago, when you and Yugi came back from Egypt and when Yugi suddenly stopped wearing that strange Puzzle of his."

At this I can hear Yami mentally ask: "Strange Puzzle?" But I squeeze his hand, already onto the fact that grandpa is perfectly handling this new situation as grandpa nods and says: "That Puzzle, Joanne, held the spirit of this young man before you and after 5000 years of captivation was he finally allowed a body of his own."
This shocks my mum and grandpa laughs as he says: "And the first thing that same spirit decides to do is confess how his close bond with Yugi over the last four years has actually made him fall head over heels for your son and my grandson. And to make matters even better, is Yugi just as in love and are they now dating."
This last thing actually makes a happy smile appear on my mum's face and she says: "Well then, welcome to the family." Shocking Yami and taking all his anger away at once, which makes me smile from my mum to my new boyfriend, kissing his cheek real quick before I whisper: "Told you things were alright."

Then we all start eating before mum asks: "So, what's with all the shopping bags out in the living room?" And I realize that I forgot to take those along when I went to get my mind settled and that I hadn't seen Yami come up with them either when he came to comfort me and while I wonder if she saw their contents, do I say:
"Since Yami is now a human instead of a spirit attached to my person, did we both decide that he needed cloths of his own, mum, only while there, did we get sort of tricked into couple shopping as well, so some of the bags hold some of my new outfits alongside his. I even bought some stuff for birthdays and Christmas."
Now Yami looks up, while he had – at first – been planning to take a bite of the cauliflower, and he asks: "Christmas?" Making my eyes widen as suddenly, in my mind, do I see the dates of all our adventures and I whisper: "We missed 4 years of Christmas." Making mum laugh and say: "Always with good reason, though."
At this I shake my head and say: "That – that – that's not the problem, mum. The – the problem is – be-because they never experienced Christmas, they never experienced the four seasons either. We were always in summer and spring like temperatures. I – I don't – I don't think any of them have ever even seen snow before."

This shocks mum and then while Yami asks: "Snow?" Shocking my mother enough that she drops her fork, does grandpa say: "When Yugi says they, Joanne, he means that – like Yami – the spirits of the Millennium Rod and Ring have also turned human, but I do give him right for his worries. Those two aren't known for their levelness."
"And that's putting it softly." I then mutter before Yami asks: "Yugi, what is this snow?" And I quickly rack my brain before I ask: "Remember that really, really cold zone in the Virtual World that Noah and the Big Five were in?" Yami nods and I say: "That was completely made of ice and – and snow is – well."
I then think of the best way to say this and say: "Ice is like you, hard and strong, and snow is like me – get it?" At this, while Grandpa chuckles and while mum tilts her head with a sweet smile on her face, does Yami grin at me and asks: "You mean, snow is something beautiful and downright adorable? Yeah, I can get that?"

And while I turn beet red and turn back to my meal to focus on that and get myself back under control, does Yami still move his hand to push my fringe away from my cheek in order to lie a sweet, loving kiss on it and he whispers: "So when can I get my first experience with this snow, my love?" And mum answers:
"In about a month or two, Yami. You arrived back in October after all and the winter months, unofficially, start somewhere end November, after all. That's next month." She then ends when she notices how Yami looks at her in renewed confusion and she looks at me with a raised eyebrow, to which I sigh and say:
"Remember how in ancient times there were the Heat and Rain Season?" Yami nods and I say: "Well, we have split the seasons up a little more since then and have brought some more detail in order to have a better chance of preparing for said seasons. Winter is such a season and now a year has twelve months and seasons have three."
Yami nods, while mum looks at Grandpa in shock, who smiles back at her in pride and then I say: "We just split the year up in 12 months because the seasons have begun to change more and more over the last five millennia, not to mention that not all seasons happen at the same time all over the world, so the months, they just help."

Yami nods and asks: "So October is –?" And I happily answer: "The 10th month. Officially winter is from the end of the 12th month to the end of the 3rd, spring is from the end of the 3rd to the end of the 6th, summer is from the end of 6th to the end of 9th and finally autumn is from the end of the 9th to the end of the twelfth."
"When winter starts." Yami says, a happy smile of comprehension on his face and I nod, feeling very proud of how amazingly fast Yami grasps onto the concepts of today's society and while part of me wonders if Bakura and Malik are just as easy, do I just push that thought away, too happy to be with my Yami to think of it.

An hour later.

We have all had our meal, mum has helped grandpa with the dishes and Yami and I have helped clean the table, me wiping a wet cloth over it to clean it off any stains and Yami drying it with a dry one to make sure the wetness doesn't seep through any creeks or dents before we all head over to the living room to watch TV.
Yami had been a little hesitant of this, something I hadn't fully understood as he had easily done so while we were sharing a body, yet when the elder teen had seen how easily we had all calmed down in front of the screen with moving pictures and people – as Yami called it – actually inside it, had he joined me on the two-seater.
There I had shyly moved one of my legs to wind around his and he had happily smiled at me as he had pulled me close against his body, something I had often dreamed about while watching TV with either mum or grandpa and after we were done watching the 6 o'clock news, does mum decide to address a new issue.

"So Yami, now that you no longer share a body with my son, where will you sleep? Your return was a little unexpected, after all, and even dad hasn't seemed to have found the time to prepare any of our guest rooms, so –." But then, while the thought of being in a different room than Yami overnight makes me shudder, does grandpa laugh.
"Joanne, I had a good hour while Yami and Yugi were shopping. I had all the time I could wish for, yet I decided not to." This makes us look at the man as he looks at Yami with trust and pride and says: "Yami, as long as I have known of your existence have you been nothing but good and caring for my grandson and your beloved.
You never did anything to hurt him and even if you did, you never told me and you instantly made up for it. Yes Yami, I know of the Oricalchos, Arthur told me and he also told me how far you were willing to go to get Yugi back. I do not hold you responsible and you even have my deepest gratitude for saving him.
Because of that gratitude, do I trust that if I let you share a room with my grandson, you will make sure nothing happens to our youngest resident here that we don't want happening. Not to mention, I know Yugi and I know he has yet to fully heal of the separation, so putting you in separate rooms would just be hogwash."

The man laughs at the end, all of us smiling at him, while I had cuddled closer to Yami in happiness at his words and while I had happily snuggled up against the man of my dreams while grandpa spoke and while Yami had shuddered at the Oricalchos part, do we now all laugh alongside him, me just relieved this matter is dealt with.
A few hours later are Yami and I back in my room, both of us with our backs turned to each other as we change from daytime cloths to nightwear and while buttoning up the last few buttons of my sky blue fleece nightshirt, do I softly tell Imay: "He was right, you know?" And while confusion rings through the bond, do I say:
"Grandpa. He was right when he said that separating us would be a bad idea." At this happy love surges through me and Imay turns his face, me having already done so while talking before I say: "I – I just can't stand the idea that – that I go to bed and – and that, were I to wake – well, you know." I end a little hesitant.

Yet Imay seems to understand my worried hesitance and moves over, wrapping his warm, strong arms around my waist and pulling me against him as he says: "I'm here, Aibou, and I don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon. I have my own body now and I intend to make use of it, especially when it comes to showing you my love."
Which, while it makes me blush, also makes me sigh in relief as I snuggle up against his warm chest and mutter: "The amount of times I dreamed of this being possible. If I hadn't been so adamant that helping you find out about your past was more important than my emotions, I would have entered the puzzle a million times over."

At this Imay smirks and asks: "Really, why so?" And I shyly answer: "Because we were both with bodies while in the puzzle. Inside it, I was able to see you as more than a spirit and you were really human. If I had a little more confidence about the depth of our bond, I would have used that fact to love the Ancient History right out of you."
At this Imay laughs, his rich suave voice rumbling through his chest and making for his lungs to tremble underneath the touch of my face and hands and he says: "I really should have thought of that myself, Akhu. But we no longer need the Puzzle for that now, do we?" And with that do I smile up at him and say: "No, we don't."
Before Imay moves his face down and seals my lips, his kiss long and hard and full of all the love the ancient spirit must have felt for me all these years. I happily wrap my arms around his neck and work my hardest to return him that incredible feeling of being loved and being where I belong; in the arms of my Yami.

However, it seems as if our happy time together is not to last as suddenly, from downstairs, we hear the doorbell ringing like mad, making Imay and me break our kiss and making me look at the door to my bedroom in confusion while Imay asks: "Who in Ra's name would be foolish enough to visit us at this hour of the night?"
But I shrug and pull a bathrobe over my sleeping wear, Yami doing the same as the shopping trip allowed us to buy a few of those as well and while we both make sure that we're decent and that the rope of our bathrobes is tied up tightly, do we move downstairs, grandpa ahead of us and yawning as he walks over.
The ringing of the doorbell is still going and the man grumbles: "Yeah, yeah, I hear you. I hear you." Making me send a quick playful smile Imay's way before we all move over to the front door and when grandpa opens it, do my eyes widen as Ryou and Bakura are on the other side of the door, Ryou in Bakura's arms.

"How did you get here? Ryou should still be in the Hospital. Why did you leave?" Grandpa then asks and while the sight of the once evil tomb robber scares me a little, do I not let this show and Bakura answers: "We left because I wasn't the only one determined to stay. I got sick of that bastard, so I decided my Hikari needed peace."
At this grandpa nods, while Imay is now the one looking worried and I roll my eyes, thinking: "Will those two never give up? How are they not realizing what they are causing their only son?" Making Imay look at me shocked, but I timidly shake my head, proving him not to bother with it at the current moment, to which he nods.
Grandpa then steps aside and asks: "How did you get away from them?" And the answer: "Blinded them with my Shadow Powers. Will last for another seven minute, I'd say." Both worries and slightly scares me as well as makes me feel impressed that the clearly agitated spirit didn't do worse to Ryou's so called parents.

"You held back." Imay then says and Bakura nods, moving over to our living room before he says: "I have scared my Little One enough with my shadow powers before I was cleansed. He needs rest, not a heart attack." And while Ryou turns red at being called Bakura's little one, does the albino haired spirit move over to the couch.
There he pulls one of our fleece blankets from the chest that is next to our main couch and while keeping Ryou in his arms as he does so, does he then lie Ryou down and actually tuck the blanket around him, softly letting a single hand go through Ryou's hair while a strong hint of growing love can be seen in his eyes.
Shocked that the spirit who once hurt and controlled my oldest friend is now so gentle and caring with him, do I silently think: "Who gave him a personality change?." Making Imay look at me in confusion, but then Ryou asks: "It's not wrong for us to crash here, is it? I told Bakura of your bodyguards and that made him decide to come here."
And while I have no doubt that Jargon and Alfred are currently patrolling the borders of the Shop, constantly meeting and reporting to each other whether or not they met with anyone like a crazy fan or an extreme duelist, do I say: "As long as I can trust Bakura with your safety and health, can you stay as long as needed."

And the promising smirk that the spirit turned human sends me shocks me as it really is filled with a strong desire to do exactly as I said before Imay moves over to another section of the living room and throws Bakura some of the bags stashed there, saying: "We made sure you can keep your long jackets and everything. Enjoy."
And while the spirit catches the bags in shock, do I smile at my own Yami before an actual yawn escapes me and I say: "I think I'm going to make one last call to Ishizu to see how she, Marik and Malik are doing and then it's best if we all tuck in for the night." The others nod and I move over to the kitchen to grab the phone.
"Forgot your cell, Aibou?" Imay asks me as I take the phone off of the wall holder, but I shake my head and say: "It's cheaper to use a house phone. Cell phones come with certain prizes, but our home bundle is unlimited with a certain price paid every month." And while Imay sends me some of his confusion, do I ring Marik's number.

A few times the phone goes over before the other end gets picked up and Ishizu answers: "Hey Yugi, a little late, don't you think?" To which I shrug and say: "I just thought I'd give a last check-up call, Ishizu. Bakura blinded Ryou's parents because they aggravated both him and Ryou and now both of them are here, so –."
The woman, who knows all about what kind of life Ryou has had with his parents, sighs in defeat and asks: "Will you be okay with that, Yugi. You know that you're not entirely the strong emotional individual you were before. Are you sure you can handle Bakura after all he did to you and Imay?" To which I gulp and say:
"I told them they could stay here as long as they take care of Ryou's health and safety and Bakura answered that with a glance that held such a strong promise, Ishizu, I – I don't really think he got a cleansing as more a personality change." Making the voice on the other side of the phone laugh before Ishizu says:
"I thought the same about Malik. He actually gave me his Rod and surrendered himself completely to punishment when Odion discovered he was back. The only reason he didn't get skinned alive was because I told Odion how he healed Marik and what the specialist told us." This makes me smile in relief and I ask:

"How's Marik doing anyway? Is he okay with Malik being there and all?" To which Ishizu answers: "He's a little unsettled with how much Malik seems to love being around him – and I do get the distinct feeling that Malik is actually holding back on that – but he did say that he was glad to actually be able to see Malik.
Said it made him feel more comfortable than if Malik were to be just a spirit within the Rod, as – well – it makes him assured he can see what Malik is up to. Not that that crazy spirit has tried anything. So far he's only bee trying to keep close to Marik and give him a hug or two, but else he seems pretty calm, really."
But while the woman sounds upbeat and amused, do her words worry me and I ask: "And what of his crazy nature? He was a psycho before he got cleansed of darkness, but – well, are we sure that the psycho personality has vanished?" To which Ishizu lets out a little worried sound and says: "I'm not sure, Yugi, I'll keep you updated.
Now get to bed already, you have school tomorrow, remember?" And while the woman sounds like my mother, do I smile and laugh softly nonetheless, before I confirm this and wish her a goodnight, hanging the phone back on the holder and letting out a relieved breath before Imay asks: "Everything okay there?"

But I shrug and say: "Malik has apparently handed the Rod over to Ishizu and almost surrendered himself to Odion skinning him alive. He's currently still there and while he seems to be holding back, does he also seem to love having Marik close." At this Imay shrugs and says: "I'm not surprised. He is a Yami now, remember?"
To which I nod, but the last thing Ishizu said still worries me and Imay asks: "What's the matter?" I shrug this time and say: "She also told me that Malik hasn't shown a bit of him having once been a psycho. Did you notice any of that when you met with him in the Shadow Realm, or did you see him having been cleansed of that?"
But Imay shakes his head and says: "He definitely didn't look obsessed with his goals back in Battle city, but he didn't strike me as someone who – as you called it – got a personality change." To which I sigh and say: "So he's just waiting until he has our trust before he will unleash his psychotic side. That just can't be good."

Yet Imay seems to think different as he hugs me from behind and says: "Don't you worry about Malik, Akhu. He may still have psychotic tendencies, but his behavior already proves that he takes his role as Yami very seriously. He won't do anything that his Hikari doesn't want – well, not all the time, I think."
And while I lie a hand on my face and shake it, does Imay then distract me as he uses my tilted head to softly kiss the skin between my ear and neck, making me shudder as the feeling of his skin against mine there feels just too good to be real and while Yami actually nibbles on my ear a little, does he then softly mutter:
"No need for your worries, my Akhu. Malik is a Yami first and a psycho second now. He might go back to being a psycho, but he won't do it too quickly or with too much effort. He'll start small and teach himself to control those tendencies so that he can be there when his Hikari needs him. He was a tactician, remember?"

And while I wonder why my Yami has such trust in one of his former enemies, do I take a glance at where Bakura has apparently moved one of our chairs to be close to the couch Ryou is lying on, the sight of the once evil tomb robber now gently caressing Ryou's hair making me feel as if there really is hope for the two Yami's.
"There is, Aibou. And do you know why?" Yami then asks me, reminding me that we share a mind link and when I turn around to wrap my arms around his neck and gaze into his strong purple eyes, do I tilt my head curiously and Yami smiles before he eases my worries as he says: "Because they came home, Aibou. Home to their Hikari's."

Holy crap!
This chapter took SO long! I actually put the whole thing on Hiatus for a long while after the little speech Grandpa gave, the one before Yugi and Imay head for bed and Yugi confesses that he cannot stand the idea to be separated from Yami again. I stopped there because I didn't know how to continue, but this works great.
Next chapter will start the next morning and will mostly revolve around something the Yami's really aren't going to like; school. This is pretty much the whole point through which Ashray1 inspired me to write this story and I just can't wait for the Yami's to realize that, while they are now alive, their Hikari' don't always have time for them.
That will be a BLAST!

Venquine1990