The alarm shrieked high and heavy and Yuugi grimaced, pressing his cheek to his pillow in an effort to drown it out… instead, he was left acutely aware of the pillowcase sticking to his face from his sweat.

It was hot.

The room abruptly went quiet again, though, the slide shuffle that followed plus the sense that someone was moving about saying that Atem had turned off the alarm.

Yuugi smiled with the thought, but didn't open his eyes, rolling onto his other side to settle into a cooler patch of his pillow, the disturbed tension in his back ebbing away…

The mattress near his stomach compressed under a sharp, close weight.

A hand settled on his covered thigh.

"Aibou."

Yuugi opened his eyes for a half-blink. Just long enough for the shadow of a silhouette to register and make him smile again before he shut his eyes. "Yeah?"

Atem didn't answer.

That weight shifted closer, the impression of it spreading along Yuugi's side. A faint shift just behind his back spoke of a hand pressing into the mattress, as Atem shifted closer, over him… and lips brushed Yuugi's ear.

His eyes shot open, but his mind remained blurred and humid and he saw nothing but the edge of a face and golden locks… and he dared not turn his head when it might discourage the soft heat Atem peppered along his ear.

Across his cheek.

His jaw…

Yuugi couldn't think, but still some paralyzed part of him swelled when Atem stalled, breathing warmth against the sensitive skin of Yuugi's neck. It sent a shiver down his spine, the jitter of it settling in his gut as he… waited… heart seizing as his boyfriend pressed his mouth flush against his throat.

And blew.

Yuugi jerked back against the arm and body suddenly holding him down, keeping him from escaping the raspberries Atem pressed into his neck. "What the f–?!"

A hand to come down over his mouth, and, when the weight receded and Yuugi could look up properly, he found laughing eyes and a smiling face hovering above him. "Careful, aibou. You want your mother to hear?"

There was no real warning in Atem's tone, and Yuugi narrowed his eyes at the shameless amusement in his smile made– his own face flushed for a variety of reasons. "You ass," he grumped, Atem laughing at his muffled words before shifting his hands to either side of Yuugi's head.

"What? Is this not better than the alarm?" he teased, leaning in closer.

Yuugi stalled, just for a second, thinking with a tight hope that Atem might just, maybe–

But no. He was going for his neck again.

Yuugi caught him by the cheeks before he could reach him. "Stop it! Seriously," he huffed at the chuckling man, face a good beet red by then. "What kind of way is that to wake someone up?!"

"A fun way," Atem declared, beaming like a cat with a canary caught between its paws… only for that smugness to bleed into fondness, gaze somehow even more playful for its warmth. "But, if you want something a little calmer?" Surprised and dazzled by his smile, Yuugi failed to keep his hold when Atem jerked down out of his grip– and dabbed the lightest of kisses on the tip of his nose. "Good morning, aibou."

Yuugi couldn't respond, the breath knocked out of him by the faint touch and the happy tenderness staring back at him. Atem was content to wait on him, though, apparently finding something worthwhile in his scattered stare… until Yuugi recovered enough to crack a smile. "Morning."

Atem hummed, tilting his head with a questioning quirk of a brow and clear, barely contained mirth. "You still want to go, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then get moving." Atem tapped Yuugi's cheek with a thumb, then stood, retreating so that he had room to sit up. "We're meeting at the station in an hour, and I can smell breakfast."

Yuugi nodded as Atem moved for the closet and began changing… but didn't rush to follow… scratching a still-warm cheek as he stared at the defined lines of his boyfriend's back, exposed as he started to change. "Right…"

"Hey! Guys! "

"Yo!" Atem called back, pulling a hand out of his pocket to wave at Jounouchi as he and Yuugi weaved through the crowd to reach him. "Sorry we're late!"

"Not at all," Ryou said from Jounouchi's elbow, smiling as Atem and Yuugi joined them and the rest of their friends in the corner of an underground subway station they'd agreed to meet at. "You're just in time. The rest of us were just early."

"Apparently we all had the same idea to buy stuff on our way here," Anzu shared with a small laugh, her gaze settling on the two new arrivals and their clothes as she bit her lip. "Um…"

"Seriously, Jounouchi," Honda teased, grinning down at the pair. "How d'you even notice them?"

"Hey!" Yuugi tugged at the brim of his black baseball cap, glowering up at him. "Are you saying you can't spot us without our hair?"

"You do blend into the crowd pretty well without the spikes," Otogi admitted, grinning shamelessly as Yuugi turned his drowned rat expression on him.

"We didn't want to mess with sunscreen more than necessary," Atem explained, and conflicted awe and envious frustration struck Yuugi when he looked back at him. Honestly, an oversized white hoodie – the hood up – puffy checkered shorts, bright purple specs, not a spec of gold or leather in sight save for the Puzzle itself, a giant duffle bag weighing him down… and Atem still looked amazing! Yuugi appreciated it, certainly, but there was still something criminal about it…

Those purple-framed eyes turned to him, as if sensing his attention, but Yuugi just shook his head at his curious stare, smiling before focusing back on their friends. "What'd you buy while you waited for us?"

Jounouchi whirled to face Yuugi with a huge grin, pointing a thumb towards himself and the brunette beside him. "Honda and I picked up some swimsuits in a station shop!"

…Did they not have some already?

Yuugi had just enough time to look uncertainly at Otogi and Anzu – the former appearing bored, the latter pointedly miffed – before Jounouchi leaned in for Yuugi's ear, whispering in an all-too-audible hiss. "We saw some girls come out of the changing room to show their friends what they tried on. Bikinis! You should have seen it! The short-haired one was completely stacked!"

"Ah…" Yuugi processed the image his best friend stuck in his head… and flushed, darting a quick furtive look at the surrounding faces.

Honda, trying to look nonplussed, but failing to hold back a smirk– until an amused side-eye from Otogi prompted a glare.

Anzu. Not happy. Not safe to look at.

Moving on.

Bakura! …Trying far too hard to look interested.

Right.

And Atem. Eyeing him.

Smirking way too knowingly.

Yuugi turned away, his face stuck at a low simmer, and faced Jounouchi.

Who was grinning at him all expectant-like.

"That's, uh…"

"He doesn't want to hear that," Anzu ground out when the silence dragged on, Jounouchi turning a scowl on her and freeing Yuugi to stare at the floor, because– right! Totally not interested! Yeah. "None of us want to!"

"I wasn't talking to you!"

"They aren't interested in that, either!"

"How would you know?!"

"Do you guys ever talk to each other without screaming?" Otogi cut in, undisturbed when Anzu and Jounouchi both glared at him.

Jounouchi turned away with a sniff. "Sheesh, she's way too prickly. Right, Yuugi? Atem?"

…Yuugi glanced at Anzu around Jounouchi's arm.

Her face was cracking thunder.

"Ah! Um, that's not–" Yuugi stumbled, flinching as he glanced anxiously at his boyfriend, praying for some kind of help from– Damn it, Atem was making that caught deer face. Damn it! "I wouldn't say…"

"Hey." It was Honda. Blessed, kind Honda, pointing over his shoulder with a thumb. "Aren't we going to miss our train?"

Yuugi could have kissed him.

He smiled his relief as Anzu huffed and started forward, forcing the rest to rush after her through the station– the only one daring to get close to her being Otogi, who said something that Yuugi couldn't make out through the crowd. Whatever it was, though, it was bad enough that Anzu whipped her head around to face him, but mild enough that she accepted his 'we're cool!' hand gesture with nothing but another huff that Yuugi less heard than read in her shoulders.

The rest of them trailed behind, staying just close enough keep up as Bakura called from the back of the impromptu line, "By the way, I bought some snacks for all of us! If we have enough time between the station and the park, maybe we can eat on the way."

"Wha–" Jounouchi disrupted his own glare at Anzu's back to gawk at Bakura. "But half the point in going is to eat park treats!"

"They're all so overpriced, though. If we go in on a full stomach…"

"But I don't want to be full! I want to go swimming first, before it gets too hot," Jounouchi insisted, his glower turning to a grin as he looked at Yuugi and Atem. "Who knows, maybe you'll get to see something there?"

Aannnd Yuugi's blush was back.

And the grimace.

And he flicked another glance at Atem… who wasn't playing the caught deer anymore, at least. He just looked at Jounouchi with a soundly disinterested air, until the blond turned away with a snort, freeing him to turn away– and catch Yuugi looking at him.

The light was back in his eyes in an instant, and Atem smiled faintly, clearly curious… because Yuugi blushed harder the second their eyes met.

Yuugi didn't answer the unsaid question, facing forward with a grin. Get to see something, huh?

"Careful with that stuff, Jounouchi," Honda was saying beside him, sighing through the warning. "This will get real trying real fast if you keep prodding Anzu all day."

"Eh, whatever."

"Whoo, look at that crowd!" Jounouchi yelled, clearly delighted as the rest of the group trailed out of the entry station and smiled up at the amusement park, paths and rides and booths and people all sprawling out before them, tangled up in a tumbling, animated heap.

It looked exactly as Atem recalled from last year's visit, though he wasn't sure he ever saw it from this angle, having ventured out of the Puzzle only after Anzu and Yuugi were already in the park, coaxed out by the static excitement of a partner he had yet to speak to.

Atem's gaze shifted naturally to Yuugi at the thought, but his partner didn't notice, quickly distracted by Jounouchi making a beeline for a path to the right.

"Come on! The sign says the water park's this way!"

"What, we're going straight to swimming?" Otogi asked, frowning with a half-argument on his face as he looked to the rest of them– Anzu jumping in before he could fully form a protest.

"Save that for later, Jounouchi. It's going to get blistering out here in a couple of hours. We can go then."

"What, you don't think it's hot enough already?" Jounouchi countered, and before any repeat sparks could fly, Bakura piped up.

"Don't worry, Jounouchi-kun! I brought hand fans for all of us."

They all stared at the smiling teen… until Otogi broke the silence to ask, "Just how much can you fit in that bag of yours?"

"Oh, it's a bag of holding with extra dimensional space. You want a bike to ride around the park, too? I only have a couple, I'm afraid, so we'd have to take turns."

"…You know, Bakura," Honda laughed, his voice just a little shaky. "When you say stuff like that, it almost sounds believable."

"Why thank you."

"Aaaaa!"

"Hahahaha!"

" Get me off this thing! "

The world whizzed by in a rush of color and sky and ground and screams and laughs, Yuugi beaming and whooping through his tears as the coaster zipped around the rails, Anzu's startled laughter bubbling up from his right– complete silence to his left.

But there was no time to process that. The ride punched any breath or thought out of him, any ability to do anything save revel in the rush until they fell into the final drop, gasping for air as they rolled back to the ride entrance.

"Ah-hah, that's just as crazy as I remember!" Anzu managed, prompting an even bigger grin from Yuugi.

"Yup! Just as good!"

They smiled as they caught eyes, breathless and still high on the adrenaline… until Anzu shifted her gaze searchingly over Yuugi's shoulder, and came up blinking and baffled.

Yuugi turned his head to discover Atem just– sitting there. Silent and staring.

Stiff as a board.

"Whoo, that was a ride!" Otogi was saying behind him, Bakura's voice right behind him.

"Yes, that was quite exhilarating!"

Somewhere farther back, Honda mumbled something about, "Shouldn't have eaten earlier…" accompanied by a strangled, shaky choke that could only be Jounouchi.

But Yuugi didn't look back at any of them, smiling at his frozen boyfriend. "You all right there?"

"Fine," Atem clipped out, and Yuugi clenched his teeth to hold back a snort.

Guess Atem didn't like coasters.

"Does he ah… need help?" Anzu ask, hesitant humor in her voice even as she offered.

Yuugi shook his head, shooting her a smile. "It's fine, Anzu-chan. I've got him. Come on, mou hitori no boku," he coaxed, the sound of Anzu clamoring off of the ride echoing behind him as he wiggled fingers under one of Atem's tight palms. "It's over now, we can go. Come on, I've got you."

The last assurance prompted Atem to blink and look at him, all wired tightness… but when he followed Yuugi's encouraging grin by slowly releasing the safety bar, he relaxed quick enough– like he had just been afraid he'd collapse if he released any muscles at all, only to find he was fine once he dared it.

Thus released, he smirked at him, squeezing Yuugi's fingers before letting go and rising, prompting Yuugi to do the same and step off of the ride.

Atem was right behind him, mumbling, "Don't tell the others about this," against his ear as he climbed down.

Yuugi grinned, enjoying the shiver that ran up his back with the quick contact. "I swear, they didn't notice a thing."

"Oh my gaaaahhh–"

Atem peeked one eye open, continuing to suck slowly on the straw of his milkshake as he considered Jounouchi just across the table from him, drooling over a gigantic bowl of nachos.

His expression made him snort, then he shut his eyes again, confident that he looked perfectly relaxed and content… rather than utterly nerve burnt.

The ground was steadying under Atem quickly, though, so he was free to enjoy his company as he covertly recovered, watching and listening in turns as everyone else trailed in from the food truck line with happy faces and hungry eyes until all seven had gathered around the table, tossing around excited for suggestions for what they should try next as they ate their food.

"What about that other rollercoaster further into the park? It's supposed to be even faster."

"Maannnn, don't even joke about that. If you're so set on doing that again, you can do it yourself."

"I'll probably sit out another coaster myself, sorry."

"It's okay, Honda-kun. I'd prefer other things myself."

"Well, it's no fun if half of us don't go."

"What about some other rides? It's just the speed that bugged everyone, right? What about something more lowkey?"

"Eh, try me after I finish these nachos. I just want to keep my feet on the ground right now."

"Perhaps we should try one of the attractions instead? Or the game area?"

"Mhmm, possibly. What do you think, Atem-kun?"

Atem paused mid-slurp at Anzu's question, opening his eyes.

The whole group was looking at him, gazes mild, but expectant.

…He gulped down a mouthful of strawberry shake and checked, "What do I want to do?"

"Of course," Bakura answered, grinning as he pointed out, "We're here in big part because of you, so we should prioritize what you want to do."

"You know, as long as it's fun."

Atem twitched a grin at Jounouchi's words, the jab lightening the tension in his neck and freeing him to lean forward, elbows on the table. "As long as we get a chance to pass everything and decide if we want to try it, I'm game for anything."

Bakura hummed appreciatively while Honda looked over the map, considering. "Then, we're still just east of the entrance. If we follow this path to the water park in the back, then take the west path back down when we're done, we should hit just about everything."

"Sounds good to me," Otogi allowed, shrugging as he munched on a second nacho box he and Bakura were sharing. "I've never been to a place like this, so I'll trust you guys. Just keep in mind we need to be out of here in time for work. Right, Jounouchi?"

"Yeah, yeah."

"And hey, if we hit the west side last, we'll get to play the carnival games just before we go."

Atem turned to his partner at that input, smiling when he saw the quiet, blissful look on Yuugi's face as he ate his cheeseburger… his chewing pausing when Atem replied, "That's good. It'd be a pain to carry around too many prizes."

His friends snickered at his words, but Atem was too busy eyeing the fries on Yuugi's plate to match them… a hand slowly sneaking across the table towards them–

Yuugi swatted the back of his fingers.

Atem blinked up to find Yuugi sticking his tongue out at him. "Get your own."

Atem snorted… then grinned when, not five seconds later, Yuugi pushed his plate towards him anyway.

He accepted it without a word, smirking at his partner as he swiped a few fries– earning a smiling eye-roll, even as Yuugi pretended not to see him.

"Pfft, is that supposed to be a piece of cotton?"

"Of course not, Otogi," Anzu corrected, glancing up from her painting to eye the blue fluffy… shape on Bakura's cheek. "It's obviously a cloud."

"Wha'? It's– are you blind?" Jounouchi snapped, turning from Bakura's face to glare at Anzu and Otogi– and Honda for good measure, since he was staring at him, too, from the business end of Anzu's brush. Jounouchi used his own to point at Bakura's cheek, forcing the unruffled teen to lean back, lest he get a dab of blue paint right in the eyeball. "It's a Scapegoat!"

"… Oh!"

"Seriously?"

"Oh, come on!"

Atem chuckled– until fingers caught his chin and turned his head.

Yuugi smiled, his nose scrunched up as he focused on Atem's cheek, the touch of a wet brush tickling his skin. "Hold still. I'm almost done."

"Aa." Atem kept obligingly still, letting the banter of their nearby friends wash over him as he appreciated his partner's focused expression… and the golden stars on his partner's cheeks.

Bakura had painted the pattern on Yuugi's face when they all approached a self-face painting station, and the rest had been wary to try the attraction out. But the sight of his partner's cheery, bedecked face after Bakura had finished with him coaxed the rest of them to participate as well, Jounouchi tackling Bakura's face while Anzu tried her hand at Honda and Otogi looked on, chuckling at the results.

And Atem had put himself in Yuugi's hands.

He had asked little throughout the process, just enjoying his partner's attention and easily excused touch, but he did have to wonder why Yuugi kept going for a silvery-grey color… the little dabs and curves he made across his face slowly translating to shapes in Atem's mind.

A cross shape within a circle… a curved line with an arrow point… a looping infinity sign–

"Aibou." The brush strokes paused, and Atem arched a brow the moment Yuugi focused on his eyes, and not his face. "Are you drawing trap symbols on my face?"

Yuugi blinked… then grinned, snickering as he wet the brush again in the paint. "Yeah. Spells, too. Continuous, and quick-play… Do you mind?"

Atem smirked, but when Yuugi looked at him questioningly, brush poised and his fingers back under his chin, it softened to a grin. "Not at all. I'd like to see it when you're done."

And just like that, the faint light of Yuugi's smile was a sun again, the young man silent but beaming as he moved to finish his work… Atem basking in the sight until Yuugi set aside the brush and used his fingers to rub away some likely non-existent mistake from Atem's cheek… the 'correction' allowing them to keep in contact. Keep looking at each other, the warmth humming between them and through Atem's chest… until Yuugi dissolved into snickers, letting go. "I gotta do Jounouchi-kun's. Go ahead and look."

"Aa…" And Atem did take a look, glancing in a mirror propped up on one of the station tables, but the confetti of Duel Monster symbols on his face earned little more than an amused snort and a second glance before he turned back to watch his friends.

Bakura, face half-covered in a rather slapdash mess of blue and pink and brown paint, was doing a far more careful job of adding smiley faces and flowers to Anzu's cheeks, sharing snickers with her over whatever they were saying.

Honda and Otogi were seemingly at odds over whatever the former was drawing on the latter's face, the actual design not yet clear from Atem's seat.

And Jounouchi–

"Ahahaha, what the hell, man?!"

The tickled outcry drew Atem's attention to his blond friend, and he saw him looking in a mirror, a painted pair of green dice with snake eyes shining on his cheek. Jounouchi took one look at the paint and grin-glowered at Yuugi, who laughed his head off– nearly degrading to tears when Jounouchi threw a tissue at him.

The sight left Atem beaming, chuckling to himself… but the delight slowly faded from his face as an odd, tentative wonder welled up in his mind.

There was nothing odd about the sight. The two friends were just smiling, trading comments and antics back and forth, each one ending in another laugh.

But, there was something about Yuugi's manner… something about seeing it from the outside that made Atem wonder… when was the last time he saw his partner so… happy?

No… no, not happy. Yuugi was happy a lot, especially recently. Blessedly so.

He was just… there was something so unfettered about him right then, so bright and snickery and impish– a side of Yuugi Atem knew well, but… not from recently. Not beyond flashes throughout the day, and yesterday, and here and there over the last couple of weeks. Atem hadn't seen him that carefree since… when?

When was the last time Yuugi looked so truly unburdened?

Atem tried to remember… and something caught in his throat.

It had been too long.

And he hadn't quite pinpointed the when when Yuugi glanced his way– and raised both eyebrows, smiling with a wordless, What's up?

Atem folded away his feelings and walked over to the pair, grinning. "What's the trouble? You don't like your paint, Jounouchi-kun?"

"Pfft, nah, Atem. Yuugi's just being an ass."

"Hey hey, you said I could draw whatever I like, remember?"

"Yeah yeah, Yuugi. Would you just add a few dots or something? Give me a lucky seven!"

Atem laughed, moved to speak– and a loud crack of a yell brought all three around blinking.

"What the hell, Honda?!"

"Geez, calm down, Otogi! It's just paint!"

"You thought I'd want a clown face, you ass?!"

Otogi's delivery of the insult was clearly, sincerely upset, and Atem glowered, wondering if he needed to intervene– but Anzu was already jumping in before the thought could solidify, the rage simmering into glowers on both Honda and Otogi's faces in a split second… and Atem was quite glad Yuugi thought to lower his voice when he asked, "Um, Bakura-kun? How fast does this stuff come off again?"

"Well… immediately with a good scrub, but without proper soap…"

"Aw, geez."

"Aaaa–!"

Yuugi jerked around, alarmed by the sharp screams from his friends– only to stare baffled at Jounouchi and Honda, huddled in a corner of the mirror room, Jounouchi in tears with his arms wrapped around Honda's middle while Honda shook to pieces.

"Uh… Guys? That's wrong?"

"Th-there-there– There's something over–"

"There was something over there, Yuugi!" Honda finished, prompting Yuugi to turn towards the path they'd just run back from.

What could they have seen? It's not like they were in a haunted house, so there shouldn't be any ghosts, or–

Monster faces!

He jerked back as a lit-up green face burst out of the shadows, reflected in a dozen mirrors– but relaxed again seconds before the head slid away– to reveal Anzu's smiling face.

"Haha, got you!"

"W-wha- WHAT THE HELL, ANZU?! "

Anzu laughed, and the shadows just behind her spit out another form: a grinning Otogi, still marked by the wide white outline of his mouth, and holding a camcorder.

"Thanks, Anzu-chan. That was perfect."

"What–" Honda started, only to glare murder at the teen. "You filmed that?!"

Otogi smirked, still holding up the device. "Serves you right, you know."

"What the hell–"

Yuugi just shook his head, smiling… until a strange tickling sensation played up the back of his neck, making him shiver.

"Ooooh~ aibou~"

Yuugi choked on a snort, pinching his lips until he could turn his head without laughing. "That doesn't work when you call me that, you know."

Atem huffed, dropping his skittering fingers to smile at him, undisturbed by his failure. "Just trying to keep with the mood."

"Well, I'm afraid you don't make a very good ghost."

"That's rather harsh considering, aibou."

Yuugi snickered again, but there was an uncertain awkwardness behind it now, and when he looked at Atem, he saw the same hesitance striking his smile… but as they locked eyes, the tension popped, Yuugi sniffing a snicker as Atem shook his head, still smiling.

"Why the hell did you even bring that stuff?! Were you planning this from the beginning?!"

"Oh, I bought this mask while the rest of you debated that sudden drop ride," Anzu answered Honda, Otogi just behind her with explanations.

"And I thought we might like some videos of our day out, so I brought my camcorder from home… Hey, Yuugi-kun! Atem-kun! Say hi!"

They both look back at the group, and Yuugi blinked dumbstruck at the bright light aimed at his face, marking the video camera… offering a weak smile and little wave before glancing at Atem.

Atem was just staring at their friends, a loud What am I supposed to do? stamped on his face.

Yuugi would have laughed, but a low, quiet sound just touched his notice, and he stilled to listen… eyes widening as the sound grew louder, and eerie, rising into a hair-raising note that was not natural–

This was not supposed to be a haunted house!

Everyone looked around for the source, shades of confusion and exasperation and impatience washing across their faces until a white, cobweb-covered figure flashed across every mirror, and Jounouchi was screeching and ANZU YELLING AND ATEM PUSHED A STIFF ARM INTO YUUGI'S STOMACH TO KEEP HIM AWAY FROM– FROM WHAT?!

Then the shapes converged into one mirror, right before them, and the sound centered with it, and… the figure went silent and wiped at its face.

Revealing Bakura's smile.

"Gotcha!"

…

The arm dropped from Yuugi's gut as he blinked.

How the hell did they fall for–

"Seriously, Bakura?"

The white-haired teen chuckled at Honda's sighed cry, beaming as he tried to brush off what Yuugi could now see was white silly string. "The voice is coming along nicely, isn't it? I was thinking about using it if we meet for Monster World again."

"No one will want to meet after that sample, Bakura-kun," Otogi jabbed, shaking out of his own shock enough to look down at his camera. "I wonder if the video caught that. I could use that sound bite for something, I'm sure."

"Please don't, I really do mean to use that for…" Bakura trailed off, looking past most of their exhausted faces to stare perplexed at one figure in particular, cowering on the floor. "…Jounouchi-kun? Are you… crying?"

"Shut up!"

"…Haha! You're so funny, Jounouchi-kun."

"Ooooh, this is nice," Anzu breathed, holding a hand-fan to her face, basking in the relief from the humid heat as she sat in the shade on a bench.

"Mm."

She opened her eyes at the short agreement, looking at her sole company: Atem. Perfectly relaxed, a water bottle dangling from one hand, eyes focused on the spinner ride across the street– the ride most of their friends were currently on.

She followed his gaze, unable to recognize a single blurred face as the ride spun by, but able to find her tongue a little easier when she wasn't looking directly at Atem's little smile. "They should be done soon, I think."

"Aa."

"It's too bad Honda felt so sick after the first round. He seemed like he was enjoying it." They all had, Anzu thought, but after the first time when all seven went through, only Yuugi, Jounouchi, Bakura and Otogi went back for another round.

Honda was in the bathroom nearby, and Atem looked towards it at the reminder of their missing friend. "It's been a while. I'll go check on him in a minute if he doesn't come out."

"Good idea."

"Mm."

Silence fell again, natural and easy enough, but Anzu felt the impulse to huff, anyways. She wanted to talk, she just– she kept coming up with tidbits that died back down in ten seconds, and since Atem didn't seem in a mood to chat, then–

"Why didn't you stay on the ride with the others?"

Anzu blinked… then turned, taken aback, to Atem.

He was still facing the ride at first, but he looked her way as his question when unanswered, gaze relaxed and curious and, yes, he had asked.

Anzu shook back her own flustered surprise and smiled. "Well, somebody had to make sure Honda-kun was okay, right?"

Atem twitched a grin, easing back to his default composure in a heartbeat. "That was good of you."

"Thanks. Just, don't tell him. He'll probably do something stupid to prove he's fine– like Jounouchi-kun, going on rides like this, even when it terrifies him."

"Heh heh, I think Jounouchi-kun enjoys being scared."

"Haha! Maybe," Anzu allowed, her grin widening as she stared at Atem's profile… until he met her eye again, curious and neutral as he spoke.

"But, I said I would pass on the ride myself, so I was here to keep an eye on him. You didn't have to miss out yourself for his sake."

"But I was worried about you, too."

Atem blinked… then sat up a bit straighter, narrowing critical eyes on her.

But Anzu kept smiling, encouraged to prod by the extended conversation and focus on her. "I thought at first you just didn't like it, like with the rollercoaster. But that's not it, is it?"

Atem grimaced, but there was something about how he frowned and looked away that dissuaded any sense of alarm in Anzu. Whatever he wasn't saying, it wasn't that bad.

Perhaps just embarrassing?

If so, she began to think he wouldn't confirm it, the silence dragging on between them as Atem looked at the ride, and she looked at him… until finally he huffed, shrugging back into a relaxed pose, like the truth didn't bother him at all. "My glasses fell off on the ride. I nearly lost them."

"… Oh. Why didn't you just take them off, then?"

"Spinning around like that without my glasses would make me sick."

"Then keep your eyes shut."

"And be seen shutting my eyes during the ride, like I couldn't look?"

"Pfah!" Anzu hiccuped on a laugh, and while she stifled it, it only got harder to when Atem shot her a glare, looking quickly away with a soggy expression. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I didn't– no, that makes sense. I get it."

"…"

Anzu just shook her head, elbowing Atem in the side. He started out of his grumpy face and blinked at her, surprised, in time to catch her wink. "It's fine, as long as you don't dodge out of the water park rides on that excuse."

…Atem smirked, relaxing again as he faced the ride. "That won't be a problem. No one will notice me shutting my eyes with a face full of water."

Anzu didn't answer. Just laughed, heart light and beating fast.

"Whoo-hoo! Hahaha–!"

Yuugi's laughter splashed to a stop as the giant inner tube dropped off the slide and landed in the pool, he and his company toppling over into the water.

Yuugi paddled back up to the surface in seconds, spitting and sneezing and laughing up water as he wiped his eyes and matched Jounouchi and Atem's grins.

"Whoooo, let's do that again!"

"You liked it, Jounouchi-kun?"

"Hell yeah!"

"What about you, mou hitori no boku?"

"Better than the coaster."

"I know!" Jounouchi cried, leading the smiling trio to the shallow end of the pool and out of the water. "I don't get it, but I don't feel like I'll get smashed like a bug on that ride."

"Haha, it's probably because you can't see anything but the tube during the drop."

"Yeah, makes sense!" Jounouchi mused, shaking his head and sending water flying, making Yuugi and Atem both shut their eyes and cover their faces, the former laughing.

When the spray passed, Yuugi dropped his arm, only to get nudged in it a second later. "Hey…"

Yuugi blinked up, frowning at Jounouchi a moment before following his smirking smile… and his face burst red.

Two girls had just come down the slide, laughing and smiling, hair and ponytail sticking to their face– their smooth skin on lovely display in tiny little bikinis.

One frilled, pink and cute, the other mere scraps of floral patterns.

Yuugi stared for probably way too long before remembering himself and looking away before the girls could notice, facing Jounouchi again.

His friend grinned, waggling his eyebrows as if to say, 'Huh? Huuuuh?!'

Yuugi rolled his eyes, huffing even as he, admittedly, smiled.

That was apparently enough for Jounouchi, because he just grinned, then turned around, yelling out, "Hey! Honda!" as he noticed him with Bakura at a nearby food stand.

Yuugi nearly moved to follow– when a quick checking glance at his other companion made him miss a step.

Atem was smirking at him.

"W-what?"

"You're blushing, aibou."

Yuugi huffed again, rubbing the back of his neck as he looked away, the skin warm under his hand. "Don't you start, too."

Atem just chuckled, and when Yuugi turned his back to him, starting towards their friends, Atem rushed to catch up, leaning in close enough to whisper, "What? I shouldn't be interested in who you find attractive?" right in his ear.

Yuugi snorted– then froze, stalling his walk to look directly at Atem. His other self was just smiling, perfectly fine and amused, but still. The words made Yuugi wonder, and he glanced quickly over his shoulder, checking for any nearby ears before facing Atem again to mumble, "Y-you do know it's not like that, right? I'm not interested in–"

Atem had looked taken aback the instant he heard his tone, but he soon smiled again, the expression warm as he laughed and cut Yuugi off before he could finish, whispering back, "It's fine, aibou. I know looks don't mean anything."

Yuugi relaxed back on his heels, relieved and smiling himself… but then, he blinked, stepped back a step further… and looked down, at Atem's feet.

Followed them up, over muscled, slick dark legs, a checkered pair of swimming trunks hugging a lean, not broad but still finely muscled torso, bookmarked by similarly fine-lined arms, impressively thicker at the biceps, that led up to shoulders that curved nicely into a fine neck and a well-loved face framed by bright, dripping hair, cheeks still splattered with hints of silver paint, warm, deep red eyes staring at him, baffled.

Or, well, not baffled.

Dumbstruck, perhaps?

Certainly taken aback, given how winded Atem looked under Yuugi's silent, lingering attention…

And when Yuugi met that look with a blushing smirk, rightly and properly encouraged by Atem's stare?

His other self blushed.

Yuugi didn't acknowledge it. Just mumbled, "Is that so?"

Atem didn't answer.

But his expression was enough to curb any doubts that might nip at Yuugi's mind, and his smirk was still composed as he turned away, sliding into a grin as he hurried towards their friends and called hellos to Anzu and Otogi, coming up from another water slide.

But he sensed no footsteps at his heel, so while the others discussed trying out the wave pool, Yuugi looked over his shoulder.. and saw Atem still standing there, beside the pool.

Staring at him.

Yuugi raised his brows at him, fighting back a grin when he swore he could see still red on his face, even from a distance. "Mou hitori no boku! You coming?!"

Atem twitched… then moved, rushing over to join them.

Yuugi looked back to the others before Atem could reach them and see the smile on his face.

"What the hell, Atem?!"

Atem smirked, rolling the last dart between his fingers before passing it to his other hand and tossing it in one smooth motion.

Another bubble popped.

"Goddamn! How?!"

"Sir, please don't curse," the stall worker tried to say to Jounouchi, but his warning was lost to the whoops and calls of the small crowd gathered around them, watching the spectacle as Atem – Is that Mutou Yuugi? No way! I saw him on tv, he's way paler! But the hair! – hit not one, but all ten of his targets at a balloon stall that had become mildly infamous for never giving out any prizes.

Atem grinned mutely at a couple in the crowd who called out to him, but left Jounouchi and Otogi to wave them and everyone else off as he approached the owner.

He didn't want to draw too much attention. Not right then.

"V-very well played, sir," the man said, offering a wrinkled grin that didn't quite translate to joy as he gestured behind him. "Did you have a prize in mind?"

"That jigsaw puzzle up there."

"Of course…"

The stall worker took down a large one thousand piece puzzle with an abstract color wheel on the box cover and offered it to Atem with a smile– that Atem returned as he reached out and took the man by the wrists.

The man started, looked ready to protest, or even yell, but Atem's voice remained quiet and calm as he asked, "Did you really think that no one would notice that those darts were purposely dulled?"

The owner froze. Shut his mouth, staring down at the box, a quiet thump thump of puzzle pieces giving away how it shook in his grip.

"Whether you are personally hoping for a profit off of these innocent people, here to have fun and just play a game, or following orders from someone higher up, I suggest you rethink your actions."

"I– I…"

"The next time someone catches you, it might be someone who reports you, or is far more violent in their reaction. So play fair, or get out of the game."

The man started to choke on his breath, so Atem let go and took the box so that the stall worker could pretend it was just a cough, wide brown eyes staring at Atem over a clenched fist.

Atem stared right back, through him… then turned away.

"Come on, guys."

Seconds later, he was walking down an artificial street of carnival games, Jounouchi at his side asking, "Seriously, man! How did you do that?!"

"I just scraped the edges of the dulled darts on the metal table edge while Otogi distracted the owner and crowd with claims that he lost because the bubbles weren't fully blown up. Thanks for that, by the way."

"No problem. I'm just glad you finished before that guy did call security."

"Shit, I still can't believe someone had the gall to pull carnival tricks here at Domino Park of all places."

"I'm sure he's not the only one, Jounouchi-kun," Atem said grimly, looking down the street before them– only to smile when he spotted the rest of their friends.

Honda and Bakura were to the left, trying out a shooting game, and farther down on their right was his partner, making Anzu gawk by how fast he was hitting the targets in a Whac-a-Mole game.

Atem wandered over to watch the tail end of the game, his partner huffing for breath and smiling by the time he finished, the machine blinking brightly.

"Yay… Got the record."

"Way to go, man!" Jounouchi cried, making Yuugi jump and swing around– and beam when he saw them there.

Atem smiled right back. "Very impressive, aibou," he praised, chest warm and tight for the brief breath that they locked eyes, Yuugi grinning wordlessly in answer.

"Really, Yuugi-kun," Anzu agreed, drawing their eyes to her smile. "If I had those kind of reflexes on the dance floor, I could get into any school in the world."

"You do have that kind of skill!"

"Haha, thanks…"

"Hey, you mind if I give it a try?"

The rest of them stood by as Otogi took a hit at the machine, watching until the rest of their friends wandered up, Honda smirking proudly as he tossed something at Anzu.

"Here!"

"What?! This–" Anzu started, but relaxed in surprise as she saw the simple key chain in her hands, a large treble clef on the end. "What's this?"

"I won a set of key chains at the shooter game, and thought you'd like that one," Honda explained, holding up one shaped like a sheriff's badge before pointing at Bakura. "He liked the one with the cloud on it."

"It reminded me of the paint you gave me, Jounouchi-kun!"

"Uh… thanks?"

"Well," Anzu jumped back in, hesitant but smiling as she put the key chain in her pocket. "Thanks, Honda-kun."

"Yeah, sure."

"So, did we want to hit any other games?" Otogi jumped in, setting aside the game mallet as a score that was good, but not quite that good as Yuugi's flashed on the Whac-A-Mole screen. "Jounouchi and I have to go soon, so if there's anything else we want to try, it should be now."

"It would be nice if we all had something to take home from today," Anzu suggested, her smiled focused on Atem. "For the memories."

Atem twitched a grateful grin back at her, then at Jounouchi as he laughed.

"Heh heh, I'm good!" The blond grinned as he held up the giant plastic jar under his arm, shining with candies. "That basketball hoop toss bagged me all the prize I need!"

"But that will be gone once you eat the whole thing."

"Don't underestimate me, Anzu. I'll refill the jar and keep using it!"

"I got pretty good luck on that wheel spin, too," Otogi chimed in, holding up the leather wallet he'd won– to a snort from Honda.

"Gee, way to show up my key chains, Otogi."

"They're very nice key chains, though!"

"Thanks, Bakura."

"And it looks like you won something pretty awesome," Yuugi observed, looking at the puzzle box poking out of Atem's duffel bag.

Atem smirked in answer… then frowned, looking at Yuugi's empty hands. "What about you, aibou?"

"Oh, it's fine! I just got caught up in that Whac-A-Mole game."

"And that has no prizes."

"Yeah, but it's cool! The score is enough for me!"

Like hell it was.

Atem looked up, ready to say as much– and caught Jounouchi's eye in the shift.

He was frowning, too.

The two looked at each other, checking… and smirked at the exact same moment.

Jounouchi turned to Yuugi, shooting him a thumbs up. "Don't worry, man. We won't let you walk home empty-handed!"

"Huh?"

"There." Atem had looked down the line of games while Jounouchi spoke, and had found his quarry. He pointed at a ladder climbing challenge just a few stalls down. "That one has Duel Monster toys."

"Mou hitori no boku–"

"Oh, good one, Atem!" Jounouchi cried, grinning as he moved for the stall, Atem right at his heel. "Let's get the biggest one they have!"

"But I could win a prize myself!"

Neither acknowledged Yuugi's protest.

By the time the others caught up, Atem and Jounouchi had played rock-paper-scissors for who got to try first, and Atem tossed his duffel and the Puzzle into Jounouchi's arms, freeing him to stand on the cushioned ground under the ladder as the game runner explained, "Okay! You see the colored rungs on the ladder there? Each of those is a prize level! If you touch one, you've earned that level! Get to the top and touch the red ribbon hanging over the ladder, and you'll get a top shelf prize! Good luck!"

"Aa!"

And he climbed.

The way was shaky and twisted, the rope ladder bound to the stall's high ceiling by a single string. But he persisted, clenching his hands and teeth when it wobbled, and despite a back-of-the-head concern that he – or Yuugi – had always struggled with rope climbing, he found his arms endured easily! He made it past the blue prize, then the green prize, and the yellow prize all in quick succession, his friends hollering support at his back.

But then he reached the top… and blanched.

The red ribbon was a good two feet above the top rung.

What?!

He hadn't noticed from down on the ground! The angle was too… but what could he…

Atem set his jaw… climbed the remaining rungs as fast as he could, and grabbed for the supporting rope of the ladder, planning to hand-over-hand it to the ribbon.

The rungs fell out under his feet.

He found one again, tried to jump– but couldn't find another, and the rope slipped from his fingers.

"Atem!"

The spray of familiar voices beat him to the ground, mixing with one longer, anxious call, then the wind was knocked out of him– the landing he had tensed for surprisingly soft.

So… that was why there were cushions under the ladder.

He still coughed from the impact, though, and his friends gathered around him with worried faces, right there to see it as he grit his teeth and rolled onto his hands and knees.

"A-Atem, it's–"

He slammed his fist in the ground, not even registering which friend had called him in his frustration– then two hands gripped his shoulders.

"Mou hitori no boku."

He slammed his hand once more, the impact far softer, then collapsed on his backside… leaning back into a warm chest to look up at his partner, kneeling behind him.

Surprise drifted over Yuugi's upside-down face, then shifted to a smile as Atem gave him a weak grin.

"I lost, aibou."

Yuugi snickered, squeezing his shoulders. "Yeah, it's okay." And whatever disappointment burned in Atem's gut, there was no judgment in Yuugi's eyes as he shook his head. Only awe. "I can't believe you'd go and try to win me something."

"Can't you?"

Yuugi blinked at the soft counter, softened himself… then looked up, bursting with a grin as his grip tensed pointedly.

Right.

"He's all right, guys."

"I'd hope so," Otogi sighed, scratching his nose in a tired manner. "Giving us a scare like that… that was quite a drop."

"I assure you, we measured everything to make certain it was perfectly safe," the stall worker cut in, smiling at the teens as he approached Atem, offering him a small cardboard rectangle. "Here you are! You made it to the yellow level, and that means a free Duel Monsters card. Congratulations!"

Atem sniffed, accepting the trading card-sized cardboard without a word… eyeing it without popping it open. Not yet. He still had to accept he hadn't won what he'd meant to.

"Don't worry, Atem." He looked up just in time to catch the things dropped in his lap, the Puzzle and duffel and a jar of candy caught in his arms before he stared up at Jounouchi, taking off his jacket as he grinned at him. "We're not walking away from this empty-handed."

"But we already got a prize."

"Not that prize, Anzu. We are reaching that ribbon." Jounouchi tossed his jacket at Honda, shot Yuugi and Atem a thumbs up, and jumped for the ladder.

"W-woah!"

"Careful, Jounouchi-kun!"

"Eh, don't worry, Bakura," Honda assured, folding Jounouchi's jacket over his arm as Yuugi took the candy jar and helped Atem to his feet. "He's an idiot, but he's got one of the best times in climbing at school."

And in seconds he made it all the way to the top, just where Atem fell before, and they all watched with bated breath to see… would he be able to reach? Would he climb the rope to the ribbon, the way Atem tried to?

No.

The brave man jumped for it.

They all jerked back, away from the cushions where he was bound to fall… and gawked.

Jounouchi was hanging from the ceiling by one hand.

By the red ribbon.

"Whoo-hoo!" Jounouchi cheered, pumping a fist– screaming as the ribbon gave way and he fell. "Ahhh!"

"Jounouchi-kun!"

Atem held Yuugi back from his impulsive bolt forward, and they all flinched as the teen landed with a flop… only to hold the ribbon back up with a shaky arm.

"W-whoo…"

They all stared in silence… until the game runner jerked forward, glowering at Jounouchi.

"You– you aren't supposed to jump for it! It's a climbing challenge! And now that you've broken it, I will have to–"

There was a shuffled at his back and the man turned around… stumbled back, swallowing his tongue as he stared into the eyes of six very incensed teens.

"That was not stated in the rules anywhere," Atem seethed, right at the front of the group. "And you said nothing about not jumping when I tried to do it."

…

The owner gulped.

"That's a cute Kuriboh doll, Yuugi-kun."

Yuugi sniffed a laugh, considered the plush – nearly as big as his head – then looked at Anzu. "Thanks, though I can't believe how much work went into getting it."

"I thought it was fun," Bakura countered, grinning as Honda snorted beside him.

"It's not like we had to do much throughout the whole thing. Atem and Jounouchi did the climbing, and Atem put that guy in his place."

"We all did that," Atem insisted, and Yuugi shared a smile with his boyfriend, walking on his other side.

They were going home.

Jounouchi and Otogi had caught a different train to head to the mall, but Honda, Bakura, Anzu, Atem, and Yuugi were all still together, walking from the station as a group, at least until one or the other had to break off for their own street, or a bus along the way.

Without Jounouchi around the atmosphere was a lot quieter, if they were still lively and laughing as they trading suggestions on what they should do next week.

"I know we'll all be busy with Otogi's store opening and finals coming up," Bakura admitted, earning a grimace from Honda and Yuugi he didn't seem to notice, focused as he was on Atem. "But I'd like it if you would come over to my place at least once more, Atem-kun. I've been practicing making sushi and tempura and such, and since we probably can't go out to a proper restaurant due to the expense…"

"I'd like that." Atem smiled, shooting Yuugi a checking look. "Could we make the time, aibou?"

"Of course!" Yuugi allowed, his grin wide with the secret, silly joy that Atem would look for them to attend as a pair like that… but he quickly shifted to a curious stare as Atem shuffled through his bag– the others' attention distracted as Bakura checked if Honda or Anzu could attend as Atem handed something to him.

"Here."

Yuugi grinned as he recognized the cardboard slab, moving his Kuriboh to under one arm to accept it. "You're giving me this?"

"I won it for you."

"Haha…" Yuugi didn't fight it, the whole thing still seeming so wonderfully ridiculous, but– well.

Atem won it for him.

And he was doubly glad he accepted it when he pulled out– "Ah! Green Gadget! This is perfect! I needed another one of these for my deck."

"Oh, did you?"

Yuugi snickered at the checking tone, but said nothing. Just tapped the new card against his mouth while shooting Atem a 'not telling' side eye… his boyfriend giving a funny little twitch in reaction, gaze caught in his… before he turned his eyes forward again, clearing his throat.

Yuugi grinned, then turned back to their friends, pretending not to catch his blush.

"Ah, you lucky kids, getting to play outside while I stood around all day in this heat, working."

"Otou-san," Yui admonished, shooting her father-in-law a disapproving look for complaining as she pulled popsicles out of the freezer. "You were in the shop all day. It's air conditioned."

"Hey! I was sweeping the porch a good half-hour this morning and afternoon."

"How terrible," she said, voice and stare flat, before turning a more lively frown on the two boys standing in front of her in the kitchen. "Did you two use sunscreen today? You look red, Yuugi-kun."

"I'm fine, Mama." Yuugi smiled reassuringly as he accepted both popsicles, Atem standing beside him nursing a cold melon soda. "We put a lot on before we left, and before and after the pool– though, I'm really not sure Atem needed any."

Atem shrugged, lowering his drink to add, "Better safe than sorry."

"Right." Mama nodded, an approving smile flashing across her face before she made a good-natured shooing motion at them both. "All right, get out of here. I need to get dinner started."

"Okay!"

"That includes you, Otou-san."

"Right, right."

Moving out, Atem climbed the stairs to the bedroom, his mind already on how to spend the rest of the night, and if he should ask Yui for another book– when he tripped and nearly dropped his soda on the ground.

Cold!

He jerked forward, holding the back of his neck, and turned around.

Yuugi was right behind him, grinning, a wrapped popsicle still hovering in the air as he snickered. "Gotcha."

Atem gawked at him… then smirked. "If you want to play it that way–"

Yuugi kept on snickering, even as Atem switched hands with his soda and tried to stick his chilled palm on his cheek, grappling the popsicles around just in time to catch Atem's hand with his own freed one.

"Hey hey! Don't even think about it!"

"Payback's a fair game, aibou."

Yuugi laughed… but slowly sobered when he looked up and saw Atem's smile, how fond it was under the play… their grip turning mutual and warm.

"…Race me in Mario Kart, mou hitori no boku?"

"As long as it's Versus Mode."

"You got it."

Mario Kart resulted in a three win streak for Atem that left Yuugi playfully pouncing him in a puddle of snickers, but before Yuugi could properly avenge himself, Yui called them down for dinner.

The oden was good, and Sugoroku was in high spirits, sharing some of the more appropriate jokes he'd heard from his friends during their game night that week, and Yui accepted Yuugi's acknowledgement that he had a little more reading to do without much fuss.

After the meal, and some group effort in cleaning up, all four members of the family settled down in the living room. Sugoroku watched the news from the table, Yui took an armchair to read her latest novel, and the boys settled on the sofa, facing each other with their backs to the arms.

Yuugi brought out his school reading, but struggled to focus on his civics book, the words blurring into a hum in his mind. It would have been frustrating, but he only had a few pages left… so he felt little guilt in giving up and focusing on his company, instead.

Atem looked fully engrossed in his book – Fumō Chitai, going by the cover – but eventually, he stirred, scratching his nose with an unseeing glance at the television.

Yuugi took the opening, tilting his leg to tap a knee against his boyfriend's shin.

Atem turned to him, curious… and grinned when he saw Yuugi just looking at him, smiling.

Atem shook his head, turning back to his book… and smiled again when Yuugi's knee tapped him. Again.

A couple more repeats of the mute back-and-forth, and Yuugi left him be, looking back to his readings… only to bite back a laugh when, maybe two paragraphs in, toes wiggled up under his butt and made him fidget.

He looked up with a grinning glare, but Atem didn't deign to look up.

He just kept on reading, as calm and as smug as can be.

"Hmmmrmmm…" Yuugi grimaced, reading the description of one Duel Monsters card, then comparing it to another laid out on his desk, careful not to lean over and drip on any of them. His hair was still wet from the bath, air drying as Yuugi waited for Atem to get back from his, and he pushed his bangs back as he remained bent over the desk, considering. That one new card had somehow led to him deconstructing his entire deck and laying it out with a few dozen maybes he'd passed over earlier and packed away, now perfectly viable again as he couldn't decide…

The door opened.

A shuffling step and happy sigh told Yuugi his boyfriend was back well before a warm body pressed into his side, fingers brushing his shoulder. "Working on your deck?"

Yuugi's focused frown collapsed into a smile, and he turned his chair, sliding an arm around Atem's waist to keep him from stepping back as he looked up at him. "Don't look at it too closely, okay?"

Atem quirked a brow at him, but didn't protest, combing fingers through Yuugi's hair as he leaned into his chest. Atem's t-shirt was soft against his cheek. "You've been tweaking your deck off and on for a while now. Are you struggling with something?"

"Nah, I just keep starting over. And I just don't want to rush it… but I can't marathon the build, either. Not when I have other things to do. I'd rather focus on you." Yuugi tilted his head up to see his boyfriend, eyes half-shut as he smiled down at him, so wonderfully relaxed. "And I'd ask you to help, but I want the first time you see it to be when we duel."

Atem grinned, clearly pleased to hear Yuugi finally proclaim outright that he'd like to fight him… and stepped back. "Come here."

Yuugi looked up at him, curious, but didn't protest when Atem coaxed him to stand, collapsing wholeheartedly into Atem's arms when he pulled him into a hug, pressing his face into Yuugi's shoulder.

"You are so wonderful. You realize that, don't you?"

Yuugi grinned into Atem's neck, as speechless as ever in the face of such praise, but happy to accept it and snuggle closer, drowning in the smell of his own shampoo in his boyfriend's hair…

Atem tilted his head to kiss Yuugi's jaw, making him snicker– until the rumble of Atem's voice, so close and quiet, made him shiver, instead. "Your mother will come by soon, to make sure we go to bed. You have school tomorrow."

"Yeah, all right," Yuugi sighed, stepping back enough to meet Atem's eye. "I'll wrap it up for the night."

"Hmm, yes," Atem hummed, shooting him a wide, amused grin. "Best get your cards in order, aibou."

Yuugi snorted, rolling his eyes… then sobered, caught by the gleam of Atem's proud grin.

Atem chuckled to himself as he looked away, moving to let go, but Yuugi tightened his grip before he could leave his arms, prompting Atem to look back at him– and stop breathing as he caught the intent look in Yuugi's eyes.

Atem didn't move, didn't even twitch as Yuugi caught his face in both hands and kissed him. He just sucked in a breath through his nose as Yuugi's lips pressed firmly into his, intent and unrelenting, coaxing Atem's mouth to relax, open for him and let him slip inside–

Atem's hand clenched in the back of Yuugi's shirt. In his hair. Pulsed a grip as he shook, shocked but willing under Yuugi's attention, and Yuugi took full advantage to explore, press his sweet frustrations and affections and feelings into the kiss… until the tension lapsed out of him and he slowly slowed to a standstill, sliding back to little more than a peck as he relaxed… and waited for Atem to open eyes.

Eventually, he did, gaze fogged and tossed as he looked back at him, hands loosening their grip… and Yuugi smiled. "Thanks for the card."

"…Aa."

Yuugi snickered, toes tingling at the look on his boyfriend's face.

Atem didn't do more than blink in answer, caught in some half-formed daydream, so Yuugi gave him one last peck on the lips, and stepped back. "Come on. Let's go to bed."

"…Aa."