One – Chapter 6

***** Hello everyone! *****

NEW chapter is up! (Shorter than the last, I promise )

Glad you're checking out my story and I hope you enjoy!

(This chapter is more 'normal' than some of the others have been and more focused on the support of family and love, than the last ones have been. One might say that 'Romance' is the main theme of THIS particular chapter )

******************** Please, let me know what you think of it! ********************

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"Yuma, it's time for dinner!" a shrill voice sounded from downstairs, startling Yuma so badly he tipped the hammock, resulting in both him and Astral falling flat on their faces on the floor.

"What the hell Kari?!" he groaned, rubbing his nose. Beside him, Astral was also rubbing a part of himself, but in his case, it was his left elbow, which he'd landed on as they crashed. Yuma looked at him.

"You okay Astral?" he asked. Astral sighed. "Yes, I am quite fine Yuma. Though I could have done without the fall" he replied, rising until he hovered near the hatch.

"You should probably get going, before she yells at you again" he then added. "Yeah… want me to leave the key here?" the young man asked, as he went about finding some cloth to put on.

"No, that isn't necessary. I'll come with you" Astral replied and Yuma nodded.

A few minutes later, they appeared in the kitchen, where Kari and Haru had set the table, to both Astral and Yumas surprise, for 4.

It was covered with delicious dishes, though Astral didn't know the name of any of them, except the boiled rice that was in small bowls by each plate.

"You set the table for 4?" Yuma asked inquisitively.

"Well yeah" Kari responded "there's 4 of us right now, aren't there?". Astral and Yuma looked at each other, then at the two others.

"Thank you for the consideration" Astral said, bowing slightly to both women. "Oh nonsense!" Haru broke him off "you're part of the family now! And now that we can actually see you for once, we'd like to welcome you properly".

Astral and Yuma send each other a smile, before taking their seats beside one another at the table, as Haru and Kari placed the last few things on it, before joining them.

"Well then, let's eat" Kari said. "Thanks for the food" they then all said on the same time, before starting their meal.

For Astral, it was an odd thing, sitting at a table with Yumas family like this, knowing that he couldn't really partake in the meal except by being present.

But none of them commented on him not eating anything, but just enjoyed asking him various questions which they couldn't get answers to earlier, because they usually couldn't see him.

Questions like "why did you team up with my dweeb of a brother, of all people?" and "how come we can't see you normally?" as well as "what's your home like?" and "where did you learn to duel?" were send his way and Astral answered all of them as truthfully as he could, suddenly yearning for the approval of Yumas family for a reason he did not know.

Yuma too, was questioned. But the things he was asked about was mainly how he was feeling, if he was better or still had a fever, a well as whether or not he was gonna go to school tomorrow.

Yuma, of course, said that he was much better and that his cold was nearly gone, so of course he'd head to school again as soon as possible, also so he could see his friends there again, but Astral knew it to not be the whole truth.

Yuma was still ill, but it was also true that their energy transfers seemed to have helped him get better, though Astral wasn't certain of why that was…

When the meal neared its end, Astral touched Yumas hand under the table, squeezing it tightly enough for Yuma to turn his head and look at him.

"Time?" he asked across their link and Astral nodded faintly in response. Yumas demeanor changed then and he seemed to steal himself somewhat, as he straightened in the chair unnoticeably, except by Astral who was right beside him and whose every fibre of being was homed in on his partner, in preparation for the coming transfer.

"Grandma, thanks for the food. Can Astral and I be excused now?" the young man asked, eyes locked on his grandma, though it was Kari who answered. "No running out on us now kiddo!

Grandma and I cooked, so you're doing the dishes! Maybe Astral can help you?" she said, looking at the alien.

Astral felt his heartbeat fasten as his breathing became rapid and he tightened his hold on Yumas hand even further to the point it became painful.

Yuma understood though, so squeezing back he let go of Astral and rose, turning to answer Kari.

"I'll gather up the plates and things now, then do it before I go to bed, alright? I just… have some homework Tori told me about, which I have to do first" he said.

Kari snorted. "You, homework?! As if!" she said, but noticing the seriousness in his eyes, she silenced for a moment, before nodding.

"Fine" she said indifferently "just get it done. I don't want to get up tomorrow and see it still here, got it?!".

Yuma nodded, thanked her, gathered up the plates and put them next to the sink, before kissing Haru on the cheek and then moving back to Astral, offering him his hand.

"Come on Astral. If you're gonna be joining me tomorrow, you might as well study with me" he said and Astral immediately rose and took his hand, though he was not hovering.

"What do you mean he's gonna join you?" Kari asked, having risen herself and putting leftover food away.

"Well, I can't leave him here. He's solid right now, so he can't stay in the key for a full school-day and I'm not leaving him, nor the key, behind anyways. So there, that is the way it is! He's coming with me to school!" Yuma answered, tightening his hold on Astrals hand.

"Do you really think that's such a good idea Yuma? Considering his… complexion" Haru now chimed in from beside the fridge.

"He'll wear one of my uniforms and if anyone asks, I'll just tell them that… he's a cosplayer or something! Maybe that the color is a sort of… statement, from his side! We'll figure it out! He's coming with me!" the young man replied and neither Kari, nor Haru, protested further.

With that, Yuma and Astral headed back upstairs, for another transfer…

The next day, Yuma woke up unusually early for him and jumped out of bed, feeling almost electrified. Rushing downstairs, he stormed into the bathroom, went about his business and made his hair, before heading upstairs again, to find a uniform for Astral.

The alien had been startled by his partners sudden awakening but had been glad when Yuma left the emperors key in the hammock whilst he rushed downstairs. When the other came back again though, he immediately urged Yuma to put the key around his neck once more.

Yuma wasn't late in complying with his wish, feeling the cool metal resting against his chest as he changed into a school uniform.

"Alright Astral" he said after a while, placing some cloth over the hammock "try putting this on and we'll see how it fits you".

"You sure are rather energetic this morning Yuma. Are you alright?" Astral asked, worried at this sudden change of behavior in the other, even as he eyed the uniform laid out for him.

"Yeah, I'm fine Astral! I just feel fresher than usual is all! No need to worry so! Now, go on! We have to see if it fits you!" his lover replied and Astral found himself frowning slightly.

"Very well then, if you are sure" he said after a few moments, then focused on the uniform.

Having seen Yuma put it on many times since the other started high-school, it didn't take the alien long to get into it himself and when he was dressed, Yuma was gaping at him, looking surprised.

The uniform was a white shirt, a sapphire-blue tie, jacket and pants and black shoes. And that, coupled with Astrals complexion, even solid as he was, made him appear every bit as otherworldly as he was.

But it was in a way that made Yumas knees weak and made his heart beat faster in his chest.

"Oh, wow" was all he could say as he leaned heavily against the table in the room, hands gripping its edge tightly behind him.

Astral blinked, confused. "Do I… look weird?" he asked, worried, tugging shyly at the sleeves and the unfamiliar tie around his neck.

Yuma shook his head. "No, definitely not" he replied, voice a little hoarse, which Astral immediately noticed.

Walking over to Yuma, he placed his own hands beside those of the other on the table and leaned in against him, face inches away from Yumas.

"You seem hot Yuma. Are you sure your fever is gone?" he then said, seductively, noticing Yuma swallow heavily, before the alien claimed his lips passionately.

After a long moment, Yuma pulled away from him with a gasp for air and stumbled towards the hammock.

"We… we're gonna be late" he said, panting slightly and Astral straightened, running a hand, seemingly casually, through his lush blueish-white hair.

"Alright then. We should get going" he said, moving towards the door. Yuma grabbed his schoolbag then, relieved to have something else to focus on than his amazing partner for now, and then followed him downstairs, grabbing the bento box Haru had made for him before he and Astral headed for the bus-stop…

As soon as they were in public, glances were send towards Astral and whispers were heard behind them as they moved side by side.

On the bus, they took the usual seats in the very back, but even then, eyes rested on them as they drove through the thick traffic of inner city.

Upon arriving at the high-school, heads were turned and even whistling was heard, as they headed across schoolgrounds.

Astral moved as close to Yuma as possible, brushing his fingers against those of the other to get his attention.

Across this brief touch, Yuma sensed anxiety in his partner and turned his head to glance at him. "I know, it's not pleasant. But try and ignore them" he communicated across their bond.

"I… I'm not comfortable with all this attention Yuma" Astral replied nervously and Yuma took his hand, pulling him into a small alley between two tall buildings.

"Astral, you've got to keep yourself under control here. I can feel your energy even without touching you and it would be catastrophic if you were to lose control whilst we're in class" he said in a low voice.

"I'm sorry Yuma… But all these looks and whispers. They're agitating me and thus my energy levels… they grow a lot faster than they would otherwise. I'm already close to my limit" Astral replied, blushing faintly at his admittance.

"No way Astral" Yuma said, surprised. "But we had two major transfers doing the night, the last one just a couple of hours before dawn".

"I know" Astral responded, groaning quietly and twitching slightly, head turned away from his partner and eyes half-closed.

Yuma sighed, then glanced around, before wrapping his arms around the others waist and pulling him close.

"The bell will ring soon and then we'll be stuck in class for at least 3 hours before our first break" he said against the others ear "transfer some of your energy now, so you can endure until then".

Astral was startled by his actions and fearfully jolted his head up, throwing his eyes around them, fearing they were being watched, but all of his instincts telling him not to pull away from him.

After a few moments, he moved to rest his head on Yumas shoulder, arms around his waist as he mirrored Yumas pose, closing his eyes again and whispering "alright. I won't transfer much though, just enough" and his partner nodded once in response.

Seconds later, Yuma once more felt the sparks of the blue beings' excess energy shooting into him, faster than it had happened in the last couple of transfers, which he assumed to be because of Astrals current anxiety, and thus making this transfer more painful, though not unbearably so.

And then, just as fast as it had started, the transfer was cut off again, as a fast breathing alien let his arms fall and pulled away from him until he was leaned against the wall of the tall building behind him.

It took a few seconds for Yuma to get his own breathing under control again, and to master the subtle pains still jolting through his body, but just as he succeeded in doing so, the school-bell sounded, and he was forced to pull himself together enough to make sure Astral and he headed into the building, before they would be too late for class…