Disclaimer: I don't own it! Only the plot, Anobi and Sulchi are mine.

Chapter 5

Atemu woke the following morning on the put-u-up bed that Sugoruku had unearthed from the attic for him. He looked over at the sleeping Yugi and smiled. He was so glad to be back again. Yugi had promised to call all their friends today and get them to come over. Atemu had asked about all of them and Yugi had eagerly filled him in. Otogi's game shop was doing exceptionally well now that Dungeon Dice Monsters had really taken off as a game. Honda was going out with Shizuka and Jounouchi didn't seem to mind. He'd got a job and moved out of his father's apartment and got his own place in the city. Mai had gone to Europe the last Yugi had heard and he didn't know what had happened to her. Seto Kaiba had swallowed his arrogance and pride had was now friends with Yugi and the others. Yugi had explained after Atemu left he had apologised for not believing in any of it and Mokuba had cheered and declared it was about time!

Ryou was much happier since he hadn't got the Millennium Ring anymore and could actually be himself for once though he did have a passion for rare steak now for some reason. Yugi supposed it was perhaps a small piece of the thief king's spirit left behind but it didn't seem to bother Ryou. Marik and his sister had returned to Egypt and the last Yugi had heard Marik was engaged to a girl he'd met.

It seemed to Atemu that everyone's lives had moved on and he was glad. Now it was time for his own to move on and that meant Yugi's could too.

The small form on the bed stirred and opened his eyes. He looked into the crimson eyes of Atemu and grinned.

"Morning Mou hitori no boku." He said.

"Morning aibou sleep well?"

"Yes I did. Best sleep I've had in months." He added making Atemu feel bad for a moment or two. He hated the fact that he'd caused Yugi pain within his soul but Yugi didn't hate him for it so he decided to not let himself be too bothered by it.

"I think I'm going to have a shower aibou if that's okay with you." Atemu said getting out of his bed and grabbing some of his new clothes and a towel.

"Sure go ahead Atemu there's shampoo and stuff already in there which you can use."

Atemu nodded and crossed the hall into the bathroom. He stripped and got into the shower that was nice and hot. As he showered all his muscles relaxed nicely and a sense of peace and contentment washed over him.

Ten minutes later he emerged feeling very refreshed and dressed quickly.

He returned to the bedroom to find Yugi already dressed in a similar sort of leather outfit to his own. Atemu chuckled.

"I guess even now we tend to choose the same sort of clothes aibou." He said and Yugi grinned and nodded.

"I never have changed the way I dress. I'm comfortable with it and I think it suits me fine."

Atemu nodded and noticed that he was hungry.

"What's for breakfast aibou? I'm starving!"

"Hmm how about rice balls? They'll fill you up great." Yugi said and with a nod in agreement from Atemu, they made their way downstairs to the kitchen where it was obvious from the dishes in the sink that Sugoruku had already eaten.

"He must be in the shop already." Yugi said and busied himself with making rice balls for the both of them as he was feeling pretty hungry himself.

When breakfast was done they sat back feeling pleasantly full.

"I think I'll call Seto and the others and ask them to come over but I'm not going to tell them why." Yugi said and winked.

"Sounds good to me aibou."

Yugi went off to make the phone calls and Atemu relaxed in the chair waiting for him to come back.

Several minutes later Yugi came back looking pleased.

"Well it looks like I have everyone intrigued and they're all on their way over." He said happily. "Do you want a drink Atemu? Tea or hot chocolate?"

"Mmm hot chocolate sounds great."

"You go sit down in the front room then I'll bring it through." Yugi said and filled the kettle.

Atemu made his way through to the front room and sat on the sofa. He looked around the room and noticed a photo in the centre of the mantelpiece. He got up to take a closer look and saw that it was a photo of Yugi with the Millennium Puzzle. Just behind Yugi, someone had drawn his own shape in pencil and Atemu realised that because he had been a spirit before, no one could take a picture of him. He smiled at Yugi's artwork and replaced the photo just as Yugi was coming through with the drinks. Just as he put them down the back doorbell rang and Yugi indicated to Atemu to sit down while he answered the door.

Atemu sat where Yugi had put his drink down and sipped it burning his lips slightly. He decided to let it cool before doing that again!

"Come on in, you'll never guess who is here." Yugi's voice came from the hall and a second later the door opened to reveal Yugi and someone who was once Atemu's greatest rival in the game of Duel Monsters. He stood up.

"Hello Kaiba." Atemu said and watched with amusement as like Yugi, all the colour drained from Seto's face and he looked as if he was about to pass out. Yugi helped him to a chair where he flopped into it in a most undignified way.

"A…Atemu?" He managed and the addressed person nodded. "H…How?"

Atemu thought for a moment and then he frowned. How had he returned? He found he couldn't remember. He remembered sitting on his bed wishing to return and the next thing he could remember was waking up on the grass in the real world. This puzzled him greatly and Seto was looking at him waiting for an explanation having regained his composure almost immediately.

"I'm not sure." Atemu said. "I guess I wanted to return so badly it happened but I don't know how."

"That's strange Atemu I thought you said you were offered the chance to return and you took it." Yugi said puzzled as to Atemu's answer as Atemu himself was.

"I can't remember Yugi. But never mind I'm sure it was nothing important."

They were interrupted by another ring on the doorbell and Yugi went off to answer it.

"Before he comes back I want to apologise for being such an ass when you and Yugi shared a body. During that last duel you had with him I realised that you had been telling the truth. I think I knew all along I just didn't want to believe it."

"That's okay I guess it was a little far-fetched even though it was really happening." Atemu said as voices from the hallway approached them.

"I don't play Duel Monsters anymore." Seto added. "I just concentrate on expanding Kaiba Corp. I also sponsor the new Duel Academy that opened recently in Domino. It trains people in all aspects of the game."

"Wow that sounds great, I'd love to visit sometime."

"Sure." Seto said and looked as if he was going to say something else when the door opened and Honda, Jou and Shizuka stood there.

All three were unable to say a word when Atemu stood up. They stood there as if they'd been hit with a freezing spell or something.

Yugi giggled and propelled the three to seats where they all sat dumbstruck.

"Hey guys I came back." Atemu said unable to keep the grim off his face and even Seto looked amused by them. After all it was not often that Jou was at a loss for words.

Jou suddenly regained his tongue and the use of his limbs and with a scream he leapt from the sofa and dived out the door. Honda and Shizuka leapt into each other's arms and unable to help himself, Seto laughed.

Yugi ran out of the room to find Jou who was cowering under the kitchen table in fear.

"Jou come out he's not a ghost!" Yugi said in between giggles.

"You sure Yugi?"

"Yes I'm sure. He's as real as we are. Somehow he found a way to come back from the afterlife."

"For real?"

"For real."

Jou calmed himself down and emerged from under the table. He followed Yugi back into the living room where Seto and Atemu had managed to calm Honda and Shizuka down.

The doorbell went again and Yugi ran off to answer it just as Seto mumbled "Brace yourselves."

"If that's Anzu I bet she freaks out when she sees you." Honda said his comments gaining nods from Seto and Shizuka.

The door to the room opened and Yugi entered followed by Anzu who looked at the little gathering before her eyes came to rest on a head of tri-coloured spiky hair. She blinked in shock and surprise.

"Anzu." Atemu said Honda having mouthed the name to him. He stood up and turned to face the girl who had had a crush on him for almost the entire time he had shared a body with Yugi.

Anzu opened and closed her mouth like a fish at first not quite able to believe what she was seeing. Then she recovered herself and suddenly flung herself at Atemu who stumbled backwards in surprise. He lost his footing and the two fell to the ground Atemu landing hard with Anzu on top of him.

He lay winded for a moment as Anzu hugged him tightly. The others watched in amusement, as they all knew how Anzu had felt about Atemu.

Atemu regained his breath and tried to sit up but Anzu's weight kept him pinned down.

"Anzu please let me sit up." He said and Anzu got off him albeit reluctantly.

"Sorry Atemu, it is really you isn't it?" She asked fear clouding her voice.

"Yes it's really me." Atemu said bracing himself for another imminent glomp. It never came however as Anzu collapsed into the nearest chair her legs suddenly seeming too weak to hold her up. The doorbell went again and Yugi got up to answer it.

"I'm so glad you came back." Anzu whispered. "I missed you so much."

"And I missed all of you." Atemu said.

"Even me?" Seto asked surprised. He thought Atemu would have been glad to have left him behind after all, he had been arrogant and self-centred back then. Things were very different now he mused he actually cared about others besides his little brother.

"Even you Seto, you gave me some of the greatest challenges I have ever faced and it made me a stronger person as a result. I never got round to thanking you for that so thanks. I know Yugi is a much stronger person now too."

"Well most of that is down to his determination as a duelist and wanting to stand on his own feet without relying on you." Jou said.

"He proved that in the last duel he had with you Atemu." Anzu said wondering to herself whether she stood any chance with Atemu now he was back and had his own body no less. She would have to wait until they could be alone before she could find out.

Yugi entered the room with Otogi just behind him. Like the others, Otogi just stood and stared when he saw Atemu wondering if he was having a hallucination.

"You're not hallucinating." Atemu said as he looked at Otogi "I am really here."

Otogi recovered himself fairly quickly and his face broke into a grin.

"Well it's a shock I must say but it's good to see you again Atemu. How was the afterlife then?"

"Boring without you guys." Atemu said and grinned at them all. "I wanted to return so badly and I guess my wish was granted." He wished he could remember how it happened but he still had no memory of how he got here but never mind all that mattered was that he was now.

The conversations went on through the day everyone filling Atemu in on what had gone on since he had left. Seto ordered them pizzas when they all got hungry and Atemu savoured the flavour realising just how much he had missed since he had been gone. Looking round at his friends he knew he had come home and he was glad.

TBC

Yami Seirei: There ya go another one done. Things will start to hot up in the next chapter I promise. Now for those of you who don't know who is who due to me using the Japanese names in this story I will fill you in

Anzu – Tea

Honda – Tristen

Jounouchi/Jou – Joey

Shizuka – Serenity

Otogi – Duke Devlin

I think that's all of them see you next chapter!