Yugi: I don't know! She just said gather everyone in the theater room!

Malik: Hm, maybe we're doing another rhearsal?

Yami: [playing with a yoyo] Maybe it's another new story?

Yugi: Don't even joke!

Author: [peaks out from behind the curtain. tiptoes across the stage to place a stack of papers on the desk in the middle of it.] I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR ANY OF THE SONGS USED IN THIS CHAPTER! ENJOY! [bolts]

All characters: [whip around to see the curtain fluttering slightly]

Yugi: COWARD!

Ryou: [walks onto stage coming from the same direction as the author left] I got a thumb up as she passed so I think she agrees. [picks up papers off of desk. waves them about] Hey, it's the vampire one! But we only have one set, so Yugi you're up, and I'm going to go make copies.

Jou: Huh, I'd run and hide too. It's been what? Over two years? Maybe she'll have more courage at the bottom?

Yugi: And she forgot to mention the Lemon Alert.

Atem: Ha ha, that was fun.

Chapter 14

Yugi sat at the desk doing his schoolwork. His mates were in a meeting and his kids at their school. Because they'd missed so much, they were getting remedial lessons. Poor things hated it, but Yugi thought it was a just punishment for wanting to stay home instead of attending their lessons. He finished up the last few lines, and pushed away from the desk. There he was done for the day.

Yugi stretched his arms above his head, wishing he had Atem's magic hands instead, but they would both be in meetings with Kaiba for the whole weekend. Kaiba was installing the same electrical system he had in his own home in theirs. Which meant that Atem and Yami needed to update their home. As in add an electrical room.

He'd been invited to join them of course, but he'd rather not. Technology wasn't really his forte, and Kaiba was the expert. Yugi brought his arms back down to admire his ring. He looked towards the balcony as he fiddled with it absentmindedly. He yawned before getting up, and going to kitchens for some food. It was rolling on eight after all. And he'd most assuredly be shamed if he neglected the duty of eating. Especially with tomorrow being Sunday and everything. Upon opening the bedroom door however, he found Atem already there with a tray of food in his hands.

"And what makes you think that I haven't already?" Yugi asked motioning to the tray.

Atem chuckled, taking a few steps into the room making Yugi shuffle backwards. "Because when you're focused on work everything comes into second place. Plus, I need a break from 21st century speak. So in a way you're saving your poor fiancé."

"Oh yeah?" Yugi asked taking the tray from him. "And where's Yami?" he glanced at the tray to see that it was some type of a breaded meat burger. Something new in other words.

"Still being tortured by Kaiba."

"So, who did he smack first for calling him the Cold One?" Yugi asked picking the burger up.

"Me."

"Yeah, only Seth is allowed to call him that and get away with it. Did I not mention it before you left this morning?" Yugi grinned up at him before taking a bite. Oh, chicken,

"Cheeky little imp."

"Avays an fo'ver," Yugi said around his food.

"Yugi, swallow and then talk. No one wants to see your chewed meal."

Yugi swallowed before setting the tray down on his desk, and climbing onto the bed with his vampire. "So, since Yami is away, would you like to play a little?"

Atem had bolted off the bed so fast, Yugi didn't even notice until he found himself falling onto his back, and the slight force of wind escaping his lungs as if he'd been hit in the chest. Yugi blinked before sitting up to locate the impossible vampire.

"You are the impossible one, Yugi," Atem's voice said from left. Yugi looked over to see Atem sitting on the two steps that lead into the second room. He had his face in his hand and was breathing deeply.

"Hmph, all I did was ask if you wanted to play a little."

Atem looked at him through his hand with one red eye. Yugi knew the look he was being given too, the 'you're hopeless' look. He just never let it bother him anymore. Yugi smiled, spreading out on his belly on the bed. He put his chin on top of his hands as he looked down at Atem. He gave him a coy look that he knew would unravel Atem even more.

"Yugi," Atem growled, "stop trying my patience."

"Mm, maybe I want to bring that beast within you out again. It was so smoking hot the last time, to see you lose control like that. You just tell me when you want to stop playing hard to get, Atem, and I'll face my backside in any direction you want me to."

Atem exhaled through his nose, tilting his head back to look at the ceiling. A weight dropped down onto the bed next to Yugi, an arm curling around his waist drawing him closer.

"What are you doing to poor Atem?" Yami whispered into his ear.

"Trying to drive him mad with want. Would you like to help?"

Yami sighed, shaking his head before lifting him up, and depositing him in his chair. "Eat, we wouldn't want you to lose any steam before we actually begin, now would we?'

"Yami! Don't encourage him!" Atem complained.

"We're never going to get rest until he has his wicked way with you, so why not just give in?"

"Just me, huh?"

"I don't recall an invitation being extended to me."

"Oh, don't worry, Yami, you were next," Yugi said, grinning at him before taking a bite of his chicken burger again.

"By next, I'm assuming the next time I come up here alone, and feeling drained, you're going to try to jump me too?"

"Well, if you want to wait that long, we can."

Yami shook his head, before hoisting Atem up and back onto the bed with him. Yugi grinned back at him before turning around to finish his burger. Once he was done, he turned back around to see the most adorable sight ever! Yami was curled up into Atem's chest, using it as a pillow, and Atem had his arm wrapped around his shoulders breathing in his mane of hair, making his bangs flutter every so often. Oh, Yugi wanted to take a picture, but he didn't want to disturb them with a flash. Oh, what to do, what to do! Oh that's right, that thing would so work!

Yugi quietly got off of the chair, and tiptoed into his closet, coming out with a video camera a moment later. He turned it on, checking on their forms to make sure they hadn't moved, and then started to record the image. Ryou was going to kill him when he found out what he was using the video camera for, but it wasn't his problem at the moment.

"Look at them, so cute! There's absolutely no way I can disturb this. I'm just going to sleep in the other room. And to think, only a minute ago I wanted to jump their defenseless bodies."

Yugi shut the camcorder, and put it on his desk. He checked their forms again before trying to quietly sneak out of the room, and into the secondary one.

"And just where do you think you're going?"

Yugi spun around, but there were no open eyes watching his every move, neither of them had even moved. Shrugging it off for sleep talking, which neither of them had ever done before, Yugi tried to continue with his escape.

"Yugi, where are you going?"

When Yugi turned this time, Atem's eyes were open, and Yami was waving at him, with his back to him, to come to bed. Yugi just sighed and shook his head though. "Oh no, you look too cute, I couldn't possibly disturb it!"

Atem blinked, as the door to the other room closed and Yugi was just gone. Yami shifted to look at the closed door too. Both were wondering, in their foggy sleep deprived minds, what was going on with their little mate. But before that, there was a more pressing matter at issue here.

"How should we punish him for his insubordination?" Yami asked.

"We'll figure it out tomorrow, I'm too tired right now," Atem said back.

"K, sounds good to me." Yami snuggled back into Atem, and was back asleep. A fit of muffled giggles could be heard from the other room. Atem smiled slightly, so glad they could amuse him.

Atem looked down at Yami, already fast asleep, before giving out a soft whistle. A dark figure appeared on the balcony. "Just watch the Prince, but don't enter the room," Atem ordered so softly, Yugi didn't have a single chance of hearing. They nodded in confirmation, and was gone. The order though, it brought back memories for him.

Muhtaram stepped into the room, and closed the door behind him. "My King, you called for me?"

"I did, and Muhtaram, we're alone, drop the formality," Atem said, briefly looking up at the guard before him.

"Of course. What did you need?"

"It seems our dear little Prince wants some time away from his vampire lovers. Which is fine, we need some space from him too at the moment. All of us being cooped up like that, I suppose it was only a matter of time until one of us exploded."

"So who exploded first?"

"Would it surprise you if I told you it was Yugi?" he looked up from the papers on his desk to the man in front of him. He waved at one of the chairs, and Muhtaram took an armchair and put it in front of his desk. "Though it was more of an implosion, than an explosion."

"An implosion? What caused that?"

"I think Yami and I did, actually."

"Really? How so?"

"Well, he brought up the subject of College, and we may have told him bluntly and foolishly that it wasn't even an option on the table. He just stood up and walked out, Muhtaram. Is College really that important to humans?"

"It is to some, but not all."

"Anyway, I just have this nasty feeling in my gut that this could result in an even bigger fight if Yami and I do not tread carefully on the subject. What do you think?"

"Have you talked with him about it?"

"How can we? When he doesn't come home?"

"So go find him."

"No. No, that's not the right move here. It will just lead to another outburst. Which brings us to why I called you here."

"It does? It wasn't to seek my advice on this issue?"

"No, Muhtaram, it wasn't. I want you, Kareem, Zaire, and Samir to run a shadow operation on the Prince. Just make sure he stays safe, and don't let him ever see you following him. Don't even approach him. Just keep a safe distance, and run around him dressed like ninjas."

"Ninjas? Like from that Anime, Naruto?"

"I see you've been watching anime with Marik again."

"His food source is obsessed with it, and he never wants to watch it alone. He's old like that."

Atem sighed, "No, more like from the Anime, Bleach from the stealth force."

"You're joking. Please tell me you're joking."

"No, not about the Prince's safety, I would never make even the slightest joke about it. Your mission starts now, so see to it."

"Fine, but Atem, one last thing. If this College dream of his doesn't go away. What're you going to do then?"

"We'll cross that hurdle when we get to it."

Everything seemed to be on the fast forwards button around Yugi. Scenes shifted around him, never lingering on one for too long, but just long enough to see the contents of it before shifting onto the next one. Then it all just stopped moving, and Yugi found himself in Atem's study again. Kareem, Muhtaram, Zaire, and Samir were all standing opposite him, hands behind their backs as Atem paced back and forth in front of them. Yami was leaning, ankles crossed, against the desk, his hands braced against the edge of it.

"So?" Samir asked. And from the sound of his voice, Yugi got the feeling it wasn't the first time.

"The College thing didn't go away. If anything, it's gotten worse."

"There's nothing you can do to sway him?"

"No, there isn't," Yami muttered, looking towards the ground. "And if we continue at this rate we're going to lose him for sure. You heard what he said. 'No, but I would like your support. That would be very nice.' If we don't give him that than we're going to lose him. And to an education of all things."

"So what now? Will he be going to an all human college, or a mixed breed one?" Zaire asked.

"All…?" Yami's head snapped up to look at Atem. "We didn't even think of that. Would he really do that?"

"Only one way to find out unfortunately," Atem muttered, "But if we back him with this college thing, than he'll have no reason to leave right? He'll stay with us? Ra only knows what this lengthy separation is doing to our bond."

"But if you do let him go, with no objections how're you going to keep him safe?" Muhtaram added. "Vampires don't really follow their food sources around such environments, and while he's in high school you can get away with avoiding the majority of your duties on the basis that you need to form a stable bond with him. However, we all know that some of the High Lords are already counting down the days until he graduates so you can get back to your work without any distractions. So, how're you going to keep him safe then?"

"Well, we've decided since all of you are doing such a fine job we'll just add six more people to your ranks and have you go to school with him. You can choose the other six of course, all of you can, together as a group. But I also want you to choose code names for yourselves so should I call you by your real name at any time, Yugi won't know we're spying on him.

"Also, Muhtaram, at the earliest of opportunities, I want you to become friends with him. Don't treat him like he's someone you've been given orders to look after, but rather someone you want to hang out with it. Like in a brotherly way, not a creepy one. But I want you to do it after you've both been accepted into college. Whichever one he's going to, you'll all be going to. You'll even get to make up your own cover stories. And should all go well, Yugi won't even know he's being kept an eye on."

"I don't know, the kid's pretty smart," Kareem said, rubbing the back of his head. "He'll catch on eventually."

"I call Marcus!" Muhtaram shouted raising his hand. All the others turned to look at him.

"Seriously?" Zaire asked.

"What? Marcus sounds like the name of a guy that I would want to be friends with. He sounds cool, confident, and able to hold your back in a fight. Marcus, yeah, that's going to be my code name."

"Well, at least one of us is excited with the babysitting regiment," Samir sneered. "So, who else are we going to draft?"

"Maybe Hotsuma, Mason, Yesenia, Lina, Kiley, or Caleb?" Zaire offered up.

"Well, whatever you decide, just remember that the number of males must be equal to that of the females. You know, to make everyone feel comfortable."

"Yeah, whatever," they all agreed.

"You're all dismissed," Atem ordered. "And should Yugi leave the grounds without us, follow him."

"Why would he do that?" Muhtaram asked. "He just got back."

"Because he didn't bring anything with him, so Yami and I think that this stay of his might be temporary."

"Bummer, but I'm sure you'll do everything within your power to stop that from happening, right?"

"If we can."

The area around Yugi blurred and then cleared to the front steps of the Palace.

"You know, Yami's going to be crushed if he doesn't find you sleeping there tomorrow morning," Atem said quietly from behind him.

"I-I can't stay," Yugi choked out in front of him. It sounded like he was crying again.

"Why not?" Atem asked.

"It hurts too much. To be so close and yet feel miles away," Yugi cried out. Atem was kneeling in front of him, drawing him into his arms before Yugi even knew he was there.

"I'm sorry, Yugi," Atem said, already knowing the one thing that would possibly make him stay, at least for one night. "If you want to go to College of course you can go. Just promise me it won't be an all human one?"

Yugi placed his hands flat against his chest and pushed him away, much to Atem's surprise. Had he said something wrong? Yugi's face was scrunched up in agony. What had he said that was wrong?

"No! No! No!" Yugi yelled at him before running off. Atem shook his head in slight aggravation, wondering why Yugi was even trying. A half step and Atem had him in his arms before he got three feet. He struggled in his grip, twisting every which way trying to get loose. Atem set him on his feet, but held on tightly to his wrist. He was careful to put enough pressure on it to possibly leave a bruise, but not break it.

"Yugi, stop this! Why are you acting like this!?" Atem yelled at him.

"You're just saying things, but you don't mean them! You're not sorry! You're only sorry when I get hurt!" Yugi yelled back kicking Atem in the shin. Atem let go of his wrist, knowing already that Yugi was half right with his accusation. His fingers grazed his palm as he took off running. Three figures darted after him and a fourth landed next to him.

"You're going to let him go? That kick couldn't have hurt," Muhtaram pointed out.

"No, it didn't, but he's half right," Atem replied back. "I'm not sorry. My apology really does mean nothing, because I'm not sorry. I just don't want to see either of them crying anymore, so I'll do or say anything to appease them. But I'm still not sorry." A lone tear slipped down his face as he turned it skyward to the moon.

"Go back to Yami, Atem. We'll look after, Yugi. No harm will come to him so you'll have time to say sorry and actually mean it." With those words, Muhtaram darted off after the other three, leaving Atem by himself. He didn't go back to Yami right away though. No he instead went to his study where he threw himself on his backless couch and just cried until he couldn't anymore.

Yugi frowned as he watched Atem, and turned the scene to a different one. He knew this was going to cost him a lot of energy, but he didn't care. He turned it to a time before he met them, or Sarugaki. He turned it to the 8th grade summer party at Kaiba's.

"Hey, Yugi, Jou, and Ryou look! Look what Odion gave me!" Malik said excitedly holding the bottle out to them. Juyondai the label read. Juyondai Sake.

"Malik! This is really expensive stuff!" Ryou said back, grabbing the bottle from him to hold it up to the light. "Why would he give you this?"

"He said by the time he was our age everyone had stolen a bottle or two from their parents stores already. That we were behind the times cause we were so goody goody. He didn't want us to be teased in High School for not experiencing the wonders of alcohol yet. But he wanted us to have the good stuff so we would know cheap from here on out! He's the best brother ever!"

"Aw, I wish I had him for a brother instead of a stupid stinking sister!" Yugi pouted.

Yugi walked over to his younger self and measured his height to his own. He didn't come any higher than the top of his chest, and this is without the hair advantage. Damn, why was he so short?

"Did you bring the glasses, Jou?"

"Yeah, got'em right here!"

"Alright, let's party!"

"Uh wait, shouldn't we wait for the others?" Ryou asked.

"Ryou, this is a premium brand, there is no waiting for the late people when you've been handed a pile of gold!"

"Malik is right, they should've been here on time! Pour it!"

Ryou and Yugi gave each other uneasy looks, before shrugging and grabbing a glass too. Malik had a point they were told what time to be here, it was their fault they weren't on time. But then, maybe they should at least wait for Kaiba, as this was his place, and he was stuck at the door waiting to greet people.

"What about Kai-?" Yugi started to ask getting up.

"No!" Malik nearly shouted yanking him back down, "He'd confiscate it for his own greedy stores!"

Yugi shrugged, "fair enough. Pour it!"

Two hours later found them all giggling and laughing even though it was about nothing in consequence at all. Like why Ryou's socks were mismatched and how he should borrow a pair from Kaiba so they could be matching. Or why everyone's hair except Jou's was really pointy. It made them start talking about gelling and waxing his hair up into several points as it was way to floppy right now. Which apparently needed another toast, thus their supply of liquor was depleted even more.

"I just can't believe you guys were two hours late!" Kaiba complained as he walked into the room with their other friends and froze in the doorway.

"So we got the times mixed up, big deal!" Penny scoffed back.

"WHAT'RE YOU DOING IN HERE!?" he screamed at the top of his lungs.

"Big bro gave us sake, want sum?" Malik asked, waving the bottle above his head by its neck with the stupidest of grins on his face before laughing like it was the biggest joke ever.

Then the bottle was gone from his hands as Otogi swiped it using super speed. They all looked down at the bottle that was 3/4 empty. Then they looked up at Kaiba.

"I knew nothing about this! They didn't even invite me to drink with them. No, I was told as the host of the party it was my job to greet the guests. This is your faults! If you were on time, we'd be drunk with them! Not the sober idiots to walk in on the smart drunks!"

"Are you sure you weren't drinking too?" Rebecca asked.

"Juyondai is one of the best sakes out there. If I had known they had scored some, I would've been up here drinking with them."

"Really?" Yugi asked.

"Yes!"

"You lied to us, Mali!" Yugi accused of his best friend.

"Hey Yugi, I think you're really pretty," Malik said back in a shy voice not seeming to hear the accusation at all.

"Really Malik?" Yugi asked in wonder.

"Uh huh," Malik said back nodding.

"Cause I think you're smoking hot!" Yugi said back before shooting forwards and crashing their lips together in a sloppy kiss.

Everyone just seemed to still around them before people were yanking them apart. Yelling at them not to let the sake take control of them like that. If they were sober they'd never think about this kind of inappropriate behavior to do with their friend. Their best friend. While the others continued to explain to them why this was wrong, they made the mistake of continuing to let them sit next to each other.

"Yugi, you stole my first kiss," Malik complained.

"Wanna take mine?" Yugi offered.

"Okay!" Malik agreed. He turned to his friend, cupped his cheek, and kissed him. The small contact turned into heavy kissing quickly. It took their lecturer's a few moments to notice but when they did pulled them apart, and kept them separated for the rest of the night. It was a shame too, the two of them had been learning new kissing tricks. This was also the night when they all made a pact to never let Malik and Yugi drink around each other again. But after finding them drunk around one another again a few days later, they adjusted their agreement to not let them be in charge of one another while drinking. They had found them making out again.

Yugi slowly drew himself from his sleep to find Atem straddling him, and Yami nipping at his neck. Atem was just shaking his head at him while trying to fight back a smile. It was no secret to them that he and Malik had some history, they just never expected it to be limited to drunk kissing and confessions.

"Do you really find Malik smoking hot?" Yami whispered into his ear.

Yugi turned onto his side, Atem managing to stay on top of him, to face Yami. "At one time yes, I did. But now, I'm afraid he's been replaced by two people who are far more so in that department."

"And who are these people?" Atem asked puffing his chest put slightly.

"Akeifa and Bakura, who else?"

"You're horrible!" Yami said cuffing his head.

"Hey, I've got to keep those egos in check. Can't have you getting too cocky now. So, what's my punishment?"

"Atem said we shouldn't bite you today because you like it too much."

Yugi curled up on himself with laughter. He'd heard that one before, and it hadn't turned out so well for the other party. Someone was begging for food before the day was even spent.

"So, I came up with a better one that we can actually live out," Yami continued over Yugi's laughter. "We decided to cut you off from all forms of pleasure today."

Yugi stopped laughing, turning to look at him with a slight slant in his eyes, a mischievous glint hiding in the back of them. "Oh, is that so?"

"That's right."

Yugi slowly sat up, still looking at Yami in that same way. It made Yami want to crawl back from him, almost in an involuntary way. Yugi shoved Atem off of him, who fell onto the floor in surprise, and tackled Yami to the ground on the other side of the bed. Atem poked his head up to look on top of the bed before crawling around it to the other side. He sighed, shaking his head, shortest lived punishment ever.

Yugi was on top of Yami, making out with the latter, and the vampire was showering him with just as much enthusiasm as he was receiving. Then Yami rolled him over, pressing him deeper into the floor by placing a hand on his chest, his other played with his waistband. He easily dominated Yugi, pulling their lips from one another as he attacked the left side of his neck with small nips, suckles, and kisses.

"Uh, Yami, do you think you can control yourself a little?" Atem asked, as he propped his head up onto his hand.

"Mm, no, he tastes too good," Yami replied.

"Ugh, why do I have to have mates with so little self-control?" Atem looked towards the wall above their heads.

"Because you have more than enough for all three of us. Why do you think I attacked Yami and not you? You'd push me away for sure! And then where would we be, huh?"

Atem's eyes dropped back down to Yugi. He had this little victorious look in his eyes, because he knew he'd won over one of his mates into giving up on this non-pleasure for the day thing. He got back up on his hands and knees and crawled over to the two of them plopping down just out of range.

"We need to let your sex drive wither away and die down, Yugi, or you're going to be addicted to us for life."

"Is that really such a bad thing?" Yami asked, sitting up on Yugi.

"Hey! I was enjoying that!" Yugi complained.

"You're not supposed to be enjoying it," Yami said with a small smirk before leaning down to bite him.

"O-oh," Yugi moaned, his eyes closing in pure bliss as Yami drank his blood.

"Yeah, he's still enjoying it," Atem said, putting is head down on his arms.

Yami chuckled against Yugi's neck, his fangs still in him, sending delicate shivers up and down Yugi's spine. So not fair, and yet he wouldn't stop this even if he wanted to. Yami was just about to pull his teeth out of Yugi's neck when their first door banged open.

"Hey! Do you lazy vamps know that you're 15 minutes late for our next electrical lesson together? I don't plan on waiting all day for you! I do have a company to run you know!"

Yami's fangs were ripped from his neck, making Yugi cry out, before a resounding click was heard throughout the room. A warm tongue was pressed to the marks on his neck sealing them. Gentle hands scooped him up and put him on the bed. His head was turned to the right, making him hiss in slight pain.

"Tch, Yami this is going to bruise for sure," Atem said gently. He wasn't scolding the other vampire, just stating a fact.

"Yeah, I figured. I'm sorry, Yugi, I panicked when I heard Kaiba's voice. I am so sorry for causing you unnecessary pain."

"Hey! You open this door! Unlock it immediately or I will bust it down!" Kaiba demanded pounding on the door with what sounded like a sledgehammer, but Yugi knew it was probably just his fist.

"Get lost you ruddy wolf!" Yami shouted back. "I just hurt Yugi because of you! Today is feeding day in case you've forgotten! We need to eat before we're tortured by your 21st century talk!"

"Oh, we haven't even hit the 21st century yet. We're more in the 20th century still. We have a long way to go yet, so just hurry up and get downstairs already, I'm not going to wait forever."

"I think you should just go home instead," Atem called out, propping Yugi up so his back was to Atem's front.

"I thought you wanted this security system for his protection, as well as everyone else in your Palace?"

"We do, but as Yami pointed out because of your rude intrusion we've hurt Yugi unnecessarily. I wouldn't expect you to understand how delicate the feeding needs to be so the human isn't hurt. You know what, why don't you go ask Seth about it! He can tell you all about what happens when a vampire rips their fangs out of a human's neck!"

"Kaiba, we're not coming out today, so just go home," Yami sighed, leaning against the door.

"Yeah sure, waste my time! It's not like I have anything else to do."

He was heard stomping off, as Atem ever so gently turned Yugi's neck to the left. Yugi cried out, as a sharp pain raced up and down his neck, it's starting point coming from where Yami bit him. Yami winced, looking away, as Atem cradled the side of Yugi's chin with one hand, and held his shoulder still with the other. He started to lean down.

"Do you really need to eat today?" Yami asked looking at them from the corner of his eye.

Atem sighed, "Yes, Yami, I do." Then he bit Yugi. What was just a sharp pain became an inferno. Yugi's eyes dilated, as he screamed, sure that if anyone in the Palace wasn't awake before they certainly were now.

Four figures appeared in the room before Yami or Atem could lock the balcony doors. What they saw they couldn't believe. A red and black mar was on the entire left side of Yugi's neck, and though the bite mark had obviously been sealed, the fang holes were still very visible with a dark blue tinge surrounding the outside of the holes.

Atem pulled out, and sealed Yugi. Though he did it properly, the same type of bruising on the fang holes appeared after Atem had sealed them. It was like he was bitten for the first time, but the first time by a blood frenzy feeding.

"What happened?" Konner asked first.

"The stupid wolf Kaiba burst into our first room as I was feeding from Yugi," Yami whispered. "I panicked, and ripped my fangs out of Yugi's neck in my haste to lock the door. Not even Isis can heal this. It's something that's just going to have to go away on its own."

"He looks like he was caught in a blood frenzy, you know?" Zane pointed out.

Yugi whimpered as Atem pulled him closer. He knew that was going to hurt Yugi, Yami and he both knew, but he needed to eat so he could be at his full strength. What if someone tried to attack them again? He needed to be able to defend his mates, especially with Yugi so crippled now. He'd be surprised if he could even talk.

"Atem, why did that hurt so much? Why does it still hurt?" Yugi gasped out. Talking caused him pain, but he didn't care.

"You never stop amazing me at your strength, Yugi," Atem said, lowering him to the bed. Not to lay his head against the pillows, but to lay flat on the bed. "One of you go get a neck brace from Isis."

Samuel nodded and was gone. He was back a moment later though, empty handed. "Uh, actually, Isis seems to have come to you," he said uneasily looking at the door behind Yami.

Yami sighed before unlocking it, and opening the door. Isis was kneeling on the bed over Yugi in the blink of an eye. She looked back and forth between the two nervous vampires.

"Okay, I know you're both well past the blood frenzy stage, so the only other obvious conclusion is that you ripped your fangs out of his neck, Yami. Why?"

"Stupid Kaiba burst into the first room without knocking, and I panicked."

"I'll have Seth put a leash on him. But for now, I need a neck brace, hot water, and a back support, one that curves up into his form." Nobody moved. "Now."

"Oh, yeah, right we're on that," the three of the four guards muttered before darting off and past Seth who was coming into the room looking confused.

"Anyone want to tell me why the Cold One is asking questions about what happens when I rip my fangs out of his neck? I mean why does he even need to know that? It's never going to happen. I'm not that cruel or careless."

Yami merely pointed at Yugi. Seth looked over, before looking at the ground. "He just burst in without knocking, didn't he?"

"Yep."

"So you probably panicked, and now I need to either put a leash on him, or show him what happens when the fangs are ripped out of the neck. Oh my, decisions decisions, this is a tricky one. Either way, Jou will be disappointed in my actions today." He sighed and walked out.

"Hey, Seth?" Yugi rasped out.

"Yes Prince?" Seth asked immediately by his side. "How is he talking?" he directed this question at Atem. Atem shrugged, figuring it was simply Yugi being well, Yugi.

"How can you travel like this every week for food? Why don't you just drink from one or the other?"

"Uh, well," Seth rubbed the back of his neck uneasily, "that's because Seto's blood is actually sweeter than Jou's believe it or not. So if I had to pick one it would be Seto, but without Jou's persistence the Cold One wouldn't let me within three feet of him. However we're both attracted to Jou, and not each other. We tried to make it work at one point, for his sake, but the love Jou feels for us we don't have for one another. And after he threatened us that one time, we all came to an agreement that has been working for the past six years. Prince, if I stop drinking from one than I have to stop drinking from the other too. That's basically how these negotiations panned out, and I would so hate to give up Seto's blood. It has a delicate taste that's impossible to describe."

"So it tastes like an unattainable rich boy?"

"Ha ha ha, I'll tell him you said that, but for now he needs to be punished. Excuse me." Seth turned and was gone.

"What made you ask that?" Marcus asked in confusion.

"Oh, it was just something Jou mentioned on the phone the other day. It seems that not all the members of his pack are okay with a vampire constantly being in the Alpha den. Regardless of his status in relation to said Alpha. So Jou wanted to know if there was a chance that he could get Seth to stop drinking from him, any at all to try to smooth things over a little. He just didn't want to be the one to ask him." Yugi's voice grew hoarse the more he talked, until it died out in a breathy whisper. Perhaps he should save his voice? Talking did hurt after all. And he had such wonderful translators standing nearby so why not?

And Seth was wrong in one aspect. Kaiba will do anything to keep Jou happy, and if giving up his blood to the vampire so Jou can sleep a little more easily at night helps towards that, he will do it.

Yugi made a motion at his mates to repeat what he just told them to Marcus. Yami finished Yugi's speech to Marcus. Then he walked over to the bed to sit down on it next to Yugi, taking his hand and lacing their fingers together. Yugi gave it a small squeeze as Samuel, Konner, and Zane appeared back in the room with the objects Isis had requested.

Isis grabbed the items from them. As Konner was turning though she splashed the bucket of water at his back making the vampire jump about a foot in the air. "I said it needed to be hot not lukewarm! Do it again!"

"Alright! Sorry." Konner snatched the bucket back from her mumbling something about women as he left.

"Yugi, you're going to stay here tomorrow," Atem said suddenly, "I don't want you in school."

And just like that, Yugi found his voice again, "I most certainly am not! If I miss one more day of school they're going to expel me! Tell me how miserable you want the next 2000 years of your life to be."

"Listen here you four I'm ordering you to keep him here until those wounds go away. Got it?" Atem's voice thundered without bothering to look behind him at the guards who were doing a head count on themselves.

"Yes, King we understand our orders," the three answered just before Konner walked back into the room. Yugi's eyes lit up as he just found the golden loophole.

"What do we understand?" Konner asked in confusion as he handed Isis the hot water. She set about cleaning Yugi's neck while trying not to smile. Everyone except Atem and Konner knew what had just happened and they hoped that neither clued the other in.

"Your primary orders."

"Yes King, I understand those. And if I should fail to complete them then I give you full permission to change my name to something starting with an 'A'."

Atem rolled his eyes at the joke, which even Yugi understood. 'A' named guards usually caused headaches for Marcus. Yugi bit his lip as Marcus cast a look towards him, he turned his eyes away as he knew he was going to be a reason for one of those headaches later on. Poor thing, he just felt horrible about it.

Isis finished cleaning his neck, and then put both of her hands on it like she was going to choke him. Yugi felt a slight tingling sensation and Isis pulled her hands away reaching for the neck brace. After putting it on she strapped the back support to him as well. Yugi felt very uncomfortable, but he thought maybe that was the point. Then she gently caressed his cheek before standing up and making a show of brushing her skirt off of any dirt or dust that might have accumulated there.

"Atem, Yami, please meet me in the other room while I gather some more things for the rest of his treatment process."

"What's wrong with in here?" Yami asked with a frown.

"Some of the items we need to put in the affected area are rather grotesque and Yugi is…well delicate to such talk of things."

Both nodded and walked into the other room.

"Konner."

"Yes Lady Isis?"

"I am so thankful for the hot water you brought me." She smiled at him before walking out too.

"Uh, you're welcome."

Marcus and Samuel were trying their best not to laugh as Zane threw an arm around his shoulders giving it a friendly shake. About five minutes later Isis's voice was heard in the other room.

"So just apply it every three hours okay?"

"Um, okay, but how is this grotesque exactly?" Atem asked in a confused.

"Oh, and this also needs to be applied, immediately."

"What needs-? Wait! No! Isis!"

WHUMP!

"H-hey, I have no prob-lem," Yami's voice sounded frantic.

WHUMP!

"So did you get that Konner?" Isis asked coming into the room. She handed him a small clay jar, "this needs to be applied every three hours to the area on his skin where the hideous bruising is."

"Uh, right, but what did you do to them?"

"Now, get Yugi to school. Just you and him today, and Alana will be stopping by to relieve you at midnight. I'm afraid these other guards have been given very strict orders and can't accompany you. But they should be arriving before the weeks out. Also, Yugi keep the neck brace on until the bruising completely disappears. Blink once if you understand me."

Yugi blinked once.

"Thank you."

"Did I miss something while I was getting the hot water?"

"Only a silly order saying we weren't allowed to escort Yugi to school," Zane said walking out of the room. "Nothing big really."

"Right so here's his bag, all packed, you play nice with the Prince now," Marcus said giving the bag to Konner who swung it up onto his shoulder after putting the clay jar into it.

"So I'm basically kidnapping the Prince now because I wasn't given the same orders as you three?"

"Yes, isn't it a great feeling? You get to rebel without getting in trouble!"

"Alright if you say so. Come on Yugi, let's go back to TU." Konner scooped him up as gently as he could and then left.

From his position Yugi had the perfect view of Yami's and Atem's slumped forms on the ground. Two syringes were on the floor next to them. Hornet blood. He'd have to get revenge for them against Isis later. Maybe. If he felt like it. For now though, it wasn't like he couldn't give them pleasant dreams.

Yugi closed his eyes, and started to weave together an image of a grassy plain with flowers, grass, and weeds that came up to his knees. There was a large tree in the background, the only one you could see for miles with wide reaching branches and green foliage creating a wide space of shade from the hot sun beating down on them. Atem appeared leaning up against the trunk of the tree. Yami's head popped up amongst the thick nature on the ground. He looked around for a moment before turning to Yugi.

"This is beautiful."

"Thanks, but I don't think it actually exists as I just kind of made it up."

"Isis is aware that I knew Kareem wasn't in the room when I gave that order, right?" Atem asked pushing off from the tree.

"I don't know Atem, you were pretty firm on your order," Yugi teased as he walked over to Yami offering him a hand up.

"I'm telling you Atem, one of these days she's going to try a coup d'état on us," Yami said grabbing Yugi's hand and got up by pulling him down. Yugi laughed as Atem hooked him under the arms and hoisted him up.

"Nah, I'll just send her to the Shadow Realm so she can take some time to cool off."

"No, Isis is the type of person who would rather sit in the background to take care of things then sit in the very center of it."

Both vampires smiled before hugging him. Yugi basked in the embrace for a moment before pulling away. Yugi grinned up at them.

"I'm so glad I could get a hug from you guys," Yugi said with a sigh as he started to back away from them. "For some reason right before I left you decided to take a nap. What was up with that?"

"C'mere!" they both shouted making a grab for him. Yugi danced out of the way and ran off through the field. When he heard them gaining speed on him he imagined up 600 lbs. weights on their legs.

"Ack!"

"Yugi!"

Yugi just laughed as he slowed down to a walk and turned around, but continuing to walk. He watched them making these huge exaggerated steps like what they did when they told the kids that the giant was coming to gobble them up.

"When we get a hold of you, and we will, you're in so much trouble," Atem threatened. It probably would have had more of an effect if he wasn't laughing so hard.

"Oh?"

"That's right!"

"And how will you get a hold of me from the other side of that cage?"

"Cage? What cage?" Yami asked standing up straight.

"Oh, oops, that's right give me one second."

Atem stood up straight as well, smacking Yami's chest as a cage of roots decorated with flowers sprung up around him. Yami examined the cage as he walked around it before going to Yugi's side and putting his arms around him.

"That is a mighty impressive cage, Yugi."

"Why thank you. I think it's a just punishment for his blasphemy earlier don't you?"

"Oh, very just."

"What blasphemy?" Atem asked, leaning his forehead again the nature bars of his cage.

"You said no school."

"Now we both know all efforts on my part would've been in vain. Isis would've taken you if it came down to it."

Yugi shrugged, "you still needed to be caged. It's a shame we don't have a camera."

Yami threw back his head with laughter. "Oh, Ryou would have a field day with the caption for this one too."

"Thank you for no human inventing a machine that can print out dreams or memories," Atem said looking to sky.

"We should get some 22nd century tech started on that right away," Yugi whispered into Yami's ear just as he was recovering with laughter. It sent him right back into fits of it.

"I am so glad that I'm not being punished too."

Yugi turned in Yami's arms, crossing his arms around his neck, "Yami, honey, none of this is your fault. You were simply caught in the crossfires of today." Yugi brought a hand down to cup his cheek before leaning up to kiss him. Yami's hands came up to his hips, guiding him closer as the two just made out.

"Are you serious? You're going to baby him? Is this day going to get any worse for me?"

Yugi sent an imaginary image of the ground disappearing under Atem's feet. The man screamed like he was on a rollercoaster ride and jumped onto the bars of the cage, clinging to them. Yugi broke the kiss as he bent over laughing, clutching his sides they hurt so much. He saw Atem testing the ground with his toe before gingerly putting his whole-body weight back onto it.

"What're you doing?" Yami asked walking towards him with garden shears. Wait, where did he get those?

"The ground disappeared! It was just a big black hole!"

"Oh, um," Yami paused as he watched his garden shears turn into a hundred monarchs that flew off in every direction, "hm butterflies. That's cute. Well, I was going to let you out but, butterflies. And if you're going to start having some mental breakdown in Yugi's twisted mind maybe you should stay behind bars a little longer."

"Nah, we can let him out," Yugi said walking over to stand by Yami.

"Are you sure that is wise? I mean you did make the ground disappear out from under his feet a moment ago."

"Oh yes, I am quite certain."

"Okay, you're move."

Yugi grinned at Atem which had him wishing he had thought of this mind world thingy first. And then he was at the top of a 60 ft. sunflower. With his back planted firmly against an elevator door. He slowly edged towards the outer layer of petals and looked down at the microscopic specs that were his mates, and quickly jerked back from the position to go back to the elevator.

"Atem just use the elevator. It'll be as smooth as the ride you had in getting up there. Won't feel a thing! Promise!" Yugi's voice shouted up to him. That made him want to take it even less.

"Maybe you should've made stairs instead," Yami commented loudly.

"Do you think he'd like those better?"

"Maybe, Atem would you like stairs better?"

"I want down better!"

"Well, it's either an elevator or stairs, pick one!"

"No! Just down!"

Yugi and Yami watched him rock back and forth on the floor of dandelions in front of them. And Yugi almost took pity on him for threatening his educational degree. Almost.

"So how high up does he think he is?" Yami asked, making Atem stop his rocking.

"Oh, just 60 ft.," Yugi replied.

"That's not too bad. That's like a frog leap for us."

"Really?"

"Yeah, he should be able to survive a fall like that."

"Should I put him up higher do you think?"

Atem slowly edged towards the edge of his flower floor again, and this time reached out to where the thin air should be and was rewarded with solid ground. Yugi was already backing up at a rapid pace. As Atem's entire vision cleared with a level ground, and he saw that he was sitting in a small forest of dandelions. Atem wasted no time in chasing after Yugi who already had a pretty good head start on him. Not to mention that he still had the weights on his legs.

"Get back here you imp of a human!"

"Come now, I promised you 2000 years of misery. What kind of mate would I be if I didn't get started right away?"

Atem stumbled as the weights on his legs jumped off in a legion of bunnies. He turned to look at Yami who was looking a little too interestedly at the sky above him. Then he darted after Yugi.

"Gotcha!"

"Ack! Impossible! Unless you had help."

"Yes, my help made the weights into a legion of bunnies."

"I see, the help needs to be punished."

"Really? And are you going to do it know or wait for the real world?"

"Revenge is better served as a cold entrée."

"YUGI! WHERE'S MY ELEVATOR?! WHY DO I HAVE TO DEAL WITH LEAF MADE STAIRS AND NO RAILING BESIDES?!" Yami screamed from behind them. They both turned towards him.

"Oh, there's no fields of dandelions. This must be the real thing."

"Yes, and he seemed to figure that out too."

Dandelions from the ground sprang up, and attached themselves to the leaves to form a railing for the Queen who was screaming at the top of his lungs. It was Yugi's mind he'd have heard him even if it was a mumble. That made Yugi grin, and he re-arranged the clouds to spell it out for him.

Immediately after though, Yugi felt like his whole world was pressing in around him. Like it was becoming smaller and more cramped. Atem gasped and held onto Yugi tighter as he started to fall. Yami came over to stand by their sides a few seconds later.

"Yugi let one of us take over now. You're exhausted."

Yugi's breathes were coming in short gasps, "no I think I just better sleep." Before his eyes could even close though a stinging sensation across his face jerked him out of his own subconscious.

"Welcome back to the living!" Alana announced as she turned and walked away. Yugi looked at the clock to see that it read 3:01 am. What was that woman's problem? Yugi flopped back down onto the bed, and fell asleep to another average dream of his mates dressed up like sexy bunnies.

[Time skip]

Yugi wandered out into the living room to see Alana and Hana racing on his PlayStation. Shaking his head he went into the kitchen to fix himself a bowl of cereal, and then came back to stand behind them.

"So why did you slap me this morning, Alana?" Yugi asked.

Both of the girls screamed as they jumped. Hana paused the game, and looked over the back of the couch at him.

"Because you weren't breathing," Alana growled at him, as she too turned to look at him.

"That's what CPR is for."

"Which you're not supposed to do if the heart is still beating. And besides, can't say I'm really familiar with the amount of strength that one uses on a human anyway."

"But you know the proper amount of application of a slap for one?"

"You can thank Lawrence for that."

"Who?"

"He was in one of your classes last year. Doesn't understand the meaning of leave me alone I am working. Or no, not interested in your ugly ass. The guy was a nuisance, but after a couple of hits I finally got the strength measured just right."

"Which was fortunate for Alana, not so much for our dear King and Queen," Hana added, dropping into the conversation.

"Why?"

"His parents were sue happy."

"Seriously? Please tell me they won? My mates I mean."

"Never even reached them. That's someone else's job to handle. So far down on the chain, no one even knows their name. We just know they're really good at their job. Because they sued for $14,000,000.00, and received $4,000.00. Apparently that just covered the bills for his trip to the hospital."

"Hm, sounds fair. At least the damages were covered." Yugi turned and went back to his room.

"Yeah, ze first one, ze rest were concluded as pre-existing conditions, and weren't covered by ze insurance company zey had," a new voice said.

Yugi poked his head back out of his room to see who had walked in uninvited…by him. "Yesenia!"

"Wah!" she jumped a foot in the air. Her voice had a heavy Russian accent to it, and wasn't at all what Yugi expected her to be speaking in. "Human! You know not who you are messing wiz! I am trained assassin! I could kill you!"

"Oh yeah? And what has that gotten you in life so far?"

The other two girls were laughing as she grumbled some language under her breath. It was the same one he heard Atem and Yami speaking sometimes. That old one.

"Tell me, are you ready to see Marcus lose a bet for once?"

"Zey tell me about zis. Ze ozers. It is true zen? You know all our names, and plan to make spectacle of zem?"

"You don't want the world to know that I appreciate all of you looking after me?"

"Ze world does not need to know my real name. I be going back to regular job after graduation."

"Oh, then I'll do it at a private affair. I wouldn't want you to be in any danger as a world class renowned assassin."

"Ze human makes jokes."

"A secret assassin?"

"Can you guess who ze ozer on your guard team is?"

"I have two?!"

She nodded.

"Man, I'm going to have re-evaluate everyone."

Yesenia laughed before whispering something into Hana's ear who sighed and they both left. Yugi rushed over and picked up Hana's controller and continued to race Alana in her place. Glancing over at her, he could already see a game on face coming together on her features.

This was how Marcus, Samuel, Konner, and Zane found them four hours later when they came into the apartment. Both of them were threatening the other as they both pulled ahead and fell behind. Marcus picked up the remote and switched the TV off causing both to whirl around and yell profanities at him.

"Yugi needs to get ready for class. Unless that College Degree isn't as important as he claimed it was?" Marcus replied in his defense.

Yugi's eyes switched over to the clock, gave a small yelp, and rushed about the apartment in a flurry of movements. Konner grabbed his arm at one point and applied some gooey thing on his neck before forcing the neck brace on him, and then letting him leave the apartment.

"Think he'll keep it on?" Alana asked as Marcus caught the door. Marcus shrugged before following after him.

Yugi sat in the passenger seat thoroughly unpleased as Marcus escorted him to TU. This had Atem written all over it. Vampires and they're over worrying natures.

Now, Yugi, we both know you can't turn your head in that neck brace. It's safer if Marcus drives. For you and anyone else on the road.

My truck.

Just deal with it.

This is a conversation between Atem and me, Yami. You just stay in the white room, okay?

Ha ha ha ha!

Oh, so we're fighting again already, huh?

Don't worry I hear make up sex is the best.

Yugi didn't need to be in the room to know what Atem was doing right now. He'd seen him do it so many times it almost seemed to him to be an unconscious action now. Palm, face, and breathing exercises. He'd seen him do it to Yami too, just not as often. Poor thing was trying to keep control of his wild and rampaging hormones, Yugi was sure of it.

Ha ha ha ha, that commentary is priceless. You're right though, that is exactly what he's doing.

Well, I gotta go we're at TU. Questions shall follow me everywhere.

Yugi wasn't wrong, almost as soon as he stepped onto campus, everybody was asking what happened to his neck. He answered with a simple phrase. My vampire's healer is a paranoid woman and forced it on me after one of the vampires got a little rough the night before last. Fewer people asked what happened after that.

Marcus was laughing his head off. He thought it was a brilliant way to make everyone uncomfortable, and not allow the supernaturals a chance to second guess him. However, it was only a matter of time until this got back to Atem and Yami, oh, he wished he was there to see their faces. He really did.

Yugi turned his phone off and put up a new kind of barrier in his mind. Sort of like a cave. Now, whatever they had to say would come right back to them like an echo. Oh, this was going to be fun.

Yugi was halfway through class when he felt them talking to him. It was sort of weird actually, it was like a caress of his mind, only to hit halfway and rebound back the same way. There was a feeling of pause before he felt it again. It was a very funny feeling, and this whole echo idea was something he didn't think he was ever going to do again. Mostly because he was trying his best not to laugh out loud in class at the overwhelming feeling of confusion he felt over the link.

Yugi stumbled out of class and into Samuel who quickly grabbed him as he collapsed into fits of laughter. He was laughing so hard his sides hurt. And all the while Samuel just stood there wondering as to what could possibly be this funny? When he had calmed down enough he took down the echo barrier as he had started to call it so he could finally hear what they were saying.

Yugi, stop mimicking us, it's not funny.

Ech-o. Yugi thought before he collapsed into fits of laughter again.

Echo?

Our voices were echoing back. Damn it, Yugi! How many times must I tell you to not abuse the mind link?

That sobered him up. I wasn't. It was a barrier.

You know what? Forget it. Just answer us a question why are vampires across all nations of social media accusing us of abusing you?

Oh, they interpreted what I said that way?

What did you say?

Geez, people need to get their heads out of their asses.

What did you say?

I mean if anything they should be throwing Isis under the bus not you. I mean did I say I didn't enjoy it? Geez.

Exact sentence, Yugi.

Come to my bed tonight and I'll show you the exact sentence.

Oh, Ra…

Why should Isis be under a bus?

Uh, I have a neck brace on and I told the world she was paranoid cause ya'll got a little rough with me the other night.

You're terrible.

You love it.

Can't you just behave for once?

No.

Well, it was worth a shot.

So, do I get to show you my sentence?

Unfortunately not. You'll have to show us a different time.

Yeah whatever, I've got school work anyway. See you Friday.

So grumpy.

I love you Atem, but sometimes you can be a burden on my sexual prowess.

Ha ha ha ha ha!

Yeah, well we'll see what you think after Friday.

Sure I will.

I'll show you a real sexual prowess encounter.

Of course you will Tem, after you come up with a hundred excuses of why you won't.

Just be home before six or you'll miss most of the show.

Is that a challenge?

No. A promise.

I definitely won't be seeing anything Friday then. Um, Samuel is getting impatient, I've gotta go. Night, love you both.

Love you too, Beautiful.

I love you, Yugi.

Yugi finally pulled himself out of Samuel's arms, and straightened out his clothes slightly before handing off his backpack to the vampire. Samuel took it without question swinging it up onto his back as he followed his slightly exuberant charge down the hallway.

"Why are you so giddy?"

"Cause Atem said he'd show me a real sexual prowess encounter on Friday."

"Sorry I asked. What was so funny earlier?"

"Oh, I put up a new barrier type. A kind of echoing cave like barrier."

"In other words their words just bounced back to them. That explains the text."

"What text?"

"The one Marcus got, before he put me in charge of you."

"What did it say?"

"Something about you being a smartass human."

"Sure the word wasn't imp?"

"Nope I'm certain I saw smartass on the screen before Marcus turned away."

"Oh dear, whatever am I going to do with their insolence?"

"You made them talk back to themselves and you're calling them insolent?"

"Absolutely."

"You know, Yugi, you're really weird."

"Aww, thanks Samuel. I'll take that compliment any time," Yugi said back bowing to him. As he did so he felt the Velcro come off on the back of the neck brace, and the thing fell to the ground.

"HEY!" Samuel shouted.

"Wow, they really did get rough with you, didn't they?" a harsh voice asked above him.

Yugi quickly swiped the neck brace off the floor, and put it back on. He then turned to face his attacker. It was a random man Yugi had never seen before, but apparently Samuel had as he pulled Yugi behind him, and crouched low in front of him.

"Get out of here before I tell Marcus, Arturo," Samuel growled.

"What did I do? His neck brace fell off on its own when he bowed to you. Imagine that, having your boss bow to you. Who would've thunk it."

"Samuel isn't my subordinate, he's my friend!" Yugi cried out, thumping his arms down onto Samuel's back pushing him lower to the ground.

"Friend? Don't be ridiculous. He was put on this Earth to serve the high family of vampires, he and all of his little pack. Besides, what sane vampire would ever want to be friends with a weak human like you?"

"You know what, Arturo? I just realized something," Samuel stated slowly standing up.

"Which is what?" Arturo asked.

"You're not even worth it. Come on, Yugi, let's go home."

"Okay."

"Oh, and I am sorry to have wasted the time of the great and powerful majestically wise superior being Yugi Mutou," Samuel said flourishing out into a low bow, the back of his hand brushing the ground. "I only pray you can forgive me?" Samuel asked, looking up at Yugi with amusement dancing in his eyes. They all knew how much Yugi hated long drawn out titles that he was certain had nothing to do with him.

"I'm going to hit you in a moment if you don't get up," Yugi said lunging at him laughing. Samuel dodged the attack and took off running at a human pace. They'd learned what Yugi's exact range of reach and speed was a long time ago and made sure to stay just out of reach of both. Samuel used a vampire step in-between every six human running spaces, but he seemed to have miscalculated one.

"Gotcha!" Yugi said tackling the vampire down two flights of stairs. Samuel was so surprised he didn't even have enough time to adjust the human so he got a minimum amount of damage from the fall. So by the time they hit the ground, Samuel was sure they had an equal amount of bruises. Only his would be gone before they could even form. Yugi on the other hand…oh, Samuel was in so much trouble.

Yugi just laughed as he lay there under Samuel, who had one arm wrapped around his waist, and one of his knees between Yugi's. Should anyone walk by this indeed would be seen as a very compromising position.

"Could you not get me next time while at the top of a flight of stairs?"

Yugi rolled out of his grip, laughing even harder, so much so he couldn't even stand. Samuel had no idea what was so funny, but since he was relatively still, did a quick check over of any injuries he might have incurred.

"Ow!" Yugi cried out, still laughing, as Samuel probed his right hand. He looked at it properly and discovered that his pinkie was bent in an unnatural position. Adrenaline must be keeping the pain at bay. He also had a cut on his cheek, and the neck brace was missing. Joy.

"Yugi, did you have your neck brace on before or after you tackled me?"

"Huh?" Yugi asked as a few giggly hiccups escaped him. He reached up to find the neck brace not there. "Uh, I don't remember?" Yugi looked around Samuel and up the staircase. He couldn't see any trace of it.

Samuel sighed, standing up to go check the stairs. Even the hall they'd just run down proved fruitless. Damn it, they couldn't very well wrap bandages around his neck, that would be way to obvious. Maybe Rebecca had something. Ra knew Yugi gave her plenty of ideas for her research, and successful creations.

When Samuel returned, he had to hold back a wince as Yugi had been surrounded by vampires, and all were trying to baby him. As soon as they saw Samuel though, they swarmed him instead, asking a thousand questions about his main injury. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Yugi tiptoeing off. Samuel was going to murder that human when he was done here.

Yugi skipped all the way to the car where Konner was already sitting in the driver's seat. Stupid Samuel tattling on him. Or maybe this had been prearranged. Either way, he would like to drive his own truck at some point during the week.

"Man, I can't believe Marcus lost that bet," Konner said, shaking his head.

"What bet?" Yugi asked. Why hadn't he been privy to the bet?

"He said you wouldn't take the neck brace off due to respect of your mate's dignity. Especially after your rough bed joke."

"Oh no, he's still right about that."

"What?"

"It fell off somewhere, but I'm sure Samuel found it and will be giving it back to us just as soon as he gets away from the heavy crowd surrounding him."

"Yeah, that might take a while, which was why he texted me."

"So he is a tattletale. Jerk."

"Yeah, well he says he's going to kill you later."

"Oh, really? Well, how is he going to do it, and where is he going to stash me? I want all the details beforehand."

"He's right, you are being weird today," Konner said putting the car into reverse and pulling out of the space before throwing her into drive and peeling out of the parking lot.

"Hey, Konner."

"Hm?"

"Who else do I have in my group of guards that's a trained assassin?"

Konner slammed on the brakes. "WHAT?!"

"Yesenia said I had two guards that were trained assassins."

"That's need to know, Yugi, and it's not something you need to know."

"Why not?"

"It just isn't. Atem and Yami had their reasons for doing what they did, and can you blame them? I mean with so many people who've come after you in the past, can you blame them for being paranoid?" Konner waved at the long line of honking vehicles behind him and started to move the car again.

"No, I guess not. I just wanted to know."

"Put it from your mind."

"Was it Arthur?"

"No, that idiot barely made it into the Royal Guard. But then again the criteria was so much less then."

"Really? What's the criteria now?"

"Why? Are you thinking of joining?"

"I just might someday."

"Alright, I'll inform the King and Queen you want to be transformed, and that your relationship with them is over."

"Huh?"

"You can't be married and be part of the Royal Guard. Nor can you have children. This issue has been so conflicting in the past, that it's just better this way now."

"Widow maker," Yugi whispered.

"Well, that's one way of doing it. Faking your own death should you be married. Or the other way is to kill your family, even the children."

"Why?"

"It's just the way it is, Yugi. That's why I know you'll never be a Royal Guard, let alone a guard at all. You must give up all rights to all marriages upon entering the Academy."

"But Marcus and his girl, I was hoping to see their wedding one day."

"You won't. She knows she will never be married to Marcus, and should she bare any of his children she will have to take herself and the babe and go into hiding. To a place that not even Marcus will be able to track them down. We all have lost children, Yugi. Sometimes they join the academy too, and are discovered, but as long as we don't claim them then it is considered to be an incorrect gene pool. And they're given a name from a different man off of some random list."

"So, loopholes, basically. You don't get to enjoy Fatherhood, but still have the pride of being one."

"Very good. Most don't understand that."

"And I have a feeling that none of the Royal Guard looks very hard for the girls or their young anyway."

"So it's common to give up after a 20 mile range and a 14 day period of time. Big deal. As long as they're out of the city, Atem and Yami don't really care anymore."

"You just have to get them out of the city. I'm sure they're well aware that you aid them in this quest."

"Oh they're aware of it alright, Yami was the one who suggested it."

"It makes me want to start a foundation."

"For what?"

"For Mothers of the Guard. I'm going to do that. A foundation for Mothers of the Guard."

"Oh boy, what did I do?"

[Time skip]

"So what do you think?" Yugi asked the vampire council after turning the lights back on.

"Who told you?" Atem asked as Yami dismissed the entire council.

"Told me what?" Yugi asked back.

"Don't play stupid now," Atem said advancing on him.

"Atem, you're really going to have to be more specific. Told me what?" Yugi backed away from Atem until his back hit the wall.

"The Mothers of the Guard. Or should we really name this the Wives of the Guard?" Yami asked as he took Yugi's flash drive out of the PC.

"My homework is on there!" Yugi said just quickly enough so Yami didn't crush the flash drive into dust.

"The system may not be perfect, Yugi, but it's a system that works. Has been working from long before you were born."

"Children are meant to have two parents, not one."

"Any guard who wants to leave their service with us has the option to. Should their family become more important they have the choice of leaving. No one is forcing them to stay."

"Oh wow! You completely missed the entire point of the slideshow!"

"We did?" they asked together as Yami put the flash drive on the table.

"This isn't for your guards! It's for the Mothers! The guards are merely the deliverers."

"I don't understand," Yami said.

"Your guards open an account near where the one holding their child is, and put money into it to help them raise their child," Yugi said in exasperation. He slid down the wall in a huff, thus missing the look that Yami and Atem shared saying, they hadn't missed one point in his slideshow. "I mean it's bad enough that they have to flee for their life and the life of the child, why should they have to pay for all those expenses alone too! It's not fair to them! The guards should step up, and pay for half of their child's life! It's the responsi-mmph!" a hand cupped his chin and lips covered his.

Do you honestly think you're the first one to have thought of that?

I'm not?

"No, Yugi," Yami sighed, "there's already an idea like that in place."

Yugi pushed Atem away, "I didn't find anything in my research!"

"Yes, because despite what people believe we actually do have a few intelligent people working for us."

"Oh?" Yugi asked trying not to smile.

"Are you saying we're not intelligent, Yami?" Atem asked looking over at him.

"It was implied."

"I didn't hear it. What he's trying to say is that we have military grade witness protection service fees for any woman that is reported by the guard to be bearing their child. Money is routed through there and to the expecting party. It's all under table so to speak. It can't be taxed on Mom's end because by the time it gets to her it's labeled as child support. However, a few of our guards see hefty taxes for unexplainable purchases like expensive cars, TVs, houses, renovations, whatever is pricey and won't look out of place on a Tax report."

"So, what if the guard doesn't report the child? The Mother will see none of these expensive purchases?"

"Yugi, the only reason why a guard wouldn't report it is because A: the female didn't tell him, B: he was too drunk to remember them even having sex, or C: he's an ass."

"Do you have a lot of asses in the guard?"

"None I regret being rid of. If C or B, we do a DNA test and if there is a confirmation we get the guard to do it on B, or if C the guard is dismissed from duty, and he still has to pay child support or we will report him for child neglect."

"When you say we, do you mean someone below you?"

"No, we mean those intelligent people who are really good at their jobs we were talking about earlier," Yami said.

"Yes, someone below us," Atem said with a grin.

"You know," Yugi sighed pushing Atem away, and getting up to go back over to the table, "my plan looks juvenile to the one you have set up."

"Hey, that doesn't matter," Yami said, wrapping his arms around Yugi's waist. "What matters is that you tried. Not that we'd expect anything less than a half-baked plan from you. It's what you're best at."

"Yami?"

"Yes?"

"You're headed in the correct direction for a smack across the face."

Beepbeep. beepbeep. beepbeep.

"What's that for?"

"Oh, the meeting. I've gotta go!" Yugi quickly grabbed his PC and flash drive before hightailing out of the throne room.

"How many meetings does he have today?" Yami asked.

"Three, so far. This morning, this, and now another one. Geez, who knew finding a teaching job would be so hard?" Atem responded as he took down the rest of Yugi's set up.

Yugi rushed through the building, good thing he still had his suit from earlier on. He sure hoped this meeting led to a job for him. He'd already had 22 interviews so far this semester, and with it being April already he was running out of time to find the right post for his field. Good thing he was better at interviews than he was at making plans.

Yugi hopped into his truck and raced across town, to the High School he was applying at. He made it ten minutes before the meeting just as he planned. Yugi sat on a small chair next to a young gothic punk girl who was also waiting to see the principal.

"So, what're you in for?" she asked, her voice coming out higher than Yugi expected it to.

"Math teacher interview."

"Oh, they filled it already."

"What?!" Yugi yelled just as the principal opened the door.

"Yeah, with some chick named Kunai Sensei. Kunai, that is a kick ass name right there. What's yours?"

"Thank you, Miss Stevens, you can come in and explain to me why you're not wearing your uniform on the second Monday of the month again. Mr. Mutou, I do apologize, but I was certain I sent you an email saying the interview was cancelled."

"I'm sorry Hiro Sensei, I must've missed it during the week."

"That's alright, these things happen."

"I already told you Hiro Sensei, it's for casual Monday."

"We don't have a casual Monday," Hiro responded, in slight exasperation, as the door shut.

Great, now what was he supposed to do for the next two hours of his life? Maybe he should go get something to eat. His mates would have a field day with him if he skipped lunch and breakfast. Yeah, he should get something to eat.

After having a club sandwich that tasted like it'd been sitting out for a couple of days, a box of grapes that had been sitting in a bucket of bleach, and a chai tea that he was sure had been sitting for at least half a day before it was given to him, Yugi was on his way to his next interview.

Yugi sat before the principal as he looked over his resume, and then back at him with slivered eyes. Then he looked down at his desk before standing up.

"Thank you Mr. Mutou for applying here at our school, but we're looking for a seasoned teacher, not someone straight out of grad school."

"I'm not coming from grad school, I'm coming from a top educated University!"

"Regardless, you need at least three years of experience to work here with us."

"Yes, thank you for seeing me. Goodbye." Yugi and the principal shook hands before departing. As soon as Yugi was in his car he hit the horn a couple of times in frustration. His door jerked open, and Zane slid in the car.

"Hey, why're you attacking your poor truck with an unusual amount of violence?"

"That's the fifth time, Zane! The fifth time I've been overlooked for a job because I don't have enough experience for it!"

"Okay, calm down. Beating up Betsy isn't going to solve anything."

"Who's Betsy?"

"That's what your guard has named your truck. I was hoping for Alonzo, but was hopelessly out voted."

"Betsy was the best someone came up with it?"

"Marcus said it looked like a Betsy and no one but Konner and I were willing to disagree with him."

"What was Konner's choice?"

"Alonzo, and I agreed with him."

Yugi sighed, shaking his head, he must be wearing off on his guards. He certainly couldn't imagine them doing this before he met them. Then again maybe they did, he'd have to ask his mates, and find out.

"Can you hand me my phone, Zane?"

"Here."

"Alright, I have nothing left to do today. Want to go to the beach?"

"Yugi, it's 40 degrees out."

"I didn't say go in the water, just go to the beach."

"No. We need to get you home."

"I don't feel like it."

"All the more reason for you to go home."

"I just want to go to the beach," Yugi sighed.

"Then go with your family," Zane said, moving Yugi out of the driver's seat, and into the passenger one.

Yugi gave a groan of frustration, exasperation, or maybe defeat, Zane wasn't exactly sure. He just knew he suddenly had an unbuckled human with their head in his lap. Zane wasn't exactly adverse to it, but he was certain neither Atem nor Yami would be thrilled with the position.

"Yugi, you need to sit up."

"No."

"What?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because you might not be as comfy as Yami is, but I just need another human right now."

"So you'd prefer Malik's company?"

"Yeah, I kind of would actually."

"Great, sit up and call your best friend."

"No, it's not the same."

"You're being impossible."

"And this is different from normal because?"

"Just sit up."

"No."

"I am not leaving this parking lot until you sit up."

"Guess we're going to stay here all night then."

"Sit. Up."

"Make. Me."

Zane grabbed Yugi by the back of his jacket, and threw him with just a little bit too much force to the other side of the vehicle. Yugi went through the window, and landed on the asphalt face first with a rain of glass falling around him. By the time he stood up to give Zane a piece of his mind he was long gone. Smart vampire. He still expected a new window though.

Yugi spat some blood out of his mouth, before reaching into the car, ripping his jacket on some glass sticking up, and pulling out his phone. He opened his bed, climbed into it, and dialed Marcus's number.

"Hm?"

"Is Zane PMSing?"

"No, why?"

"He just tossed me out of my own truck."

"…"

"Marcus?"

"In what way?"

"Uh, in the tossing, I need a new window way?"

Crunch! Bzzt! Shhhhhh!

"Uh, Marcus? Hello? Hello?"

Yugi pulled the phone away from his ear as the static sound continued to emit from it. Sighing, he hung up and tried Yami's. No answer, in fact the line sounded busy, and then there was a brush of air, and Atem was standing in front of him.

"Hey, Handsome," Yugi said nervously.

"Wish I could say the same about you."

"What? I'm hurt, Atem. You don't find me pretty anymore?"

Atem sighed, taking his face in his hands, he pulled him close until he licked over one spot on his forehead. Then he checked him over for anymore life threatening injuries, but the rest were just minor scrapes and bruises.

"Zane got lucky."

"Is he the one talking to Yami right now?"

"Yes," Atem said looking down at his phone. He declined the call and then turned his phone off. A different phone was going off a few seconds later. "He's lucky that he told us first and not let someone else do it. Like Marcus for example. Called him first did you?"

"What kind of friend would I be to Zane if I didn't give him a chance to confess all his sins to you first?"

"One of kind, Yugi," Atem said as he ignored the music in his front coat pocket, and picked him up and carried him back into the inside of his truck.

Atem drove them home, glancing over at Yugi constantly. As soon as they were there, Atem picked Yugi back up, and Yugi in turn used his position to go searching through Atem's pockets to find that horrible phone which refused to remain silent.

"Marcus I swear, you just can't take a hint can you?" Yugi said in the form of a greeting.

"I-what? How did you get this phone?"

"Took it off of Atem."

"Then why didn't he answer it?!"

"Driving and talking on the phone is against the law, silly. And now he's carrying the precious cargo. You wouldn't want him to drop me, now would you? Haven't I suffered enough already today?"

Atem snorted, trying to contain his laughter as he walked into Isis's chambers calm as a cucumber where she and Yami were already waiting for them. Molly stood by with tweezers, and a metal pan. Zane was sitting on a bed a few rows over. He was looking anywhere but at them. Yugi would deal with him later. Right now he needed to be mended.

Isis swept her eyes over Yugi before motioning to the bed next to Zane. Atem smirked as he sat Yugi down there. Molly rushed over shoving her pan into Zane's hands before starting to pull all the gravel from the side of his face.

"Don't worry Zane, Atem and Yami have decided to leave your punishment up to me. Marcus will take no part in it what-so-ever."

"I want this in a formal order please!" Marcus yelled through the earpiece.

"Ow, that's my ear."

We are?

Yes. I was hurt, he's my guard, and my decision for a punishment is the only one that matters.

Okay, have at it.

Yami!

His plans are always half-baked, Atem. What're we worried about?

Hm, true as that might be, those half-baked plans can cause a lot of trouble.

Then we'll just leave it to his other guards to take care of whatever mess is left behind.

Don't you worry I have the perfect one in mind.

Share with us?

Jell-O.

At least it's not us.

"Hello, I'm still waiting for a formal order here," Marcus's voice said, interrupting Yugi's next thought.

"Oh, I'll give you one," Atem said, snatching the phone from him.

"You're not really going to leave me at his mercy, are you?" Zane asked imploringly of Yami.

Yami grinned, leaning down to his level, "absolutely. And why shouldn't we? You're his guard after all. If you were to leave it up to anyone else, they'd probably send you to the racks or the academy to teach for a year. Just like Hotsuma was by Marcus. Trust me, you're getting off easy here."

"I am? Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"There, you're all done and healed," Isis said pulling her hand off his arm.

"Huh, that was quicker than usual. Look Zane, I wasn't as injured as either one of us thought I was!" Yugi grinned at the vampire who just sighed shaking his head

"Okay, Muhtaram?" Atem asked, before chuckling and hanging up.

"So, I don't have any interviews on Friday," Yugi started, he had Yami's and Atem's immediate attention, "and I was thinking that after I was done dealing with Zane, the three of us could go out and do something with the kids."

"That sounds perfect," Atem sighed.

"What did you have in mind?" Yami asked.

Yugi shrugged. He really didn't have anything in mind, he just wanted to spend some time with his family.

"You just worry about your interviews then, and Yami and I will figure something out."

"Really? With everything that you have on your plate this week? When are you going to have the time?" Isis demanded.

"We always make time for plans when we plan on shirking our duties," Yami said with a grin in Isis's direction.

She rolled her eyes, before walking away. Molly laughed lightly following after her. She caught up to Isis and said something quietly to her which made her laugh and wrap Molly up in a hug. Then the two went into Isis's office.

"Is Molly Isis's food source?" Yugi asked.

"No," Atem and Yami responded together.

"Her apprentice?"

"No."

"Her employee?"

"Yes."

"Hm, why does she have a human employee?"

"Because most of her patients are human these days," Atem responded lazily. "It's nice to have one around in case a new disease or something pops up."

"Oh," Yugi said, shrugging as he walked out of Isis's chambers.

Atem and Yami stayed a moment longer to see if Isis was okay with their lie about Molly. All they saw of her though was a hand wave up and down outside of her office door. Yeah, she was fine with it, far better than the truth anyway.

"Do I really need to be punished?" Zane whined, as he followed Yugi. "I mean, can't I just replace your window and we'll call it even?"

"Would you rather Marcus deals with your insubordination?"

"I'm not sure. You're both pretty crafty when it suits you."

"Those are your two options of poison, Zane. You need to choose one."

Zane sighed, "Fine, I'll take yours."

"I thought you might. We're going to have lots of fun! Just make sure you're here Friday morning at 8:01 am sharp, okay?"

"Why one minute after?"

"Because that's when you usually show up. Best way to make sure you're punctual is to stick to your habits."

"Smartass human!" Zane said grabbing him in a headlock and giving him a noogie.

"Ack! Atem! Zane is injuring me again!"

"I don't know. I'd hardly consider this an injury," Atem replied as he appeared and leaned over to investigate Yugi's claims.

Yugi sprung his puppy dog eyes on him as soon as they were level with his, and Atem just balked. Then he grabbed Yugi's arm, and flicked Zane's forehead. The poor man went flying past Yami who was walking casually down to them.

"We'll see you on Friday, Zane," Yami said as he passed.

"Yeah," Zane responded, re-positioning his body to land like a cat on the far wall. Then he dropped to the floor and strolled off.

Yugi reached out for Yami's hand, and the latter gave it to him. Sighing, he leaned back against Atem just swinging their hands back and forth. It took a moment for someone to voice it.

"Passed over again?" Yami asked, threading their fingers together.

"Yes," Yugi replied in a miserable whine.

Atem and Yami sighed, wondering if this was ever going to end. Yami yanked him forwards into his chest, just holding the back of his head as he cried in frustration and misery. They knew how badly Yugi wanted this job, and he seemed to have no luck in getting it. Honestly, how did these people expect him to get experience in teaching in a classroom, by himself, if they didn't give him the opportunity to?

Yugi pulled away from Yami to look up at him. "Are you two busy right now?"

"No, not for the rest of the night," Atem replied.

"Then come, I want to do something," Yugi said, taking their hands in his and leading them away.

"Shouldn't you be getting back?" Yami asked.

"Probably, but I want to do this first."

"So, Yugi, we were wondering if you've had any success yet in finding a new nanny for the children."

"I have one interview on Saturday, and if I'm not successful then I'm handing the reins back over to the staff. Who knew there were so many pushovers in the nanny business?"

Atem and Yami just laughed as Yugi led them outside. They stopped laughing as Yugi led them through the small wooded area.

"Yugi, where are you taking us?" Atem asked.

"Come and see."

"If Zane didn't want you to go to the beach then what makes you think we will?"

"I just need a bit of fresh sea air, that's all. A bit of tranquility."

"Yugi, it's too cold," Yami protested freeing his hand.

Atem let go too, and grabbed Yugi, pulling his back to his chest. "Come back to the Palace with us?"

Yugi gently pushed Atem away, and continued on walking. Atem and Yami sighed and followed. They could feel it seeping over the link, and didn't like it one bit. Depression. Thick and heavy, like a growing storm cloud. The more no's he received the thicker it got. The more it seeped into their strong link. His dream, crumbling at his feet, and there wasn't a thing they could do about it short of buying him a job at a school. Yugi would never forgive them. It was something they already knew if they did do that.

Yugi walked down the path and stopped at the edge of the water. He wanted nothing more than to submerse himself in the frigid temperatures of the waves. Like Yami did on Christmas Eve, but with the two shadows behind him he'd be grabbed before he could even get the tip of his shoe wet. So he sat on the damp sand and just watched the tide roll in and out.

"Yugi," Atem said after some time had passed.

"Yeah?"

"Can we go back now?"

Yugi looked over his shoulder at them, "Why don't you sit with me instead?"

Yami shook his head, stuffing his hands in his pockets and looking away. Atem sighed, unfolding his arms from across his chest, and walking forwards he bent down and scooped Yugi up. Yugi for his part didn't even protest, just laid his head down on his shoulder.

"Yugi, why don't you take a break from having interviews for a day or two?" Yami suggested as gently as he could. "They're tearing you apart inside."

Yugi completely ignored him and changed the subject, "So, Atem is today the day that I finally appreciate your self-control?"

"I'd imagine you'd appreciate it more if you didn't appreciate my other attributes better. I mean if you can appreciate those far less, then you'll see sense in my self-control."

"Not likely to happen anytime soon. If you want, I can appreciate your self-control on our honeymoon next year?"

"Now, that's the last place that it needs to be appreciated."

Yami made a slight sound of laughter next to them, before walking ahead of them but backwards. "Are you just going to ignore me?"

"That was the idea," Yugi said, nodding. "Oh, and Yami?"

"Yes?"

"Tree."

Yami spun around just in time to take a face full of bark. Atem winced putting Yugi back on his feet to inspect Yami's face. Yami swatted his hands away before turning to Yugi with a glare. Yugi gave him his cutest most innocent look in his arsenal.

"Thanks for the warning, Dear."

"Anytime, Ami."

"So, what are you going to do if you can't get a teaching position?"

"I don't know. Help Grandpa out in the shop until I can I guess."

"Will that make you happy though?"

"I'll be content."

"I suppose contentment is all we can ask for. Come on, let's go back." Yami wrapped an arm around his shoulders and started to lead him away. "Also, it's a good thing I'm a vampire or else I might have been subjected to Atem licking my face again to get rid of any injuries I incurred from the tree."

Yugi burst out in laughter, as he glanced behind him at Atem. "Yes, your memory of that makes me appreciate Isis so much more."

"Don't be daft. You like it when we clean you up," Yami replied, nipping his neck.

Yugi pushed Yami away in a playful manner before taking off towards the Palace. Seriously though, that was all he could be if he didn't get a teaching position. Content, until he could. For their sakes he would be content.

[Time Skip]

"Your serious, Akiha Sensei?! It's mine?!" Yugi shouted in joy.

"Under one condition," Akiha replied nodding.

"Which is what?"

"You must hold down a real job, not at your Grandpa's shop, for a full year."

"What? Why?"

"Because Kairi isn't retiring until next year. So this gives you an opportunity to work on your people skills. The job is your regardless, she won't allow anyone else to take it, but on my own terms you have to hold down one random job for the next year. Traveling with your mates isn't a real job either. You need to be working at some type of retail business."

"Technically my Grandpa is in the retail business."

"You know the manager too well."

"Oh alright, I'll get a real taxpaying job."

"That's all I ask. And then in the year 2022 the job is yours."

"Thank you, so much," Yugi said, getting up to shake the man's hand.

"I didn't have much choice in the matter. I simply hope that you don't destroy my school while teaching here. I may not have been able to expel you, but I can fire you."

"I shall keep all disturbances to my classroom only."

Akiha rolled his eyes, before walking over to the door and opening it. "Out. And in with the four of you. I swear these four are like you and your friends all over again."

"I can't wait to come back," Yugi said with a grin before hugging Akiha and leaving.

"Who was that?" One of the students asked.

"A troublemaker. Just like you four."

Yugi was practically skipping down the hallways as he made his way to his truck. It was Thursday, and he had a guaranteed job as a teacher. Yes, it was a little over a year away, but nothing was going to be able to dampen his mood today. Not even the class he had tonight. Grinning from ear to ear, Yugi climbed into his truck and left Domino High. Who would've thought that of all places it would be his old High School where he got his teaching job? Even he hadn't been able to predict that outcome.

Making a quick stop at the Palace, Yugi snuck into the throne room from the back, unintentionally dropping in on a private meeting going on between the King, Queen, and two scientists from North Carolina.

"So, you see you have no worries where this is concerned. Even if one could penetrate your human in a sexual way, he can conceive no children except through yourselves. A human must say the words to create the womb, but a womb can only be created after the mating ritual has been completed, and children can only be conceived with the ones they performed that ritual with."

"Oh, well then, Atem you owe Yugi an apology."

"He won't even know what I'm apologizing for."

Yugi sat quietly down in the throne. One of the scientist's eyes flickered to him and away again. What surprised Yugi though was that he said nothing of his presence. Most people were quick to point him out.

"And what of the other thing? The Hypnotic thing we were discussing?" Atem pushed.

"Ah, well it's hard to determine why he's unaffected by your rather aggressive form of hypnotism."

"It's not just the aggressive form, it's gentle, and somewhere in between that he's unaffected by too."

"Well, without being able to study it in action we have no way of knowing what could possibly be causing the malfunction on his senses."

"You just don't get it," Yami said shaking his head, "he's disproving your whole thesis on hypnosis."

"How?"

"He's 100% human."

"Impossible. That makes him the most vulnerable to it."

"Oh, but our dear little Prince is far from it," Atem said, with a small chuckle as he flopped down in his seat. "Uwah!" He shouted jumping back up again in fright as he landed on something soft and warm. This made the other two spin around in confusion.

"It's okay, Atem, I don't mind if you sit on me," Yugi said with a grin. Then he leapt from the seat himself. "I got a job at Domino High."

"You're joking," Yami said, "Akiha actually hired you?"

"Yes! But I don't start until the September following this one."

"Wha-Why?" Atem asked in confusion.

"Because Karu Sensei doesn't retire until the end of this coming school year. So in the meantime I'm expected to get an average every day kind of job. My Grandpa's shop, and your boring meetings aren't considered to be it. So I'll be looking for a one year job next week, and I'm still in charge of Zane tomorrow, right?"

"That is correct. Choose wisely Yugi. Was Kaiba's Corp ruled out too?"

"Are you kidding me? I don't want to go work for cranky Kaiba. Nuh-uh, I'm going to go out and search for the perfect temporary job."

"You're allowing him to work?" one of the scientists asked.

"Well, yes," Yami said, shrugging with a small sigh. They knew many disapproved of it, but Yugi was determined and nothing was going to stop that.

"How unusual."

"To you maybe, but it's the only logical choice here," Atem said as he moved Yugi to stand across from them. "And now that we have him here, allow me to demonstrate."

"It would make no sense to," the other declared.

"Why not Dr. O'Connell?"

"He's hooked up to no MRI, EKG, or CAT Scan, it would be a waste of time to do it now. We wouldn't be able to determine what is causing the malfunction in his genetic system."

"Hm, I didn't think of that."

"And on that note, I'm going to go before I become some sort of an experiment," Yugi declared trying to duck around Atem.

Atem grabbed his face and lifted it towards his, "Wait, and stay for a moment."

Yugi stared up into Atem's eyes. They were so pretty, like a molten pit of swirling colors. Still, he had things he needed to do before the end of the night, and they should get done as soon as possible.

"Your eyes are so pretty," Yugi commented, stroking Atem's cheek, then he turned his head away. "However, I have to go back to school, take a class, pack a bag, and come back so I can get ready for my day of Zane torture. I'll see you both later tonight, right?"

Yami nodded as he bit back a grin, "I'll drag Atem to bed if I must."

"Thank you, Yami. I appreciate it,"

"You two are terrible."

Yugi glanced over at the two scientists, and found them staring at him with their jaws stretching to the ground beneath them. He fluttered his fingers at them before leaving the way he came. The door had barely shut when he heard one of them shout.

"HELL! WERE YOU EVEN TRYING?!"

Yugi smirked slightly, oh Atem had been doing more than trying. He had been using nearly his full strength of hypnosis on him. His eyes always swirled between red, orange, and yellow when he did. Yami's on the other hand, the red-violet color glimmered, like gems with a small light being cast on them. And the duller that glimmer was the more he was trying to hypnotize Yugi. He supposed he should consider himself lucky that there had been no words, or seductive hypnosis involved, for those two forms were a whole different story. I mean they still didn't have a full effect on him but they at least nipped at his senses. As Atem demonstrated just before Halloween last year.

"Yugi, wait up!" Yami called from behind him. "I'll go with you."

"Don't you have a meeting right now?" Yugi asked in a slightly moody voice.

"This was Atem's idea, not mine, after he read an article by those two scientists that B- blooded humans are 100% susceptible to hypnosis done by any vampire."

"Hm, sounds like a joke to me."

"Come on," Yami wrapped an arm around his shoulders, "let's go get your stuff. And shouldn't you be happier? You just got your dream job."

"But I have to wait a year before I can actually do anything with it."

"Well then, this will give you plenty of time to help us with wedding plans."

"I'm not wearing a dress."

"Yes we know, and we told the girls who looked highly affronted that we would even suggest it."

"Really?"

"Yes, and when Atem tried to tease them about the topic was slapped by Olivia herself. So he took her spirit away for a day, and she just slapped him again the next. That woman has quite the arm."

"And Eliza is good with planning all the wedding food details."

"She said she would've been offended if you had trusted anyone else with it. But what about Jou, why didn't you ask him?"

"He has a lot on his plate around that time of the year and I don't want to burden him."

"Like what?"

"The World Wide Meeting of Werewolves."

"Oh, right, he's the American Representative," Atem said from behind them.

"What about the meeting?" Yami asked.

"I told them we'd continue it in the morning."

"Yeah, but Akeifa pushed the meeting ahead so they could all attend our wedding," Yugi pulled the conversation back to the topic at hand.

"Oh, right, yeah, Akeifa has to witness any shifts of power in the Vampire Monarchy. Wedding a human is apparently considered to be a shift in power. Just as we are to witness any shifts of power in the Werewolf Democracy."

"Like a wedding between them and Ryou?"

"No," Yami responded slowly, shooting a look at Atem, "more like if a new Werewolf King were to be signed in."

"Signed in?"

"King is basically just a democracy to them, a title that is passed on every thousand year or so."

"If it's passed on every thousand year, then why has Akeifa been the King for so long?"

"Because it takes a certain kind of werewolf to be King, and not many of them feel comfortable living so close to the vampire Monarchy."

"Why do you live so close together?"

"Technically we don't have to. We simply need to live on the same continent, as put down by the first rulers of both races. In case there's an emergency we can think quickly and efficiently of how to handle the situation, especially if both are involved."

"What if something happens to Akeifa? Will Bakura automatically become King then?"

"No, a new wolf will be signed in."

Yugi's eyes shifted away, "What if that wolf doesn't want to be signed in?"

"Then they better find a way to convince their whole species that they're the worst candidate for the position," Atem sighed, they both knew where Yugi's head was already. "It's not like a normal democracy where one can volunteer for the position. More rather that they're volunteered for the position. Just like Jou was for the American Representative."

"But it can be taken. I know that Akeifa said that once, when he was debunking a lot of the werewolf superstitions we had. That the title of Werewolf King can be taken in a fight, and respect force fed to their people by doing so."

"Yes, well, that's how he became King."

Yugi's eyes flashed up to them, his jaw dropping in surprise.

"In his defense though, the previous King was a tyrant. He killed more wolves for just being alive then he had in his pack. Something had to be done, so Akeifa stepped up to do it. Nobody has had any complaints since."

"Or at least the same ones haven't risen up," Yami said, with a small smile flitting across his lips.

Yugi rolled his eyes before glancing down at his watch. "Look I have to get back to TU for my class tonight. Why don't you guys just head to my apartment pack a weekend bag for me, and I'll be home right after class that way?"

"Alright, but Yugi?"

"Yes?"

Yami grabbed his hand, pulling him closer, "do try to be happier. I mean, you did just get your dream job."

"Don't you worry," Yugi whispered, stroking Yami's face, "tomorrow I'll be overwhelmingly happy."

"Uh huh, and what does that mean?"

"I love you," Yugi sighed giving him a chaste kiss.

Atem snorted, "Yugi, you are using Jell-O right?"

"Of course I am," Yugi grinned up him before beckoning him closer with a single finger.

Atem took the bait, and leaned in kissing him as well. Yugi pulled away first, and after working his way out of Yami's loose grip walked away.

"Poor Zane," Yami chuckled.

"Half-baked and ill thought out. I'm not so sure if poor Zane covers the whole spectrum of it."

Yami burst into laughter before heading off in the opposite direction of Yugi. They'd recently added on a garage unit to the Palace, and that was where they kept the van and truck most of the time.

Yugi kept throwing his keys into the air and catching them as he made his way to the truck. People were coming and going all around him, but people were coming and going from the Palace all the time now that they had a team of seven people installing some sort of high tech security system into the Palace.

Kaiba had been kind of affronted when he learned that they didn't want his technology, just the background of the technology that they were installing into the Palace. He'd been surprised though, when the team of seven had reached out to him, and asked for his advice of what he thought the best places in the Palace were for a no blind spot set up. Cameras and microphones were being set up both inside and outside the Palace. And if the seven were to be believed they were un-hackable. Well, he supposed they'd see.

"Hey, Prince!" Someone shouted.

Yugi turned, he really didn't have time for this. He needed to get back to Tokyo and get to class.

"Where's your escort?"

It was just one of the new Palace guards. Geez, ever since that attack in January they'd gotten so paranoid every time he stepped out of his home alone. You'd think he was still in constant danger of being kidnapped or something.

"I'm a grown man. I don't need any babysitters," Yugi grumbled before turning away.

"All of the royal family members are meant to have an escort at all times."

"Oh, I'm sure they're around here somewhere. They just have the decency of not letting me see them."

"Huh?"

"I have shadows at my six, nine, and twelve."

Shing! "What!?"

"Ugh, would one of you please take care of this imbecile?!" Yugi shouted out to the surrounding area.

"That's enough," Zane said appearing at the new guard's side, his hand on the metal of his blade. The guard jumped a mile high nearly taking out Zane's right hand in the process.

"Thank you!" Yugi said with slight exasperation before turning and continuing to his truck.

"And this is why you keep getting rejected for a position of higher standing," Zane mocked behind him. "You need to be able to sense someone of your own species at least ten miles out. And you can't even do ten feet. Yugi is a better candidate for being a Private Guard than you are. Even if it was more of an eleven position than a twelve, that's not the point, he got the other two right."

Yugi rolled his eyes as he got into his truck, and started it. He wondered for a moment if he should wait for Zane. He looked over at his new window, and then he looked at his clock. Nah, he was a vampire. He'd catch up. Eventually. With this thought in mind Yugi left the Palace grounds, and headed to TU for his night class.

[Time skip]

Yugi walked out of his classroom shoving a paper into his bag that had been handed back to him. He started down the hallway towards where he had parked his truck when Marcus stepped up to his side.

"Where've you been all day?"

"I went to see Homily today, about your proposition for this nuisance of yours."

"Homily?"

"She's in charge of hiring and firing all the guards in vampire prisons."

"She's named Homily?"

"She had very religious parents, who gave all of their children unusual names having to do with certain aspects of a Christian/Catholic Church."

"Huh, okay."

"She said no way in hell. More prisoners would escape on his watch than in the history of any vampire prison breakout."

"So what are you going to do about the nuisance? Because if he's going to continue to be a problem for me then you can bet he's most certainly going to be a problem for you."

"Heh, already taken care of. I told your mates that the Guard named Yukon Nakamura has been following you around like a vampire who's just bitten a human. Quite the reaction that one got. I guarantee he will no longer be a problem."

"That's just mean Marcus."

"How much longer did you want to put up with him?"

"I meant to my mates."

"Ha ha ha ha ha!"

"Come on, let's just go home."

"Do you mean home as our cozy little apartment, or the Palace home? Because your mates ransacked your room earlier."

"Palace home, of course. I still need to make sure that Zane's punishment is on time."

"What are you going to do with him?"

"I'm going to give him a side effect of FBR-18."

"Not the Electric Touch?"

"No. I only use that by accident, or to stop wars."

"Oh yeah, what about Mahad?"

"That's different, I wasn't the one using it."

Marcus just rolled his eyes before opening the door for him. Yugi laughed slightly before walking ahead of him to his truck. The ride home was uneventful, just basic talk and listening to tunes on the radio. Marcus had him stop in front of the Palace, and made him get out before sliding into the driving seat, and wheeling the truck around to park it in the garage. It was so nice of his guards to act as valets for him, really it was.

Yugi walked into the Palace thinking all was right with the world. No one bothered him, or followed him. In fact, everyone was keeping an unusual amount of distance from him. It made him wonder as to just what did his mates do to Yukon? There was a very uneasy feeling in the air surrounding him and it put his nerves on edge a little.

As soon as Yugi opened the door to his room, he was seized by the throat and slammed against one of the bedposts. Yugi grasped the hand that was holding him, as his eyes focused on the person doing this.

"Atem," Yugi gasped, "what are you doing? Let go."

"Don't move," Atem responded as his furious crimson eyes blazed into Yugi's frightened amethyst.

Hands were feeling up the sides of his neck from behind, loosening Atem's hold a little as some of the fingers gripping him had to be moved. This allowed Yugi a few more breaths of air into his lungs.

"Atem, our fangs are the only marks on his neck. No one else has bitten him."

Atem dropped Yugi. Yugi hit the ground on all fours as he gasped for air, choking on it slightly as it rushed into his awaiting lungs.

"Then why did Marcus say he was?"

"You know, he did use the word 'like' when he was talking. Remember what Victoria said? One of our food sources who wanted to be turned? '"When the word 'like' is used, it usually means a comparison of something, or something that could happen but hasn't."' Perhaps he meant that it was like Yukon had bitten him but really hadn't?"

"Oops," Atem said with a slight grimace.

"I do not like the word like," Yami muttered.

"Come on Yugi, time for bed," Atem said picking him up and setting him down on it.

"Oh no you don't! You two are sleeping outside!" Yugi cried grabbing their arms and shoving them out the open door before slamming it shut behind them.

"Somehow this does feel deserved," Yami said from the other side of the door.

"Apologize in the morning?"

"Sounds good to me. White room it is."

"I meant in the grass outside!" Yugi shouted from inside of the room.

"Good luck with that!" they called back before walking off.

They really didn't go far, just to the end of the stairway where they sat down against the wall on either side of it. Despite the calm that had settled in since the attack in January, the Palace was still on high alert. And they'd be damned if they just walked away from their precious mate while he was at his most vulnerable. While he was asleep.

Yugi opened his phone and called Marcus. He had a few words for this particular vampire.

"Yep?" Marcus said in the form of greeting.

"The next time you use a comparison, choose a different one. I was just picked up by my throat thank you very much."

"Oh, I didn't think their reaction would be that extreme. I mean I did expect them to check you over, but I didn't expect them to be so violent with it. Do you need Isis?"

"No, despite the aggressiveness of it, you'd never know I had been handled so brutally if I hadn't of said anything."

"Hm, gentle but cruel."

"Just answer me this. What would've happened to me if I had been bitten by another?"

"You're right, I should've used a different comparison. Like a lost dog or child, or something."

"Marcus, answer me," Yugi ordered firmly.

"Okay, so the bite marks would've appeared like any first feeding. You would've been asked to name your biter where they would've been torn to pieces in front of you. Last you yourself would've been subjected to an intrusive surgery to literally get the bite marks off of your neck. Isis would most likely heal any scarring that this caused, and form new skin with her magic, but until all signs of that other bite mark were gone, one of your mates wouldn't have been feeding from you. I'm sorry, Yugi."

"Thank you, Marcus."

Yugi hung up the phone, before dropping his face into his hand. No one knew just how complicated vampires were. I mean yeah, Vampires 101 helped you to understand it a little, but it only scratched the surface, there wasn't a deep dive involved. They were almost too territorial, but then again, most people didn't want to be eating someone else's chewed food. Biting the same person that another has already bitten probably felt like that. He sighed, putting his phone on his bed and standing up. Time to go find his idiots.

"So, how long until you think he falls asleep?" Yami asked as he sipped a flute glass of blood.

"Probably 1 or 2 am," Atem responded with a shrug.

"We could also help him along."

"No, he already falls asleep so well on his own. No need to make it any worse."

"Why can't suggestive hypnotism work so well on anything else? Like eating for example."

"Because humans are strong willed creatures, and sleep is just so easy."

"This does not look like the garden outside of our room," Yugi spoke up from behind them making both vampires jump, which was quite a feat in Yugi's opinion.

"Are you going to chase us out there?" Yami asked turning to see Yugi seated across the steps, three up from their current position.

"Nah, I just got done telling Marcus off though. Saved you the trouble of doing it."

"You just told him off?" Atem asked in a skeptic voice.

"So, we can all sleep here in the stairwell, outside under the stars, or we could…," Yugi trailed off as he pointed upstairs. "I want to sleep under the stars. I mean it's an even temperature night, and there hasn't been any rain for several days, let's go sleep under the stars!"

Yugi bounded up the stairs, and then came racing back down with their blankets, and pillows. He took the secret staircase down to the garden leaving Yami and Atem staring after him in disbelief.

"For a second I thought we actually had a choice there," Yami said fighting back a grin.

"Come on, let's go. That look of joy on his face is way too hard to pass up," Atem said standing up, and holding a hand down to Yami. Yami grabbed it and allowed Atem to pull him up.

As the two were following Yugi's scent Atem pulled out an earpiece, and put it in his ear. "Okay, the Prince wants to sleep under the stars so I want three guards at every hand of the clock surrounding the area where he has chosen. Stay out in a 30, 20, 10, and 5 mile radius from our location."

"Don't you think that's a bit extreme?" Osiris asked back.

"No, and neither do you. Yugi is the only one who doesn't know that the Palace is still on high alert of any incoming attacks from this new enemy. We want to keep it that way."

"Then it should be 6 miles back," Marcus said.

"What?"

"That last group needs to be 6 miles back."

"Why?"

"Because Yugi has a five mile sensor. Skye is the one who noticed it first, and we've all picked up on it since."

"Great, we just had to have a smart human, didn't we?"

"Ha ha ha, well neither of you are exactly high in the IQ department so yeah, he had to be smart," Ethan chimed in. "Ow!"

"Thank you, Taylor," Atem said.

"You're welcome," she responded.

"There he is," Yami said pointing out to the area where they always held the kids birthday parties. It was as open as you could get, and all the stars looked like diamonds in the vast area above them.

"Hm, surround the children's party area."

"King!"

Atem pulled out the earpiece, and pocketed it.

"Actually, maybe you should leave it in. Just in case," Yami suggested.

Atem nodded and put it back in. He could hear a cacophonous of orders being shouted out as their men and women scrambled together to obey their new assignment. Oh, the things they did to keep Yugi happy. He had no idea.

Atem and Yami sat down on the blankets next to him. "Is this really where you want to sleep?" Yami asked.

"Yeah, aren't they beautiful?" Yugi asked not even glancing at them just staring up at the dark sky.

Yami and Atem gave each other similar looks of a long night before climbing under the blanket with him. They didn't spoon his sides like they normally would, but instead turned their attention to the sky as well. This didn't stop them from putting an arm each around his back to grip his waist. They rarely took the time to just sit back and enjoy nature anymore. Perhaps they could just allow themselves to relax this one time.

Yugi was asleep by 11, and Atem and Yami cuddled up to him by 12. All of them caught in the peaceful oblivion of sleep. The 6 mile out group couldn't help but notice how serene their rulers looked, for few ever saw them this way. It was truly a rare sight all around.

At about 3 am though something unexpected happened to disturb the trio. All of the guards were either focused on the surrounding area, or the trio out in the open that none of them noticed this new danger in time. There was a loud clap of thunder, and the rain came pouring down jarring everyone to a wakeful state.

Yugi just laughed as Atem and Yami just sat there, all of them looking like drowned rats. He totally should have seen this coming. It hadn't rained for a little over a week, and the night he chooses to sleep outside it pours. Atem grabbed him, threw him over his shoulder, and started to make his way inside. Yami stayed where he was for a moment before making a quick double circle with his left hand, and gathering up the blankets and pillows before also making his way inside.

It was silent for a moment before Marcus's voice filled all their earpieces, "You heard the Queen, pack up."

Everyone took off back into the Palace. All but one who had been in the six mile out circle. They glared at the spot where the trio of rulers had been sleeping so peacefully moments before. So close, so many times they'd been so close, but without orders from their Master they could do nothing as of yet. They turned to the Palace, and finally went back inside too.

[Time skip]

Yugi scooped up the Jell-O, and put the last spoonful in his mouth. It was only 7:13 am, but he needed time for the side effect to activate. Atem and Yami had already left for a meeting and he could feel at least two guards patrolling outside in the garden. That rainfall this morning had lasted for 10 short minutes, but hey, at least it gave him a chance to undress his mates.

Nothing had come from it, which was highly disappointing for him. Atem and his self-control was going to be the death of all their sex lives. Yugi sighed as he threw the Jell-O cup on the tray and then went to put it down in the hallway. He still couldn't believe his mates had agreed to this. Well, like they said, "At least it isn't us."

Yugi walked back up to the room, and got dressed for the day. He decided on casual blue jeans, a graphic-T with the words 'can't touch this' written in hieroglyphics on it. Atem had told him what it meant, or rather as close as he could get to what it said in modern day language. The look on Atem's face when he'd been reading it had been priceless.

"Uh um, it says you…no. I…no," Atem's face was in deep concentration as Yugi held the shirt up to him in the store. Yami was currently at a meeting, which was a rotten shame in Yugi's opinion, he would've enjoyed this.

"I thought you of all people would be able to read it, Temmy," Yugi teased.

"Shut up, they've really distorted my natural tongue."

"So, does it start with I or You?"

"Neither? No, you…shan't? Let's skip to the next line. Touching…cow? Why would you touch a cow? That can't be right. Uh last line. Music…song…bird? Songbird? You shan't touching cow songbird? What?"

"You shan't touch music?"

"No it says touching, Yugi."

"Can't touch this? Da na na na, can't touch this, da na na na."

"Oh for the love of, Ra!" Atem shouted, walking off to a different part of the store.

"Totally getting the shirt."

"So, he figure it out?" the store clerk asked coming up to them.

"Yes, the translation of this shirt is 'You shan't touch songbird'."

The clerk looked at him before shaking his head, and writing it on a whiteboard, "Okay." Then he attached the white board to a clip above the rack. "People have been trying their hand at that all week and he gets it in less than five minutes."

"Well, he's a vampire from the Ancient sands themselves, it would be a little shameful if he didn't figure it out first."

"Well, like the sign out front says, he/she who can tell me what it says on the shirt my crazy boss ordered gets it free. Shirt is yours. By the way that man is hot, is he your Grandfather?"

"No! He's my mate!"

"Oh, like them old huh?"

"No, he likes'em young."

"Right, whatever," the clerk said walking off.

"That's going to cost you," Atem said, appearing in front of him.

"Oh yeah, what did you have in mind?" Yugi asked wrapping his arms around his neck and standing on tiptoes.

"You're impossible."

Pulling himself from the memory he could feel Yami's amusement over the link. That story would never get old for either of them. He grabbed his blue Nike's, his Kirkham trench coat, and his collar. Looking in the mirror he assessed that he was ready, and headed for the door.

Yami was at the bottom of the steps when Yugi stepped out of the stairwell.

"Hey, so did you take anything else?"

"Nope, just the one thing."

"Are you going to stay close to home?"

"Nope! I'm taking him to the mall."

"Oh my, that's not going to be very fun for Zane."

"Oh well, at least it isn't you."

"I suppose."

Yugi looked over at him, looked him up and down, before screaming and pointing behind him. Yami jumped and spun to look. Yugi took off running down the hall towards where he knew Marik's room was. Yugi opened the door without warning startling the vampire, and slamming it shut again.

Yami where are you?

In the hallway where you left me.

What? No, that was a mimicker because they weren't acting like you.

He just wanted to see you off, Yugi. You didn't have to ditch the poor soul.

Guess I'll go back to the meeting.

Oops!

Yugi colored a bright shade of red as Marik looked at him with amused eyes. Yugi gave him an apologetic look before heading to the throne room himself. He beat Yami surprisingly enough, but that was probably because he also took a shortcut, and so was waiting at the door when he arrived.

"Can I kiss it and make it all better?" Yugi asked with a sheepish grin, and some of the blush still marring his face.

"Maybe," Yami said back, slamming his hands on either side of Yugi's head, and leaning down to kiss him. Yugi gripped the front of Yami's shirt, pulling him closer as their kiss turned heated. Then Yugi heard a faint click and he went tumbling backwards with Yami following suit.

Atem caught them both before they could hit the ground, and just gave them exasperated looks while shaking his head. Yugi just grinned and went back to kissing Yami, who was more than happy to continue in exploring Yugi's mouth.

"Okay, that's enough! We have guests Yami, they don't need to know how sex depraved you are."

Atem yanked them apart, and learning from past experiences he kept his hold on them. This also left him wide open, as Yugi leaped into his personal bubble, and kissed him, wrapping his arms and his neck, and his legs around his waist. Atem let go of Yami to latch his hands onto Yugi's thighs.

"Thought they didn't need to know how sex depraved we are."

This is his own fault. If he were a little more compliant he'd be less depraved.

Yami burst out laughing. He was bent over from laughing so hard. "Oh you are too good today, Yugi." Then he wrapped an arm around Yugi's waist and pulled him off of Atem.

"Thank you, Yami. I thought I was going to die from lack of oxygen," Atem said dramatically, before turning to walk back to the head of the room. Yami released Yugi, nearly collapsing with laughter.

Yugi took off his shoe and went to throw it at Atem, but it was snatched from him before he could. And then he was flipped upside down as someone put the shoe back on his foot.

"Really? I can do this myself you know."

"So, Prince, what are we doing today?" Zane asked as he was put back on his feet.

"Oh, you and I are going to the Mall to go shopping!"

"I should've taken Muhtaram's punishment."

Yugi looked at his phone to see that Zane was actually early, by a minute.

"Well, you didn't so off we go! Bye Lovers see you later!"

"Zane, catch!" Atem called out.

Zane caught the object which turned out to be Atem's wallet. "Thanks!" he managed to get out before Yugi grabbed his hand and was dragging him from the throne room to the garage area.

Zane stopped them both, and had Yugi go wait by the front doors while he got the truck. Great, this meant he wasn't driving. Oh well, he never seemed to drive anymore anyway. And besides, why would he want to drive? When he had so many chauffeurs who were willing to do it for him? Really what was the point?

Broadcasting.

Oh shut up.

Zane pulled up and got out going over to the passenger side, and getting in. Yugi's eyes lit up with joy as he bounded over to the driver's seat and climbed in. He grinned widely at Zane before peeling out of the Palace driveway. Zane was demanding the keys as soon as they got to the Mall.

"Ugh, you vampires are all the same. Kill joys."

"Well, when you're deliberately trying to get yourself pulled over I have the right to be!"

"Was not!"

"You were going 70 in a 50!"

"Yeah, and?"

"Never mind, just give me the keys!"

"No, my truck, my rules."

Yugi turned and walked to the entrance of the Mall, glancing at his phone as he did so. Any moment now and it would kick in. Let the games begin!

[Time skip]

"Gotcha!" Zane said, snatching Yugi around the waist. He was heaving with heavy breaths as Yugi continued to squirm in his arms, wanting to investigate something that he saw halfway across the mall.

From the moment they entered Zane had done nothing but chase Yugi up and down the Mall into almost every store, and still he wanted to investigate things. He was a very tired vampire, who really should've just taken whatever Marcus had had in store for him.

"Let's go to the food court, I'm kinda hungry," Zane suggested just as Yugi wiggled out of his arms and shot off like a bullet into It'Sugar. "No…Why?" Zane asked practically crying as he fell to his knees.

"Okay, as fun as it is to watch you be tortured, Zane, we're gonna help you out," Samuel said appearing at his side as three more vampires darted into the store after him. "Should've gone with Muhtaram's punishment. He was going to have you clean the kitchens tonight."

"Last time I ever take Yugi's punishment."

Amira and Hana came out with a struggling Yugi between them. "So, food court right?"

"Yes, please."

"I'm going to go get some rope out of Bind'N'Gag," Samuel said vanishing.

"I can't believe he grabbed all of this before we caught him," Konner grumbled coming out with six bags of goods. "And test tasted it too. Yugi, you are 24 years old, can't you act it?"

"That's no fun," Yugi grinned, his eyes starting to lose the super excited look in them. Hana and Amira put him down. "And actually I'm craving Subway, so let's go there instead. Come on Zane, day isn't over yet!"

"Do any of you still have those Mimicker packs and want to take my place?"

"Hell no," was the collective response.

"Joy for me."

"Zane, come on, thought you were hungry, so am I, so let's go!"

Zane groaned as he was lifted off the ground, and dragged back out to the car. Somehow all of their gift bags made it there before them. Including the one from Bind'N'Gag. Which could only mean that all of them were following them around in case Zane needed help with Yugi. Probably King's orders.

The trip to Subway was uneventful since somebody's side effect had become inactive. They walked in, and sat down at a table. Well, Zane collapsed, and Yugi laughed before getting in line to order. He came back with a steak and cheese sandwich, strawberry-kiwi Snapple, and an uncooked steak.

"Aw, you shouldn't have," Zane teased before grabbing the steak, and sucking it dry before eating it.

"Do you want another one?" Yugi asked as he started to eat his sub.

"No, that was fine."

"Good, cause I was going to go make you get it this time. Using Atem's card of course."

"Of course."

Yugi chuckled, opening the Snapple and drinking from it. His eyes just went blank and then back to normal again so fast Zane never saw it. Yugi looked at the area around him before picking up his sandwich again, and continuing to eat. As they were getting ready to leave the front of the line caught his attention as a Police Officer was yelling at the cashier. You could see she was trying to salvage the situation, whatever it was, but was having no success.

Yugi scoffed at the man's attitude and then went outside. Zane followed completely unaware that Yugi was in the midst of another side effect. He strolled right up to his truck, pulled out the tire iron, and jack and went over to the officer's vehicle.

"Uh, what are you doing?"

"Teaching that bastard a lesson!" Yugi replied in a slightly gruff voice as he raised the car up took off one of the tires, and let it roll down the street. He managed to accomplish this with two more, before the Officer came back out yelling at the top of his lungs with spit flying from his mouth.

"Yeah! Then maybe you should be more courteous to others next time ya old fart!"

"Prince! Shut up!"

Yugi got up, flicked Zane off before strolling away from the scene as if all was right with the world. Zane stood there for a moment mouth hanging open. Alright, who was this monster and what had happened to his sweet loving compassionate charge?

"What are you doing, Zane!? Get after him!" Marcus shouted over his earpiece.

Zane shook himself and started to follow Yugi's scent. It lead him to a Barber shop of all places. Yugi came out with an electronic shaver. "Don't worry I'll be right back with it!" Yugi told the shopkeeper as he strolled across the street and into the park.

"Is that one yours?" the shopkeeper asked him.

"Nope belongs to the King and Queen of Vampires," Zane was quick to reply. "I'm just watching him for the day. Be right back."

He found Yugi in the park walking up behind a man who was harassing a young woman that looked like she couldn't be older than 16 years. And the man, late twenties early thirties at best. He deserved whatever was coming to him in Zane's opinion. Still though, Yugi was his responsibility which meant any action he did fell back on him.

"Come on girly just give us a little kiss."

"Get away from me!" the girl shrieked.

Yugi walked up behind him, turned the razor on, and took a swipe at the back of his head right in the middle. What a shame too, he had such nice hair, such curly locks, and now, a small portion of it was on the ground. How sad. Not.

The man tensed up before whirling around and making to grab for the front of Yugi's jacket. Zane was between them before his hand was halfway there, and grabbed the front of his shirt instead. The man quickly dropped the vampire, and backed away slightly.

"You okay?" Yugi asked walking around the pair to inspect the girl.

"Ah, yeah, I'll be fine, thank you."

"No problem," Yugi replied, turning off the razor. "Hey, if you go that way towards Subway there should be a cop there that will be more than happy to help you press charges against this disgusting piece of trash."

"Ah, right, thank you!" She said before running off in the direction he pointed.

Yugi looked over at Zane and the man to find them in a heated argument. So he turned, and walked back to the Barber shop where he handed the shopkeeper the razor and continued on his way. The shopkeeper looked it over, but found no damage to it so he simply went back to work.

"I don't care, you don't just hoist someone up because they shaved the back of your head! It's inexcusable!" Zane argued, even though he knew he'd do the same thing if that had been done to him.

"Zane! Yugi!" Konner shouted at him.

Zane looked around before cursing, and vanishing. The man yelled in aggravation because he'd lost two things today. That sweet young girl, and his sexy looks. Oh well, at least there was a Barber nearby that could fix this for him, maybe.

Yugi strolled down the sidewalk, watching as a woman who was talking rapidly on her phone knocked a young boy to the ground, making him lose his ice cream in the process as she rushed into a pet store. But it was her nerve that really set Yugi off.

"Watch where you're going kid!" she screamed and then went back to her conversation.

Yugi walked in behind her, snatching the phone from her ear he put it in one of the open fish tanks in the front. The fish looked confused by the new appliance in their home, but after it fizzed out, went back to swimming around the tank like normal.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" She screamed raising her hand to smack him. Yugi caught her wrist and yanked her forwards.

"You ran into him, you should've apologized. Or bought him a new ice cream. Frigid bitch! I hope the conversation was worth it!" Yugi spat in her face and then pushed her back where she landed against a bunch of shelves knocking off half of the supplies on them.

"What is going on over here?!" An employee asked running around the corner.

Yugi gave the woman a look of disdain, before turning and walking out the door. He didn't need to wait for the cops to come around, they were probably already looking for him. Across the street there was three teenagers riding their skateboards down the road heading straight for two people trying to move a 5 tier cake from their bakery to their van. It looked like a wedding cake, and they had to of taken hours to get all those flowers, butterflies, and vines on there. Just as they came to the edge of the sidewalk one of the kids tried jumping over the cake, and ended up in knocking off the three top layers instead.

Yugi flew across the street, grabbing the skateboard off the ground before the teenager could, and breaking it in half. The girl jumped to her feet and opened her mouth, but Yugi just pointed behind her. She looked, and then looked back at him with a 'so?' look.

"So? That's all you have to say? So? It probably took them days to do that! Whatever event that's for is probably today! What are they supposed to tell the people who hired them now, huh? Oh, I'm sorry we only have two layers cause some street kid decided to do a trick through your cake?! That probably took thousands of dollars, and in three short seconds you destroyed it."

"Well, if it had been lower to the ground I wouldn't have."

"If it had been- Are you kidding me?! What a self-absorbed piece of shit you are!"

"Yugi! Here you…are," Zane said appearing at their side. He took in the cake, the three teenagers, and the broken skateboard in Yugi's hand. He could already see what had happened, and he didn't even need to be there in person. He looked to the left hearing sirens quite a distance away, but growing louder by the second.

"Alright, time to go!" Zane said scooping Yugi up and holding him like a fireman over his shoulders. He looked down at the broken skateboard which Yugi had tossed to the side in the middle of the road. Then back to the teenage girl, "That's a lot of work you just trashed. The least you could do is apologize to the bakers."

Then Zane took off in that fast lightening pace back to the Palace, and burst into the throne room prior to being announced. Zane set Yugi down, and he wandered over to the front of the throne room.

"Zane, what's going on? I've been getting all kinds of weird calls," Atem demanded of him.

"I think it's a new side effect. I have no idea when it started, but it happened just as we were leaving Subway. He took apart a Police man's car because he was giving the girl at the register grief. Shaved the back of a man's head who was harassing a young girl, couldn't have been more than 16 years of age. And last he broke the skateboard of a different teenage girl because it looked like she tried to jump a multiple tiered cake and failed."

"You forgot to mention the phone," Yugi said, drawing all attention to him. He was currently doodling, with a sharpie, on one of their foreign visitor's faces. Nice pair of glasses, curly Q mustache, and was even nice enough to give him freckles.

"Yugi!" Yami gasped out.

"Doubt he'll ever fall asleep at a meeting again, don't you?" Yugi asked, giving his mates a haughty look as he capped the pen.

"New side effect, right, got it! Isis!" Atem said looking over back to Zane.

"What phone? There was no phone!"

"Yes, in the pet shop. Some dumb lady rushed into the store knocking some poor kid to the ground, making him lose his ice cream. Then she turned to him, still on the phone and screams at him to watch where he's going. She knocks him over, but he gets yelled at. So I took her phone and dropped it in a fish tank. I sure hope it wasn't an important conversation."

"Yugi," Isis called gently.

"Yeah," Yugi said turning to her as he started to walk towards the doors of the throne room.

"Drink any Snapple lately?"

"Just one bottle."

"What kind?"

"Strawberry-kiwi. Why? Is that relevant?"

"No, not at all."

Yami appeared in the doorway, blocking his exit. "Where are you going?"

"Back outside, I'm sure there are tons of more people out there that need to pay for their behavior."

"And what about yours?"

"Mine is perfectly acceptable."

"Yeah, you're not going anywhere," Atem said, "Osiris, put him in his game room and keep him there. He is not to leave until this side effect is over. Yugi's guard, front and center, as soon as Yugi is out of sight of course. Can't have the bet between Amira, and Muhtaram ruined."

Osiris appeared by Yugi's side and tried to take his arm. Yugi whipped it back out of his grasp.

"Get off of me, you punk ass!" Yugi shouted before marching out of the throne room, and in the direction of his game room.

"Oh yeah, this is going to be loads of fun," Osiris said as he walked out, three flashes of color followed after the two a few seconds later.

"Alright, Isis," Atem motioned for her to continue.

"Zane, when did Yugi take his first sip of the Snapple?"

"At Subway."

"And the time?"

"I don't know, I wasn't looking at a clock, but if I had to chance a guess about one o'clock."

"And it is now 3:58 pm. Uh oh, not good, should've kept him here."

"Why?" Yami asked.

"Because this side effect has two names, and is always caused by one flavor of Snapple. Which Snapple that is depends on the human. Congrats, Yugi has found his. It's called the Revenge side effect, and Opposite Nature. Humans remember everything they did. So if they're extremely kind, they turn very foul. If they're pretty nasty to begin with, then they turn super sweet. It lasts three hours, and Yugi just woke up from it. Imagine the first time he was introduced to cabbage, and his reaction after."

Atem and Yami took one look at one another and vanished. They needed to get to their mate. Right now. Or he may take off and then they'd have to track him down. They burst into the game room and noticed the immediate lack of the only human who should be in this room.

"Where's Yugi?!" Yami demanded.

"He dove behind the counter almost as soon as we entered the room, and hasn't come out since," Osiris said lazily.

"I'll take the back, and you cover the front!"

"Got it," Atem agreed.

They split up, and rushed to where they hoped Yugi still was, the kitchens. Atem slid to a stop in front of the doors just as they were opening, revealing Yugi himself. But he was looking over his shoulder at something so he had yet to see him.

"Hello, Yugi," Atem said in a soft greeting reaching out for him. Yugi's head whipped around towards him, horror etched into his face, as he shuffled back a few steps away from him. "It's okay, it's not your fault. This was just a side effect of FBR-18. Your actions are not your own."

"No, you don't know what I did! What I said! I need to turn myself in at the very least! I can't believe I took off his tires and sent them rolling down the road!"

"That wasn't you. It was the drug. This is not your fault. It's ours. If we had less side effects in our drugs than you wouldn't be going through this right now."

Arms snaked over Yugi's torso, pinning his arms to his sides, as he was pulled back into a chest. "Atem is right, Yugi. This was not your fault. These are things you would never do in a right state of mind."

"But I still did them!"

"Yes, and Seth is talking with all involved parties now. He is even dealing out heavy checks to pay for any and all damages."

"That's not good enough!"

"And what would be good enough?" Atem asked, already fearing what the answer might be.

"Me, staying the night in a cell."

"No," Yami said, "out of the question."

"Fine, then put me in your dungeon. This way you know exactly where I am, and you know I won't come to harm if I'm locked up with some pervert."

"Will this make you feel better, though?"

"A little bit. I feel like I do deserve some type of cruel and unusual punishment after what Zane had to go through. I only planned the first one, he knows that right? Right?"

"He's well aware."

"I need to apologize to him, and everyone I wronged," Yugi cried, slumping against Yami.

Atem and Yami looked at each other over his bowed head. Neither liked the idea of Yugi staying in the dungeon for a night, that cold miserable place, but if that's what he needed, then they'd have to do it. And he probably wouldn't be able to apologize to everyone, but they could at least find people he could apologize to.

"Alright Yugi, we'll do this your way," Yami said, picking him up and caring him down to the dungeons. Atem opened the door, and Yugi was tossed in, just like they would any common criminal. Atem took something from someone, and tossed it in after him. It was a blanket, and probably warmer than he deserved too. Then the door was shut tight, and Yami slid from view.

"Someone will be down at seven sharp with food, you'll have 30 minutes to eat it, and then they'll be back to take it away. Yami is your guard, any complaints about your sleeping arrangements, will have to come through him."

"This blanket is too warm I think," Yugi said.

"Anything less, and you'll freeze to death," Atem said.

Yugi looked at the ground, picking up the blanket, and going to sit on the small cot in the corner. So this was it, this was what he wanted, and he seemed to get what he wanted more and more these days.

"Yugi, look at me," Atem ordered. Yugi looked up at him through the bars in the top of the cell door. "If you get even the slightest of a chill you are to report it, am I understood?"

Yugi shrugged.

Atem sighed in slight frustration before looking down to his feet, "You hear his teeth chatter and you pull him out. These were designed for a vampire's discomfort, not a humans."

"Should we have Zaire make camp in the room next door?" Yami asked.

"No, let's have Yukon do it. After all a high end task is what he's always wanted. A chance to prove to us he can handle the more difficult tasks."

"I like it. Go fetch me Yukon, Taylor."

"Alright. He's had this coming longer than he knows."

"Think he can stay awake long enough?"

"Who? Yugi or Yukon?"

"Both."

"Yugi can, Yukon probably not. Yugi is the strongest person I know."

Yugi looked away from Atem as he finally looked up with that final sentence. He lay with his back facing them, the blanket pulled tight around him in a cocoon. He heard Atem sigh again.

"Atem?"

"Hm?"

"What if he doesn't eat?"

"We'll just consider it to be part of his punishment."

"Force feed him tomorrow?"

"You got it."

"Oh and we're still having family time tomorrow, Yugi. Just us and the kids. Since we're missing out tonight due to an unforeseen event."

"But why?" a new voice asked.

"Because the King and Queen think you're ready for a higher level task," Taylor said back.

"Really?"

"Of course," Atem responded. "You've done such a good job keeping an eye on Yugi thus far, we'd like you to do so again. Just step through here."

"Oh, fantastic! Wait, why am I in a dungeon cell?" Yukon asked after the door shut behind him.

"Because Yugi wants to punish himself for something that was completely out of his control. Your job is to make sure that he doesn't get cold. So stay up all night, and keep an eye on him in that cell over there. Should he show even the slightest sign of a chill you are to report it immediately. That is your task, make sure the Prince doesn't catch a chill in a cell that was designed for a vampire's discomfort, not a human's."

"So I'm being punished because he wants to be punished?" Yukon asked back.

"You're brave enough to talk back?" Yugi asked turning on his other side. "Do you know what they do to people who talk back? I myself had to learn that lesson the hard way, and believe me it was not a pleasurable one."

Yukon opened his mouth, but didn't say anything else as he walked over to his cot, and grabbed the scrap of cloth blanket that was on it. Then he averted his eyes altogether as he pulled his legs up to his chest. Well, he had already failed in Yugi's opinion just by doing that.

Dinner came shortly after, and Yugi got up to get it. It was just water and bread with jam smeared on it though. He still ate and drank it though, his body would need the carbs to stay warm. He put the tray back, and went back to huddle under his blanket.

He couldn't sleep, and he was keeping his tongue in between his teeth to keep them from chattering. He glanced over at Yukon to see he was fast asleep, looking as comfy as could be with the blanket on the floor. If Yugi could have had his too, maybe he could survive this night. But he wasn't going to if he didn't speak up. He looked down at his hand again to see that it was as white as a sheet of ice.

"Y-Yami C-c-cold." Yugi barely got out in a whisper.

The cell door was nearly yanked off its hinges when Yami opened it a second later. He rushed to Yugi, cursing under his breath as he turned to look at Yukon. He picked up Yugi, holding him close, as he shook like a leaf in his freezing state.

"Ethan! Fabian!"

The two appeared in the doorway at Yami's roar.

"Cut this Yukon loose, he's useless to us anyway. Couldn't even stay awake as long as the human has. What a disgrace."

Both men peeked their heads into Yugi's cell, and scoffed at Yukon's form sprawled out on the cot. They wasted no time in going to the next cell over, and rudely awakening the lesser guard.

Yami too wasted no time in getting Yugi out of the cell and back up to their room. Atem jolted up from the bed, but at the sight of Yugi, he gasped and quickly pulled back the covers. Yami slid in with Yugi and the two formed a cocoon of warmth around him. Yugi couldn't help but notice that their blankets were slightly heavier than normal. They probably added more on just in case. At the moment he wasn't going to complain about it.

"Go cut him loose, Yami."

"Ethan and Fabian are seeing to it now."

"Good. What happened?"

"Yukon fell asleep, and I don't know how he was doing it or preventing it, but I didn't hear his teeth start to chatter until he told me he was cold."

"We'll worry about it later let's just concern ourselves with him first."

"Maybe we should've had Zaire keep watch over him from the next cell."

"The poor man suffered enough yesterday, no need to make it worse."

"At least he would've stayed awake."

"Now that's a point I can't argue."

"M-maybe we should h-have sex to w-warm us up," Yugi suggested.

"No, but stripping down doesn't sound like a bad idea," Yami said. "Just like with hypothermia, gotta strip off the wet clothes, and put on dry ones. It might even warm him up faster."

Atem nodded, and they got out stripping themselves first, and then pulling Yugi out and doing the same with him. Then they put him back in the bed and climbed in themselves. That's when Yugi noticed it.

You guys are on the wrong sides of the bed.

Do you think you can put up with it just tonight?

Sure if I can get to sleep. Maybe you could help me?

"Go to sleep, Yugi."

"Yami!"

[Time skip]

"You're offering me a job?" Yugi asked dumbfounded.

"Yes, I mean it would only be temporary until Jimmy gets back next year September, but it would at least be something to have for a full year," Fiona responded.

"So September 2022?"

"Yes, that won't be a problem will it?" Sophie chimed in.

"No, but you should know that I burn almost everything I touch."

"Oh no, it's not that kind of job. It's more like a security type of job, to keep hooligans like the ones from yesterday away from our cakes. And thanks to you the police now have all three of their faces. We really appreciate the stall you made, even if it did seem a little harsh."

"That was the drug effect I was telling you about before."

"Okay, still doesn't matter. We want to hire you, will you let us?"

"Sorry, no. What you're describing just isn't something I comfortable doing. It really isn't me, you know?"

"What if we gave you Snapple every day? What type did you say makes you act like you did yesterday again?" Fiona asked, putting her hand to her chin and tilting slightly.

"No, I'm not repeating yesterday. Thank you for the offer, but I'm declining. Again, I'm sorry for my behavior and good luck with your search for a cake security person."

"Yeah, whatever," Sophie grumbled as Yugi walked out of the bakery. Him? Work in a bakery as a cake guard? No way, it was something he could never do. He'd be trying to play peace maker way too much, and that didn't sound like something they wanted.

Yugi whipped out his phone as he ran down towards the Barber shop. He speed dialed Atem's number and waited for him to pick up. When he had he sounded a little angry.

"Yes, Yugi?"

"They offered me a job at the bakery!"

"No seriously, what do you want?"

"I am being serious."

"Why would anybody hire you into the culinary arts?"

"They wanted me to be a cake security guard, but I turned them down. Not exactly comfortable with the idea. Especially after they offered to give me Snapple every day."

"Hm, then what are you planning on doing for the next year?"

"I don't know yet, but I'll find something before the end of the school year. I'm actually hoping for some minimum work job with very little working but plenty of opportunities to learn new things."

"Well, good luck with that."

"Thanks Tem, oh gotta go. Love you!"

"I love you too. Hey, Yami!"

Boop!

Yugi took a deep breath before entering the Barber shop. The shopkeeper who he borrowed an electronic razor from looked up from his customer, and his whole face just lit up at the sight of him. This was the second time that someone was happy to see him today, after he'd done something terrible to someone else.

"Hey, you probably don't remember me, but-," Yugi started.

"Of course I remember you! You're the guy who borrowed my razor for ten minutes to shave the back of child molester's head! The Police have been after that guy for three weeks, and between you and me they got him!"

"He was a child molester?"

"Sure was. Saved that young girl too! He's been grabbing young teenage girls from all over, taking them to a hotel, raping them, and then telling them at gunpoint if they say anything he'll kill them."

"Right, so after I shaved the back of his head, he probably came here for a touch up. You recognized him, called the Police, and then stalled him with a haircut until the Police arrived."

"Yep, we made a good team. But why didn't you call the Police?"

"Uh, have you ever heard of the drug called FBR-18?"

"Yeah, one of my nieces became bulimic because of it. The vampire had to let her go, let her go or watch her die."

"I'm sorry to hear that. But yeah, I was having a side effect from strawberry-kiwi Snapple. My mission it seemed was to do a wrong to anyone who already had committed or was committing a wrong to another person. My doctor says it the Opposite Nature, or Revenge side effect. It has two names."

"Have you ever thought of bulimia?" he asked.

"No, nor will I. They'd just grind up my meal and shove it down my throat. They have in the past, and they will again if they need to."

"Ha ha, good. Now she's suffering from Barret's Esophagus."

"What's that?"

"Cancer. She has cancerous tubers around her Esophagus."

"So the vampire didn't let her go because she had Bulimia, they let her go because she had cancer. She was an unhealthy food source, and the vampire wouldn't have been eating any way."

"Hm, never thought of it like that. But yes, I suppose that is the exact reason as to why they just walked away one day. They send checks to help with the bills of her cancer, but other than that we never really hear from them."

"I'm sorry for your niece. And I'm glad I helped you in getting that monster off the streets. But there's two more stops I need to make today, so I gotta go. Bye!

"Goodbye, young man!" the Barber called back as Yugi ran out of his shop and back up the street. He ran back up to the pet shop. Yes, he was saving the Police station for last. Yugi opened the door to the pet shop and was immediately glomped by a very excited person.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" they kept repeating.

"Yes, you're welcome, now get off of me!" Yugi replied back.

"Oh, sorry," they replied letting him go and moving back.

Yugi turned to the person, and gasped. It was the young girl who came running around the corner of the shelf the day before. That wasn't what made Yugi gasp in horror though, it was the fact that she was sporting a black eye. He hoped he hadn't caused that.

"Don't even worry about it!" She said with a big grin, "It'll heal. However, thanks to your actions yesterday we were finally able to kick that nasty woman out of our store forever!"

"Did she hit you?"

"It. Will. Heal."

"At least tell me what happened?"

"Okay, but first you need a background on that lady. She comes in here every day at the same time, when we're most busy, always yelling on her phone. And I guess because she's some high end business woman this also means she can cut to the front of the line, and shouldn't have to wait like any normal person would. Yesterday would've been like any other, but then you showed up, our Hero!"

"Some Hero," a guy said coming around the corner, "you got a black eye, and she's trying to sue us now for destruction of property."

"Shut up, Kyle! So, you came in snatched her phone, she tried to hit you too, you grabbed her, and then you tossed her back against some of our shelves and left. But here's the part you didn't see. She turned to me and demanded that I buy her a new phone."

"Of course I don't have that kind of money, but I offered to get it back her. Then I saw what tank you threw it in, and told her that she was just going to have to do without it today."

"What fish tank did I put it in?"

"The piranha one man!" Kyle laughed, "Now that's justice being served right there."

"Right, so then our manager and two other guys on the floor came over. And the woman had the nerve to offer up $200 to anyone who would put their hand in the tank and get it back for her. Jason just had a kid so he leaped at the chance to do it!"

"Yeah, but the manager caught me, and told me no, you are not putting any body parts in that tank," another man said coming around the corner, Yugi assumed he was Jason. "I don't know what the big deal was, I would've gotten $200 and the chance to go home early! Then our manager started to apologize to the woman, and told her that as tragic as her losing her phone was, there was simply nothing we could do about it. But she was willing to give her 10% off of her entire purchase today to make up for it."

"And that's when she tried to punch our manager, but Layla here fearlessly jumped in the way," Kyle continued.

"Right, so because she assaulted a team member, she was kicked out of the store, and the Police who had just arrived were more than happy to take her off of our hands with assault and battery charges. Best day ever!"

"You got a black eye, Layla!"

"It was totally worth it! And now we have a sign over there by the piranhas saying that her phone is part of the display and not for sale. We told her as soon as someone buys the piranhas we'll give it back to her."

"And we're all hoping no one buys them so the phone can rot in the tank forever!" Kyle added.

"And where is the manager?"

"She quit, left her keys on the desk before locking up last night. So Jason jimmied the lock, and here we all are working quite well, better even, without her. The store owner is going to come down tomorrow and assign one of us temporary management duties."

"Oh, well, good luck to all of you. And now I have just one thing left to do."

"Good luck, I heard that Officer was putting out an APB for you."

"Most of Domino knows where to find me, so that would've been the first place to look. And seeing as no one came to get me I wonder as to how accurate that information is."

Yugi sighed before looking over at the piranha tank where he noticed the fish kind of converging around the phone, as if they were protecting a new toy. Yugi shook his head and left, walking to the Domino Police Station. He hesitated before walking in.

"Yugi Mutou, so good to see you again!" someone shouted as soon as he stepped foot in the station. Yugi recognized him as the Officer who had swallowed a pair of keys once. "The Officer whose car you vandalized was let go two days prior to yesterday, and that cruiser was stolen from a different Officer. Also, you helped in getting a child molester off the streets. In our books, despite what you did, you had a very successful afternoon in Revenge that benefitted others more than it harmed them. Go home, Yugi Mutou, no one wants to arrest you, least of all us."

"Wait, you already know it was a side effect?"

"Yes, your doctor explained everything when we came to seize you at one am this morning. Also, that you saw to your own punishment and were staying in one of the dungeon cells that the vampire's had in the Palace. She didn't expect that you'd stay there all night like you wanted to, but knowing you as well as she did you'd be there for the majority of it."

"And that was acceptable?"

"Well, seeing as it was my cruiser you took three wheels off, the decision was left to me. And after asking how cold the cells were I found it to be a suitable punishment, even if it wasn't for one full night."

"I didn't ask for Yami until my hands had turned white, and I couldn't feel most of the parts of my body."

"That's not being stubborn like she said. That's just plain stupidity."

"I was ashamed. I mean, I went around doing bad things to people that I didn't even know! Things that were so out of character for me! I mean even if I had been drinking I wouldn't have done any of this!" Yugi dropped his face into his hands before looking back up and leaping at the Officer to grab the front of his jacket. "Lock me in your cell for the night! Just lock me up! I need to be locked up!"

"No," a voice said from behind him as he was seized around the waist and lifted over a shoulder.

"Hey," Yami called out, with Yugi thrown over his shoulder. Yugi had a sudden view of Atem giving him a disapproving look. "Whoever called us, thanks! We've been trying to track this down all morning."

"We went to the bakery first, and then just tried to follow someone's scent but it was all over town," Atem said still looking Yugi down. Yugi huffed, turning his head away.

"Come on, Yugi, trying to freeze to death is considered punishment enough by most."

The Officers who had been watching the small spectacle, or simply wandered up to see what all the noise was about started laughing. Wasn't every day that people were asking to be locked up. Mostly crazies who thought people were out to get them.

"At least I gave them the option," Yugi retorted.

"Hm, well in your adventure today did you forget your interview with Mr. Leon Liply?"

"Who?"

"Nanny interview?" Yami supplied.

"Oh wow, this is a really bad first impression, isn't it?"

"He didn't seem to mind, but a male Nanny? Are you sure?"

"No, I'm not, which is why he has an interview first. Nobody has ever passed my final test, so we will see. Um, can you put me down, please?"

"Sure, in one moment," Atem said, with a small grin.

"NO!" Yugi shouted before he was set down on the Palace steps. "Is this a personal punishment for waking up to me being gone?"

"I still don't know how you got out of bed without Atem waking up," Yami said shaking his head.

"Oh no, he did."

"I did?" Atem asked.

"Yes you woke up told me to go to the bathroom and then come back to bed. We needed more cuddles. When I got out of the bathroom though you seemed quite content with that pillow I had put between you and Yami as I was climbing out of bed to begin with. So I got dressed and walked out, neither of which woke you again."

"Content in what way?"

Yugi grinned, flashing an image of Atem hugging the pillow, and Yami licking it on occasion.

"Oh, well that explains why it was wet," Yami said, turning red slightly.

"Do you usually lick me in your sleep?" Yugi asked.

"No, I don't. I only lick you if you're bleeding. I swear!"

"Atem?"

"There were faint traces of your scent of blood on the pillow, probably from a feeding some time ago. So, Yami was just trying to clean you up. And clearly he got all of it that was on his side."

"Atem!" Yami shouted, jumping at him fist drawn back.

Atem caught it, and the two started to rough house. Yugi sighed, brushing his clothes off before going inside the Palace. "Don't hurt each other," he said lazily before disappearing inside.

Yugi walked down the halls until he came upon his Game Room. He had had his desk moved last semester to in here, and it proved very beneficial to him as he had a chance to get away from the ever watchful eyes of his mates, and complete his work faster. Should have done it years ago.

Upon opening the door he found Leon Liply playing KH3 on his PS4. Man was he going to be disappointed when he got to the end. Yugi had used Spring break to play the game, and after a week he had beaten it. The ending was less than pleasing to him.

"Mr. Liply?" Yugi called out gently.

"Oh," he jumped turning around to face Yugi. "Yeah, sorry, I got bored and they said I could play a game on here if I wanted to."

"No problem, I'm the one who missed our appointment. Please, come and sit down."

"Of course," Liply said putting the game in rest mode and making his way over. He sat down on one side of Yugi's desk, and Yugi sat on the other side. Yugi looked him over. Leon Liply was a tall young man, with white blonde hair cut close to his head, and soft grey eyes. Why he wanted to be a Nanny though, was something Yugi needed to figure out.

"So, why do you want to be a Nanny?"

"Well, I've worked in childcare for forty years, and wanted to take the next step up. Everyone told me that that would be a Nanny. Or Governess."

"So you like children?"

"Love'em! I've always wanted kids of my own, but after I hit my third century, I began to despair of ever having them."

"Sorry, third century?"

Liply smiled at him, and Yugi could then clearly see his fangs. He was a vampire. The third century bit made sense now. As well as why he could work forty years in childcare and not age.

"Ah, I see. So what do you have to bring to the table for the benefit of my children?"

"ABC's and 123's?" he joked. "They're still pretty young, in school yes, but still in need of personal childcare, and proper upbringing? I can provide that. I've been working in the Palace Nursery for years."

"Were you ever on duty when the children wandered off?"

"No. Natasha and Symone were. Both of whom you've interviewed already I believe?"

"Yes, they couldn't pass the final test. No one has been able to, what makes you think you can?"

"Because I'm not some weak woman who's going to crumble at a sad face."

"Well, let's put that to the test, shall we?"

"Bring it!"

Yugi lowered his head, and then looked back up with wide eyes, tears springing up to the corners of them, threatening to fall. "Well, Liply, can I?" Yugi asked in a whiny voice.

"And this look is supposed to get you your way? How? You look like an overgrown blubbering baby."

Yugi dropped the look, wiping at the corners of his eyes. Then he stood up, and held out his hand to Liply. He stood up and took it, shaking it slowly.

"You're hired, and start next week on Friday. I will let the school know that you're allowed to take the children on and off the school grounds. On Monday. Until then pack up and move into your designated quarters. One floor below mine, last door on the left."

"Wait, that was the final test? The one everyone failed?"

"Yep. The Puppy Dog Eyes of Doom, and trust me, both of my children inherited their own versions of it."

"I'm immune to cuteness? Especially in extreme measures?"

"Good to hear it. Their last wasn't, and allowed them to skip school."

"You skip school."

"I am an adult, and am able to face the consequences for my actions. They are children and have yet to realize the full damage it could do to their education."

"Understood. I will be moved in by Friday to my new quarters then."

"Thank you, we'll see you then."

Liply nodded one more time before walking out. Yugi was walking over to the couch to see if there was a save point nearby that he could put him at when he heard a loud shout of joy. He jumped, whipping around, but the large ruckus of noise was moving away. He supposed he should be happy that Liply was glad he had the job, but still he could've waited until he was just a little further away before celebrating.

"Um, Yugi," Atem said coming into the room, his head turned to the side as he looked down that hallway at something.

"Yes?"

"Uh, um," he turned his head to face him shaking it, "I was wondering what time you would be ready to go."

"Go? Go where?"

"We have a family event today?"

"Oh, right, just let me find a save point on this and then we'll get going. Are the kids set?"

"Yes, Yami is rounding them up now. They'll be happy to know that you found a Nanny, and that they no longer have to co-exist with the general population of the other residential children of the Palace."

"I'm not so sure about that. He looked at me like Sarugaki did when faced with the full effects of my P.D.E.O.D. Like the look was supposed to get me my way."

"Lucky bastard," Atem cursed.

"Ha ha ha," Yugi laughed as he rounded the corner, went to the save point, and then turned the game off. "Okay, ready!"

"Let's go!"

"Oh, by the way, I've decided that you get to tell Marchelle that she's wearing a dress for the ceremony."

"What? Yugi, that's hardly fair!"

"I'm Mom, and I always get my way in the end," Yugi teased kissing Atem's cheek before running off down the hallway.

"I don't care you should still tell her! She listens to you far better than she does me!" Atem said running after him.

"How about we discuss it later?"

"Better than a no, I'll take it."

"Come on, the family is waiting!"

"Hey, when are we going to make this family bigger?"

"After we're married, we'll make it bigger then."

"Sounds like good news to me," Atem said, capturing Yugi around the waist and kissing his neck. Yugi squirmed in his arms, before he was let go. Then the two walked hand in hand to the front doors where Yami was trying to get the children to remain calm, he was sure Mom was on his way. You saw who was important here, always.

[Time skip]

Yugi stood in line with so many other students waiting to get his College diploma. Yugi fiddled with the tassel on his cap again, craning his head over his peers to look into the crowd of people in the audience. Atem and Yami raised their children at him again. They screamed 'Way to go Mommy' every time they did this.

Yugi blushed and looked away. It was embarrassing, but at the same time so rewarding to know that they were supportive all the way of his success. Leon Liply sat to the side of them, amusement on his face as he kept a steady eye on the Royal Family. Guards were posted all around the auditorium, carefully watching for anything that could pose a threat.

The kids adored their new Nanny, even more so than their last one. That was how Yugi figured out why he had had bad Mommy vibes about her. Liply had come to him with it. She spanked his children when they were being bad by her standards, which had apparently been often. Yugi didn't even need to tell Liply what would happen to him should he do the same. The answering anger to the information had been clear enough of what would happen to him if he did do this. She was lucky she was just let go, if Yugi had known about the abuse, she would've been strung up by her neck for it. He did attach the information to her file though.

Yugi stepped up, shook the Dean's hand, and took his diploma. He walked down the other set of steps and went back to his seat. He'd done it, graduated, and now he was going to work at some random retail job before working at Domino High School, which had been announced to the entire audience. There was silence and then confused chatter from his peers. Yugi could hear some of them asking what type of retail shop he was looking for, and why he didn't just go work for his Grandfather instead. Yugi sighed, stupid Akiha and his deal, if it weren't for him he would be working at his Grandpa's shop for the next year.

Yugi looked back down at the piece of blank rolled up paper between his hands. They'd all been told before to collect their diplomas after the ceremony, and that they would be handed a thick piece of rolled up blank paper for show. Which they would trade in for their diplomas. A hand touched his shoulder, making him jump. Yugi turned around.

"You okay?" Marcus asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just relieved that I've finally graduated College, you know?"

"Don't I?" Marcus said sitting back in his chair. "No more late-night studies that could harm your health that I have to hear about later. What a relief."

Yugi rolled his eyes and turned back to face the front. Only his guard would see this as a benefit to them. Oh no, not the fact that they accomplished College level work with an elementary grade school level. At least that's what Yugi felt he was tutoring most of the time back when they were all first years at the Tokyo University. No, it was the fact that they were now off the hook if he got sick. Wasn't their fault anymore, just dear old Kingy's and Queeny's.

The ceremony was soon concluded after that, and after he got his diploma, Yugi was escorted home where a graduation party waited for him. Marchelle had been forced into yet another dress for this event, by her Aunt this time though. It was a pale pink, and very fluffy. Yugi just laughed with his two fiancés as they watched her try to walk around in it. It was like watching a toddler toddle around on wobbly legs. And Daniel was so not helping by poking his sister in the back every five minutes sending her toppling to the ground to show off her pink shoes that had a small heel to them. After the fifth time, she grabbed the dress by the bottom and ripped a seam up to her knee. Now she could chase her brother around.

"Leon," Yugi called quietly. The vampire was at his side.

"Yes, Prince?"

"Would you mind putting Marchelle in something else? She seems to have damaged that dress by accident."

He snorted, before rolling his lips in and nodding. He had the little girl ushered out of the room in record time after she was told she could get out of that dress. No one told her that she would be put in a new one, but she was sure to find out soon.

Yugi walked back to the other side of the ballroom where his friends both from High School, and College were sitting. He sat down in an open seat, and looked at Malik.

"You're next and last," Yugi announced.

"That's because I decided on the most difficult career path."

"Excuse you, what part of making edible medicines for humans is easy exactly?" Rebecca protested.

"Come up with an alternate to Blood Replacers yet?" Jou asked.

"There is no edible substitute for Blood Replacers, not if you want your blood replaced anyway. They should've named them Blood Replenishers, the name suits its complex dynamic better. Anyway, the project that I've been assigned to work on recently isn't anything simple, it's the Faster Blood Reproduction medicine for humans."

"Oh, and what are they trying to do? Come up with new side effects for us to endure?" Yugi half joked.

"No, we're trying to create one with no side effects."

"That'll be nice," Malik said, letting out a low whistle.

"You're telling me," Yugi agreed.

"But," Rebecca added.

"But?"

"It has to still be tasteless. No side effects but still tasteless."

"FBR-18 is tasteless? Tell your boss it isn't tasteless."

"It's not?"

"No, we can taste food better than before we were on it," Malik informed her. "If anything FBR-18 enhances the taste of food, and you could even say that it's in an almost addictive way."

Rebecca picked up her flute glass of blood and splashed it into Malik's face. "The problem is that we can't seem to get the right combination without it being tasteful, and our test subjects always have objections to the taste of the actual liquid we add to the usual soup most of the Vampire population gives humans directly following a feeding."

Malik was spitting, or attempting to, the blood out of his mouth as Marik came up behind him. Marik took a deep whiff of Malik, wrinkling his nose at the smell coming off of him.

"What's the matter Marik?" Otogi asked with a big grin, "Don't you like the smell of Plume de Chévre."

"Ugh, a Cross Species wine brand? Why would you torture yourself like that? Better yet, why would you dump it on my poor innocent Malik? Are you trying to turn me off of him for good?"

"No. Why would I try to help Malik when he's an ass most of the time?" Rebecca scoffed.

Malik had finally gotten most of the wine out of his eyes, and turned to his own flute glass. He picked it up, swirled it around, before tossing it at Otogi. The latter jumped to his feet in rage.

"What're you throwing this crap at me for?! She was the one who said it!"

"Because I'm a gentleman who refuses to attack a lady."

Otogi stared at him in disbelief. Most of the table had been recovering from their laughter, and were now dying in it. Oh, Yugi had missed these times with his friends. Yeah, he saw them at the Christmas Eve Ball, and some of them at the Gala, but it just wasn't the same. There they had to keep up appearances, here they could just be themselves.

"So, Timeaus, how's the wedding planning coming along?" Ryou asked as he was the first to recover.

"Good, but I get less of an idea that it's our wedding, and more of her special day. Which is fine, I suppose she's been planning this since she was a little girl."

"Most girls do. Right Otogi?"

"Hm, but our arrangement is more of a benefit for our parents than us."

"Tch, they're just lucky I like you, and want to keep you around."

"Otherwise Yugi would have had to do the job properly, right?" Jou asked, grinning widely at her.

"Atem and Yami would've taken one look at him, taken one whiff, and that would've been it. He'd of been locked up in the high tower far sooner than he was."

"What?"

"The high tower. You're bedroom?"

"Yeah, but I'm not locked up in it."

"Just an expression," Marik brushed off.

"Somehow I doubt that. But whatever, let's just talk about more exciting things."

"Like Marcus's and Alana's bet?" Malik suggested.

"Shh!" Yugi shushed him just a second or two before Marcus strolled up.

"What about me?" He asked.

"Nothing, we were just wondering what you're going to do with all your free time now that you no longer have to babysit Yugi here," Ryou said casually.

"Ha ha ha, who're you kidding? Four of us have been assigned as a personal guard. Now that you're no longer in a school swarming with potential hostiles you aren't considered to be as in much danger as you were before."

Yugi groaned, dropping his head into his arms. "May I kill him?" he asked the general population surrounding him.

"Only if we get to watch," Akeifa said, leaning over the back of Ryou's chair.

"Hey! You came! I didn't think you would!" Ryou said excitedly, jumping up and hugging him.

"We couldn't pass up the opportunity of seeing you, and it's about time we introduced our kids to the Vampire Monarchy."

"Oh! I'll go get mine!" Yugi said excitedly, jumping to his feet and rushing off to find his kids.

"No not-never mind. They were bound to be introduced eventually."

Yugi looked left and right before he found them arguing with Leon. It seemed his kids wanted to leave the boring party because there was no one their age to play with, and Leon kept saying no.

"Babies! There you are! I have someone I want to introduce you to!" Yugi said excitedly scooping them up around their waists and awkwardly carrying them off.

"Mom! Put us down!" Daniel cried out, trying to push Yugi away.

"Momma, your grip hurts us!" Marchelle complained just as he found Atem, Yami, Bakura, and the six kids. Yugi ran up and deposited them down by them.

"Ah, Yugi, you are still here," Atem said.

"Hello, Bakura!" Yugi said excitedly, then he looked down at his six kids, drawing his own out from behind him. "Hello, again children. These two youngsters are my own kids. This is Marchelle, and this is Daniel."

"I thought Akeifa…," Bakura trailed off, "Ah well, they were bound to meet this summer anyway at the Gala. Marchelle, Daniel, these are my six kids, Gina, Kisa, Edward, Hikari, Admani, and Oliver. Children say hello to the Vampire's children."

"Hello," they all said either bowing or curtsying.

Yugi nudged his own, and they timidly said hello back. Then Marchelle did something no one expected, she lunged forwards and latched onto Kisa and Edward. "Come and play with us!" she shouted, before yanking them away from their parent.

"Yeah, come play with us," Daniel agreed grabbing Hikari and Oliver, and dragging them off too. Gina, and Admani rushed after them.

"Leon!" Atem called out.

"Yes, King," Leon was before them bowing.

"Watch all eight of them while the kids play."

"Of course!" the Leon vanished.

"Who is he?" Bakura asked, the hair on his arms thickening.

"Just the Nanny," Yugi said, as Ryou appeared next to him, putting a hand on his arm.

"Bakura, where are our children?" Akeifa asked as Bakura pulled Ryou up into a savage kiss.

Yugi's face colored slightly as he turned his head away, "mine dragged them off to play."

"Hm, perhaps it will be their generation that makes the difference between us."

"That would be wonderful. I'm tired of seeing each other as enemies," Yami sighed back.

"It will take a powerful bond to break what most of our kind see to be flaws in one another."

"Which is why we are willing to discuss more on that subject you proposed five years ago. After it was confirmed that Yugi bore two children of opposite genders."

"What proposal?" Yugi asked.

"Later," Atem said with a slight look towards Yugi.

"Understood," Akeifa agreed.

"Atem, what proposal?" Yugi demanded.

"We'll discuss this at a different time."

"Fine."

Yugi turned on his heel and walked off amongst the crowd to find Osiris. He was Atem's private guard, and was always lurking in the shadows somewhere during all of his meetings no matter how small. He should know all about this proposal.

Yugi found him talking with Ethan and another he didn't recognize. Yugi walked right up behind him, and made his purpose clear.

"Osiris, I order you to tell me what Atem proposed to Akeifa five years ago shortly after my children were born."

Osiris dropped what he was holding, and seemed to have trouble with his words for a moment before it came out in stuttered breaths of air. "He proposed…that they marry…one of Akeifa's…children to…one of yours. To help…with a concept of…unity between…the two races."

"Thank you!" Yugi said cheerfully before walking off.

"Ya know, I think Yugi knows a bit too much about all of Atem's meetings, big or small," Ethan said behind him.

"Shut up!" Osiris growled back.

"You are so dead, Osi," the other said.

Yugi just mindlessly hummed to himself as he made his way back to his table of friends. He grabbed Malik, and dragged him back to where he was sure his children were. And was not disappointed as he walked up to see them playing tag. A game that the little werewolf children were having a difficult time grasping, especially when they were told repeatedly that they couldn't use their supernatural speed to play the game.

"Hey, kids why don't you play Simon Says instead, with Leon playing Simon," Yugi suggested as the first game that came to mind without any running involved.

"Okay!" Marchelle and Daniel agreed before turning to their new playmates and explaining the game to them.

While they were doing this, Yugi discussed a new insight he had recently learned with Malik. He argued that it was a sound political trick, but at the cost of the children's happiness? Not everyone was going to get as lucky as Rebecca and Otogi.

"That's why I think we should wait until after the Christmas Eve ball, when they've had a few more chances to be around one another to get to know one another to see if it's what's best for them."

"Did you tell Atem this?"

"No, he doesn't know I know. But Osiris does and I highly doubt he'll say anything."

"So what're you going to do when Atem tries to bring it up?"

"He won't. Not until he and Akeifa reach a fair deal on both ends. Then he'll bring it up to me."

"But it'll be a basic done deal by then."

"Exactly. This is how well I know Atem."

"Nuh uh, Leo! I moved, not Kisa!" Daniel shouted gaining both adult's attention.

"Okay, Daniel, then you're out. Go sit by Hikari and Edward."

Daniel looked so proud of himself when he walked over to the wall to sit down. It was Kisa's reaction that caught Yugi's eye though. The look of adoration awe in her eye as she watched him walk by her in a confident stride. The light dusting of pink on her cheeks.

"Ever seen him take interest in a girl like that before?" Malik asked watching with a knowing smirk.

"Only Supergirl."

"We may have found a lucky match after all."

"Well, there's only six of them, one of my children were bound to take an interest in one of them eventually. I just thought it would've taken more time to appear."

"And if not these two, then perhaps another?"

"Perhaps."

"Have you told Atem and Yami of your plans yet? Family wise I mean."

"I thought I'd tell them on our honeymoon. Give them a better advantage of exactly what they're up against."

"That's just mean."

"Well, at least I know they're up for more children."

"Here you are," Bakura said from behind them. "But, what are they doing?"

"Playing Simon Says."

"First game Yugi could think of that didn't involve running."

"You think my children are cheaters?"

"Only when they're using their supernatural speed against mine."

"Daniel, Daniel, stand next to me," Kisa demanded.

"Uh, o-okay," Daniel stumbled as he went to stand next to her, leaving his sister between Gina and Admani.

"Well, I can see that he's shy like his Mother," Bakura said, looking at the pair. Yugi could see the same look in Bakura's eyes that had just been in his and Malik's.

"And she's abrasive like her Daddy," Yugi retaliated.

"Shut up," Bakura said, giving him a small push.

"We might just be in-laws after all."

Bakura's head swiveled around to look at him with wide eyes. He was staring at him like he'd never seen him before. Or better yet, like Yugi knew something he wasn't supposed to.

Yugi put a finger to his lips, "Shhh."

"Secrets safe with me. The less those three know that you know the better. They're scared you'll reject such an old fashioned idea."

"Well, as long as the children agree, why not?"

"Complete compliance?"

"Exactly."

"And what if it was between Daniel and Gina, not Daniel and Kisa that this arrangement was made in."

"Foot is going down."

"Ha ha ha ha."

"I mean your kids are all the same age, so as long as one of them marries into either the female branch or the male branch of the family, where's the harm?"

"And what if one of my children has a thing for one of your younger ones that come along, huh? What choice do they have in this?"

"Well, if I had a problem with one of your children marrying one of my yet to be conceived, then I'd be a hypocrite seeing as the age gap between Atem, Yami, and I is a lot bigger than seven or eight years. But to your question, one of them will have to prove to the family court why they're best suited be married and not the other, because my children aren't going to get involved with their brothers and sisters in-laws."

"You know it wasn't uncommon in the old days to-" Bakura started to slowly explain, but Yugi cut him off.

"No, not happening!"

"What's not happening?" Atem asked from behind.

"We are not having a sleepover until Bakura can assure me his children are done biting!"

"It was just an idea so they could bond a little more. I mean they seem to be getting along so well already."

"Besides, Akeifa already promised me that I could have the puppies for the night!" Ryou interjected loudly.

"They are not puppies!" Akeifa and Bakura said together.

"RYOU!" six voices screamed before he was bowled over by the children.

"Well, now it's just down to the Prince and Princess," Leon said looking away from what appeared to be a mauling to him.

"Hey, Simon says walk like an Egyptian!" Malik said jumping in.

The two kids giggled, looking at their Dad's before doing so.

"What did we do?" Atem and Yami asked together.

"Nothing, you just make it too easy," Yugi says grinning up at them before joining his children in dancing like an Egyptian. About five minutes later Yugi heard a song come on over the speakers. Which as weird because he could've sworn he put it in the nine and after mix.

"Dance with me, Yugi!" Penny shouted running up grabbing his hand, and pulling him away.

Yugi didn't mind, he just started to grind against her. They were both dancing sex on a stick, to Party by Myself by Hollywood Undead. And Atem, Yami, and Silver just stared.

"We should not be turned on by this," Yami finally said.

"Agreed, I should be furious that my fiancé is dancing like that with your fiancé," Silver said. "But there is no reason why we shouldn't sit back and enjoy the show."

"Yeah, and the next song that Rebecca picked out for old times' sake will make you thrilled that Yugi will be sandwiched between the two females," Otogi said coming up to stand behind them, as more of their friends joined them on the floor. Otogi shook his head before joining his girlfriend.

"Me and my cup, almost solo and faulty beer! I'm seeing double but there's only one guy here! Motherfucker, I'm getting weird! Motherfucker, yeah, let's get weird!"

"And now we're all singing along," Silver said sighing as she dropped into a chair. "That's it the party is now theirs."

"I'm fresh to death, I'm in the zone! I checked my head, but no one's home! The mood is right, the Party's on! Looks like tonight, I'll be drinking alone!"

"If only we were that lucky with at least two of them," Atem sighed as he leaned back against the table, and Yami dropped down into a seat.

"Fuck everyone else, I'mma party by myself! Higher than a kite, with nobody but myself! Let's get weird! Let's get weird! Let's get weird! Let's get weird! Get weird!"

It jumped immediately into the next song, and Yugi sent the creepiest grin at his mates, as he spun around and snatched Otogi's partner from him. Rebecca pressed herself up against Yugi as if his front half was suddenly made of fly paper. Penny came up behind him, and Yugi found himself in a familiar tight squeeze between the two.

Damn, they knew this one too, as the three started to dance. It was the song they saw Yugi dancing to in the club Mixed Breeds. Between these two girls that time too, ironically enough. Timber by Pitbull ft. Ke$ha. Otogi didn't even look bothered that his partner had been stolen, just turned to Sierra, and started to dance with her instead. It was clear that Timaeus, who was behind her, did have a problem with this. He spun Sierra away who just laughed, and leaned up to whisper in Timaeus's ear.

"Of course I do!" Timaeus shouted over the music.

Sierra just laughed harder in his arms.

Then the song Don't Cha by PCD ft Busta Rhymes came on. Yugi pushed both girls away and stole Malik away from Ryou. This is when Daniel came to sit in his Dad's lap who didn't think twice about it until the child spoke up.

"Hey, Dad?"

"Hm?"

"Why type of dancing is that that Mom is doing with Uncle Malik?"

"Grinding."

"What's grinding?"

"Basically when you rub up against your partner in an arousing and vulgar way."

"What's arousing and vulgar mean?"

Yami opened his mouth to respond before recalling just who he was talking to, and quickly changed the subject. "Atem, what time is it?"

"Nearly 8pm," he responded with a barely held back grin.

"Hey why don't we go find your sister and Leon, and start getting ready for bed, hm?" Yami asked, standing up with Daniel in his arms.

"But Mom said we could stay up until nine."

"Well, I don't think your Mom foresaw his friends commandeering his party. Therefore it is time for bed now."

"But what do those words mean?"

"I'll tell you when you're a teenager. And Daniel, this conversation stays between us. Mom is not to know about it."

"Why? Does he know what those words mean?"

"No! No he doesn't, and Atem and I don't want him to know that they mean any time soon."

"Oh, okay! So Atem can tell me what they mean?"

"No, I'd be over stepping your Daddy, and you don't want me on his bad side, do you?"

Daniel shook his head, remembering when Mom had been on his Dad's bad side. He definitely didn't want to witness anything like that again. So he was just going to save this conversation until he was a teenager.

Both men thought Yami was in the clear until a quiet voice cut through their relief.

"Mr. Kodai, and Mr. Sennen, why is our daughter asking me what vulgar and arousing means?"

"Akeifa's fault!" Both said quickly before vanishing without even turning to look at the accuser.

Yugi rolled his eyes, before bending down to pick up his daughter as Black Wedding by In This Moment ft. Rob Halford played in the background. He'd just accost them about it later. In the meantime, it looked like someone was getting sleepy, and needed to go to bed.

After some searching he found Leon who was laughing at something Yami was saying. Their son was nowhere in sight, but then again, neither was Atem. Yugi walked up and handed Marchelle to Leon who just took her. Then he grabbed Yami and dragged him off.

"End the party, please. I just want it to be friends of the family only now, okay? And include the guards in that request too."

"Did one of them break you and the girls up?"

"Three actually."

"Will this get me off the hook?"

"Only if you can explain to me what vulgar and arousing mean in the physical way tonight," Yugi replied back, giving Yami fox eyes over his shoulder.

"I didn't actually tell him!"

"Oh, I know that. Otherwise Marchelle wouldn't have come up to me and ask if I really didn't know what those two words meant. So, I've decided since I have no comprehension of these words, perhaps you could show me what they mean?"

"If only we were so lucky," Yami said, leaning down to whisper in his ear, before freeing his hand and walking off towards Ethan.

Oh, poor Atem.

What do you mean poor Atem?

Yami doesn't want to jump you. I don't know what's wrong with him.

He's not you?

In any case, Yami is closing up the party now so get back here already. You wouldn't want to miss the show would you?

Poor Muhtaram, he won't even see it coming.

Yugi chuckled quietly before walking back towards his friends. Malik was laughing at something that Jou had just said, and Ryou was giving Akeifa his best puppy pout for some reason.

"No, Ryou," Akeifa sighed, staring intently up at the ceiling which meant he knew what awaited him if he looked down.

"Oh come on, Akeifa!" Yugi shouted squishing his face next to Ryou's and his own puppy eyes to the mix. "Just give in now. You're going to anyway later and we all know it."

"You don't even know what the conversation is about, Mutou!" Akeifa said looking right down at them in clear offense. Then he gasped, like a fly caught in a web made of sugar, he slouched in defeat. "Fine, you can have them for the week."

"Thanks Yugi!" Ryou said putting his hand up for a high five. Yugi smacked it with a wide grin, before turning to survey the room.

The guests were slowly trickling out of the door, but there were still many guards protesting that they needed to stay to protect the royal family, especially since there were so many werewolves in the room. Including the one that had been cuddled up to their Prince moments ago. Yugi's eyes narrowed at them, they wanted to protect the royal family huh? Oh, he'd give them something to protect.

Striding across the room in confident steps he stopped right in front of the eight guards who were refusing to leave. Wait, no, seven were refusing to leave, and the eighth was just hovering. He looked neither bored nor interested in the conversation, but he was the first to notice Yugi. It was the way he was noticed though that had Yugi pausing waiting to be noticed by the rest, as he and this man stared at one another.

The man stared at him as if he was an object of both hatred and desire, and Yugi stared back in confusion. Not just because he'd never seen this guard at a public event before, but because he couldn't figure out how he was something that was both hated and desired. The man was dressed in the usual black outfit of the guard though, with plain looks, and an almost disappearing presence. It was almost seemed to be a conscious effort not to be noticed, and Yugi's eyes lightened with a slight realization to discover that that was exactly his intention. The man's dark dirty brown eyes lightened with a slight humor as his eyes shifted to the right, forcing Yugi's to follow to his left, only to jump back slightly.

"Hello! Prince! Can we help you with something?!" one of the other seven was shouting at him.

Yugi nodded slightly, before shifting his eyes back to the right to see the door to the terrace shutting, and a slight figure walking away into the darkness. There was no doubt in Yugi's mind that seeing him had been a freak accident, and he probably wouldn't be seeing him again for a very long time. If at all. He could worry about that later though; he had a more pressing issue screaming at him now.

"Yes! Since you seven seem so intent on protecting the royal family, I want you to patrol the border 20 feet out. Now go!"

"But if we're 20 feet out, how will we hear you scream if you need help?" one with red hair protested. A vampire's hearing was good up to about ten feet, but he supposed that these rookies didn't know that yet.

"Well, any assailant would have to first get through you at the border 20 feet out. And if they were to do so then I could only assume that the seven of you were dead. After all, as guards of the royal family, you'd lay your life down for us, would you not?"

"Uh…," they all answered together, as Yugi could feel slight traces of amusement coming from both ends of his link, which meant both were back, and in hearing range.

"I assure you that your hesitation is most reassuring."

"Of course!" a blonde shouted.

"I would!" the red head agreed.

"Me too!" the one who had been shouting in his face earlier pitched in. Soon they were all agreeing with him, but Yugi knew it was only because they were being pressured by their own self pride to answer in a rushed fashion after they hesitated to do so in the first place.

"Well then, off with you to your separate 20 feet out locations! For only the finest of our guards get to protect us on the front lines."

"Yeah, and that's us!" a brunette shouted before the seven of them were charging out the door on the terrace and flitting off into the night.

"Only the best huh?" Atem asked, coming up behind him and wrapping his arms around his waist.

"Mm, indeed," Yugi responded, looking up at him and pecking a kiss on his jawline. "And you know if Yami still doesn't want to demonstrate the meaning of those words to you, I can."

Atem just shook his head, staring down at him with amused eyes, "You're terrible. You know this right?"

"Well, you only tell me every other day, so how could I?"

"Cheeky little Imp. I can't hear them or any others besides the ones in this room now, so want to put this show on the road?"

"In a moment," Yugi said, turning to Zaire who had been the one trying to get the seven to leave. Yugi figured he should start using their real names since he was no longer in school and they no longer his 'schoolmates'. "Zaire, who was that eighth man that was over here?"

"What eighth man? There was only seven."

"No, there was another," Yugi frowned looking away, "he was quiet, and kept to the back. Ordinary, and plain looking. He wasn't vying for attention, but rather lingering around the main source of it. He noticed me first, and I in turn him. He was a model guard, something I've seen all the higher ranks execute. The ability to not be seen unless he himself wills it. Except, I don't think he meant to be noticed tonight, especially by me. It was something that just happened, and it was a mistake he will never repeat. But I saw him, he was standing right next to the door. Who was he?"

"What did he look like?" Muhtaram asked coming up to stand beside the three of them.

"Dusty brown hair, dark dirty brown eyes, a slightly tanned complexion, and a conscious effort not to be seen."

Both Zaire's and Muhtaram's eyes narrowed in confusion as they looked at one another. They looked over Yugi's head towards where some other guards must have been, and then back at one another before turning to Yugi.

"That's impossible," Zaire muttered, "We don't have any guards with that description."

"We don't? Are you sure?"

"Yes," Muhtaram said with a slight nod. "Are you sure this was the guard you saw?"

"Um, I suppose his features could've been slightly different. I really just remember his eyes, dark dirty brown. They drew me in with the look of desire and hatred."

"Then we should make an attempt to find this illusive guard," Zaire responded with a stoic look.

"We'll get Plutah on it," Muhtaram agreed.

"Alright, but for now it can wait," Yami said. "Yugi has a slideshow he had Ryou help him with that he wants to show you lot. As a thank you, for looking after him all these years."

Atem nodded once, before steering Yugi around, and towards the stage.

"Hm, sounds interesting enough to stick around for," Zaire said, with a small shrug.

Yugi shrugged off Atem's arm, and shot off towards the stage where his friends had started a game of karaoke. Ryou was currently in the middle of She Wolf by Shakira, and the more annoyed and pissed off his boyfriends looked the more vibrant his singing got. Did they not realize that they were practically egging him on? Though, Ryou was changing some of the words to the song just to fit his boyfriends.

Sitting across the bar, staring right at his prey,
It's going well so far, he's gonna get his way.
Nocturnal creatures are not so prudent,
This wolf's my teacher, and I'm his student.

To locate the single men I've got on me a special radar,
And the fire department's hot line in case I get in trouble later
Not looking for cute little divas or rich city guys that just want to enjoy
I'm having a very good time and behave very bad in the arms of a boy

There's a he wolf in the closet,
Open up and set it free
There's a he wolf in the closet,
Let it out so it can breathe

S.O.S. he's in disguise
S.O.S. he's in disguise
There's a he wolf in disguise
Coming out, coming out, coming out

S.O.S. he's in disguise
S.O.S. he's in disguise
There's a he wolf in disguise
Coming out, coming out, coming out

There's a he wolf in the closet,
Let it out so it can breathe

"He's as bad a Yugi," Atem said as soon as the song ended.

"Hey, at least Ryou wasn't giving you guys a show while dancing up there on the stage," Yami added throwing an arm around Bakura's shoulders. Bakura shoved him off.

"Alright, I interrupt your karaoke, to give you the final results of this year's honorary members of the gang!" Yugi proclaimed snatching the microphone from Ryou. Ryou grinned widely as he jumped off the stage to go stand by the projector. He gave Yugi a thumbs up, he looked more excited by this than Yugi was. Then again Ryou was always excited to show off his master hacking skills combined with his mastery of photo opportunities.

"And first up in recognition is Marcus Muhtaram!"

The first picture was of Marcus in his school uniform, his short black hair was slightly wind swept, bronze skin appeared to be glowing slightly from the light coming in from a nearby window, and his dark brown eyes were in repulsed wonder. In his hand he held up a naked female blow up doll with a KOG wig on its head. You could just see the outline of a hand, finger pointing at it in the far left side of the picture. The picture that followed this one up was Muhtaram holding up a scarecrow like figure in utter bafflement. His hair was long though, and tied back in a neat ponytail. Behind him, as if she had just leapt from the darkness, was a young girl with golden blonde hair that was spread out behind her like a cape, and amber colored eyes that were bright with delight. Her stance was of a pouncing cat, and it was clear who the intended target was.

And the life size of Marcus in the ballroom just stood there completely flabbergasted as to how he came to acquire that picture at all. Giving Yugi the feeling that Ryou might have hacked Yami's picture albums, and not an actual computer. Oh, this was going to be great!

"Oh man, Amber, that girl was a wild one!" Zaire howled, laughter of many of the guards filled the room.

"Ugh, not one of our best choices in a food source," Yami groaned, his head leaning against Atem's shoulder.

"No, but I think Yugi could give her a run for her money," Atem agreed. "It's a shame we can't introduce you."

Yugi threw him a questioning look, and Atem replied over the mind link.

Her kidneys failed her when she was in her late thirties, and she died before she could get a matching transfer. That was about 100 years before we met you as a babe.

Yugi nodded turning away. "Next, there is Zane Zaire!"

A picture popped up of Zane leaning over a railing looking down at something. His brown-red hair was falling into his face slightly, his skin had a soft honey tone to it, and his grey eyes squinted in a way that was almost asking the viewer if they saw what he was seeing. Or maybe that he couldn't believe what he was seeing. What he was looking at was Yugi hanging off a railing further down on a building opposite of him over a large open space, as he tried to wave someone down on the ground below a paper clutched tight in his other hand. His follow up picture was of him dumping a bucket of water onto a sleeping Yami. The picture had been taken at the perfect moment. The water was hovering over Yami, who hadn't been hit with it yet, but if the picture had been taken even a second later they were sure to see his jarred awake form.

"Oh, good times, good times, right Queenie?"

"I still can't believe you used the dump bucket to wake me up," Yami said shuddering at the picture.

"It wasn't water?" Rebecca asked.

"No, it was waste product," Yami said with a groan. "Ugh, the memory of it still has a lingering scent that will never fade."

"Uh, okay moving onto Samuel Samir!"

The picture was a bit delayed but when it did come up, Samuel stood in a disgruntled position as he was covered in some kind of black paste. Hazel eyes stared down at Yugi who looked like he was trying apologize while Luke just laughed in the background. His fist in mid-motion of banging on the counter. It was clear to see that this was a Home Ec. accident, and Samuel had merely been caught in the crossfires of it. The older picture of him was similar in the way that Samuel was covered head to foot in mud, and Konner was up on a bank looking pleased at his current state of being. The two must've just had a fight about something, again.

"What were you covered in Samir?" Ryou asked what all but a few were thinking.

"If you can believe it, cookie dough. I was covered in chocolate chip cookie dough."

The whole room spun to Yugi.

"It was Luke's idea to add food coloring. And then Samir made a comment about it, back before I knew they were my guards, and somehow it transferred from Luke's hands to his head. And because of all the food coloring it hadn't set into a cookie dough form, but looked more like black glue as it made its way from his short cut black hair down to his white shoes. It was a few days before he was tan like Marcus again."

It was silent for a few beats before the whole room erupted into laughter. It was some time before everyone calmed down enough for Yugi to continue.

"And, ah, ha ha, next is Konner Kareem."

Konner was standing in the middle of the school courtyard arms held up, his face scrunched up in fear as he looked to the sky. His pale wispy blonde hair was wild looking, like there'd been a strong wind that day. His hazel eyes were wide, and his bronze coated skin shimmered as if coated in a thick sweat. Only Yugi, could have a guard in this much of a panic, and there he was standing on a tree branch as he attempted to coax Koneko out of a tree with some pieces of fish. The branch itself looked flimsy, as if it could give way at any moment, which explained Konner's heavy concern for the human. The next picture was of him in a pancake form on the ground, with Valon sitting on top of him. Valon looked surprised, and Konner annoyed and angry.

"Mm, brilliant job with your pictures there Ryou," Yami said, clapping for him, "but Valon didn't fall he was thrown."

"What?" Ryou asked in confusion.

"Why was he thrown?" Jou asked.

"His house was on fire, again."

"So I'm assuming the motorcycle wasn't the cause?" Yugi asked in a bored voice.

"No, the blender."

"The blender? How do you set a house on fire with a blender?"

"We mixed water with it," Yami responded indignantly, crossing his arms and turning his head away.

"Yes, it would appear that was my mistake," Valon interrupted with a small sigh. "I only explained to them what would happen if they mixed a small electrical object like a toy with a bucket of still water. Never told them what would happen if they mixed a high-speed electrical object that was running on high with running water."

"We were just trying to help you with the dishes."

"You cost me a third house!"

"Third?" Jou asked in disbelief. "What happened to the second?"

"They decided to make a homemade bomb out of objects and chemicals in my house. I still don't understand how the explosion only took my house and not the whole street too." Valon sighed, pressing his hand to his forehead like the subject was giving him a headache.

"That first and second year I was their food source it cost me three houses, two apartments, and a hotel room. They bought me the fourth one to which I told them they were never getting entrance."

"Seems fair," Yugi said nodding in slight sympathy for the vampire.

"Thank you!" Valon's hands shot out towards Yugi in gratification. "Finally, someone sees my point!"

"Ah, that was a great show," Akeifa said, wrapping an arm around Bakura as they both looked towards the group with dreamy faces. "Two vampires versus one human. All they wanted was permission to enter the new home, and Valon flat out denying them entrance. He even went so far as to put up ultraviolet lights, and garlic at the entrance. Both of which he knew were useless, but hey whatever made the human comfortable."

A sudden image flashed through Yugi's mind of brightly lit panels lighting a front stoop, garlic hanging from its ceiling in long strips to the floor like curtains, and on the floor of the stoop were sharp wooden pegs sticking straight up. He could also feel the bafflement and exasperation that came with the memory. Valon stood in the doorway looking as proud as could be at his apparent accomplishment.

Yugi busted out in laughter, oh that was too good. So priceless even. He wondered if there was a picture of it somewhere in their photo albums. They really needed to add it the random picture bit that Ryou sometimes put into the 'end credits' of his yearly slideshows. He knew his friends would definitely get a kick out of it.

Does Akeifa know about the wooden stakes?

No, and we'd prefer to keep it that way thank you.

Yugi just sent them a small grin before motioning for Ryou to turn to the next picture.

"And here we have Arthur Aden, but he seems to be missing in real life for some reason."

"He apologizes for not making it, Yugi, but he had other engagements that require his undivided attention," Muhtaram said smoothly.

"You couldn't give him one night off?"

"No, we couldn't. He's been given a mission that only his unique talents can see through."

"Fine, whatever."

Yugi looked up at the picture and balked at it. "Ryou!"

"Sorry, couldn't resist, it was one of the best ones I found," Ryou replied, shaking with suppressed mirth.

Aden stood in the forefront of the picture, flirting with a random blonde, and you could see from the way she bit her lip, looking away shyly, and the faint dusting of pink on her cheeks that it was going rather well. Aden had curly red hair that fell in a disheveled array about his head, his pale complexion had him looking more vampire than most of them, and his soft golden brown eyes could charm any girl they made contact with, as Yugi had seen for himself countless of times. It was what was in the background of this picture that made Yugi balk though. He was on the outside of the building hanging off a window sill as he reached for an object that was just out of sight of the camera's view. His feet were planted firmly against the building as he hung onto the sill with one hand, but you could tell from the way that one foot was higher than the other, and how only his three longest fingers were gripping the sill by their tips that the ending result probably wasn't pretty.

"Funny, I don't remember this incident being in the stupidity reports," Atem said looking pointedly at the four male guards.

"Clearly Aden was on duty that day, and once again not doing his job," Zaire said shaking his head.

Atem rolled his eyes, as he shook his head. Come to think of it, all of the pictures so far were something they'd never known about until now. It made Atem and Yami both shudder slightly to think of how many more 'incidents' there were that they didn't know about, and probably didn't want to either.

Ryou flipped to the next picture to show Aden flirting with a brunette this time, both were dressed in colonial wear, like you'd find an average Amish family wearing. In the background though was a young woman looking like she was trying to quietly mount a horse. Her long dark black hair falling wildly around her, her piercing dark blue eyes watching Aden attentively, though he was so distracted there was really no point to. Her skin was dirty, like a captive who had just been released after months of being held prisoner in some dark dungeon, so it was unclear as to what her true skin color was. She was wearing a ragged looking dress of a fine wine red color that, had she been clean and her hair done like the young woman Aden was flirting with Yugi was sure she'd still look wild, but an amazing beauty all the same.

"Man, she was a runner that one," Zaire said, with a tinge of regret in his voice.

"Temperance, it was a name quite common in that time, but that woman had us running up and down that town looking for her on a constant basis," Yami said, shaking his head.

"She was a food source?" Jou asked first.

"Yes, she was. That picture you have up there, Ryou, was the last time anyone saw her alive."

"She got away." Yugi was in shock that anyone could get away from these two bloodhounds.

"No, that horse was run right into a war zone and both were shot on sight."

"I'm sorry."

"So were we."

"Aden was demoted naturally and spent decades working his way back up the ranks," Muhtaram scoffed, "clearly it was a mistake to think he'd learned a damn thing."

"Um, Ryou," Yugi looked at him. He nodded in return and they tried to move the party away from the morbid atmosphere that it had taken.

"Next is Alana Amira!" Yugi gestured grandly to the screen behind him, and then slowly turned in slight fear of what he'd find. His fears were not let down.

Amira was leaning against a wall in a 'why do I even bother pose' as she watched Yugi stand on top of a stack of books to reach what looked like a piece of paper on the top of the shelf. The stack looked very unstable, and Yugi standing on one foot on his tippy toes, the knee of his other leg leaning against the shelf slightly probably was only making the matter of physics worse.

Amira had golden blonde hair that was tied up into a ponytail, bright green eyes that watched her charge with a certain type of familiar weariness, and she had a slightly tanned complexion that boasted that she stayed just enough in sunlight to keep it that way before she was turned.

"Ryou why are all of these pictures of me doing dangerous stunts you know they'd disapprove of?"

"Clearly your guards didn't seem all that concerned in stopping you, or else I wouldn't have found hundreds of more that were very similar to these."

"Are you trying to get them killed?"

"Nah, just you. My job has been a living hell since that photoshoot was released back at the end of January. This is payback!"

"Who was it that made me do that photoshoot in the first place?"

"Camille, it's all her fault."

Yugi rolled his eyes. Leave it to Ryou to take his stress out on the person who wasn't paying him to take really good pictures of them. He wondered if Ryou would be interested in taking Kaiba up on his offer now of becoming the Corporations personal Photographer.

Ryou smirked at Yugi as he clicked to the next picture. Amira was staring dumbfounded at a young boy in front of her as he aimed a cricket bat towards a window, a small rock was hovering in the air slightly above him, but definitely in front of him. It was clear what was going to happen in the next shot without a picture even needing to be taken. The boy couldn't have been older than 12 years of age as his windswept curly red hair, and soft golden brown eyes were narrowed in contempt of what he was about to do.

"Aden?" Yugi gasped in surprise, almost missing the man in the young boy before him caught in a time when he was either human, or not yet a vampire.

"Yeah, he was a devil of food source," Kareem said, with a small grimace. "Always getting into trouble, and nothing really changed after he reached sixteen and we were met with the shocking truth that he was a pureblood vampire."

"Can we please move on from that horrible experience of when I realized that Aden's marksmanship was true and he managed to shatter the Chapel window right in the middle of Sunday's service?" Amira begged. His friends turned to her, as if seeing her for the first time.

"Whoo! That was one hell of an explanation you gave Atem," Zaire said with a small shake of his head.

"Explanation? No, a heavy wad of cash was what shut that man up, and we had to move towns. Again."

"I'm starting to wonder how you weren't prepared for me," Yugi grumbled, as he motioned for Ryou to display the next unknown misbehavior he'd done at College.

"Next is Hannah Hana, with a wonderful display of something I've done that she never told my mates about."

Hana had straight as a board rich chocolate brown hair, murky blood-brown eyes, and a pale complexion. Hana was currently standing next to another woman as they both watched him in disbelief. He was trying to cross a highway that seemed to have a never ending light with cars racing past. Now, either one of the girls probably could've gotten him across the street he seemed so desperate to cross but that would ruin their cover, and oh no, couldn't have that. Yugi looked like he was about to make a dash for the other side at any moment the way he had his eyes nearly screwed shut, his bottom lip pulled back into his mouth, and his foot was inching into the street.

"Please tell me he made it across the street unharmed!" Yami said, in pure exasperation.

"Yeah, and this wasn't one of those times that he decided to stay at school because he needed to get some paper done," Atem added.

"No, he made it across," Hana assured them. "Marcus saw what he was attempting just in time, as it was coming up on his watch shift, and helped him across. And then started to admonish him for being so stupid. This was before he knew we were his guards too."

"And the next picture of Hana is…?" Amira asked in excited anticipation.

Ryou looked at her before shrugging, and going on to the next pic of her. Hana was straddling a horse, gripping the reins tight as her hair flew wildly about her, the horse on its rear legs. Its black coat speckled with white dots, like stars in the night. She wore a short dress that had a small bodice, that didn't cover her shoulders or arms of a soft gold. A pleated skirt in six different arrows of a golden silver color, giving her free mobility should she be fighting. She wore white boots that looked like they were made of a soft leather, and gloves of the same fashion that came up to her elbows. In her hand was a flag, but it was moving so much you couldn't distinguish nationality, color, or any type of item or animal on it.

"Uh, Ryou, no offense but I kind of expected you to use the picture of her with her fist implanted into the front of the semi-truck," Amira said after everyone had a moment to take in the image of such a dazzling scene.

"Yeah, I was going to but then I saw this one, and it was just awesome. A photographer after my own heart. Who took it anyway? I love their work."

"Lyla Green," Hana said stiffly.

"Was this like a one hit wonder?"

"No one thought a woman should be in a war let alone taking pictures of one, so you may know her better by Gayle Nerl."

"Shut up! He's a woman? His stuff is amazing. He always seemed to be taking the shots as if the world just stood still for him long enough to capture that one moment."

"Yeah, I know. I miss her work dearly. Not just because she was amazing, but she was also my best friend."

"She died in 1997." Ryou looked to the ground as he said it. "At 57 years of age, so you can't be that old yourself."

"Correction, she didn't know how old I was, and I kind of kept it that way by becoming really good in the makeup industry. Where she had natural wrinkles and grey hair, I painted and dyed mine on. It felt nice to sort of grow old with someone." Hana had a far off look in her eyes as tears started to collect in them.

"And moving onto Lauren Lina, you my dear were a hard one to locate. But I eventually managed," Yugi said looking at the woman coming out of the shadows to stare at herself on the big screen in surprise.

Lina had long black hair that was in perfect multiple braids, her tawny hawk eyes piercing the viewer as her mouth curled into a smirk, her dark skin lit up by some type of light in the background. She was watching Yugi freak out at Yami as he held a paper in his hand and was pointing to something on it. Yami just stood there taking the heat as he just looked at the piece of paper in Yugi's hand with a casual glance. Clearly neither vampire was as concerned as Yugi was. They both had looks of amusement on their faces.

The next one of her was of a piece of paper being shoved into her own face saying 'Need Computers for NASA. Hiring now at $2.25 an hour.' Lina still had her hair in braids, but in a single one going down her back. Her glasses covered up half her face, and her mouth was slightly ajar as she stared at the Ad.

"Uh, they hired computer workers back in the 60's?" Jou asked in surprise.

"No, idiot. Not that type of computer," Lina responded back in a deep southern voice. "A computer was a person that was very good in mathematics, and figured out all the calculations for space travel before men even traveled in space. Not that it mattered much for me, there was a car bombing six days after that picture and I barely survived it. I was turned by my drinker, and it was a year or two after that that they made up the rule 'can't turn a human without their permission'. Lame, but there it was. If my drinker hadn't of turned me without my consent I wouldn't be here right now."

"Drinker?" Yugi asked with a raised eyebrow.

"What we called vampires back then."

"Ah. I like it! I found a new nickname for you two!"

"No!"

"Absolutely not."

"Don't worry Seth," Kaiba said throwing his arm around Seth's shoulders, "you'll always be blood sucker to me. I'll never change your name on you."

"Thanks, cold one, that's very comforting," Seth said, ducking out from under his arm and shoving it back at him.

"Oh come on, why not?" Yugi asked pouting ever so slightly at them.

"Because that name made us sound like Alcoholics," Yami said giving him his own pout.

"Huh, not even I can deny that," Yugi frowned, "Alright moving on to Yasmin Yesenia!"

Yesenia was a woman with thick long luxurious black hair, silver eyes, and a soft honey colored skin. You could barely see her standing in the outline of the picture. Caught for a brief moment under a street lamp. There was a grand clock in her background, inches to her left with its hands on 3:20 in the morning. Ahead of her was Yugi, hands shoved deep into his pockets, coat only halfway on, and jeans hanging loosely around his hips. He wasn't wearing a shirt. His expression was downcast, his eyes dull with pain, and his smile looked as if it hadn't graced his face in days. All in all, Yugi could only pinpoint one period of time when this was taken.

"Ryou," Yugi growled turning to the albino.

"It was the only thing I could find," Ryou shrugged back. "Every time you were doing something stupid around her it was you walking around at odd times in the morning. There was nothing else you did when she was on duty that was stupid but that."

"You could've chosen a different picture."

"Nope, I really couldn't have. This is the only one I could get where she was in full light. Even if it was a brief moment, and took me at least half a dozen takes to capture, it was the only one there was." Ryou turned to the woman in question. "I don't know what you do for a living, but you sure are good at being a shadow."

"Zank you," she replied graciously in her heavy Russian accent, with a single nod in his direction.

"However in your youth," Ryou pressed the button on his remote, and a new picture of Yesenia popped up.

Yugi clapped his hands over his mouth, to try to prevent himself from busting out in laughter. There were several snorts, and muffles of laughter behind him, as well as on indignant screech. Yugi and his friends already knew what this was about, pent up frustration. When Ryou had a hard time mastering a photo just right, he always took it out in a unique way, and this was no exception to that.

Yesenia was seen running after Muhtaram, and Kareem with a large butchers knife in one hand and a frying pan in the other. Both men were looking over their shoulders in petrified fear, and her face was a mask of fury. Her long black hair was flowing behind her like a cloak, and her silver eyes were brighter than even Yugi had ever seen them to be. She was wearing the common garb of an Egyptian commoner, and they were wearing a guard's uniform.

"What did you two do?" Yami asked as he whipped around to face the two men.

"We, um, were looking for new food sources for the King's Blood Supply," Muhtaram responded looking away as the picture seemed to bring back some memories.

"And knocked on a door. The wrong door," Kareem added.

"That was a great day," Zaire laughed, falling over Samir, "so much entertainment from one misunderstanding."

"You see," Samir started, clapping his hands together, "the door they knocked on was a Supply Bank. However it wasn't the average Supply Bank. It was one that hosted only to the commoners of Egypt that were vampires and couldn't afford to pay for food sources. So basically it was like a homeless shelter for orphans who were paid by the State to provide food for vampires who were also homeless."

"Yesenia happened to be one such vampire. Who didn't take it very kindly that the King was trying to steal her food." Muhtaram explained further.

"That was such a headache you guys caused me," Atem groaned, covering his eyes as if that could ward off the unwanted memories. "And I had to deal with my sick servant too. What a mess that ten day was."

"Was Yami…?" Yugi trailed off looking at Atem.

"Yes, it wasn't the first time, or last, that he was sick due to some order I gave him. Had to be very careful with this one as he could take my orders to mean do or be punished."

"Yugi, ten minute warning," Malik said.

"Oh right, and last but not least, we have Sarah Skye!"

Skye was not your average woman. Of all of Yugi's guards she probably blended in the best with the wild atmosphere of today's crowd of youth. She had bright orange hair, that was definitely not of your average red haired variety, it was too obnoxious to be that, like someone had taken a spray can of neon orange spray paint and just pranked her in her sleep. Tattoos covered nearly every surface of her skin, except her neck and face, she was a walking museum of art, and most of them were faces. He'd even seen a picture of his own on her back at the pool once. He hadn't been aware that she was a guard at the time, and had just written it off as an over the top KOG fan. And last her eyes, now that was a tricky one. They continually changed color, as she seemed to have multiple contacts, and liked to interchange them. Skye had probably been the easiest one to find in any security camera, but her uniqueness was what made her impossible to predict.

Skye in this picture had a giant poster in her hands supporting the Tokyo United Football team of the school. In the background Yugi was jumping on top of what looked like a snow covered bleacher holding his own sign supporting the team. Yeah, wasn't his brightest idea at the time.

"All I heard behind me was a 'Wah! Crash! And that was stupid'," Skye said drawing attention to herself. She had a very nice British accent that was slightly thicker than Ryou's own. "I turned around to see that Aden was flirting with a girl again, had completely missed the accident because he was still flirting with the girl, and now Marcus was helping Yugi up."

"Wait, you mean she wasn't on duty here?" Ryou asked in confusion. She had been the closest one to him, and Ryou had thought that she had merely been distracted by the team, looking away just as Yugi jumped.

"Of course not Skye always caught me before I hit the ground," Yugi said giving her a cheeky grin, "along with the warning of, 'Dude, be careful.' Then she would walk away with a group of people that were just as inked as she was."

"You know, one of them asked me why I cared about your well-being so much."

"Really? And how did you respond?"

"That you were the mate of my King and Queen. And I was a vampire. Therefore it was sort of like my right and duty to care about you, even if I never really interacted with you other than those few times. You were important to someone that I respected, so I felt that that alone deserved a little care."

"That's a good answer. I like it."

"And my other photo opportunity, Mr. Ryou?"

"Uh, right," he clicked the remote in his hand.

"How suiting."

Skye was standing on top of ship's railing, waving a flag above her head that was in strips. It was the British flag, and looked like the pole had been snapped off from wherever it had been hanging. In her other hand was a gun, and she wore petticoats, but her skirt had been ripped up the side to give her more room to move. Her mouth was open in a yell, and below her were men with swords and guns raised, not at her, but it seemed for her. Her hair was tied back and it was still that obnoxious orange. So, maybe it was natural. Her eyes were covered by a wide brimmed hat though so it was impossible to see what her original eye color, before contacts were invented, was.

"Were you a pirate?" Jou asked for everyone.

"No, I wasn't a pirate, at the time. I was a spy for my British Empire amongst the pirates. Every soul you see on that ship below me was a pirate though. I had just liberated them from vampires. They were very thankful. So thankful in fact that they threw me over to their ship and told them they could keep the spy just let them live. That's men with no honor for you. I don't know why I expected anything less."

"What did the vampires do?" Mana asked.

"They had me do scullery work. I think most of them were in shock. Here I was a hero to all these filthy humans and they just threw me back to the same sharks that had captured them. The Captain did put a 'no bite' policy on me though. For that I was thankful. However, the first mate broke that policy, and the Captain turned me. Then allowed the crew to rip apart the first mate, and gave me the title."

"So, Muhtaram, Amira doesn't have to do any night work for the next year right?" Yugi asked jumping off the stage to walk right up to the vampire.

"How could you have possibly known about them all?"

"Next time you decide to hold a meeting in our living room make sure I'm actually asleep, okay?"

"You're joking. The one time I did that… Your breathing was even! You were out! I could sense a calm relaxed state coming from your bedroom! I kept it cracked just a little to make absolutely certain you stayed asleep!"

"Yeah, but when you get deep into an argument you tend to block out everything else."

"So, when we were discussing what to do about the three of you back in December right before the airport incident is when you learned everybody's names, faces, identities, voices, everything."

"That's right." Yugi grinned up at him.

"Heh, I was screwed before I even made that bet with Amira."

"Yes you were, and it is so great to see you lose for once."

"Is it?" Muhtaram asked with a cheeky little grin.

"Yes."

"How have I lost?"

"I outed every one of my guards." Yugi crossed his arms, and stuck his nose up into the air slightly.

"Yes, but not before you graduated. You would've had to do this spectacle last night if you wanted to beat me."

Yugi's face paled slightly. Then he remembered the layout of the bet that Amira had told him she made with Muhtaram. He was right. She had said before he graduated, and that meant that Amira was stuck with her night shifts. She should've said the end of the year. Then Muhtaram would've actually lost this bet. Pity, Yugi had him, and yet was still outwitted by the master gambler.

"Damn it, I guess you really are never out of lucks favor. You're like Jou. He's too lucky for his own good too."

"I don't know about that," Jou cut in quietly, "I feel as if my luck ran out the day I challenged that Alpha to a fight. Since then my life has just been one unlucky encounter after another. Like for instance, I recently found out that it's against the law for Alpha's to marry outside of their own breed. So no human or vampire marriages allowed. It's a law Akeifa is trying to change, for obvious reasons, but it's getting really hard for the other Alpha's to see any benefit from it."

"Well, if Akeifa had just stepped up, you wouldn't have had to," Ryou injected in a grouchy voice.

"I already told you, Ryou, I can't just go about knocking Alpha's out of their positions," Akeifa responded in a strained voice, like this wasn't the first time they'd argued about this topic.

"We weren't asking you to! Only that you tell that Alpha to leave Jou alone so he could just become the culinary chef that he wanted to be! That's all my best friend and I wanted! Why couldn't you just do it for him?!"

"We are a democracy, not a monarchy."

"Well maybe you should be!"

"Ryou," Bakura said gently, "there are young children still present, perhaps this isn't the best time?"

"No there aren't. Your kids ditched us for their new playmates 30 minutes ago. They promised me they'd stay the night a different time before running out the door to track down their scents. They want to spend the night with the Lord and Lady of the vampire monarchy."

"You know one of these days I'm going to kill your council, Atem."

"They had to have a title, and Prince and Princess was already taken."

"How was Princess already taken?" Bakura asked in confusion.

"Bologna makes Yugi's hair deflate, and when it did this everyone started to call him Princess. Thus, according to the council the moniker Princess was taken."

"But wait, that law you were talking about, Jou. This means Ryou and…" Malik trailed off looking at the three he was thinking about.

"Oh, right, yeah, Akeifa has to witness any shifts of power in the Vampire Monarchy. Wedding a human is apparently considered to be a shift in power. Just as we are to witness any shifts of power in the Werewolf Democracy."

"Like a wedding between them and Ryou?"

"No," Yami responded slowly, shooting a look at Atem, "more like if a new Werewolf King were to be signed in."

The words, the conversation came back to Yugi from just the other day. That was why Yami had responded slowly. He had been confused as to why he hadn't known this bit of information. This law put down by the werewolves themselves. But if that was true, then how did they expect to marry one of their kids off to his? Oh, right, of course. The law stated that Alphas couldn't marry other species, not regular subordinate werewolves. Loopholes, but then, that child would have to forfeit any right to one day take over their parents' pack, or even one of their own. But hey, who knew, by then, perhaps they would have the law changed. Then that meant Ryou could marry Akeifa and Bakura. Or at the very least, Yugi hoped so.

"Yugi," Penny whined motioning to the clock.

"Um, right so there's food over there and karaoke over here. Dance floor is there, have fun everyone!" Yugi said quickly, hopping off the stage, and making his way towards the doors.

"Yeah!" Jou shouted pumping his fist in the air, as they all started to head that way.

Wait no, not all. Just Yugi, Malik, Jou, Ryou, Penny, Rebecca, Otogi, and Kaiba. Marcus and the other guards shared some confused looks before making to follow them. Atem stepped in their way along with Yami.

"Sorry, no tail tonight. We promised him that we wouldn't send any guards to tail after him."

"Are you serious?" Zane asked in disbelief.

"Look its three humans and five supernaturals. They'll be fine," Yami said with an uneasy grin. He sighed, looked away and then back at him. "We promised him that we'd let him have fun with his friends without having to worry about being kept an eye on."

"And you're okay with that?" Marcus asked.

"No," Atem sighed, "but as he so kindly pointed out he's a grown man and we need to drop the babysitting routine eventually."

"Atem," Osiris called out, making the vampire turn to him, "you're a grown man and you still have a babysitting detail." He motioned to himself, Peyton, and Leo.

"It's just the one night. Please, let us keep our promise. We need you to let him do this by himself. With just his friends."

"He still doesn't believe that you trust him, huh?" Ethan butt in.

"Can you blame him?"

"With all the times he's run off, yes, I can."

"Yugi's human, guys," Konner pointed out.

"We are well aware," Fabian sneered at him.

"Are you though? I mean, all the times he put that female blow up doll in his bed and snuck off. He went to crowded areas that were full of humans. Sometimes, I think he feels cooped up being surrounded by vampires constantly. I honestly don't believe that this is a trust thing, I just think it's a thing he needs to do to feel human. I mean how would any of you feel if you were constantly surrounded by werewolves? Wouldn't you try to sneak off every once in a while to go hang out with your own species?"

"That's actually something that I do quite often when I'm visiting Jou," Seth said with a sheepish look on his face. "There's a vampire only bar nearby, and I go there at least two to three times a month just to be around people like me."

"What's the bar called?" Marik asked.

"Biting Room Only."

"Isn't that the same one that Jou…?" Atem trailed off.

"Yes," Seth replied a look of mortification eclipsing his face.

"That Jou what?" Marcus asked.

"He entered the all vampire bar in wolf form, walked over to the part of the bar where I was sitting, and climbed up onto the stool next to me. We sat in that bar for six hours together. Good times, especially with everyone looking at Jou as if he had lost his mind."

"So basically what you're saying Konner is that he wants to be around his own kind? And this has nothing to do with trust?" Yami asked, drawing the conversation back.

"Yes."

"Well, if that were the case then they wouldn't be headed to Lemons Over Limes."

"Huh?" Konner gave his queen a dumbfounded look. "They're going to a club that you have to make a reservation at at least six months in advance just to get in?"

"That's right. So they've been planning this that long if not longer. We think it's been several years since all of them have hung out, so they decided to use Yugi's graduation as an excuse to do that. They'll probably do the same with Malik's. Then after that, who knows what excuse they'll come up with to get away from all of us overly grown grownups."

"Overly grown what?" Taylor asked in an offended voice.

"Something we heard Yugi say once," Atem waved her off. "Mahad, Seth, you two are with me for the night. I made plans for us too."

"Huh," Yami huffed as he watched Atem shepherd them both off. "It seems both of my lovers wish to ditch me tonight." He turned to Marik, "Want to do something too?"

"Are you kidding me? I've been up for 4 days straight. The only thing I want to do is sleep."

"Whatever. I've got some paperwork anyway. Ethan, see everyone out."

"You got it, old timer."

Yami rolled his eyes at Ethan's remark before heading up the stairs and towards not his study but the high tower. He guessed he could use some extra sleep too. He'd been awake for the past 2 days as well.

[with Yugi]

Yugi and his friends were sitting in a large lounger up on the balcony overlooking the club. It wasn't any less noisy up here, or any brighter, but it was their private area. And unless you had the same stamp that they did on their hands you weren't getting past the bouncers a mere five feet away.

"Alright, this next song is called I'm Not a Vampire by Falling in Reverse," the DJ shouted over the bedlam of noise. "I'm against playing it, but it's been requested too many times for me to avoid playing it anymore."

Well I'm not a vampire
but I feel like one
Sometimes I sleep all day
because I hate the sunlight
My hands are always shaking
body's always aching
and the dark is where I feed

Well I can lure any woman I want to in my bed
and whiskey seems to be my holy water
Mother's better lock your doors and hide your daughters

I'm insane
Well, I can feel it in my bones
coursing through my veins
when did I become so cold?
For goodness sake
where is my self-control?
if home is where my heart is
then my heart has lost all hope

"Hey, Rebecca, I have a question," Yugi started. This had been bothering him for some time, and no one would tell him, so he was left with her. He knew she wouldn't mince her words.

"Yeah?"

"What is a vampire's wedding? Atem and Yami won't tell me, and everyone I ask says dear old Kingy said to tell me nothing about it."

"Unfortunately, I've received that order too, but there's a loophole to every order," Rebecca said leaning back against Otogi, a small smirk on her face. "They've told you what a vampire's wedding is, right?"

"Yes."

"And the details of this wedding?"

"Yes."

"Then a vampire's wedding is…?"

"Hopefully extremely private."

"Okay, there's always a second option," Rebecca said, looking up at Otogi. The green-eyed man raised an eyebrow at her. "You being human they can't order you around like they do me, so how about we get married before you so you can see exactly what it is that most of the vampire community is stupidly expecting."

"That's risky, Rebecca," Otogi said in a whisper.

"We were told not to tell him, not show him. I'll send you a private invitation. Accept right away, and most of the vampire race will consider it a great insult if they say they aren't going to attend for your sake. Afterall, if the Prince of Vampires can attend, then what is to stop the King and Queen from attending as well?"

"Deal."

"You're both going to get into trouble."

"Can I get one too?" Kaiba asked suddenly.

"You want to come to our wedding, Kaiba?" Otogi asked in surprise.

"Yes, well, people keep mentioning to Seth how they can't wait to see the Prince's wedding. How they're so looking forwards to the vampire set up of it. Or more commonly the vampire affair aspect of the wedding. I'm curious too, just what is this affair they keep referring to?"

Rebecca looked up at Otogi again, and he just shrugged. "If that's what you want sure. But you do know you were getting one anyway, right? I mean we are friends, aren't we?"

Kaiba chuckled slightly before he, Rebecca, and Otogi got up to go dance with the rest of their friends that were already on the floor, leaving just Malik and Yugi by themselves. They looked at one another and burst out laughing.

"All the times we've been left alone together around alcohol, and now they do it again," Yugi said crossing one knee over the other, and spreading his arms across the back of the couch. "When will they learn?"

"When we get drunk enough to start seeing each other as a prize to be had, and not as best friends," Malik supplied, taking another drink of his bourbon.

"I can't disagree with that. You know, I showed them, through the mind link one night what happened at the 8th grade summer party."

"Really? How did they take it?"

"They asked if I really did think you were smoking hot."

"Ha ha ha, of course I am. That's a fact, not a question."

Yugi grinned at Malik as he drank his scotch. Malik looked away from him for a moment, before looking back, a question in his eyes. Yugi knew that look, so he put his scotch down on the table in front of him. Malik gripped his glass a little more tightly, shifting slightly in his seat.

"What is it, Malik?"

"Have you ever been alone with them?"

"I'm alone with them every night."

"No, not like that. I mean, um, how do I put this without being invasive?" Malik bit his bottom lip before putting his drink down on the table too. He shifted towards Yugi, resting an arm on the back of the couch, drawing one leg up onto the seat, and letting the other just hang off of it. Malik laid his head down on the one arm before seeming to come up with the right way to phrase it as he opened his mouth again. "Have you ever been alone in bed with just one of them?"

"Okay, where is this coming from?"

"I was just wondering cause I want Marik to, um, and I was wondering if you've ever experienced one on one attention, you know?"

"Yeah, with Atem once. Man is a beast in bed when Yami's not around to keep him in check. Like a rampaging bull with no one to pull on his reins. All bucking and power. And then Yami he's…" Yugi trailed off. "Yami is… I don't know how Yami is."

"Why not? Surely if you've done one you've done the other, right?"

Yugi looked away from Malik, at him, and then away again, before finally facing him in a similar position that he was facing Yugi. Only Yugi didn't rest his arm on the back of the couch, he clasped his hands in front of him. "Well, that one time I was just trying to gain some semblance of maturity back that I felt I had lost after our incident of being Captain Underpants, and Wonder Woman. I've never had Yami one on one before. I should do that. Soon, before we're married, I feel like after marriage it might be a little harder ya know?"

"Yeah, especially with that big family you want and all."

Yugi laughed, before looking away, he hadn't told his mates yet. Man, were they in for a shock. They had no idea his number of a decent sized family was around the number of like 15 maybe 20 kids. But hey, with how much they wanted children it shouldn't be that big of a deal right?

"Come on," Yugi stood up, holding out his hand to Malik, "if we don't start getting down there to dance with the others they'll assume we're up here making out or some other nefarious deed."

"I don't know, I kind of wanted to save myself for him. But if you wanted to test the boundaries first, I'm sure he'd understand. After all, we already took the pleasure of each other's first kiss."

Yugi rolled his eyes, before grabbing Malik by the hand, and dragging him down the stairs to where the rest of their friends were. Empire by Escape the Fate was just coming on.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

One more time doing one more line
One more shot till we all ignite
Spend all my money and more
It's blurry in the moonlight
I'll never see the sunrise
I'll drink until I go blind
Drink until I go blind

I set my friends on fire
And now they're all lit up
Welcome to my empire
Where everybody's fucked up
Cheers to the top
Cheers to the middle
Cheers to us all getting a little, yeah

All these girls seem to know my name
I'm too fucked up to care anyway
Breaking hearts and bottles everywhere
Bartender bring another round
There's no sign of us slowing down
Both my middle fingers in the air
It's blurry in the moonlight
I'll never see the sunrise
I'll drink until I go blind
Drink until I go blind

I set my friends on fire
And now they're all lit up
Welcome to my empire
Where everybody's fucked up
Cheers to the top
Cheers to the middle
Cheers to us all getting a little, yeah

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

I set my friends on fire
And now they're all lit up
Welcome to my empire
Where everybody's fucked up
Cheers to the top
Cheers to the middle
Cheers to us all getting a little, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Cheers to the top
Cheers to the middle
Cheers to us all getting a little, yeah

Yugi and his friends were grinding against each other and so many other people, they really couldn't tell if all of them male or female. The next song that came on was She Wolf by Shakira. No one cared anymore what the songs were called anymore though, as long as they could all grind. Though, they all asked Ryou if he had made the request.

Ryou was only able to shove a few of them playfully, as a swarm of people pushed him forwards into Rebecca's chest. As in his face was planted firmly there. Ryou's face was bright red when he pulled it away, and they were all sure that if Rebecca didn't know he was a batter for the other team she'd have slapped him already. As it was she just huffed, grabbed Otogi by his neck, and put his face there too.

"There we go, much better!" she shouted over the noise of the music and people.

Otogi pried her hand off the back of his neck, and kissed the woman who had tried to suffocate him with her chest. They all whistled, and Yugi caught the looks of several devastated men in the background. Yugi nudged Kaiba, and nodded over at them. He just snorted and leaned down to Yugi's height.

"Right, like a woman of Rebecca's caliber would still be single at her age."

Yugi bent over he was laughing so hard, Kaiba was always the best at the backhanded compliments. It was good to know that though time would change them, their personalities never would. And that made him wonder, what kind of personality did Yami have in bed when Atem wasn't around to influence it?

S&M Remix by Rhianna ft. Brittney Spears came on next. And Jou shouted over the music that they must know Yugi is here or else they would've saved this song for a different night. Yugi made a grab for him, but Penny got to Yugi first, and they just danced in way that had most of their friends wondering if they were gay. It was sexy, alluring, and so much tease. It was almost sex on the dance floor.

The group partied hard in a way that they hadn't in so long, it felt good to just be around one another like this again. Not a care in the world. No one hanging around them telling them who they could or should be. What they couldn't do. It was all a thing that would come later, but right now, they could act like they were horny teenagers just looking for a great time, and being overjoyed when they found it.

It was a little after 3:00 am when they all stumbled out of the club and towards their respective homes. Yugi wished Malik a good night, as he made his way up to his kids' bedrooms to see all the girls in his daughter's room, and all the boys in his son's. Leon. His name was written all over this. Oh well, at least they were all asleep, and that was what mattered most. Whispering good night he quietly shut the door and made his way up to his room where he expected to find his mates. Imagine his shock when he only found one there.

Yami slept soundly in the bed, unaware of the danger he was in. Yugi looked him over, topless, and no doubt in some sort of baggy pant wear, most likely sweats. He'd become fond of them for pajamas after Yugi had asked them to wear them that one time. Quietly shutting the door behind him, he got the wooden chair from by the balcony door, and brought it over to the door, carefully placing it under the handle. Now, Atem would have to find a different way in, and if Yugi was lucky that would be some hours in the distance.

Yugi turned back to his still sleeping prey, and took off his shoes, and socks before creeping up to the bed, and carefully sliding onto it. Yami moved slightly, but other than that wasn't showing any signs of waking up. Oh, how that was going to change.

Carefully easing one leg over Yami, he sat down on the vampire, who blinked his eyes open. Taking Yugi in with a single sweep of his eyes, and a large yawn.

"Good to see you're home, but what are you doing? Most people would just climb into bed, and cuddle up, not straddle the other sleeping occupant."

"Hm, that sounds like far less fun that what we could be doing," Yugi said back in a husky whisper before dipping down and giving Yami light feathery kisses against his collar bones.

"Agh, Yugi, what are you doing?" Yami shifted slightly like he was uncomfortable.

"Trying to seduce you. What's it look like I'm doing?"

"Putting on a show for Atem?"

"No, he's not here. It's just you and I." Yugi sat back up, as Yami's nose twitched and his eyes flashed around the room to indeed find Atem not there. They did stay glued to the chair under the door handle for a second more though, before coming back to Yugi.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Well, Malik and I were talking, and it made me realize how unfair I've been to you all these years. Also, how unfair you've been to me. Atem has had me all to himself once, but you haven't. And it made me wonder, what were you like in bed without him here? Are you like a wild untamed beast as well, or something else? What's it like not to share you with anyone?"

Yami's eyes narrowed slightly, looking down, before back up, grasping Yugi's hips and rubbing his thumbs in circles there. "You really want to know?"

"I do. Won't you show me?"

Yami smiled slightly, before nodding. And then Yugi was flat on his back. Yugi stared up at Yami, as he just tsked at Yugi's outfit of choice. There was a thick black bracelet on each wrist, dark blue leather pants, a loose sleeveless black top, and a slightly frayed bottom hem grey wash jean vest. Around his neck was the traditional collar that said he was untouchable to all but two. Well, tonight that number was at one.

"You have an entire array of clothing, and you go for grungy bad boy?"

"And what sort of outfit do we call yours, huh?" Yugi asked, looking over his grey wash sweats and well-toned chest. "Too lazy to care?"

"Hmph, I'm just saving myself some trouble when it comes to making love to you, Yugi. I have far less clothing on than you know." Yami whispered in his ear so lowly, his lips so close, Yugi could feel his lips brush his earlobe with every word, as he undid Yugi's collar and threw it in the general direction of the closet.

Yami nibbled a little on Yugi's neck, letting his fangs scrape down the left side, eliciting shuddering gasps out of him.

"B-b-bite," Yugi stuttered.

"As you wish," Yami muttered, before switching his head to the right side of Yugi's neck and biting down. Pulling out he sealed him, licking up any traces of blood with just the tip of his tongue.

"That's Atem's," Yugi gasped.

"Yes, and it will piss him off. I like making him angry just as much as you. His eyes have always been their prettiest when he's angry."

"I don't enjoy making him angry."

"No?" Yami pulled away to look down at him with a knowing look in his eye. "Then why go out of your way to aggravate us sometimes?"

Yugi looked away biting back a grin, Yami had him there. But it wasn't to make them angry, it was to get their attention. Usually just after they came back from a trip or were in a three to four day meeting. He did go out of his way to aggravate them a little, but only so he could have their undivided attention.

"Well?" Yami pressed, trying to catch his eye.

"I still don't like sharing?" Yugi replied, looking back up him.

"Now, that is something I can fully relate to." Yami leaned back down to pull Yugi's bottom lip away from his mouth to suck on it a little. Then he pulled away and dipped back down to his neck, again grazing his fangs down the side of it.

"Ah, ah, Y-Yami!" Yugi cried out, already wondering if he was going to like Yami's version of no Atem restraints.

Yami just chuckled at his behavior, if not albeit darkly. Then he dipped his mouth lower to nibble at his collar bones. He hooked his hands under the bottom of Yugi's shirt and lifted it up over his head, momentarily relieving Yugi of his torture. Then he was back, kissing, sucking, and biting him. The biting part was what was driving Yugi a little mad though. Each bite was quickly sealed though, leaving no trace to the human eye, and Yami used the tip of his tongue to lick the small excess blood every time. Just that small bit of wet warmth traveling over his body in small erotic patterns.

It was this new bite though that had Yugi reacting differently than small gasps and pants, which was the only thing Yami wanted to hear. Yugi shrieked with laughter as he tried to curl up in a ball to protect his ticklish sides. Yami grunted and pinned his arms above his head, and used the other hand to pin his one thigh back to the bed as he swept his full tongue over the blood. Then he used the blanket to wipe Yugi's side clean of his saliva.

Yami disappeared off the bed for a moment only to return a second later with soft red rope. He tied Yugi's hands to the headboard, and then straddled the man once more while Yugi looked curiously up at the extremely complicated knot, it would be days before he got loose. Yami gave that ticklish spot on his side a soft stroke, making Yugi shriek again, and give Yami his attention.

"There we go, those are the eyes I want to see. Much better," Yami whispered before leaning down and kissing Yugi once before pulling away to drag his teeth down the scope of Yugi's torso. Yugi swore if he survived this ongoing torture he was going to pay Yami back for this. He felt Yami grin against his pelvis, before undoing his pants and pulling them off his body using only his mouth.

It was official in Yugi's mind. No one would convince him otherwise of the fact. For it was clear to him now, when Atem wasn't around, Yami let go completely and gave in to his mouth only fetish.

Yami burst out in laughter, leaving Yugi's pants hanging down by his ankles, before using his hand to yank them off and throw them across the room. "I do not, Yugi."

"All you've done so far is use your mouth on me," Yugi replied with a stubborn look, raising his head slightly to look down at him.

"That's because you taste delicious and I want to taste all of you." Yami crawled back up his form taking in the full fact that he had Yugi nearly stark naked. He'd left the bracelets on, so the rope wouldn't leave any bruises. He tip-toed his fingers up the full length of his cock, talking, as Yugi fell back against the covers in submissive surrender.

"Were they too tight?"

"Leather is always too tight," Yugi responded, as Yami leaned down to blow on him. Yugi's toes curled in anticipation, but what he was expecting didn't happen. Instead Yami planted his fangs along either side of him, and dragged them down to the tip where he proceeded to just suck on that small portion of him. Yugi squealed in both pleasure and despair. Still though, with Yami's talented tongue it still wasn't all that hard for Yugi to get hard and cum for him. Or perhaps almost cum would be the better word, as the fiend let him fall from his mouth as soon as he tasted the pre-cum dripping within.

Then Yami proceeded to flip him onto his stomach. Note, Yugi was still bound to the headboard. Yami chuckled before smacking Yugi firmly across the behind. Yugi jumped at the slight sting, and tried to look at Yami by propping himself up on his knees to look under his armpit. Yami wasn't having it though, as he pushed Yugi back down, and peppered his butt with kisses. Neither of them had ever done this before so it was new sensation to him. It wasn't uncomfortable, or anything, it was just weird.

Then Yami pulled his cheeks apart and worked his tongue into his hole. That made Yugi squirm, and try to move Yami away from that part of him. It was one thing to have their fingers inside him, but this was a new territory that was just too weird to give him pleasure. Yami pulled away quickly, and Yugi looked as well as he could at the shrewd look Yami was giving him over his shoulder. Then he leaned down and laid soft, light as feathers, butterfly kisses over his bare shoulder, and a small portion of his back. Like it was an apology for causing him discomfort. Yugi was so lost in the sensation, he didn't notice Yami pulling a new lubricant out of the drawer.

It was KY liquid warming lubricant. Yami lathered up one of his fingers before thrusting one into Yugi, who felt a burst of hot heat, warmer than what he was used to when one of them put their fingers inside him to stretch him out beforehand. Yugi moaned, wanting more of the pleasant hot warmth, even though he wasn't truly aware of what type of warmth he was truly seeking.

"Does that feel nice?" Yami asked his breath ghosting over his ear.

"Uh huh," Yugi responded.

"Good." Then Yami pulled the finger out without so much as a single thrust. Yugi whined in such disappointment, he was sure the whole Palace heard it.

Yami flipped him back over, drizzling some of the lubricant just above his groin, then he dropped the tube at Yugi's side and swirled the lubricant into his puberty hairs. Making with a careful assurance that none of it touched his need. Watching as Yugi's eyes rolled up into his head a little at the hot warmth quickly making its way south. Something that didn't go unnoticed by the one above him, as Yami smirked, and squirted more of the lube into his hand, and started to massage Yugi's cock with it.

Yugi gave a shout of surprise as his back arched up, and his lower body shoving down, trying to get more of Yami on him. Yami just chuckled, and tried to push Yugi back down, but his body seemed to be stuck in that position, as Yami continued to work his hand up and down him. Yami's eyes narrowed in displeasure at the defiance, and leaned down to kiss Yugi, until his body dropped back down to the covers. As soon as this was accomplished Yami pulled both himself and his hand away from him.

"Yami. Teasing," Yugi whined, opening bleary eyes to look at him.

"Is that right?" Yami asked pressing his body against Yugi's, using his elbows to prop himself up, so his face hovered just above Yugi's. Just out of reach and range. "And just what are you going to do to stop me?"

Yugi's head turned up to his tied wrists, then back to Yami. He knew it was futile, like he had thought before, it would take him days before he was loose. So Yugi tried to maneuver one of his knees around instead, but Yami felt it immediately, propped himself up using one hand, the other was used to pin down his thigh, and he closed his legs to position them on the side of Yugi. So unfair.

"Now what?"

Yugi again looked up at his tied hands, then back at Yami before sighing in defeat. There was absolutely nothing he could do about it, and Yami knew it. Yami just licked his lips at him, before giving him a wolfish grin. "Perfect," he whispered, "Just stay like that. Utterly submissive." Then he leaned down, and took a leisure stroll through Yugi's mouth.

Submissive huh? He wanted the Yugi to be utterly submissive to him? Did that mean if he wanted to make out with his butt again Yugi was supposed to let him? But no, that felt too weird. Sorry Yami, but he had to draw the line somewhere. No ear piercing, and no butt make outs. Yami grunted in his mouth to his thoughts before pulling away, and removing his own pants. Then he flipped Yugi onto his stomach again and grabbed the tube of lubricant once more, lathering up three fingers this time, he inserted them into Yugi, stretching, and thrusting as he did so. All Yugi did was, pant and moan the entire time. It sent Yami on edge, as he flipped him back over, and removed his fingers.

Yami undid the binds around his hands, and Yami expected him to leap up and grab him, but Yugi just lay there in one of their favorite fantasy poses. Lips slightly parted, as small pants escaped him, hands curled slightly on either side of his face. Yami gave a small shuddering breath of his own as he reached up, and pulled some of the chains down, wrapping the cold metal around his arms, urging him to grab onto the chains with hands, before locking them in place. Then pulled him up onto his knees. It made Yugi wonder what was going on now.

Then Yami stood up on the bed, and stepped up to Yugi. Yugi chuckled, before taking just his tip into his mouth, sucking on it like a Yami had done to him earlier. This earned him a growl in the form of his name. But Yugi didn't stop until he felt Yami pre-cum, then he took the rest of him into his mouth slowly licking up the shaft, and giving him the occasional moan, which he knew drove both of his mates crazy when his throat reverberated against them. Yami seized the metal bars above them as his legs shook against Yugi's cheeks slightly. Then Yugi felt him hit the back of his throat, and Yugi swallowed it with an expertise of long practice now.

Yami slid himself out of Yugi's mouth, and threw the chains back up into the main collection. Yami clearly wasn't done with him yet though, or in the chain business for that matter as he brought down two of the six shackles that had recently been added to the chain collection only two months ago. Yami put one on each ankle, making sure they were on in the way he wanted them to be. Then he brought down a leather strap the size of a swing, and put that under his upper back. Yami motioned for Yugi to wrap his arms around the leather straps Only one question was going through Yugi's mind now, where was this leading exactly?

Yugi looked up at Yami, a little unsure if he should still be playing the utter submissive. Yami didn't give him too long to ponder this though, before he was gently pulled up by his ankles, and the swing slid down his body a little to leave him hanging nearly upside down from the bars at the top of their bed looking like a circus performer. His backside was completely exposed to Yami as he stepped up slamming his limp cock into him. Yugi jolted at the unfamiliar feeling, but it didn't take Yami long to grow hard in the burning inferno that was Yugi's ass, as the effects from the lubricant earlier, and Yugi's own heat surrounded him. Yami studied the position for a moment before tsking slightly.

"Yugi, pull yourself up a little by the leather straps on either side of the swing."

Yugi obeyed, eyes narrowed slightly as he was getting the feeling that Yami was reading more of his mind than what Yugi was allowing. Yugi slowly wrapped more of the leather straps around his arms, the tight coils starting to dig into him at the strain. When Yugi was at Yami's preferred angle he slowly took himself out of Yugi and even more slowly thrust back in. After a few thrusts, Yugi expected the pace to change, but it didn't. It stayed the same for what Yugi was sure a good five minutes, before he was dropped unexpectedly to the bed. Yami dropping to his knees under him, and still that same agonizing slow pace continued. Yugi tried to lift himself up off of Yami by wrapping more of the leather straps around his arms, but Yami had other ideas.

"Let them go Yugi, or you'll bruise your arms."

Yugi released the straps with a faint cry of relief, falling to the bed. Yami stopped moving to inspect his arms. There were bright red lines going up his forearms in tight coils. Perhaps Yami would get lucky, and they wouldn't bruise. Yami knew how much Atem hated bruising, especially on their human. He should've used the broader swing that dipped up, but that was back down in the King's chamber, and somehow he didn't think his subjects would fancy the sight of him sprinting through the palace buck ass nude. They needed to move all their sexual preferences up here in the High Tower.

Yami shook his head and focused back on his task, pleasing his lover tonight, because that was his way. Ultimate pleasure, and though Yugi wasn't really feeling it now, he would later, he'd been studying his partner too long for him not too.

Yami gave a sharp thrust up, making Yugi cry out in pure pleasure. Yami did this twice more before dropping back into his slow pattern from before. Yugi cried out in despair, as if the very pace were slowly killing him. Yami rolled his eyes, and dipped his head low into his neck, nipping at the skin on the left side.

"Don't be so dramatic, Yugi."

"You're…sadistic!" Yugi gasped out.

Yami hummed, as if he were thinking the statement over. In truth he knew this, he knew he could be a tad bit sadistic in bed, as Atem had told him so countless times over the millennia. Still though, the man had never complained that he hadn't been pleased at the end of their interactions.

"I still think you're being a bit dramatic. You were the one who said you wanted it my way. And my way is the way of pleasure."

Yami sped up his pace ever so slightly though, thrusting so deep into him Yugi was sure he was past the hilt. That that wasn't Yami's hips pressed deep in between his legs, but rather something else. He simply couldn't be getting this deep into him when he'd never done so before.

Yugi's legs started to act of their own free will as they wrapped up about Yami's waist, who just chuckled at the behavior, and let them stay where they were for now. Only because it gave him an even deeper access into his lover. After three more deep thrusts though, he was grabbing Yugi's ankles and pushing them back to the bed. As soon as they were released they had sprung back up to Yami's back, clamping down even harder on the man above him. Yami sighed, before struggling this time to get Yugi's legs back down to the bed.

"Don't be so impatient, Yugi," Yami chastised.

"But they clearly like it up there."

Yami rolled his eyes leaning down for a kiss, Yugi's ankles still held to the bed with his hands, "clearly."

Yami's kissing was gentle, and coaxing. Not the usual 'looking for something' kisses Yugi had long grown accustomed to from him. So Yugi took the initiative here and attempted a leisure stroll through Yami's mouth. Yami yanked away from him so quickly, Yugi didn't even have a chance to bite down on his bottom lip in an act to make him stay put.

"Yugi," Yami growled at him. "Did I not just tell you to be submissive."

"Maybe."

"And how is dominating a kiss submissive exactly?"

"Dominating?" Yugi gave him a surprised affronted, if not a tad bit too innocent look. "No, I was exploring. You don't want me exploring?"

Yami dropped all his weight onto Yugi. His chin resting just at the top his chest as he looked up at Yugi with a knowing look. He couldn't exactly call Yugi out on a lie here, his instincts told him so, but he could still question his motives.

"Exploring? Is that what we call it when we attempt to force our way into some else's mouth?"

"I was certain that that was how you and Atem have been doing it all these years," Yugi smirked back slightly, just barely being able to meet Yami's eyes with the new position.

Yami closed his eyes as he bit back a grin, well he had him there. That was how they did most their exploring. He almost felt as if he had set himself up for that one. Perhaps he should've just let Yugi do his exploring. Yami let out a loose chuckle as he sat back up, he looked over to Atem's bedside table to see the time. Nearly 5:00 am, he needed to finish this up or Atem would surely walk in on them, chair under the door or not. If Yugi had come home earlier he could tease a bit more, but as it was, Atem had said five-ish, and was no doubt feeling the effects of their love making so far. Yugi was so bad at emotions in bed, and who was Yami to deprive him of that feeling?

Yami sat up, coaxing Yugi onto his hands and knees, and before slamming his limp cock into him again. There was no waiting this time for Yugi, no slow pace to get it all started, no not this time. Yami jumped immediately into being all thrust and grunts as he plowed so deep into Yugi with each singular thrust Yugi was sure he was going to come out somewhere else on his body. And Yugi's body writhed, his arms and legs shaking at the pleasure coursing through him. Fighting the urge to drop to the bed, resisting the temptation to thrust back against him. Tonight, was all about Yami's way, and Yugi was partially determined to give him his way. Yami seized Yugi's hips holding him in place as he continued to hold himself up on the bed. By the third time he came though, Yugi collapsed on the bed. Yami merely coaxed him onto his back, and grabbed Yugi's hands, interlocking their fingers together. Yugi dug his blunt nails into the back of Yami's hands as he gave a loud cry and they came together again. Yami was far from done though as he continued to plow into him, by the end of round seven, Yugi was barely conscious. The pleasure, the euphoria, and pain that was starting to grow in his backside, not to mention lack of sleep, all contributing to his tired state of being, and all the while Yugi was somehow able to think about how much he wanted kids.

Yami pulled out of him at last, pulling him from the bed, and putting him on the floor so he could strip it of the top covers. He picked Yugi up from the floor and put him between the thin sheets as he went to the room next door, and took the top cover from that bed and put it on theirs. Yami climbed into bed behind him and gently eased himself back into Yugi, and just stayed still within him. Content it seemed in just being encased in Yugi.

"So, Atem is a beast in bed without you around, and you are a sadist with pleasure until you get a nearly compliant submissive. It's a wonder how you and Atem survived so long around one another when you want such different things in bed," Yugi whispered.

"Easy, we're both ruthless invaders when it comes to stamina," Yami replied kissing Yugi's shoulder again.

"Whatever, I'm beat, goodnight."

"Yugi?"

"Mmm?"

"Thank you, for letting me have you all to myself."

"I'd say anytime, but I'm not exactly sure if I'd like to repeat tonight."

Yami just laughed against his shoulder. Giving it more feathery butterfly kisses as Yugi drifted off to sleep. Yami glanced at the clock to see it was now 6:00 am. Five-ish Atem had said, what a liar. Hm, three hours not a bad record as far as they went. Still the one at the private estate was going to be a tough one to beat. Then Yami's own eyes slipped closed as he too followed Yugi into a blissful sleep.

[with Atem at 3:00 am]

Atem was in the middle of a heated discussion with a small town Lord when he first felt it. A small warmth in the pit of his stomach. It wasn't uncomfortable or anything, just odd. He shifted back to lean against the backrest of his chair.

"All I'm saying is if you don't learn how to keep the vampires under you in check then you're going to have problems later," Atem said in slight aggravation.

"But there are 213 of them. How am I to keep them all in check? That's too many to keep track of."

"You need to find a way. Your family wanted this honor, and they chose you for it. Now you have to find a way to manage without the need of constant help." Atem shifted again as the warmth moved down towards the southern end of his body. What in the world was going on? Usually only Yugi or Yami got him riled up like this. Well, Yugi more than Yami these days.

He glanced over at Seth who was giving him a look of 'what are you doing?'. Atem waved him off as he shifted again. That small warmth was growing hot quickly, and filling places it did not belong in. Atem crossed his knee over one leg, but this did nothing to help quench that flame, if anything it made it worse.

Atem continued to shift in his chair, as Mahad, Seth, and the young Lord all just stared at his obvious growing discomfort. Atem reached out in desperation across his double bond to try to find out what was going on in Domino, and received a backlash from Yugi that had him groaning in want. Yami's link however was as calm as a cucumber. It was Yugi. Yugi was unconsciously making his blood boil in veins at the pleasure he was feeling, from whatever it was that Yami was doing to him, rushed over the link at him. Yami was right, they so needed to teach him how to control his pleasure when in bed.

"My King, do you need to use the bathroom?" the Lord asked as he watched his King shift back and forth in his chair like a human girl who was holding it.

"Nope. I just need to teach my mate a few tricks when I get home that's all."

"Oh ho, Yami's finally taking revenge on you huh? Bout time, we didn't think he was ever going to do it," Seth howled with laughter as he and Mahad high fived behind him.

"It's not funny," Atem growled at them.

"Hey, Yami was squirming less than you are though."

"Yami is far better in this department than I am too. Always has been when it comes to pleasing always will be."

"I just hope Yugi can stand his sadistic ways," Mahad said, throwing a lecherous grin in Atem direction.

Atem groaned, laying his head down on the table. Poor Yugi, he had no idea what he was really in for. Yami liked total compliance and until he figured that out, Yugi was going to be tortured with pleasure. Which meant he was going to get his fair share of it too. This sucked.

Atem lifted his head back up, as sweat started to accumulate in his forehead. "Alright, I am going to try to ignore this feeling as we discuss as quickly as possible how you're going to keep 213 vampires in check."

[the next morning]

Yami's laughter woke Yugi up. Yugi yawned as he rubbed his eyes, slowly opening them. "It sucks to be on that side of it doesn't it?" Yami asked in a slightly arrogant tone.

"But did you really need to keep him active for three hours? I mean come on, that was just…just…why?"

"I had to actually tell him to be utterly submissive, he wasn't figuring it out on his own. Oh, and he doesn't like his ass probed by tongues. Another thing to add to no ear piercing."

"You know what we should also add?" Atem said, a finger tapping the right side of his neck. "Keeping our teeth to ourselves."

"So just bite the left side, and you'll be even," Yugi mumbled, attempting to turn onto his other side. With Yami's arms locked around him though, and having him still imbedded in him it was impossible. "Hey, uh, Yami? Think you can let go? I really need to use the bathroom."

Yami pulled himself out and released him. Yugi sighed in relief before climbing over Atem and making a beeline for the bathroom. Yugi relieved himself and then went to start a bath for all three of them before he heard it. His hand froze on the bathtub handle.

"When do you think the human would be willing to give up the human needs? Especially the one where he wants to remain human?" Yami asked, in what he probably thought was a quiet voice.

"Where is this coming from?" Atem asked cautiously. "I thought you were fine with his decision of wanting to remain human. That we both were, after he explained his full love of being one."

"Well, it's just that everyone is expecting the wedding to be a vampire's affair for some reason, and I don't know why? It's getting frustrating explaining that it won't be a vampire affair, because Yugi's not a vampire and doesn't intend on becoming one. The dignitaries we had over two days ago laughed at me and said we haven't properly motivated him then, or perhaps he likes to constantly be looked after like a child. Then they laughed again, at me this time, saying we'd be looking after that human our entire lives in a constant worry to make sure he was always safe. Whereas if he were a vampire we could let the leash go a little."

"These weren't the ones that left the throne room seconds after I arrived, and a couple of minutes after, Yugi entered with his Club idea proposal is it?"

"The very same. But if Yugi took his usual path to the throne room, he never would have passed them. The only way their paths would've crossed is if he was coming from the garages, and you know those guards of his never let him park his car, they all act like valet for him. So chances are their paths never crossed."

Yugi stood up straight, oh, this was going to be amusing.

"Ha ha ha ha ha! I know, what a bad situation for them having to put up with a human for the rest of their long lives. What rotten luck!" a gruff voice said coming around the corner.

Yugi frowned, this was weird, usually all visiting vampires took the way straight to the garage, and they didn't go wandering like this group was.

"Hey look, it's the kid of the hour!" a short blonde said pointing at him.

"I am not a kid!" Yugi shouted back.

"You will be as long as you remain human!" he jeered back.

"Oh go shove a bag of blood down your throat! You're just jealous because you can no longer enjoy the qualities of being human. Like these chocolate covered cherries and strawberries for instance." Yugi pulled the two boxes out from behind his back before he picked one of the chocolates out and put it in his mouth. "Mmm, delicious." Yugi licked his lips, swallowing before walking away leaving flabbergasted faces behind him.

Actually, that had been disgusting. These were blood chocolates which he had made as a bribe for Atem and Yami to let him go out with just his friends to a club called Lemons Over Limes. It was a tri-species club, one of the few in this part of Japan, and they had reserved the night of Yugi's graduation party as soon as it opened five months ago.

Yugi rolled his eyes, they were the only ones acting childish here. He opened the door to the throne room and proceeded in, being just a couple of steps behind Atem. Huh, he wondered where he'd gone, and it seemed Yugi had gotten lucky with catching them both at the same time.

Yugi heard a muffled scream from the room next door and smiled as he turned the bath water on full blast. The door opened from behind and soft footsteps made their way across the tiled floor.

"So, that's why one of Yami's was missing. Good to know you still find your blood disgusting."

"Also," Yami said wrapping his arms from behind Yugi, "if you could get that made in a more bitter chocolate, we'd appreciate it. Your blood plus the combo of the sweet chocolate is kind of overpowering."

"Duly noted. But you know, now I kind of want chocolate covered strawberries."

"Duly noted," Atem murmured. "And I must say, that is one of the handiest bribes you have at your disposal. But Yugi we really need to teach you how to control your pleasure in bed."

"Why?"

"Because when one of us isn't with you, it causes issues for the other."

"Oh, then I'm good, because I'll always be with both of you."

"I don't think you quite understood me."

"No I'm pretty sure I did. You see you're nothing more than a rampaging beast in bed, and Yami is just short of being a sadistic sadist. So, yeah, I'm good with both of you being around me in bed because then there's always someone there to pull the other back from insanity."

"Oh, I see."

"Yes, but right now Yami and I need the sex smell scrubbed off of us, so I can get to those ten interviews I have today. The first one is at 11:00 am. It's 9:30 am, let's get moving you two."

"Oh, and you want me to do it?" Atem asked, crossing his arms.

Yugi gave him a sly look over his shoulder, "Well, seeing as we so heartlessly left you out last night, yes."

Atem rolled his eyes, before turning off the water, and motioning for them to get in. He scrubbed Yami down with a hard sponge like he was the hide of an animal. Leaving the poor vampire feeling like he was on the wrong end of a revenge tactic. Then he lathered up a washcloth and worked it so deep into Yugi's muscles, he felt like he was going to melt in the man's lap right there.

"Oh, so you take revenge on me but not the one who made you squirm like a girl in need of the bathroom? Oh, I see how it is."

"Now, do you honestly think Yugi could take one of the scrubbings you used to give me when you were cross?"

"Oh, cross with me are you?"

"You should've been teaching him as you were going along."

"Teaching me what?" Yugi asked in a slightly drowsy voice.

"How to control the emotion of pleasure in bed," Atem sighed in slight aggravation before swiftly shoving Yugi under the water. "Or rather just how to control that emotion at all."

"Again, I don't plan on having singular sex with either one of you ever again, so it really isn't an issue," Yugi said resurfacing before getting up and stepping out of the tub. "Besides, it was your decision not to teach me. Therefore, you're both to blame in my opinion."

"And what about food?" Atem asked with a raised brow as Yugi ran a towel through his hair.

"You'll get it tonight."

"So, you're going to starve us all day?" Yami asked with a slight groan.

"Don't be so dramatic about it, you'll still be fed, just later."

"Dramatic?" Atem questioned.

Yami groaned, his chin planting itself on the edge of the tub. Atem looked over at him with a knowing look. Something Yami said then, and recently by the sounds of it. They watched Yugi wrap a towel around himself and brush his teeth.

"Sure we can't just get a taste?" Yami asked. Yugi looked at the two of them before going back to brushing his teeth. Once he was done, Yugi walked back into the room. He got out one of his few tuxes and walked back into the bathroom to ask their opinion. They were making out in the tub. So, Yugi just rolled his eyes, grabbed his wallet and phone and left. Yugi was so happy they found each other delicious, because he had been planning on giving them a taste, but now he just didn't feel like it.

Yugi made it all the way down to the garages and halfway around the Palace complex in his truck before he saw them again standing in the middle of the driveway. Yugi honked his horn, and Atem and Yami walked over to the driver's side, motioning that he should roll his window down.

"Yes, Lovers?" Yugi asked.

"Gimme a kiss before you go," Atem demanded, "we have a long meeting ahead of us and won't be able to see it through without a single kiss from you."

"Are you going to die?"

"Just might," Yami grimaced.

Yugi rolled his eyes at the two of them, before giving them both a single kiss, and wishing them luck. They gave him the same sentiments, and they parted ways. When Yugi turned back to face the road he saw a body shape in his passenger seat. He turned to find Kareem there.

"Well, go on, drive. I know how you feel about being late, so let's go, drive," Kareem said after realizing Yugi was looking at him.

"How did you even…?" Yugi trailed off.

"Through the door obviously, or is that not how you get into your own truck anymore?"

Yugi shook his head at his guard and put the truck back into drive and heading out towards his first interview. It was at a large grocery store, and had extremely high standards, but with Yugi's experience how could they possibly say no?

[Time skip]

Yugi trudged up the stairs to his room. Ten. He'd been to ten interviews today and all had shown him the door. He was starting to get the impression that he shouldn't maybe possibly tell them that he was only going to be there for a year and then he was going to be leaving. It was almost always following this statement that he found himself shown the door. Only one place, the tech company he applied at, had asked if it was for military reasons. Once he was told no, he too asked for him to keep looking as they were only interested in long term employees.

He still had 30 more to go before he was probably going to be forced to work for cranky Kaiba. Ugh, just the thought of that put him on edge. Yugi stopped on the top step before his bedroom. He shook his head and headed up to the top of the tower. He pushed open the door and walked out into the cool crisp spring air. Yugi quickly looked around before hopping up onto the low edge of the building and sitting down.

He knew they hated it when he sat here, but he could see their garden better from this point of view, and he didn't feel like being good at the moment. No, he wanted to be naughty, not to aggravate them or anything but because he felt frustrated with his situation. If she had just retired a year earlier then that job would've been his, but it wasn't like he could force his old Sensei into retirement. Still, Yugi wanted to be a teacher now, not in a year, now.

A chin planted itself on top of his head, making Yugi jump. Hands caught his waist, keeping him where he was, and pulling him back slightly into a firm chest. Atem.

"Your meeting is done already?" Yugi questioned cautiously as he drew one of his legs up to his chest and wrapped his arms around it.

"No, we called for a recess when one of the maids said you had returned."

"Oh."

"Yugi," Atem eased his name out like he was testing tepid waters.

"Don't Atem, just don't."

"Can't even breach just a little bit of the topic?"

"Not one word. Especially if you still want to eat today."

"Can you try to play fair?" Yami asked from somewhere near the door.

"Nope."

"Fine, you win this round," Atem sighed pulling away from him.

Yugi turned around on the ledge carefully, letting his leg drop as he kicked his heels against the wall of the tower.

"As the King of Games winning is second nature to me," Yugi said with a serious look. Yami laughed while Atem just grinned at him. Yugi cracked a smile back. It was casual and carefree. "Hungry?"

"Starved," Yami said, holding out his hand.

"Then I suggest we get you fed." Yugi reached back, not making any attempt to get up, just reaching for Yami's hand too.

Yami sighed, his eyes closing for a second before Yugi's entire world flipped as Yami threw him over his shoulder.

"What happened to hand holding?"

"You were taking too long."

Atem laughed at them before following. They took Yugi back to their room and set him down on the bed. Atem closed the door and they fed themselves. Yugi's eyes started to close before Atem was even done drinking from him making him worry that he'd taken too much, but Yugi's skin didn't appear to have that paler than normal look to it.

"Yugi?"

"M'tire'."

"You still need to eat the soup Yami is bringing up for you."

"Too hot, an' tire'."

"Have you eaten at all today?"

"Mmhm, lunch, and a snack."

"Can we just eat a little bit of the soup please?"

Yugi didn't respond, he was out just as Yami popped back into the room. He looked at Yugi's sleeping form and sighed. He leaned down and whispered something into Atem's ear who nodded. Yami left with the soup, and didn't come back until near 11:00 pm, by which time Atem was out too. Yami smiled before climbing into bed and falling asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillows.

[Time skip]

Yugi sighed as he trudged out of another place. Head down, shoulders hunched. He looked back at the clothing store, before walking over to his truck, pulling down the back and climbing into the bed. He sat there, leaning back against his arms as he stared at the blue sky, swinging his legs back and forth. His next interview wasn't for another two hours so he had the time to kill.

Marcus came to lean on the side of the truck, "So?"

Yugi gave him a sideways glance before looking back up at the sky. 15, and next would be 16. This was going nowhere fast. Even after he stopped mentioning the one-year thing there was a thousand other excuses they came up with. Single. No kids. Not looking for someone who's getting married and taking off for two weeks in the beginning of Summer. Didn't you see the sign? No Vampires, and you're sure to bring at least one with you. Get out. Leave. Not interested in what you have to bring to my store.

Yugi sighed again, and looked back out to the road. His eyes focused in on a sign that said hiring full-time weekdays only. Looking up at the store sign he saw Gardens and Gifts. Gardening store, well, maybe they had a discount or something? Yugi hopped off the bed and started to walk across the street to the store.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Marcus shouted after him. Yugi just pointed at the store and kept walking. "Oh, for the love of Ra," Yugi heard him say as the back of truck slammed shut.

"Don't break my truck, Muhtaram!"

"Wow, after two words this morning, he finally says a full sentence."

Yugi ignored him and kept walking. He made it into the store and had half of the application filled out before Marcus strolled in and started to browse the store. A store member came up to Marcus and asked him if needed any help before balking slightly when he saw his fangs. Marcus didn't see though as he muttered something thumbing back at Yugi while he looked at a floral picture that was for sale.

Yugi didn't notice either as he finished up the application gave it another glance over and started to hand it back to the Service Desk clerk. The paper was snatched from both of them by a dark hand. Yugi whipped around to see the hand connected to a tall man, at least two heads taller than him, already perusing his application.

"So, you're applying for the weekdays only position, full-time. You don't mind not working weekends?" he asked looking up, and then down at Yugi.

"Uh, no, I don't. With two kids that actually works better for me."

"Good, good, family man, like it," he looked back down at the papers and flipped to the next page. "You worked at the Kame Game shop from 10-16 years of age? How did you manage that?"

"Family business."

"Why not apply there then?"

"It's…complicated," Yugi started to explain before finishing with a lame non-explanatory word.

"Hmm, I think I know what happened, no need to drag up bad memories." He looked back down at the papers again, and his eyebrows disappeared into his hairline. "Ah, so that's why the benches were redecorated. And a wheelchair? What for?"

"There was a patient in the wheelchair. It was really the patient that my friends and I wanted, and thus returned an empty one. The doctors weren't as pleased as we thought they'd be."

"And this one when you were nine?" he asked fanning himself with Yugi's application, looking as if he was enjoying this far more than he should.

"I didn't realize the sculptures were unbalanced. How was I supposed to know that by barely touching one it would topple into the next one going down the crooked line of them like life-sized dominos."

"Ha ha ha, well you were nine, so I'll cut you some credit for that one. Now, one last question. Is that vampire with you?" he pointed at Marcus.

"Yes, but he doesn't belong to me or anything."

"I've only seen vampires that belong to humans follow them around."

"Mine are the Monarchy of the race, and they can be almost too overprotective," Yugi said looking to the side.

"Monarchy? Like they're part of the court?" he asked crossing his arms across his chest.

"No, they're the King and Queen of the entire race."

"Fine. Have one of your bodyguard's fill this out too, but only one, and I'll hire them on the spot." He pulled a red application out from his back pocket and started to hand it to Yugi.

"Uh, wait, I'm hired? Just like that?"

"No one else has applied for the position in the two months that it's been up for grabs, so yes, you're hired. And you can only bring one security personnel with you. Otherwise, there is no loitering anywhere on the premises. If there's another vampire on the grounds in association with you than they better be here to buy. I am not running a café."

"Only one, huh?" Marcus asked grabbing the application from the man. He looked it over before turning to the door. "Kareem, fill this out, you're getting a second job."

"Say what?" Konnor asked appearing next to him. He snatched the application from Marcus and looked it over. "Ugh, one of these again? These types of jobs are so boring. And humans move so slow it's like watching a cheetah chase a turtle."

"Then you should have no problem."

"You owe me, Marcus," Konnor growled.

"Why don't you guys call each other by your names anymore?" Yugi asked as he shook his head. He'd been doing it again, calling them by their code names instead of their real ones. It didn't matter to him that they did it all the time too. They weren't in college anymore, they needed to start using their real names again. There was no need for the code ones, especially since Yugi knew the big secret.

The two guys shrugged, "It's just easier using the names we chose for ourselves, I guess," Marcus explained.

"Whatever," Yugi grumbled before turning back to the Manager. "So, when do I start?"

"Next Tuesday. Orientation is on Monday 6:30pm. For both of you."

"See you then. And thank you so much for the opportunity."

"You're welcome."

[Time skip]

Yugi bounced into the throne room, and plopped down in the throne. Atem and Yami were pouring over something with two others on the table and didn't notice him. Actually, none of the four noticed him. So, Yugi just sat there and waited. Yami sighed and stepped back sitting in the throne.

"AAAHHH!" Yami shot back up in fright causing the others to turn.

"You two are starting to give me the impression that I'm not comfy or something," Yugi said folding his arms over his chest, and giving them a teasing pout.

"Well, maybe if you, I don't know, said something before you sat down we would find you more comfy," Yami huffed back, crossing his arms across his chest and leaning back against the table.

"Now, why would I need to do that? Can't you smell my presence alone?" Yugi looked at them with hooded eyes, leaning forwards in the throne slightly.

One of the other vampires snorted, and quickly covered his mouth with his hand as he seemed to be trying to hold back laughter. The other's eyebrows shot up on his forehead in pure shock and awe, like he couldn't believe Yugi had just said that. Yami and Atem gave each other the 'only our human' look.

"I mean you do have my scent on lockdown, right? Or do Heba I need to play trading places again?"

"Not this year, please," Atem sighed, squatting down in front of Yugi. "There's too much going on this year for that. Maybe next year. Was there something you wanted?"

Yugi grinned brightly before leaning forwards to whisper the good news into his ear. He pulled back to see a small smile creeping up on Atem's face, before he put a hand on his cheek. Yami just frowned, feeling completely out of the loop here, as Atem sighed in relief, resting his forehead against Yugi's.

"That's great news, Yugi. Very great news."

"What is?" Yami asked throwing his hands up in confusion.

Yugi stole a kiss from Atem before flopping back in the throne. "Come sit in my lap, and I'll tell you."

Yami just stood there, staring, before rolling his eyes and moving forwards. He shoved Atem aside and sat in Yugi's lap, his back pressed against his front. Yugi whispered the news in his ear too. Yami had a near identical reaction as he also sighed in relief.

"Atem's right, that is great news." Yami sat there, slouched against Yugi, before getting back up so he could pull Yugi into a hug.

I was thinking maybe we could celebrate with the kids tonight or something?

Where do you want to go?

The Pokémon Café?

Really? The kid's favorite spot?

Do you want them to eat or not?

Pokémon Café it is.

Besides, I've always found their vampire menu a rather interesting shade of color, haven't you?

Atem and Yami just rolled their eyes, knowing exactly what it was Yugi was referring to. And no, they didn't find it interesting, but rather insulting. It was probably why Yugi went to the Café alone with the kids most of the time, or had Leon take them. He also, was not a fan of the vampire menu.

"Imp," Atem muttered.

"You love me," Yugi said, sticking his tongue out at the elder.

"Doesn't make you any less of an imp."

Yugi laughed, as he wormed his way out of Yami's loose grip. He pulled Atem up from the floor, and then waved at the other two vampires before leaving the throne room. As the door was closing, he heard an interesting statement from one of the vampires and could help contemplating it as he walked down the hallways.

"So, I suggest that the Altar be this high, so all might see the ceremony."

"Not necessary," Atem and Yami replied together.

Why did an Altar need to be at a specific height? What was the purpose of this Altar? And why did Atem and Yami think it wasn't necessary for it to be at that height? Wait, what were they even using this Altar for anyway?

Yugi shook his head, if Atem and Yami didn't think it was necessary than he'd have to trust their judgement. It was probably some type of vampire political thing anyway, and he wasn't supposed to be involved with stuff like that unless it had something to do with the party side of it. Speaking of that, he should probably go over some things for the Vampire Gala and remind Atem and Yami that their anniversary was coming up, and it was Yami's turn to plan it.

After the first two disasters of their anniversaries, it was decided that one of them would plan for that year. Having them all try to plan their anniversary just didn't work. Too many different ideas on the table. So one planned, and the others enjoyed. Plus, who knew there were two Tanzie's Restaurant in town? Their second anniversary, Atem had stood them up. Shame on him.

I did not stand you and Yami up! I was at the other Tanzie's!

Uh huh, sure you were, but Yugi and I know the truth.

Ha ha ha ha ha!

Impossible!

Ha ha ha ha ha!

Yugi shook his head as he turned into his study to find his kids and Leon in there watching Moana. Leon looked up in surprise. Yugi grinned at him before going over to sit on the couch next to him, adjacent to the one the kids were on. Paperwork could wait five minutes.

"You sir, have the night off," Yugi began.

"I do?"

"Yep, I got a job and we're going to celebrate at the Pokémon Café. And since it's been a couple of weeks since you last had a night off, I thought you could use one. I also plan on sending Olivia and the girls messages that they need to take the night off too. They've been working six days straight, it's time for a day off. If you were interested in knowing at least."

"Nah, Olivia was talking about how the next time she had a day off it was going towards a girl's night out. To be honest, having a guy's night doesn't sound half bad either."

"In that case, take tomorrow too."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, it's been a while since we've had a family day, and I think we're overdue."

"So, what's the job?"

"I'll be working at a Garden and Gifts store. I don't exactly know what I'll be doing, but orientation is on Monday at 6:30pm. Guess I'll find out then."

"And in between working at this store you'll still be planning all vampire social events, right?"

"It's a weekdays only job, so it shouldn't be a problem. Besides just ask my guards how well I am at multi-tasking. I can handle it. And I'd be doing the same for when I have a teaching job anyway."

"Oh yeah, I guess I never thought of that. But all vampire non-social event meetings are off the table?"

"That's the way I understood my new contract."

"You should probably re-think that."

"Why? What kind of chatter have you heard?"

"There's talk about bringing back some old-fashioned ideas, like human harvesting, and shared blood harems."

"Hm, sounds like bedroom talk, not the kind we should be having in front of children."

Leon nodded and dropped the matter. They looked over at the kids to see them still engrossed in the movie. Neither had been paying attention to the adults. Yugi also knew he couldn't ask his mates about it, they'd just avoid the subject or demand to know how he heard about it. Or worse, who told him.

Yugi got up and went over to his desk where he took out some paperwork regarding some final listing names that were being admitted for the Gala. It used to be a public event for all vampires, but since the open attack on him again this past year it was being turned into a listed party only event. Like the Christmas Ball. He felt kind of bad about it, but it wasn't just his safety that was in question here. It was the safety of all the Royal Family. If they were confident enough to attack him, then they'd probably be just as confident enough to attack one of their kids or a high member of the society.

There were a few new Clan names on here that he didn't recognize and needed to go over it again with Kairi Mako. She was in charge of keeping track of all clans, both old and new. And it wasn't just vampires, but werewolves as well. She often joked that if the computer hadn't of been invented, she'd still be going through files every year. Her workspace being nothing but a mountain of paper. As it was Yugi never saw a slip of paper out of place.

Let's see there was the Giles Clan, Jason Clan, Kikto Clan, and Mightaus Tribe that still needed invitations sent out to them. Yugi found it odd that they used Clan for vampires and Tribe for werewolves, but it was a system that been working long before he took over, so he just left it. He just wished he'd been there to see Jou's face when he'd called to ask if the Dens Tribe was coming out for the Gala. Seth laughed every time it was brought up and couldn't stop for a good two to three minutes either.

These new ones though, that had submitted applications he didn't know. The Market Tribe, Werth Clan, Ulley Clan, Jackrabbit Tribe, Sun Tribe, and Bones Clan. He put them in the pile to be verified by Kairi, and the rest in the pile to be sent out. He pulled a new sheet of paper towards him that was asking about food availability from the Merchant Tribe.

Every year. They went through this every year. Why they went through this every year, he would never understand. He took out one of the pre-typed up letters saying what foods would be available, what table they would be at, and which foods wouldn't be available. He put the Merchant Tribe's letter in the dismiss pile, and the other in the send out.

The last paper he pulled towards him was asking about why there were so many restrictions this year when in the past they had been so lax? This was from the Liply Clan. So Leon's family.

"Hey, Leon? Can you come here for a second?"

He looked over before getting up and walking over.

Yugi just handed him the letter.

Leon glanced it over before sighing heavily. He put his hand to his forehead and rubbed it a few times before sighing again, crumpling the letter into a ball and throwing it into the trash.

"I've tried explaining it to my little sister a hundred times, but it seems she still won't take my answers. Please, try to be kind in your explanation, Prince. Forceful, but kind. I will hand deliver it to save you time on postage."

"Alright."

Yugi reached into a drawer on his left and rifled through the file cabinet for about two seconds before pulling out a generic letter and handing it to Leon. He took it and looked it over biting back a grin and folded it up into a square before pocketing it.

"So, if she doesn't want to adhere to the new stricter regiments, she doesn't have to come, huh?"

"That's right. That is the same letter I sent out to 51 Clans, and 26 Tribes so far this year."

"And how many responses did you get saying they weren't coming."

"None so far, but you never know. The Liply Clan might be the first."

"Over my Mother's dead body after receiving a veiled threat like this one."

"I am offended that you think it's threatening!" Yugi said back in mock shock. "In what way is that at all threatening?"

"Uh, let's see, perhaps the part that says if you choose not to attend this year, then you'll need to reapply to the Clan/Tribe listing next year?"

"That was Atem's idea, not mine. I think he was hoping to weed out the Elder vampires from attending."

"Oh, the politicians he means."

"Indeed."

"Leon! It's over! You promised that we'd play Howl's Moving Castle next!" Daniel's voice interrupted them. Leon sighed before walking back over to put in the new movie. Yugi watched from his desk before turning to the new pile of work. Guests that had already been invited still needed to be told where their Clan section was in the ballroom. Yami's idea, so as to keep fights from breaking out. Yugi had to admit, it seemed like a bad idea to him, but was willing to test it out this year just to see who was right.

Yugi finished printing up the new sheets in a good half hour and was left with nothing else to do. So he took out his phone and made the reservation at Pokémon café. They had a reservation at 7:00 that night. Now, what could he do? He supposed he could watch Howl's Moving Castle, but he didn't really feel like it. So he got up and left his game/study room.

Yugi wandered around the Palace for a good half hour before finally deciding to head outside. He walked down to the beach, and sat at the edge of the ocean, watching the waves roll in and out.

He'd finally gotten a job, just like Akiha had required of him. He wondered if he should've called the man to inform of this. No, he'd do that later in the week, possibly following his orientation Monday. Though, Yugi wasn't much of a procrastinator, he felt like since he was finally out of school he could be. Just this once he'd procrastinate a little.

Yugi didn't know how long he sat there, just staring at the waves, but soon he heard the sand shift behind him, and he turned to see that no one was there. He got up, dusting his clothes of sand and glanced around the entire beach, but didn't see anyone. Shrugging he sat back down, figuring it must have been his imagination, but a few seconds later he heard that same shift of sand. Again, no one was there.

He got up, dusted off his clothes again and started to head, not towards the Palace, but Akeifa's place. It was closer. He heard the sand shift closer to him this time, and he whipped around. This time there was a lone figure standing there, just staring at him. Yugi slowly backed up, never taking his eyes off the stranger. The stranger made no move to approach him, just watched every step he took, as if counting each one. Yugi tensed to run, but heard a small growl from behind him before he could. He stopped his retreat, as he felt like he was caught between two unknowns. He didn't know if the one behind him was a friend or foe, and he certainly didn't know if this stranger was just waiting for him to turn his back again so he could pounce.

Atem I-.

Yugi's thought was cut off as a streak of black fur rushed past him. The stranger in front of Yugi gave him a passing glare before he vanished, the black Akeifa shooting after him. Yugi stood there another moment before bolting off towards the woods. He made it inside just as Bakura was walking towards him. He was all white except for a dusty red color on the tips of both his ears and tail.

Bakura sat down in front of him, as Yugi tried to get his breath back, tilting his head to the left slightly. If Ryou had been here, he could translate what that look meant to Yugi, but he was taking some photos for Seto at Kaiba Corp. today. A sharp bark behind Yugi had him jumping, as Akeifa jumped up on the rocks and strolled into his home. His muzzle was smeared with blood.

Yugi quickly looked away from him. Akeifa's eyes narrowed before he half transformed and leaned against a tree. He wiped his mouth off with the back of his hand before clearing his throat.

"Did you kill them?"

"No."

Yugi frowned, looking down at Akeifa's hand that had the blood on it. If Akeifa hadn't killed them, then how did he get the blood on his muzzle?

"But then-?"

"He got away as his subordinate threw themselves in my path to allow him to escape. The subordinate is dead, but not the one who's been watching you since you sat down. He came from the ocean to your far right. You were too unobservant to notice though. Where's your guards, Yugi?"

Yugi shrugged. He always assumed they were around somewhere, but this time they hadn't been. He wondered for a moment where they were too. They should've been the ones to take care of that vampire, not Akeifa. They would've done it covertly too. Yugi…he'd have never known about it.

"There's one," Bakura said, half transforming as well. He pointed behind Yugi.

Yugi turned to find Samir holding his right arm as blood flowed down from a deep gash in his upper bicep. Kareem appeared next to him a second later, supporting an unconscious Zaire.

"Good…you're safe," Samir said through heavy breathing before collapsing in front of him.

Yugi gasped, and made to go to him, but Akeifa collared him, preventing him from leaving the forest. "What are you doing?" Yugi's asked looking back at him.

"Atem informed us about the latest version of mimickers, and while I don't think they'd fake such injuries, I'm not taking the risk. Atem might start a war if I did."

Yugi?

I'm with Akeifa and Bakura in their woods.

Relief. It flowed over the link in heavy waves.

My guards are injured though, and are probably in need of medical attention.

Have Akeifa hold you until we get there.

He already is.

Smart wolf.

Yugi sighed, before slowly sinking to the ground. His legs were bent next to him, as he pressed his hands into the ground between them, head bowed. Akeifa let go of his shirt, and transformed back into a wolf. Bakura stayed as he was, just in case they needed a translator.

It only took about a minute or two before Atem, Isis, Yami, Mahad, and Muhtaram were there. Everyone except Isis was sporting some type of injury. Yugi gave a cry of dismay, and jolted to his feet, but got no further than that before Bakura had an arm around his shoulders.

Akeifa barked something at Bakura, and he nodded. "Atem, how did Neo die?"

"Neo?" Atem asked. He looked at Akeifa, and his shoulders deflated as if in defeat. "I haven't heard that name in ages. Neo…he died in the war following the death of his lover."

Akeifa barked again, and Bakura let Yugi go. Yugi was in Yami's and Atem's arms in an instant. They held him close for a moment before Atem passed all the holding off to Yami.

"Did you get him?" Atem asked looking at Akeifa, noticing the blood on his paw, and chin.

"No," Bakura answered, "but I've been told he's one subordinate less now. Why does he want Yugi?"

"I don't know. I thought after Dartz was dead, that we wouldn't have to worry about it anymore. I thought we were all safe, that Yugi was safe, but clearly there is still someone out there that holds him accountable for something."

"He didn't try to grab me," Yugi said slowly, looking up at Yami. Eyes focused down on him. "He just watched, he didn't even make a move towards me besides shifting the sand to let me know he was there, watching me."

"You wouldn't have known he was there otherwise?" Yami asked, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Yugi's eyes widened in fear and alarm. "He knows about my sensory distance."

Muhtaram squeezed his eyes shut, cursing. "Every guard we have knows about Yugi's sensory distance. It was a need to know thing so if any one of them was tailing him covertly, Yugi wouldn't know they were there. Yugi would feel like he had privacy, alone time, or unconditional trust."

"Are you trying to say that I don't have my mate's unconditional trust?" Yugi asked, peering around Yami at him.

Muhtaram opened one eye to look at him, "Well, you do like to run off."

"What a horrible way to end a great day," Yugi said leaning his cheek against Yami's chest. The shock was starting to wear off, and with it came the knowledge of how stupid he was to wander off alone when it was nearing the nighttime hours.

"In any case, I think you caught him off guard," Kareem said, as Zaire slowly came to under Isis's hands.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I don't think he expected you to be wandering outside alone with a two-man guard. Heh, we were all caught unawares. Is Samir going to be okay, Isis?"

"Yes, he'll be okay just as soon as we can get at least two bags of Emu blood in him."

"Emu?" Bakura asked.

"Yes, Emu can increase the healing process of vampires."

"Odd. I wonder if it would work on werewolves too?"

Akeifa turned to look at Bakura, and he gave him a what look back. Akeifa just shook his head before giving off a sharp bark, and making his way back into the forest.

"Akeifa says since Yugi is safe now there's no reason for you to loiter, and to have a nice day. Also, don't expect him to play hero every time."

"He said all that with a single bark?" Yami asked in confusion.

"No," Atem answered before Bakura could. "He most likely said it through their mind link, and that bark was his usual 'bye' remark."

"Bye?" Bakura asked with a raised brow.

"Bye sounds a lot better than 'get lost'."

Bakura laughed before he transformed back into a wolf and followed after Akeifa into the woods. A short howl could be heard in the distance followed by a chorus of many different longer howls after.

"Come on, we still have those reservations at the Pokémon Café tonight," Yugi said grabbing Atem's and Yami's hands.

"You're not going to cancel them?" Muhtaram asked with a raised brow.

"No, I'm not. I'm not going to stop living my life just because some creep is after me. I'm going to keep on living like this guy doesn't exist. I will not fear someone who's too cowardly to attack from the shadows instead of getting up close and personal with it."

Atem and Yami shared an amused look behind Yugi's back as he pulled them back across the beach. The others sighed chuckling lightly, Kareem bent down, and scooped up half of Samir, supporting him on one side, as Muhtaram ducked under his other arm to support him on the other. Zaire leaned against Mahad, and they all slowly made their way back, as Isis healed a gash on Mahad's cheek.

The cuts made by a few of the vampires that they had fought weren't healing. Even Samir's wound wasn't healing like it should be. Isis was going to study it when she got back to her chambers. Perhaps it had something to do with the same poison that allowed those vampires to kill themselves back in January. Isis didn't want to believe it, but at this point it was the only thing that made sense.

Three figures watched them all from the water, wading out in the deep waters. One was the vampire that had been watching Yugi on the beach, wading just behind his Master. They had all smiled when they heard the human's comments about living his life carefree. They doubted it would be as carefree as his front was, but they were happy that he wasn't going to make this hard for them. Their Master nodded and the three sunk beneath the waves, swimming off into the darkening night.


Akeifa: [shoves author out onto stage] You can't hide from them for forever. Might as well get it over with now.

Midnight: Yeah, fine. [looks out towards readers] Hey, been awhile. I have no reasoning for such a lengthy span of time between chapters. Just know that the next one isn't coming along any faster than this one did. And though COVID gave me it's best shot this past week it didn't kill me. So, ya'll will see more chapters in the eventual future. Thanks for sticking it out with me guys. You're all the best readers a writer can have! Thank you to everyone who favorited/followed this story. And thanks to everyone who reviewed User and Guest alike. Please review! Midnight ;p