"That's the thing. I am not Yugi."
It seemed Yami had been saying that quite a bit these last few days. It was almost liberating to repeat. He wasn't Yugi. He wasn't some darker, hidden side or ancient magic made in the mirror of Yugi. He was his own person. As he continued to explain this one more time to Yui, with everyone backing him, he could think it confidently. He wasn't Yugi. He was Yami, or the Nameless Pharaoh, or something else entirely. It didn't matter at that moment as, finally, everyone he cared for knew the truth.
Yet, he wasn't happier for it.
"-And this picture was taken initially by KaibaCorp for promotional reasons. It's of the finalists of Battle City. We were on Kaiba's blimp, and you can even see the Millennium Rod slightly poking out behind Marik." Téa explained as she handed yet another photo to Yui. Téa spoke gently with a smile on her face. Like she was simply showing a friend her vacation photos, not pictures trying to prove that they had repeatedly thrown themselves at maniacs. Yui was sitting on a chair across from the group on the couch. Yami didn't miss how she put a coffee table between her and the clearly insane people. Her continued silence did not raise his spirits either.
When Yami first started explaining who he was and how he and Yugi came together, Yui had laughed at him. She swore this had to be some joke. That laugh destroyed more of Yami's confidence than any villain had managed to do. Then the others jumped in, explaining their sides of the story.
Junior eventually asked Yami to do a bit of magic for proof of their more... outlandish claims. Yami was hesitant since his last use of the stone puzzle had some nasty side effects. But when Yui started aggressively arguing with everyone that there couldn't be magic out there, the Pharaoh sighed. He magically levitated the puzzle still around his neck, the glowing eye on his forehead returning briefly. It was only for a few seconds, but the whole room felt the sickening darkness that radiated from the artifact in that brief time. Yami hoped the minuscule amount of shadow magic wouldn't come back to bite him, but it did its job. Yui's confused, almost insulted expression disappeared in an instant. Instead, a vacant stare followed her silence. Yui didn't say a word for the rest of the explanation. She would merely nod, even when Grandpa or Junior talked to her. Yami knew it was a lot to take in, but he couldn't help the sinking feeling in his chest. The way she kept glancing at him, like he was a late-night intruder, made him wish he could disappear behind Yugi once again.
Once the group had caught Yui up to speed, ending with Red-Eyes's plan, they waited. Each held their breath as they watched to see what she would do. Once Yui realized they were waiting for her to speak, she blinked a few times and asked to see the photos again. She was given the small number of photographs, and she wordlessly looked at each picture, scrutinizing them carefully. Once she had flipped through them multiple times, she looked back up to the group.
"This… This really isn't a joke, is it?" She said in a defeated voice.
"Do you think we'd joke about something like this?" Junior asked.
"No… No, I suppose you wouldn't. Maybe Grandpa would, but not you, honey." She whispered. She then looked to Grandpa. A faint, almost desperate chuckle came to her next words. "Though, I guess those spooky stories you used to tell of your escapades weren't really jokes either, were they?"
Grandpa shrugged and gave a lopsided smile. "Eh, a good storyteller always sprinkles in a lick of truth. How large that lick has to be is hotly debated in the old folks' community." While Grandpa's desired effect may have been to make Yui smile, all she did was swallow hard. Then her pastel eyes landed on Yami, who was sitting between Joey and Téa. It felt like she was staring into his very soul. As Yami shrunk under her gaze, he felt both his hands taken by one of his friends. Téa merely rested on his left hand, and Joey gripped his right. This comfort let Yami take a deep breath and give a small smile back to Yui. This seemed to snap Yui back to reality as her faraway gaze disappeared and was replaced with a furrowed brow.
"You're an ancient Egyptian spirit and… You often took over for Yugi?" Yui asked in a small voice.
"Yes, I am. We switched places only when Yugi wanted." Yami then paused. While he wished he could end the thought there, he couldn't lie. Not with her looking at him like that. "Most of the time." He felt as each of his friends' grips tightened.
"Most of the time?" While Yui's voice remained soft, it dipped into a threatening tone that made Yami shiver.
"Remember, in the beginning, Yami didn't have a lot of context. He was kind of like a confused baby." Téa then quickly added when both Yami and Yui gave her a sideways glare. "Even then, he only took over when Yugi was really hurt or scared. And all this was years ago. Since then, the two have worked hard to understand and cooperate with each other."
"You've always givin' the body back when Yugi wanted it, right?" Joey added.
Yami's face fell as he squeezed both his friends' hands. He then shook his head. There were moments during Battle City and the Seal of the Orichalcos where he had gone against Yugi's wants. He couldn't in full confidence say he never used Yugi's body against the boy's will, even in recent years.
"But those moments were a long time ago, right?" Téa's voice raised a few octaves. Yami didn't respond.
"You're not helpin' yourself here, buddy," Joey whispered to him. Grandpa and Junior seemed just as worried but said nothing.
Yami again didn't move. He instead slowly raised his eyes to meet Yui's. The mother seemed ready to go on the attack. The same anger she had on her face when she hosed down Fuwa soon returned. Yami could read it in her wide eyes. You're not Yugi. And while Yami was thrilled to no longer be just Yugi in the eyes of others, another feeling was spreading a chill through him. You are not my son. You used my son! Yami sunk lower as he remembered the hug that he needed so badly this morning. Along with seemingly using the son she was very protective of, Yui had been tricked into giving her love to a complete stranger. It would be yet another nail in his coffin for Yui.
The room had grown quiet as Yami put his head down to prepare for Yui's righteous anger. He wasn't Yugi…
"I'm sorry. You must be so scared." Yui's words finally came. Yami shot up in surprise. Her frown had disappeared. Instead, she held her hand to her chest as she again looked over the boy in front of her.
Yami pulled away from his friends and clutched the stone item around his neck, nearly copying Yui's posture. "Scared?" Yami repeated. That had been something Junior mentioned too when he realized who Yami was. Was that just plastered on his face? He wasn't scared! He was confused, yes, and maybe a little lonely, but definitely not something like scared. His face scrunched up in indignation. At this, Yui managed a smile.
"Oh, don't be like that. You know what I mean. Having to admit everything to us, the good and... the bad. This all must be a bit much for you." She said.
"A bit much for me?! You're the one that has to suddenly take in all these facts about… well… everything?" Yami said, a very undignified squeak working its way into his usually controlled voice.
"Yes, it is… shocking, to say the least," Yui said as she slumped in her chair, her eyes not leaving her lap. "But the thing is… I think I already knew?"
"You did?!" Junior gasped. Yui then glanced at him with an expression Yami couldn't read. Junior must have recognized it because he immediately shrunk back. "Of course you did." he quickly added.
Yui smiled and shook her head as she turned back to Yami. "I've been stumbling upon Yugi happily chatting to seemingly thin air for years now. I'm also sure I talked to you directly on days where Yugi was nervous or feeling sick. There was always such a change in him those times. While I never thought spirits I…." She then massaged her forehead. "No, I knew it was a spirit or something like that. If I hadn't, I would have sent Yugi to get some mental help much sooner instead of debating with Grandpa for years."
Yami sat stunned. He didn't know what to do, cheer, run, laugh? Yet, his sinking heart didn't surface again. "But we tried to tell you before!" Yami blurted. "You… didn't take it well then…."
Yui's gaze fell. "I suppose you two did." Her arms then wrapped around herself as if she was cold. "I think… I think I was scared at the time. As you said, it's a lot to take in. It was easier to pretend I didn't understand what you two were saying than face, well…" she gestured around vaguely. "You did just drop on me that there is indeed, an afterlife, other dimensions filled with card spirits, and world-destroying beasts that can attack at any moment..." Yui's eyes widened as the weight of what she said settled on her shoulders. For a moment, it looked like she would panic; Junior and Grandpa even seemed ready for it. But then she shook it away. Instead, she dropped her arms to her lap as she smiled at Yami. That same warming smile from this morning. "But filing that information away for later, I think I always knew. Yes… the minute Yugi came back from Duelist Kingdom, I knew I had two sons."
Yami once again froze. His brain at first didn't even register her words. Once he convinced his frozen gears to move, he had only one thought. "Tw-two sons?" It didn't feel like his heart was sinking anymore. In fact, it seemed like all his insides disappeared entirely. Only his headache remained. Yet, he didn't feel hollow. "Son?" He then glanced at Yui again, just in time to witness as her smile fell. Of course, she misspoke. She was still getting used to the fact he was not Yugi.
"Yes, I did say son… Do you not want to be referred to as that? I understand if I took a step too far." Yui tentatively asked.
Yami couldn't hide his wide eyes or slight shiver. He couldn't believe what he was hearing; his body seemed determined to reject it. This uncharacteristic frozenness made both Joey and Téa turn worriedly to him. What broke the silence was Grandpa clearing his throat.
"Well, that makes things easy for me to announce. I already adopted the Pharaoh here as my grandson. He's agreed, and he can't take it back now." Grandpa added. Yami turned to Grandpa with that same deer-in-the-headlights look.
"Really?" Junior chuckled as he got up from his seat and stood next to Yui's chair. She looked up to him, and a broad grin spread across her face. He nodded to her as he put his hands on her shoulders. They then both turned back to Yami.
"Well then, we have no choice but to take you on as our son too. Just to keep things balanced." Yui said. Yami didn't immediately answer. "If you'll have us, of course. We are a strange bunch."
Yami was still unmoving. He was prepared for so much worse when telling Yui the truth. Yet, here they were. For a moment, warmth started to return to Yami. Then his headache suddenly spiked to new painful heights. He groaned as he curled forward. His two friends reached out for him, but Yami swatted away their help as he sat up again. What warmth had been there having chilled. What was left was a new swirl of horrible feelings. Guilt, sadness, anger, and fear. It swamped him, nearly drowned him where he sat. It was so strong he didn't even notice the dark pulse from the Millennium Puzzle.
It was so clear to Yami. Everyone's smiles were fake or filled with pity. 'Grandpa was just polite. He accepts everyone as a grandchild. That's why he wants everyone to call him Grandpa. Junior may have supported me in the police station, but that was so I didn't make the coward look bad. And Yui… Yui must still not understand.'
"But I'm not Yugi!" Yami burst out; all regality and control went from his voice.
"We know that," Yui said as a worried look came to everyone's faces. "We're not saying this only because of your connection to Yugi. What we mean is… Well… It already feels like you've been part of the family for years. I can't quite explain this, but it's like I already know you."
"I agree," Grandpa added. "It is such a deep feeling that I can't deny it. You've been my grandchild since the beginning."
The two then looked to Junior. The man's eyes widened slightly as he bit his lip. It looked like he wanted to say something, but nothing came to him. Yui tried to subtly elbow him, but Yami saw it. He saw all of Junior's hesitance, and it only fueled his inner turmoil.
"My husband is a little slow on the uptake, but he'll catch up," Yui filled the silence when her husband couldn't. Junior smiled sheepishly but kept his gaze on the suddenly panicking Yami.
Yami kept wildly glancing at everyone. He started slightly shaking as another dark pulse made his headache spike again. "But I've done so much wrong! I've lied to all of you for years!"
"Well, we managed to still be friends despite the same lies told to us." Téa's voice made Yami jump a little.
"Ya, Yami. We all understand why you and Yugi were a little tight-lipped. None of us hold dat against ya." Joey added as he pulled Yami into a side hug.
"For years, I lied." Yami gasped in Joey's tight embrace.
"Come now, Pharaoh," Grandpa said. "Secrets aren't exactly new to this family. It hasn't stopped us yet from loving each other. What matters to us is that you told the truth when it counted."
"But I don't understand a thing outside of games! I've hurt so many! I've literally driven people insane!" Yami pulled away from Joey and stood up. He stood frozen as the need to run and to remain in place fought inside him. He didn't know what he was doing, his headache was throbbing, and he was suddenly filled with so much dread and… dizziness? He then noticed that everyone had turned to Junior. He had left his wife's side and was slowly walking towards Yami.
"Yami? You've been holding your breath." Junior said. Yami was suddenly aware of that very fact too.
Yami took in a breath, but it felt like his chest was too tight for the air. He then grasped the chain necklace. It wasn't his chest that was too tight, but the puzzle that seemed too heavy. He jerked the chain off and held the puzzle in his hands. He still couldn't breathe as he stared at the rocky pyramid. Its carved eye seemingly staring back, mocking him.
"I don't need your pity," Yami said through gritted teeth. "I understand I'm a stranger here. You don't have to pretend to care for me more than you actually do. I don't deserve to..." Yami couldn't finish the thought.
"May I step closer to you?" Junior asked, his voice even. It took the Pharaoh a few moments to even register he said anything. Yami held the puzzle to his chest and nodded, thankful that Junior had asked instead of walking closer unannounced. That probably was the only thing that kept Yami from bolting.
Junior nodded to him and stepped forward. He then bent down so he could look level with Yami. After making sure the Pharoah was continually breathing, he spoke. "You may have hurt people, but I've witnessed you work your hardest to make up for it. You know your faults, and you're doing everything you can to not fall into those traps again. That's truly a hard feat." Junior's crimson eyes glanced away for a moment. He then whispered to only Yami, "Take it from someone who's had to work and is still working on that. I still have a great deal of growing to do. We all do. So, if you're afraid you're not 'worthy' of this family, then we can work on that together. I promise I'm not running anytime soon." Then he led Yami's gaze around the room. "We will understand if you don't want to be referred to as a family, but this reaction tells me there's something more going on. I realize if you feel overwhelmed, trust me when I say I really do, but don't confuse that fear for the emotions of others."
Junior then held his hands out, clearly asking for the Millenium Puzzle. Yami, at first, stared at him in disbelief as he gripped the puzzle tighter. Junior couldn't understand what this item was to Yami. It held all his responsibility and status as the nameless Pharoah. It literally held his soul; he couldn't even move five feet without it! Yami turned away and looked around the room for a way out when his eyes landed on his friends still on the couch.
Joey and Téa, while both had anxious looks, couldn't hide their excitement. They wanted him to be an official Muto, to have this piece of normality. But what meant more to Yami at that moment was the reminder that they were still there. Despite these past dangerous and truly terrifying years, they had stayed by his side. Despite being someone they couldn't see half the time, they always referred to him as a friend. Even the heavy puzzle couldn't distract him from that. Then Yami's gaze fell on the rest of the room. The other Mutos hadn't retracted what they said. They, too, were still there.
Yami slowly turned to face Junior again. He was still bent down. His soft smile had none of the terrifying edges it had the night before. It was a kind, calming smile. Then the Pharoah looked down at the father's hands. It was then Yami realized he wasn't reaching out for the puzzle. He had been reaching out for Yami. To calm him if the spirit would let him.
"But, but, but," Yami's mouth was on autopilot. "But… I'm dead."
Everyone was silent for a few moments.
"Well, that is something new. I'm up for the challenge if you are." Junior said.
Yami could only stare for a few moments. He then shoved the puzzle into Junior's hands. The man was at first shocked, but he held the item gently.
"Yami?" Junior asked.
Yami took in a deep breath, his first real breath in almost a minute. While the headache was still there, the storm began to dissipate. He could trust his family to hold onto the puzzle for a while.
"Th-thank you. Thank you so much." Yami croaked. A grandpa with a love of games. A dad that would truly understand the parts of himself that Yami wasn't so proud of. Siblings and friends, even if one wasn't here. And a… mom. A mom that loved him, loved the real him.
"Come here," Yui said as Yami began to tear up. He tried to hold it back, but it just kept coming. Yui walked around the table and held him close. The love he had felt this morning, it was just for him this time. Yami sobbed hard, something he hadn't done since Yugi was stolen from him the first time. The release seemed to wash away the remains of the mental acid. The others soon came to his support, with no judgment or fakeness.
He didn't have to wait for his memories. A family, he had a family.
…
A few hours later, when Junior and Yui were absolutely sure Yami couldn't hear them.
"-AND THERE ARE LITERAL WORLD-DESTROYING THINGS JUST OUT THERE!"
"THERE ARE OTHER DIMENSIONS THAT OUR SONS HAVE BEEN TO!"
"MAGIC IS REAL AND CAN DRIVE US INSANE!"
"OUR SONS AND THEIR FRIENDS USE THAT MAGIC DAILY!"
"WE HAVE TWO SONS NOW!"
"AHHH!"
"AHHH!"
Junior and Yui both finally ran out of panic and collapsed next to each other on their bed. They stayed lying there, staring at the ceiling as both eventually came to grips with the fact that their ideas of how the world worked had been completely and utterly shattered. Junior had felt this building panic the last few days, but his training allowed him to hold it in. His wife could only last until the others were out of the house before she broke down. Junior soon followed suit.
After many minutes of merely lying there, Yui started giggling. Junior turned to her with a raised eyebrow. "Well… For better or worse, we finally have another child. Like we always dreamed. I just didn't think it'd be like this!" She said through her laughter. Then another coughing fit took her smile.
Junior simply shook his head as he waited for her to get a few breaths. "You really felt as if Yami is already your son?"
"You don't?" She asked. Junior could only frown. "I mean, before today, I never really thought about it or even realized it. But that feeling has always been there. Like that boy is meant to be with us, even though I really just met him. It just feels… universally right… As if I just fit the last puzzle piece into our family portrait. Does that make sense?"
Junior sighed. "It does. The thing is, I know exactly the emotion you're talking about, but I don't feel it in regards to him. Years ago, when Dad came back with his discovery of ancient depictions of duel monsters and the name Gandora... I know the feeling of finding something that felt so right. It should have always been mine."
Yui glanced at his deepening frown. "What do you mean?"
Junior didn't answer at first. Then shook his head. "At the moment, nothing. I'm happy we're squared away with Yami's situation, and I'm excited to get to know him. Well, to get to know him and Yugi. We can deal with weird magical feelings once everyone is safe."
Yui asked for more information, but Junior didn't say anything else. She then noticed as he began lightly tracing the scars across his face. She recognized that gesture and knew what feelings followed. Or to be more accurate, the emotions that could spiral into much darker territory.
Yui silently reached across the bed and held out her hand for her husband's. Junior took it without hesitation, as he had for years. He smiled at the silent act of comfort, then Yui surprised him by gripping back a little harder. Junior glanced at his wife to see that familiar spark in her eyes. He held her hand a tiny bit tighter. She copied his strength and added to it. This was an old game between the two, starting back when they were dating. Who could hold the hardest? Junior could win the strength game easily, especially since Yui had nearly no grip, to begin with. But he never did. That's how it always seemed to be with Yui. She was the one person he had never needed to win against.
After a comfortable stretch of silence, Junior glanced back to Yui to see if she was still at it. Sure enough, she was still focused on crushing his hand. She now had both her hands (cast and all) clasped around his as she determinedly squeezed, sweat forming on her brow. Junior smiled to himself as he pulled away, exaggeratedly shaking out his hand. Yui's triumphant grin always made the loss worth it.
"Well, what now?" Junior sighed, his thoughts now pulled back in the present.
"While they find that Red-Eyes spirit, I suppose we have to find that card that glowed red."
"Hmm." The two remained quiet for a few more moments. Both were unwilling to get up from the bed.
"It's weird to think a little piece of inked paper stole our son," Yui said after a while.
"That's the thing you pick out of all this?"
"It's still strange," Yui said in a pouting tone.
"I can't fault you there." Junior sighed. They really should get up, but he found he didn't want to. And not just from the impending doom that now hung over them. He was enjoying merely sitting with Yui, despite it all.
Junior looked over to Yui again. It had been a while since he simply sat with his wife. He was usually home for such a short time that they rushed to cram all the family activities they could into their schedule. Junior realized with a saddened heart that it had been years since they simply enjoyed each other's company. Constant phone calls were much different than this.
Yui then looked at him at that moment and noticed his fallen expression. "Don't worry. We'll get Yugi back. I know we will."
"Oh, uh… Yes, I know." Junior quickly said.
Yui's eyes narrowed. She knew there was something else. Junior then felt a hand on his shoulder and turned back to Yui. Her face fell into a knowing frown. "What do you need me to do?" She asked. Junior was taken aback for a moment before he shook his head, a smile slowly returning to his face.
Yui was the kind of woman to leave if she was truly not happy. Sickness or not, she would and could find a way. In fact, she had years to do so. She could have easily taken everything, and Junior wouldn't have fought her. And yet, she was still here. Still supporting him in every way she knew how. He really was the luckiest guy in the world. They would have a lot to talk about once everyone was safe and sound. He had years to make up for, something only a few days couldn't fix. But just as he promised to Yami, he wasn't going to run this time. They would do this together.
"There's nothing at the moment. I was just taken by surprise," Junior said as he sat up. "You changed your hair dye again." Yui caught on that he wasn't deflecting and, instead, was saving for a better time. She chose to trust him and continued on their new topic.
"About time you noticed, I've only had this color for years," Yui said as she too got up. "And before you ask, no, I've stopped trying to recreate my original hair color. Yugi is the one that has to deal with the Arai magenta now."
Junior chuckled but couldn't help but be surprised. Yui hadn't said her maiden name in years. She usually went out of her way to avoid mentioning her family. They had completely cut ties with her simply because she had married him (or, to be more accurate, she didn't marry the rich Gozaburo). Did they finally make amends, or had that wound simply scabbed over? Junior decided that was another topic for yet another day. They had enough dreary conversations for the moment.
"You know I'll love any hair color you choose, even if you go natural," Junior said as he began searching the halls for the lost card.
"Ha! And either make myself look a decade older or a half-baked Blue-Eyes cosplay. No thanks!" She grumbled as she went to look in Yugi's room, "Cursed genetics turning my hair white before I was even twenty."
After a few minutes of searching, Yui yelled to him in the hall, "So, which do you think I was more beautiful in, my magenta hair or this burgundy?"
Junior shrugged. "I don't believe I can answer that safely. So, I'll simply nod."
"Smart." Yui laughed as she turned to the window. "Hey, they're back!"
Junior ran over to Yugi's window and looked down to see Grandpa driving back with Téa, Joey, and Yami (his puzzle now wrapped around his belt). Junior's frown returned when he didn't see Red-Eyes with them. The spirit must have not been at Joey's apartment after all. Yui caught on to Junior's disappointment and threw herself into searching for the card. Junior quickly joined her as the two started taking apart the upstairs.
As the two worked, Junior accidentally knocked off a picture from a shelf. As he picked up the photo of him and his military unit in the Nevada desert, he paused. Then he burst out laughing. A hardy, deep laugh that even had Yui coming over.
"What is it, dear?" Yui asked.
"It's nothing. And I really mean it's nothing. It's just another belief-shattering realization of the day." Junior tried to wave away. Yui putting her hands on her hips was the sign of an unwinnable battle, so Junior stopped and let out a breath. "I just realized… If those Neo-Spacians were real. I really met spirits from outer space!" Junior couldn't help but yell. It was a sentence he never thought he would say sincerely.
Yui was taken back a moment before joining in the laughter. She then walked over and pulled him into a tight hug. "That's the thing you pick out of all this?"
"It's still strange," Junior grumbled in a purposefully exaggerated tone. Yui couldn't help but kiss that grouchy face.
"I can't fault you there."
The Mutos had always been there for each other. But for the first time in years, they would face this new world as a complete family. They would all be here.