Chapter Ten:

Yugi looked down at his stomach, his heart pounding. Kuribayashi's words were not lost on him. He had a feeling he really was about to do the most dangerous thing he ever had, and that included Seto's Death-T theme park back when he was controlled by the evil in his heart.

Seto. Of course, Yugi had not forgotten about him, but he hadn't included him in this decision at all. This was Seto's child, too. There was no having this over by the time he got home any longer. And he couldn't keep it a secret for much longer either. He was going to get bigger, and of course the baby would arrive in due course. Would Seto want it? Would he think Yugi was crazy? Would he want Yugi to have the abortion, or would he support him? Yugi really wasn't sure. Seto had a weird relationship with children and the whole concept of parenthood. His own childhood had been horrible, and there was no getting around the fact that it had warped him. But, on the other hand, he spent millions of dollars making theme parks for children. His entire company was a game company.

Well, he would have to think about that when the time came for Seto to come home. He knew one thing- he could not abort his baby. The child in his abdomen was his, and he already loved it, since he had first seen its tiny face.

"What do I have to do?" Yugi asked.

Kuribayashi folded his arms across his chest. "Well, let's see. I guess we'll just operate on the assumption all of this will work out the same. You'll need prenatal vitamins, you'll have to have regularly scheduled check-ups, and I believe we should schedule more than usual, given the circumstances. You'll need a list of stuff you'll have to avoid: mercury-laden foods, excess salt, alcohol, of course. Do you drink?"

Yugi looked up in alarm. "I have, since I've gotten pregnant. A little wine and champagne a couple of times at dinner-"

"I'm sure you'll be fine. Everyone assumes you have to stay away from alcohol like it's the plague, and that would be best, but it's not necessary. You're allowed a half glass of wine every night, in fact. How much did you have, on each occasion?"

Yugi considered. "About a glass and a half of white wine a few weeks ago, and a couple days ago, most of a flute of champagne."

"I wouldn't worry about it. Just stay away from it from now on. No sushi, make sure you wash your fruits and vegetables very thoroughly. Be careful with processed meats and cheeses, and make sure everything is thoroughly cooked. Nothing with raw egg or unpasteurized dairy."

Yugi nodded.

"You'll also need to be careful about medicines. Most stuff is not for pregnant wo- um, pregnancies."

Yugi consigned himself to slip ups like these.

"Um… we'll get you a list of what you can take, as well. Okay, I'll need to talk to my friend at Domino General. He's an OB/GYN. I'll ask him for some research advice. In the meantime, I'd suggest getting some baby books at the library or a bookstore. They'll have plenty of advice for you."

"Okay." That sounded like a good idea.

"I'll try to talk to Dr. Yamashita tomorrow. I'll call you back for an appointment when I've spoken with him. And we'll do all we can to keep that baby healthy."

….

Yugi left the practice a few minutes later, holding a small sheaf of papers containing the lists of foods to avoid, medicines he could safely take, as well as a long list of dos and don'ts. He also had a bottle of prenatal vitamins to start taking and a small paper that had the personal home and cell phone numbers of Kuribayashi and Anna. The lengths they were going to to help him made him grateful.

Yugi slid into his car, but didn't start the engine. He sat in the parking lot and reviewed the lists that Kuribayashi and Anna had given him. There was stuff on there he never would have thought of, so he was glad he had these lists.

He considered going ahead and buying the recommended books, but decided to go and visit Yami and Joey first. He'd decided to keep the baby, and they would need to know. He wanted to tell them, also.

Yami was home alone when he arrived. He'd been so preoccupied with thoughts of the baby and the abortion he'd been going to have that he hadn't gone to see him since talking to him and Joey about the abortion in the first place, though he'd talked to him a few times. Yami had wished him well the day he'd gone to schedule the abortion, promising to be there if he needed him. Neither he nor Joey knew anything about Yugi's change of heart.

"Hello, Aibou," Yami greeted him, inviting him in. "How have you been?"

Yami's question was weighted with more than just asking after Yugi's mood. He led Yugi into the living room and the pair of them settled on the couch.

"I've… been fine. No more being sick."

Yami studied him intently. No one could stare as penetratingly as Yami. "Did you see Anna?"

"Yes." Yugi sighed. "I'm not going through with it."

Yami did not seem as surprised as Yugi had been expecting. His expression was pinched with worry, but he was not surprised. Yugi asked him why.

"You have too much love of people," Yami said simply. "You wouldn't be able to go through with it."

Yugi nodded, accepting that. Yami looked at him with concern.

"Aibou… do you know what you're doing?"

"No, but I'm not doing it alone." He told him everything about Anna and Kuribayashi. Yami seemed only marginally comforted. Yugi didn't blame him. Despite his resolve, he was afraid.

"Are you going to try to talk me into having an abortion?" Yugi asked, though, as Yami had known him well enough to know he would back out, so he knew Yami well enough to know he would never try to talk him into it, and he was right.

"No. You have made up your mind, and you know you've made the right decision."

Yugi smiled. He told Yami about the heartbeat, and seeing the baby on the monitor. "I knew I couldn't do it, right then," he said. He sighed.

Yami nodded in understanding. He reached to put his arm around Yugi's shoulders and Yugi eagerly cuddled up to him, drawing his legs under him and leaning against his side. He rested his head on his shoulder.

/What are you going to tell Kaiba?/ Yami asked finally, as Yugi had known he would eventually.

/I have no idea./

/Aibou… Will he…/

Yami trailed off. Yugi lifted his head from Yami's shoulder and looked up into his face. Yami wasn't meeting his eyes. /Will he what?/

/How will he react?/

/I don't know. I really don't. He still has so much problem with magic and not being able to control his own destiny. This will… just be another thing he can't control./ Yugi hesitated, then said honestly, /I'm afraid to tell him./

Yami looked at him sharply.

/I'm… I'm afraid he'll be too upset to accept it. I… I don't want him to leave me./

There it was, the real reason Yugi was afraid to tell Seto anything. He was too unsure about Seto's position to foresee his reaction. Seto did everything with his company for children, and he'd raised his own brother mostly on his own since he was ten. Certainly since he was fourteen and had taken the company from Gozaburo. Though it was not widely publicized because Seto fiercely maintained his hard-bitten image, Kaiba Corporation donated thousands to charity every year, much of it going to orphanages and children's hospitals.

But a child of his own?

Joey returned home from work not long after. He was initially excited to see Yugi. He seemed to have forgotten, if not the pregnancy, then the fact that Yugi was supposed to have set up the abortion that day. He came home chatting about some callers he'd had that day, telling them about one of them as he hung up his jacket, one who had remembered him from Duel Monsters, a girl, who told him, right on air, that she was interested in hooking up.

"Did you let her down nicely, Joey?" Yugi asked, not keen on interrupting Joey until he was done.

"Oh, yeah," Joey said, flopping down on the recliner with a sigh. "Told her my heart was taken and that I already had a pretty thing waiting for me at home."

Yami threw the pillow at him again. Yugi had a feeling that pillow was launched often.

"What?" Joey asked with a grin. He got up, holding the pillow in one hand to return it to the couch, but his real reason for coming over was Yami. "It's the truth."

"Hmph."

Joey pecked Yami's lips, then turned to Yugi. He sat down on the couch between Yami and the armrest. "So, what bring you here, Yug'?" Now his memory seemed to catch up and he sobered. "Is it over? Did you do it?"

Yugi shook his head. "No."

"Then… when? 'Cause if you need some help-"

"Aibou's not going to have the abortion, Joey," Yami said. "He's decided to keep the baby."

Joey looked from one to the other of them like he wasn't sure he'd heard correctly. Then his mouth fell open. "What? Yug', are you serious?"

Yugi told him all about the two visits he'd had. When he was finished, Joey nodded in understanding.

"Yeah, I got ya. But…"

"I know. It's dangerous. But Kuribayashi and Anna would have said it was impossible, don't you think? If it were really *that* dangerous… wouldn't they?"

"Would they?" Joey countered. "Maybe this is some sort of experiment for them."

"Joey-"

"They're scientists, Yami. Doctors… they like to play God with all their medicine and science. They all live for discoveries, and this is the first pregnant guy ever."

Yugi suffered a moment of disquiet. Could that be true?

/Aibou, don't stress over it,/ Yami warned him silently.

Yugi nodded absently. He settled back against the couch, gently rubbing his abdomen. He noticed the silent stares from Yami and Joey and looked up.

"What?"

"This is just… weird, Yug'," Joey said hesitantly. His eyes dropped to Yugi's hand.

Yugi followed his gaze. He blushed, realizing that he really was becoming invested in this. Rubbing his stomach no longer had anything to do with soothing the disquiet of a touchy constitution, but now the subconscious connection of a pregnant mother. He was not this child's mother, but the sentiment was the same.

"Sorry."

Joey hastily backtracked. "No, no! It's cool, really." Joey moved to the edge of the seat and rested his elbows on his thighs, leaning forward. "What are you going to name it? What is it, anyway? Boy or girl?"

"I don't know," Yugi admitted. "Anna didn't say. I don't even know when you can tell. As for a name…" Yugi blinked in surprise. "Yeah, I'll have to think of one, won't I?"

"Well, you have some time yet, Aibou."

"Yeah," Joey agreed. "Hey. Man, we'll have to prepare for this, won't we?"

"Dr. Kuribayashi gave me some lists of stuff I'll need. I'll need to get some books to read. He… Uh, he gave me some prenatal pills, too."

"Yeah, this is weird," Joey muttered. "But, hey, we'll be here for you, just like we always are! Anything you need, Yug'."

"Yes, of course," Yami agreed.

Yugi smiled brightly at the both of them. That they supported him, even if he had expected it, meant a lot to him. He felt a lot better.

"I have another check up on the twelfth," he said. "Maybe by then I can find out what I'm having. I'll have to ask Anna."

"When's Moneybags coming back?" Joey asked.

"Um, the twentieth if he's on time."

Joey glanced at Yami. "If you need me there when you tell him, you tell me."

Yugi frowned. He understood the implications behind Joey's question, and he didn't like it. Seto would never hurt him. But Yugi was not in a mood to start a fight, and he knew Joey's intentions were good. Truthfully, he doubted Joey thought so either, he was just trying to be a good friend.

"Okay," was all he said.

"Hey, Yug', you're over all the nausea, right?" Joey asked.

"Yeah."

Joey grinned. "Then, come on. Let's go out and have a celebration dinner. My buddy's pregnant, and as weird as that is, if that's not a reason to have some fun, I dunno what! On me, what'ya say?"

Yami smiled and so did Yugi.

They did, and they had a great time.

….

Joey sighed as he climbed into bed beside Yami, who was reading by the light of his bedside lamp. Joey lay on his back, hands folded on his stomach. He looked up at the ceiling as he thought, twiddling his thumbs. After few moments, Yami placed his bookmark, set the book on the side table, and turned to him.

"Yes, Joey?"

Joey looked up at him to where he was sitting up, back against the headboard, then looked back at the ceiling. "Nah, nothing. It's just…"

"Aibou."

"Yeah. I mean…" Joey sighed and shifted to sit up against the headboard himself. "I'm worried, Yami. Aren't you?"

"Yes. Very much so. I believe Aibou has made the decision that is best for him, and that he will not be persuaded otherwise, and that it would be no favor to him to attempt to. But, yes, I am worried. I know he knows what risks he is taking, but that does not make it any better. This is… this could very well become very dangerous."

"Yeah." Joey hesitated. "Do you really think he's making the right decision?"

"For him, yes. For his own conscience and peace of mine, yes. For his own health and safety… I don't know."

"But is it the right decision? I mean, you don't think he's being… I don't know, blinded?"

"I believe the baby is a big factor in his thinking right now, yes." Yami sighed and closed his eyes. "There is no right or wrong decision, I think. If Aibou were to abort the child to save his own health, but regretted it for the rest of his life, is that any better than keeping the child and possibly facing medical problems?"

Joey frowned. "No, I guess not. And he wants to keep it, you can see it in his eyes, even if he hadn't said anything."

"Yes. To him, that child is his as much as if it has already been born. I suppose, as we become adjusted to this situation, it will to us, as well."

"Think Yugi'll let us come to this next appointment of his?"

Yami frowned slightly. "Do you need proof, Joey?"

"Nah. I believe Yug! But it is weird, you know. I'd still like to see for myself. Evil gods, soul-sucking cards, trips into a gold necklace and a world of shadows and floating eyes, my boyfriend being a reincarnated Egyptian Pharaoh… and this is still the weirdest thing that's ever happened to one of us." He smiled and wrapped an arm around Yami, giving him an affectionate squeeze. "Sorry. That's a title you've lost."

"The title of Weirdest Thing That's Ever Happened to One of Us? I think I'll manage to live with that loss," Yami said dryly.

Joey chuckled and pressed a kiss to the side of his head. He kept his arm around his shoulders, rubbing his bicep absently. "Still, think Aibou will let us go? Or is that too rude to ask?"

Yami frowned thoughtfully. "I don't know. Perhaps we are not even allowed? We are not family, nor is either of us the father."

"Speaking of that, what do you think about Kaiba? How do you think he's going to handle this?"

"I don't know. But Aibou is worried about that."

"Yeah? You don't think Kaiba'd freak on him, do you?"

"What do you mean?" Yami asked, with obvious censure.

"Well…"

"I don't believe Kaiba would hurt Yugi."

"Nah, me either," Joey said quickly. And truthfully. Kaiba was a jerk, but he was not a bastard. At least, not like that. "But, you know, he might freak out and make Yugi regret he did this. He might break up with him."

Yami frowned more deeply. "Aibou told me that was what he was afraid of. But if Kaiba loves him, surely he will not?"

"I dunno. Yug' has been keeping it from him. He's known a month or more now, hasn't he? He didn't even tell us at first."

"He wished to know for sure."

"Yeah, ok, but he still hasn't told him."

"He's afraid to," Yami admitted. "He has not told me much, but I can sense it. I don't know if Aibou really believes Kaiba would leave him, but he's afraid he will. He's also feeling guilty."

"Guilty? What the hell for?"

Yami paused for several moments. Joey waited, sure that Yami was carefully sifting through the vibes he'd gotten from Yugi. This was different than mind-reading, since Joey knew that they could block each other like that, but they were forever linked psychically, and they could usually read each other's emotions, and that was almost as good, if just not as defined. At least, that was how Yami had explained it to him.

"I believe… he feels he is dragging Kaiba into something he may not wish to be part of, because he made the decision to keep this child, without Kaiba even knowing of its existence, let alone having a say. And, of course, he became pregnant in the first place."

"Of course? No, of course about it! He didn't *ask* to be the world's first pregnant guy. That damn statue did it to him."

"I know, Joey. This is how Aibou feels. And guilt is rarely rational."

"Yeah, but, no way. Yugi's not going feel guilty he got pregnant. He didn't do nothing wrong. 'Sides, takes two to make a baby. Even like this, apparently."

Yami smiled in amusement. "Yes, though, one would forgive Kaiba for not realizing he was taking the risk of pregnancy."

Joey sighed. "Yeah, I know. What do you think Yug'll do if Kaiba does walk out? Or… throw him out, I guess."

Yami scowled. "Let's not think about that."

"Yeah. Hey, he'll always have a place here."

"Yes."

Joey brought the subject back to happier ground. He wanted to discuss Kuribayashi and Anna and their motives and how safe Yugi was, trusting them, but he didn't think now would be the right time. Yami was about as forthcoming on his worries as Kaiba was, but Joey knew him well enough now to know he was fretting inside, and worrying something out loud was only going to annoy him. So, Joey changed it back to the baby itself.

"Hey, are we supposed to throw Yug' a baby shower or something?"

Yami gave him a look.

"What?" Joey asked with a grin. "Baby showers are traditional. And Yugi is having a baby." Joey's smile faded. "Oh, I guess not. It's supposed to be a secret, isn't it?"

"You don't think Aibou will tell our friends?"

"I don't know. He can trust Tristan and Tea and Duke and my sister, but does he want them to know? 'Course, I guess we just get him a bunch of presents to help out with the baby. But what's he going to tell them when they show up sometime and he's got a kid with him?"

"I'm sure Aibou will tell them when and if he wishes. In the meantime… I suppose trying to help out with the baby's needs will be appreciated."

"Yeah. Hey, think we'll be the god-parents, or something? Or… I don't know, are you it's uncle?"

Yami opened his eyes and smiled at him. "I will be whatever Aibou wishes."

"Yeah. Hey, girl, boy, that baby of Yug's can count on good, old Joey to be his… or her… protector!"

Yami smiled at him even more tenderly. "That is very sweet, Joey."

Joey grinned, turning his head to kiss him. Yami kissed him back. They settled down to sleep, Yami flipping off his bedside lamp and turning onto his side. Joey spooned against his back, nuzzling his face into his hair.

This was one weird situation they were in, but he'd support Yugi all the way, just like always.

tbc…

A/N: Sorry it's so late. I'm working full-time, and going to school, and working on my Halloween fic on top of everything else. Forgive me?