Wow, I updated rather fast... I am really enjoying writing this story, and I am so glad that I got it started. I would like to take a moment to thank all of my reviewers, and I am so blessed to have the support of all of you. (I'm having a mushy moment, forgive me) Please enjoy this chapter, and I don't own the lyrics.

Come on into my waves
You can sleep in my caves
Let me know that you will hold me
Till the tides take my soul!

We Belong To The Sea, Aqua

Chapter 5

Bathe With Me In The Sea

Atem was in awe. He had never seen so many strange looking potions and drawings in his life, at least not in one place. Bakura was sifting through the bottles, his fingers running nimbly over the glass as he came to each one. Every once in a while he would hold one up as though examining it, and then set it back down with a small disgusted sound.

This confused Atem, because Bakura was blind. What could he possibly be examining?

"Magic."

Atem jumped, his crimson eyes flying to Ryou, who was chuckling lightly beside him. "Forgive me, I've picked up a few things from Bakura, and mind-reading happens to be one of them. I don't mean to do it, it just sort of… happens." The gentle merman focused back on his mate. "He is looking at the magic."

"Magic?" Atem murmured. "But he…"

"Bakura's eyes may be blind, but that has helped open his third eye. Bakura sees in magics. He sees the aura of a merperson, or the magics of the objects around him." Ryou replied. "Just because he can't see in the sense that you and I can see doesn't mean he cannot see at all."

Atem nodded in understanding, looking on Bakura with a new respect. Bakura finally straightened up with an 'Ah-ha!', holding a bottle filled with a strange faint blue liquid inside. The Seer swam to the Prince, offering the bottle.

Atem took it gingerly, flinching as an almost electric shock came through his system as he touched the glass. His crimson eyes shone with awe as he looked at the potion.

"This, my dear Prince, is exactly what you need." Bakura said smugly, flicking his white tail to propel himself to his mate's side.

"W…What does it do?" Atem asked, turning the bottle in his hands as he examined it.

"This potion will turn your lovely little human into one of us, of course." Bakura said, acting as though it was the most logical thing under the sea. Ryou chuckled, his lavender tail winding around his mate's pale one in a lover's caress.

"It will?.! Yugi… become a… a merman?.!" Atem's voice trailed off into shock, his eyes locked on the potion. "Are you certain?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Bakura sniffed. "I've seen it in work before."

"You have? On who?"

Ryou laughed softly. "Me."

Atem nearly had a heart attack. "You, Ryou? You were human?.!" He found it hard to believe. One of the ocean's most powerful and skilled healers used to be human?.! It was a little mind-boggling.

Ryou laughed again, bringing one slender hand up to cover his mouth. "Yes, Prince, I was, for the first sixteen years of my life. Just a little after my sixteenth birthday I was on a ship far out at sea, right above this spot, actually. I slipped and fell in, and would have drowned, if not for Bakura."

The Seer's eyes were tender as he met his mate's gaze. "It was his aura that drew me to him. So pure and innocent, and a beautiful shade of lavender." Bakura grinned. "Of course, I had been Seeing this aura for some time in my visions, and I knew him instantly."

"When I came to I was on a rock way out to sea. Bakura was lying beside me. He called me by name, and when I heard him say mine, I knew that I had his written somewhere within me." Ryou said softly, his brown eyes shining with love as he watched Bakura.

"I didn't want him to leave, so I went down and retrieved a potion that I had made not long ago. I had found the recipe in my old texts, and managed to decipher and create it." Bakura continued. "Even though neither of us thought it would work, Ryou trusted me, and he drank it."

"I remember feeling strong pains in my legs and head, and the next thing I knew Bakura was dragging me into the water." Ryou said. "I was a merman."

"Not long after we found out that he had amazingly strong healing abilities, an extremely rare gift. Since then, two year, we have lived contentedly." Bakura finished.

"Wow…" Atem murmured. "I never would have thought, Ryou. That's incredible."

"This potion should do the trick. If your little human loves you as much as it seems, then he will drink it." Bakura told him. "But it is permanent. Remember that, Prince."

Ryou smiled reassuringly at the younger merman. "Good luck to you Atem. Bring him to see me if he agrees, alright? I will help him adjust, and make sure he is healthy."

Atem nodded. "Thank you, to both of you."

Yugi paced back and forth along the boat's deck, his violet eyes scanning the calm waters. A week had passed, and he was raring to see his merman again. He just hoped that Atem would be able to come…

At about that time there was a splash and Yugi looked to see silver fins disappearing below the waves. He ran to the side, looking over in time to see Atem's head break the surface.

"Atem!" Yugi called excitedly, running to the rear of the boat. Joey, with a small smile on his face, lowered the tank and stopped the boat. Atem leapt the side, and Joey brought the tank back up to level with the deck.

Yugi threw his arms around Atem, snuggling his face against the wet hair, not caring about his clothes getting wet. "I'm so happy to see you, Atem, every minute seemed like forever!"

Atem chuckled, returning the embrace. "I missed you too, my aibou. I trust that you are well?"

Yugi grinned. "Now that you are here!"

Atem suddenly paused, fiddling with the drawstring bag hanging from his right wrist. "Aibou, what would you say if I told you that you could come with me?"

Yugi blinked. "Come with you? Like…live in the ocean like you do?" Atem nodded. "That would be… amazing!" I could be with you all the time!"

Atem reached into his bag, pulling out the glass bottle and showing it to Yugi. "This will turn you into a merman Yugi. But please, aibou, think long and hard. Once you drink this, you can never go back."

Yugi's eyes grew wide. "Never? I could never see my friends again?"

Atem nodded sadly. "You would be bound to the ocean, like I am. That's why you have to be sure, absolutely certain, that you want this." Atem's warm tanned hands covered Yugi's. "I want to be with you forever, aibou, but only if you are happy."

Yugi chewed on his lip. The offer was seriously tantalizing. The thought of living out the rest of his days with Atem was nothing short of joy. But to leave Joey and his grandfather, that would be beyond difficult.

Atem chewed on his own lip worriedly. 'What if he says no? What will I do?'

Yugi turned his eyes to his blond friend, the question shining in his large eyes. Joey sighed slightly, and then smiled. "If it's what you want, Yug', then go for it! You should do whatever you heart tells you."

Yugi chuckled though sudden tears. "Wow Joey, that was really poetic, for you." The smaller boy launched himself at his friend in a bear hug, wrapping his arms and legs around his tall friend.

Joey returned the embrace wholeheartedly, putting his nose in the boy's hair. "Gods, I'll miss ya, Yug'…" Joey murmured, sniffling slightly as a few tears leaked down his face.

"I'll miss you too, Joey. Thank you for everything." He breathed in deeply, trying to hold back his tears. "When grandpa comes back, tell him that I love him."

Joey put his smaller friend down, not bothering to wipe at the tears along his cheeks. "What do I tell him, Yug'?"

Yugi went to Atem's side, taking the merman's hand gently. "Tell him… tell him the sea came to take me home."

Atem stroked his love's hand, handing him the bottle. "You're sure about this Yugi?"

The boy nodded. "Never been so sure in my life."

"Then drink."

Yugi uncorked the bottle, threw back his head, and downed the liquid. Pain flared in his legs, and then Atem's strong arms wrapped around him, and then cool sea closed over his head.