Chapter 3: A bleak day for a homecoming

"Aibou? Aibou?"

Atem was crouched over the unconscious figure of Yuugi, shaking him as gently as he could despite his mounting panic.

"Aibou, please, talk to me."

Thankfully, Yuugi stirred and his eyes fluttered open, revealing a set of violet irises with yet-unfocused pupils. Atem sighed with relief and let his hands drop to his sides, unsure of what else to do.

"Atem...?" Yuugi whispered, blinking as he searched around him until his eyes met the pharaoh's.

Atem almost couldn't bear the warmth that spread through his body at this eye-contact. He was glad that he was kneeling, or he might have found himself collapsing, too. As Yuugi's gaze cleared, it alighted with recognition and something intense that the pharaoh couldn't really name.

"Atem, is that... you? Are you...?" Yuugi muttered in disbelief, stretching out a shaking hand. Atem leaned towards it slightly, until Yuugi's fingers found their way around the edge of his face and cupped his jaw.

Tears filled Yuugi' eyes, instantly spilling over and trailing down his cheeks. His thumb caressed Atem's cheek with a little more pressure than needed, as if double-checking to confirm that he was solid.

"Aibou," Atem said, his voice coming out hoarse and quivering. It was a feeble sound, not befitting to a king, but there was a tightness in his throat that wouldn't let him speak clearly; and, the more he saw his partner's incredulity being replaced with sheer happiness, the tighter his throat felt.

Yuugi's hand shook against his jaw. Atem wanted to reach out and wipe the tears that wet Yuugi's cheeks but, before he could move, Yuugi's arms were around him, pulling him into a hug so tight that his breath was knocked out of his lungs.

"Atem," Yuugi breathed in his ear, clutching at him like his life depended on it. Atem hugged him back, wrapping his arms around his shaking figure.

Yuugi hid his face in the crook of his yami's shoulder, sobbing hard and whispering incoherent words. Atem did not have to make out what he was saying to understand him, but he was too overwhelmed to form words himself. Instead of saying something, he placed his hand on Yuugi's head, pulling him more securely in his embrace. After all, for them words had always been obsolete.

The yami's form melted against that of his old partner, their bodies locked in an embrace so tight it was hard to tell where the one ended and where the other begun. For a few blessed, otherworldly seconds, Atem felt like they were one and his soul shuddered at being whole again.

A few minutes earlier he had been gasping for air under the freezing rain, without a clue of how he had ended up there, and with a nagging feeling that his presence there was very, very wrong. His last memory was that of the gate opening after his duel with Yuugi; he could even recall catching glimpses of his family as he stepped into the blinding light. He had left this world for the afterlife, yet he had opened his eyes on a street he did not recognize, cold, naked, and in pain.

All of this had vanished when he saw Yuugi. Despite his partner being his most recent recollection, he felt like eons had passed since the last time he saw him. It was just like the time he had been roused from his three-thousand-year sleep in the Millennium Puzzle: he had felt the passage of time, even though he had no memories to show for it.

He did not know how many years had passed this time around, but he guessed they had been more than a few. He had noticed changes in Yuugi, even if he had been too overwhelmed to pay any real attention to them. Even as he buried his face in his other half's hair, he vaguely noted the absence of his trademark spikes and bangs.

Even though the warmth of Yuugi's body was bliss in the middle of the cold, rainy night, Atem tried to disentangle himself from their embrace in order to take a more proper look at him. Yuugi reluctantly let go and sat back, wiping his eyes as he took one sharp, watery inhale after the other. His eyes were red and still flooding with tears, but he was smiling so widely Atem couldn't help but smile back.

His partner looked different. It was not just the hair - which was just black, with no blond streaks or bangs, and pulled back into a neat ponytail - it was his face, too. Even through the redness and the general puffiness, Atem could discern the deeper-colored bags under Yuugi's eyes. His partner's once juvenile face had harsher lines now, with more determined angles and less curves. He was obviously older; still, at the moment he was radiating with such happiness that Atem could see the familiar traces of his teenage self behind the adult features.

Even though they were not hugging anymore, they had not taken their hands off each other. Atem kept his on Yuugi's shoulders, holding on to him since he was the first stable thing in a reality that had spun out of control, and Yuugi clutched at the pharaoh's arms, undoubtedly determined to not let go lest he disappeared.

"How?" Yuugi managed to ask, his voice thick with emotion.

Atem shook his head. The lack of an explanation did not seem to bother Yuugi; his smile did not fade in the slightest. He seemed to be on the verge of pulling Atem into another hug, but he simply stared at him, drinking in the sight with a look of marvel on his face.

His hands left Atem's arms to travel along the rest of his body, gently prodding his shoulders, his chest, the top of his stomach, and finally coming to rest back on Atem's face. The yami could read the unspoken question in Yuugi's face, but he still had no answers to give, no explanation as to how he was in a body of his own. He had also been befuddled when he found out he had a physical form but no shared conscience. He estimated he had spent five minutes lying under the rain, searching for Yuugi in his head until finally having to accept that he was alone in his body.

Yuugi's fingers were burning against his cold skin and he sighed in contentment when they cupped his face, his breath forming a tremulous stream of fog.

For the first time since he had opened his eyes in Atem's presence, Yuugi's brow furrowed with concern.

"Oh my gosh, Atem, you're freezing," he breathed, as if only just realizing that his yami was totally naked. He stood to take off his own coat and threw it over the pharaoh's shoulders. The garment was warm from Yuugi's body heat and, as Atem wrapped it around him, his other half's scent encircled him; it felt like another hug.

He looked up at Yuugi, feeling the warmth seep until some spot deep into his chest.

"Thank you, aibou," he said in a low, weak voice.

"Don't be silly," Yuugi laughed, they joy returning to his eyes. "Can you stand?" he asked, placing a helping hand on Atem's arm without really waiting for an answer.

"I think so," Atem murmured as he tried to climb to his feet.

"Let's get you upstairs or you'll freeze to death," Yuugi said, retrieving his briefcase and keys from the ground.

"Upstairs?" Atem mused. He looked at the entrance door and the building overhead. It rang no bells. This was not the Kame Game Shop.

"Yes. This is where I live," Yuugi replied to the pharaoh's inquiring look and hurried back to his side. He stretched out a supporting hand - Atem's legs were still obviously unstable - but the pharaoh did not move.

"Yuugi..." he said, his heart beating hard as a sudden anxiousness clawed at his insides, "what year is this?" Yuugi's look darkened considerably. "How much time has passed?"

His other half let out an exhale and placed his hand on the coat, over the spot where Atem's hand was. He was not looking at the pharaoh anymore. His gaze was downcast and, with his bubbly joy gone, the circles under his eyes looked darker. "It's..." he murmured, then cleared his throat uncomfortably. "It's 2010. Soon to be 2011. You've been gone- I mean, it's been... Eleven years since..." He trailed off, his grip tightening momentarily on the thick folds of fabric that covered Atem's hand.

Atem felt as if his stomach was free-falling. Eleven years should not seem a lot; not to him, who had spent 3000 years trapped in the Puzzle and had experienced the shock of waking up in a world more changed than he could ever imagine. However, as he looked at Yuugi's changed features and the lines that sadness had carved on his face, he was rapidly coming to realize that, when you have left someone behind, eleven years is a long time.

"Yuugi..." he started off, even though he had no idea how to proceed.

Yuugi looked up. The smile had returned to his lips, even if not as wide as before. As he took in Atem's face once more, whatever shadow had darkened his eyes was lifted, letting them sparkle with happiness.

"Come on, let's go upstairs! I think we both need some dry clothes."

Thankfully, Yuugi's building had an elevator, because Atem did not feel confident enough on his legs to climb to the seventh - and topmost - floor. When Yuugi turned the key in the lock, they were greeted with darkness, but it only took a few seconds and a flick of the light switch to leave Atem open-mouthed, despite his already high levels of amazement.

Yuugi's apartment spread on the entirety of the top floor, but the huge, airy space was not what had made Atem's jaw drop. It was the glass walls that seemed to circle the apartment, offering a stunning, unobstructed view of Domino with its myriad lights wavering under the heavy rain. A thunder flashed, illuminating the shapes of buildings with its harsh, silver light, making the countless austere rectangles look ethereal in the night.

This was so different from Yuugi's humble little bedroom over Kame Game Shop. Everything in the apartment looked expensive in the polished, straight-lined way that characterized luxury in this age, full of reflective surfaces and flat colors. Atem had seen more than his share of luxury back in his time, but the cleanliness and neat lines of it all made him feel out of place. He might have expected something cozier of Yuugi, not a place someone like Kaiba would own.

"Make yourself at home," Yuugi said, closing the door behind them and startling Atem out of his wonder.

Then he stood at the hallway, looking at the pharaoh like he still had trouble believing he was there. He took in a long, happy inhale and said brightly, "Alright, I'm going to get you some warm clothes."

He took off his shoes and disappeared down a corridor, leaving Atem to drip mud and rainwater in the entrance hall floor. He did not move, even though his legs felt weak and he really wanted to sit down, until Yuugi came back with an armful of clothes and a smile still plastered on his face.

"Would you like a warm bath?" he asked him as he approached.

Atem shook his head. "I'm not certain I... have the energy for a bath," he replied, feeling his legs shake.

Yuugi noticed it, too, and immediately slung an arm around Atem's shoulders, guiding him further in the apartment. "Why are you standing there? Come on, you need to sit down..."

"I didn't want to ruin your carpet, aibou," glancing at his muddy footprints with apprehension.

"Don't be ridiculous, other me," Yuugi said with such affection that Atem felt a little more warmth expand from his chest to the rest of his body. "Here, sit..."

He pushed him into a plush leather sofa and left the pile of clothes next to him. Then Yuugi knelt in front of him, his huge eyes trained on his face with awe, adoration and a little bit of the sadness Atem had spotted previously.

"How do you feel?"

Atem had to think about it. He felt weak and a little light-headed, but the stinging in his lungs had abated and he had no more trouble breathing. His body felt numb, but he supposed that was to be expected.

"I am fine, aibou. Just tired. And a little bit cold." He was, after all, still naked under the cover of Yuugi's coat.

"Oh, of course!" Yuugi exclaimed, jumping to his feet. "I'll make us some tea, and... Do you need help with these?" he asked, nodding towards the pile of clothes.

"I think I'll manage," Atem replied with a gentle smile.

"Right," Yuugi said. He remained there, staring at the clothes and rolling his weight from the heel to the ball of his feet. "Right," he repeated. "Tea."

And he left. Atem heard the soft pattering of his sock-clad feet somewhere behind him, along with the sound of cupboards opening and closing and objects being placed on hard surface.

He let his partner at it and turned to the pile of folded clothes. He took the topmost one: a soft, grey sweater with the embroidered picture of something strongly resembling Ammut on the chest. There was also a pair of simple, black pants, socks and a pair of boxers - in short, items much more discreet than what he used to find in teenager Yuugi's wardrobe. No leather pants nor extravagant chokers. Apparently, these were gone, along with the spiky hair and the huge, ancient Egyptian accessories.

When Atem saw the garment at the bottom of the pile, he paused. It was a simple, dark tank-top, but something about it was familiar. He unfolded it carefully and, sure enough, he recognized it: it was the shirt he'd worn during Battle City. Countless washings had worn the fabric but, as Atem put it on, he felt it was a garment more regal than any king had ever worn.

He swallowed the thickness in his throat as he pulled the sweater over the old top and straightened it. Once he was fully dressed he stood up and turned to Yuugi; he caught him casting furtive glances towards him as he filled a kettle with water, a small smile playing on his lips and disbelief still etched on his features.

Atem walked over to the kitchen with unsure, unsteady steps. Yuugi flashed him a smile as he approached. "It's a good thing we don't have to worry over clothes' sizes," he joked as he looked him from head to foot.

Atem let out a tired chuckle and leaned against the counter, watching Yuugi as he flipped the kettle switch on and moved about in the kitchen, laying biscuits on a plate with trembling hands. He could see that his partner was exhausted, even though he seemed to be overflowing with energy. A bit of the light in his eyes had dulled, making the tired lines of his face stand out more. Despite the smile that never left his lips, there was a crease in his brow of some concern that wouldn't leave him, though it seemed to ease a bit every time he glanced at the pharaoh.

Yuugi jumped when the kettle made a clicking sound. He grabbed it and poured boiling water in two mugs, saying, "Atem, do you want...? I mean, sugar or...? Or...? Oh, god," he moaned, setting the kettle down and hiding his face in his hands.

Atem heard him take deep, ragged breaths through his fingers.

He rushed to his side and placed a hand around his shoulders, muttering softly, "Aibou? What's wrong?"

Yuugi shook his head without revealing his face. "It's... It's..." he begun, voice stifled by his palms. When he finally lowered his hands, he looked at Atem with red-rimmed and almost imploring eyes. "It's all so crazy. You... Being here, with a body... After all this time... I thought I'd never see you again and... and now I'm asking if you want sugar in your tea! I'm... I don't know what - god - I..." he stammered before letting a dry sob and dropping his head back into his hands.

Atem looked down at him, feeling Yuugi's body tremble under his touch. He couldn't think of what to say; the tightness in his throat had returned.

"I am happy, Atem, I really am," Yuugi moaned through his fingers.

The undeniable sadness this statement was tinged with made Atem feel like something heavy settled in his chest. He tried to look past the fingers covering Yuugi's face.

"Yuugi... What is wrong?"

Yuugi let out another sob and threw himself on Atem, hugging him and somehow managing to hide his face in his shoulder even though they had the same height.

"You've been gone for so long," he wailed against his shoulder. "You've been... I've missed you so much." His grip on him turned painful.

Atem stroked his other half's hair. "I am sorry," he whispered; it was all he could manage.

"Don't!" Yuugi breathed. "No, no, you had to go on, I was happy for you, I am, I-" He took a deep breath. "It's just that... Things have changed so much while you're gone. Things are... Things have been... It's hard, you know?"

Atem realized that, despite his obvious distress and heaving body, Yuugi was not crying. Indeed, when he pulled himself away, his eyes were dry, even though all happiness had given its place to melancholy. It wasn't grief; it was something more subtle, something that settles bit by bit over the years, accumulating around the eyes and between the brows.

"I... I..." Yuugi stammered again. He let out an awkward chuckle and glanced at the mugs. "I should really make that tea. We have a lot of catching up to do."

Five minutes later they were both sitting on the couch, each clasping a steaming mug and Atem having a blanket thrown like a cape around his shoulders. Yuugi blew at the contents of his mug, eyeing the pharaoh through the steam.

"So..." he started off. "You have no idea how... this happened?"

"No, nothing," Atem admitted. "The last thing I remember was the gate opening after our duel."

He watched Yuugi's brows scrunch up in a pained expression at the mention of the Ceremonial Duel. "No other memories?"

Atem shook his head. "Next thing I knew, I was lying on the street, under the rain."

"You just... materialized there? Out of thin air?"

"It seems so."

Yuugi stared at him for a few minutes, probably trying to figure out some explanation by himself. After a while he gave up and asked, "What happened exactly? I mean," he added hastily, "if you want to tell me. I don't want to pressure you if you feel-"

"Aibou," Atem said reassuringly, effectively stopping Yuugi's anxious rant, "you can ask me anything you want."

Yuugi gave him a small, thankful smile that made Atem feel like his connection with his other half was something alive and buzzing. He sat up straighter in the cushions and tried to hark back to the exact minute of his awakening.

"I can't remember anything before opening my eyes. It was like waking up from deep sleep," he said slowly, picturing the moment in his head. "At first, it was very hard to breathe. It was like my body didn't want to cooperate. Then I calmed down a bit and everything became clearer. That's when I saw you."

Yuugi gasped. "Me? Where?"

"You were walking down the street towards me. I... I didn't recognize you at first," he said in a low voice, feeling slightly embarrassed, "but I did when you walked past me."

Yuugi's mouth kept opening and closing as he searched for the right question. "But... I didn't see you! How... How did I not...?"

"You looked deeply troubled," Atem said, his voice rumbling low and solemn as he cast Yuugi a knowing look.

Under the pharaoh's concerned scrutiny, Yuugi shifted uncomfortably, looking like he knew he had some answers to give even before a question was uttered out loud.

The question came nonetheless. "Aibou... What is wrong? What has happened while I was gone? Things are..." Atem indicated the apartment around them with a weak swipe of his hand. "Things are so different."

"Okay," Yuugi sighed. "Okay. The basics first. I, umm..." He lifted his left hand to the level of Atem's eyes; he saw a golden band around his ring finger.

Atem felt his eyes go wide. "Married?" he asked, wondering how he did not see the ring earlier. When Yuugi nodded, he ventured a guess. "To Anzu?"

A melancholic smile that held no joy spread across his Yuugi's lips. "For the past five years."

"Congr-"

"And we're getting a divorce," Yuugi cut across him, leaving Atem open-mouthed. "Yeah..." he admitted sadly. Then he stayed silent for a while, looking lost in his thoughts, before adding, "At least, I think we are."

"What?"

"I saw her this evening and she said some things that I, umm... I'll have to think about." He sighed for what felt the hundredth time and pinched the top of his nose with his fingers, closing his eyes and letting fatigue wash over his face. "Okay, one thing at a time," he said when he opened them again. "I work at a gaming company, I design-"

"No, wait," Atem said. "Don't change the subject. What happened with Anzu?"

"It... didn't work out," Yuugi shrugged. Atem noticed that he was avoiding his gaze as he said that.

"You can tell me the truth, Y-"

"I don't wanna talk about it," Yuugi snapped with uncharacteristic coldness.

Atem frowned, unnerved with the fact that this coldness seemed to be directed at his person.

However, Yuugi regretted it quickly, for he said in a much softer voice, "I am sorry, I just... I really don't want to talk about it right now."

"Alright," Atem murmured and took a sip from his mug to cover his unease.

The silence that fell between them was awkward and tense; not the kind of silence that had a place in such a reunion. Atem felt it and tried to ease his partner back into speaking.

"So... Gaming company?"

"Oh- oh, yes!" Yuugi blurted out, evidently grateful for the change of subject.

He started talking about his job, explaining to Atem what he did for a living and finding a bit of his enthusiasm back now that Anzu was left out of the conversation. Atem wanted to ask more about it because he felt that this was the issue - or rather, one of the issues - that troubled Yuugi the most. He wanted to know what had happened to make his other half so sad, fierce protectiveness surging through him at the thought that Yuugi had been hurt while he was gone. Still, he decided to let the matter go for now and laid back, listening.

He enjoyed the vivid and excited gestures Yuugi was making, even though he could not follow half the things he was saying. He had missed his partner, even if the last eleven years were but a blink of an eye for him. Nevertheless, he could not shake off his unrest about the profound sadness that was embedded in Yuugi's features, the one that no amount of excitement could conceal. He was not the Yuugi he remembered; he was a Yuugi that had been through a lot, alone. He was a Yuugi that resembled the rest of the unhappy, tired, anxious people of this era. His other half, who had always stood out for his generosity, amicability, his pure spirit, his light - darkened.

"Atem?"

"Hmm?" he was startled out of his musings to realize that he had heard nothing of what Yuugi had been saying for the past few minutes.

"Are you okay? You look funny," Yuugi said.

"Yes, I... I'm trying to process all the changes," Atem replied with as a reassuring smile as he could manage.

"I'm talking too much, I'm sorry."

"Do not apologize, aibou. I want to hear more about your life."

"Not about my job, though. I got carried away. So, you ask me." He sat up with an excited smile that was trying hard to give some spark back to his tired eyes. "What do you want to know?"

Atem didn't know where to begin. The matter of Anzu was too raw, so it would be best to leave that for another conversation, once emotions would not run as high and Yuugi would be less likely to snap again. He could not possibly know what other subject would be sensitive, so he went for the safest bet.

"What happened to the Game Shop?"

"Oh, it's still there, as you know it. Only, Mom and Dad run it these days."

"What about Grandpa?"

Yuugi's smile wavered and disappeared.

...Oh.

"He... You know, he got very sick six or seven years ago, and he..." Yuugi trailed off, eyes fixed on his mug.

"I am so sorry," Atem said quietly.

Yuugi waved a hand way too nonchalantly to actually mean it. "You know, you might have stumbled into him in the afterlife and not remember it."

Atem did not laugh at this feeble attempt at a joke. He had spent several years living with Sugoroku and had grown very fond of the old man, so the hitch of pain in his chest was not entirely unexpected.

"What I mean is..." Yuugi went on, in a more serious tone this time, "I'm sure he is fine there. I know he is somewhere... nice."

Atem nodded. "I am sure he is."

He wanted to move closer and hug his partner to comfort the wetness of his eyes away, but he didn't. He wasn't really sure what he was or wasn't entitled to do. He might feel like not a day had passed since the last time they had been together, but Yuugi was no longer his teen-aged protégé. He was a grown up man, as everything on him constantly reminded him.

"Okay," Yuugi cleared his throat and forced a smile back on his face, "let me tell you about Jounouchi, you won't believe-"

He was interrupted by a shrill sound that made them both jump. Atem looked around expecting to meet some kind of threat, but Yuugi set his mug down at the coffee table and got to his feet.

"It's my phone," he explained as he darted to where he had left his coat. He fished the ringing device out of a pocket and tapped the screen before bringing it to his ear.

"Oh hell- Ryou?" he exclaimed, as a voice blared through the small device loud enough for Atem to hear it. "Ryou, is that you?"

"Bakura?" Atem wondered aloud, setting down his mug too and looking at Yuugi's reactions.

"Hey, hey, calm down," Yuugi was saying. "Calm down, I can't-" Then his eyes went very wide. "Oh. Oh, I see. Yes. I know, Ryou, I know. Yes, Atem is here, too," he said, looking at the pharaoh. "Yeah, he-" he coughed the emotion out of his voice, "I don't know, he just appeared on the- Ryou, please, slow down and tell me what- Oh. Aha. Aha- look, deep breaths, please, Ryou, breathe."

Even though Atem could only hear Yuugi's side of the conversation, it was not hard to deduce what was going on. The Spirit of the Millennium Ring had returned, too. His arch-nemesis was back in Domino and, clearly, had already met his former host.

Atem stood up and made to approach, but Yuugi held out a hand to him, gesturing at him to wait, his focus on the voice issuing from the earpiece.

"You talked to him?" Yuugi asked, his voice taking a worried edge. He sighed deeply and covered his eyes with his free hand. "How are you?" he asked then, very quietly, almost intimately.

The reply that came from the other end of the line was so loud that Yuugi had to hold the phone several inches away from his ear.

"What- What- Hey, Ryou! Stop shouting!" Yuugi yelled back, trying to be heard over the ceaseless stream of muffled shouting. He breathed hard into the receiver before asking, "Did he hurt you?"

More muffled shouting. Yuugi rolled his eyes and said, "Okay, okay, where is he now? Hey, calm down, don't- Yeah... What did he do?" he asked with indignation, eyes widening. "Did you call the police? Oh, the- I see, yeah. Listen, Ryou. No, listen," he hissed imperatively. "Keep the door locked and stay inside, okay? And... Yes, Atem is here with me. Yes, it's..." He shifted his weight from foot to foot in apparent discomfort. "Have you tried contacting Malik? Oh right, I forgot... Okay, look," he closed his eyes, looking like he took some kind of unpleasant decision. "Stay inside and if things get weird, I'll come over. No, I..." He made a long pause, listening to something Ryou was saying. "Are you sure?" he asked at length. "I know, but if you need me..."

There was his partner. Not the unnerving, adult version of him, but the one Atem had known for years: always worrying about others even when he was in a pinch himself, always ready to help and comfort those that he cared about.

Affection blossomed in Atem's chest as he watched Yuugi sigh and say, "Are you sure about this Ryou? You can come over if you w- Okay... Okay, here's what we'll do. You'll stay in, lock every door and stay safe until morning, okay? Then someone will pick you up and bring you here and we'll discuss this together. Yeah... Yes, I'll text everybody. I don't know, I'll call in sick. Yeah, yeah, Ryou, listen. Umm..." Yuugi withdrew a bit and lowered his voice. "Do you still have those pills the doctor gave you? ...Yes, those ones. Yes. Okay. Yes. Don't worry, everything will be fine, alright? I'll see you in the morning. Be careful. Yeah... Call me if you need me, okay? Right... Bye."

He hung up and let out a drawn-out exhale, rubbing his eyes. When he opened them, he looked at Atem, his exhaustion back full-force.

"Guess what," he said darkly.

"The Thief is back," Atem said at once.

Yuugi nodded gravely and threw his mobile on the couch before plopping himself down next to it.

"Where is he now?" Atem asked, not sitting down himself. He could feel adrenaline slowly washing away his own fatigue; he felt ready to take action without hesitation.

Contrary to him, Yuugi seemed ready to fall apart from exhaustion. He rubbed his eyes again as he said, "Ryou doesn't know. He was outside his building, but he's not there anymore."

"He let him go?" Atem asked incredulously.

Yuugi shot him a stern look that would have never appeared on his teenage face yet, somehow, fitted perfectly with the features of his adult self. "What would you have him do? Invite him upstairs for tea? They're not us, Atem."

"He should have kept an eye on him," the yami insisted.

"You can't ask something like that of Ryou! The Spirit is dangerous, you know that. And Ryou is..." Yuugi's sight got lost, focusing on nothing in particular. For a minute he appeared to look at something very far away, and then murmured, "He should stay away from him. It's better this way."

"Alright," Atem backed down, if only because he agreed that there was not much that Ryou Bakura could do. He remembered the boy; he was sweet and kind, albeit weak and frail. Of course, he would be a man now, too, but still there was not much a person like that could do against the King of Thieves.

They would have to take matters into their own hands.

Yuugi pressed his palms to his eyes and groaned to the ceiling, "How did things become so... Urgh!"

Atem walked past him and stood before the glass wall. He looked outside, at the city that spread before him, its million colored lights blinking at him. Somewhere in those streets the Thief was prowling, perhaps already wreaking havoc...

"I have to organize a meeting," Yuugi announced.

Atem turned around to face him. "You think it's wise to wait until morning?"

"We'll have to. There's nothing else we can do, we can't track down the Spirit now."

"We could try-"

"No, Atem, we couldn't," Yuugi cut across him. "It's late, it's cold, it's raining, and Domino is bigger than you remember. You need rest and, frankly, so do I. And, judging by the state you're in, I don't think Bakur- I mean, the Thief, will have the energy for mischief tonight."

Atem was ready to argue further, so Yuugi stood up and placed his hands on his shoulders, looking at him with serious eyes.

"I don't think there's much he can do, other me. Shadow magic is gone. The Millennium Items are in a museum in Cairo, well protected and completely powerless."

"How do you know?"

"Malik," Yuugi said, as if this answered everything.

"Malik Ishtar?"

"Yes," Yuugi said tiredly. He gave a gentle pat at Atem's shoulder and went back to the couch. He picked up his phone and started texting furiously.

Atem recognized a lost battle when he saw one, so he did not press on. What little bit of adrenaline had invigorated him was fading away quickly, leaving him completely spent. Yuugi was right, they both needed rest - and if the Thief felt anything like he did, then they did not have to worry.

"The rest of the gang will be thrilled to see you," Yuugi said softly, fingers flying over the tiny keypad of his phone. The screen was illuminating his face in a weird way, but the smile he gave Atem looked overtly sweet despite of that.

"I'll be glad to see them, too," Atem hummed, returning the smile.

However, when he turned his back again on his partner, his smile faded. He looked at his reflection on the glass, taking notice at his own appearance for the first time that night. Yuugi's hair might be black and straight now, but his own had their usual, wildly-spiked shape with the blond streaks. He pushed a golden tuft away from his eyes, while he could not help but wonder if this - if he - was the only thing remaining unchanged. Once more, he had opened his eyes to find that more than a few things were not the way he expected.

Of course, last time the change had worked out for the best, so...

He sighed, his breath fogging the cold glass that separated him from the rest of Domino. Rain was still pouring relentlessly over the maze of buildings and streets, making the city look strangely vacant.

One thing he was sure of: he had chosen quite a bleak day for his return.


Malik Ishtar was leaving that night's set, mumbling curses under his breath in Arabic. The shooting had taken longer than he'd anticipated and he was beyond exhausted - not to mention hungry. He zipped up his leather jacket and pulled his mobile phone out his pocket, yawning widely as he glanced at the screen.

The moment the screen lit up, his yawn cut in half.

He had five missed calls from Ryou, a whapping twenty-three missed calls from Ishizu and a text from Yuugi.

"What the...?" he breathed, blinking just in case fatigue was playing tricks on his eyes.

He quickly came to the conclusion that something must have been very wrong; this number of missed calls was unusual, even by Ishizu's standards.

However, since in his dictionary five missed calls from Ryou meant greater trouble than twenty-three missed ones from his sister, he made up his mind fairly quickly. He was about to speed-dial Ryou's number when his phone vibrated from an incoming call.

The screen read Ishizu and Malik groaned.

"Hey, sis, what's up? I was just about to-"

"Malik," his sister's voice reached him, more anxious and strained than he had heard it in years. "I have bad news."

.

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This chapter. Boy, this chapter. I think I wrote my hand into another tendinitis.

I know it's huge but, once started, it was hard to stop. Writing about Yuugi and Atem is so easy, and just feels so natural. I really enjoy writing about these two.

You can't believe how excited I am about Yuugi's apartment. It's stupid, but I was writing about it and was like "whoa, Mr Mutou". Plus, I had so much fun thinking about Abridged Atem's reaction - something along the lines of saying smugly: "Finally, an apartment worthy of a king such as I! No more smelly teenager beds!" XD

How about a review to let me know what you think? *bats eyelashes*