Here is chapter 2! :)Not sure why, but this fic has been easy for me to write recently. Let me know what you think. :) Enjoy!
Yugi got home wishing he had spent his Saturday with his friends rather than his parents.
He slugged through the door to the kitchen, happy his Mum and Dad decided to get ice-cream on the way back, giving him a chance to feign a lack of hunger and run ahead of them. A breath exhaled from his lungs as he made himself a drink of lemonade from the fridge. Planning to try and get in touch with Joey or Tristan and spend the night out Tea's house. They needed to get together for their post exam celebrations anyway...
"You're back early," said his Grandfather from the hallway, nearly causing Yugi to splash lemonade in his face. "How was the hike?"
Yugi tried to speak but nothing came out. He looked down at his lemonade, struggling to meet his grandpa's eye.
"So, it went as well as expected then," said his grandfather with a nod. "I know that look on your face, Yugi. What happened?"
Yugi frowned, almost ashamed how obvious his attitude towards parents must be. He tried to focus on the cool feel of his drinking glass as he spoke, carefully choosing his words so as not to speak ill of his parents. "We don't have much in common, and whenever I bring up something that I've done or my plans with my friends their attitude changes. Like I've insulted them. And the way they talk about America... it's like they haven't done anything besides work these past five years. We hiked in silence for almost the whole trip! It was awkward. And it shouldn't be like that since they're my parents!"
"And..." said his Grandfather, giving a pointed look for Yugi to get to the point.
"And" sighed Yugi, his shoulders slumping further. "I can't mention Atem. I'm not sure if I should even tell them... And it would answer the few questions they asked."
"His passing is still fresh, Yugi. It's only been six months," said his Grandfather. He placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "It's normal to still be grieving. Your parents know something is off with you, but they think it's related to all your achievements which is why they are acting funny when they're brought up. Give them time."
"But all those achievements are related to him," muttered Yugi. "Bringing them up feels like tearing off a band aid. It also feels like lying."
"Not mentioning a fact isn't lying about it," said his Grandfather. "Again. Give it time. Mention the Pharoah once you're all settled together and it won't be such a shock."
Before Yugi could reply, the shop door rang open and the echo of his parent's banter filled the room. He pursed his lips, not wanting to spend more time with them.
"I'm calling Joey," said Yugi. "Might spend the night at Tea's if her parents are still away."
His Grandfather nodded. "Okay. Just let me where you will be tomorrow afternoon. There's somewhere I wanted to take you before your graduation. It's a bit of a tradition in our family."
As feet pounded up the steps, Yugi nodded. "Okay Grandpa. I'll keep my afternoon free."
He gripped his lemonade tight as he turned to his room. Shutting the door the moment his parents made it into the kitchen.
...
Tea's parents were constantly away overseas for work, similar to Yugi's, and on the rare occasion they were in Japan they would stay at one of their holiday homes in the country. Making her spacious apartment in the more upmarket area of Domino, ideal for the occasional all-gang sleepover when Yugi's place was out of commission.
And Yugi doubted his parents would appreciate rowdy teenagers while they recover from Jetlag.
"This..." said Tristan, gesturing to their stockpile of snacks, drinks and hot pot ingredients. "Is the best way to end our exams. Hallelujah!"
"Smartest thing you've said all day," said Joey, who was helping Yugi set up the Nintendo system for MarioKart and Karaoke.
Tea walked in with a couple boardgames - a few classics that Yugi could see and one of the latest releases from the game shop. "This was a great idea, Yugi. We needed the chance to wind down after all those tests."
"All right," said Joey. He put on his best Elvis impression. "I say Karaoke first. Thank you... Thank you very much!"
"It's the current pop hits, not 50's," laughed Yugi.
"Then hit me baby! Let's go," Joey reached for one of the mic's and threw one to Yugi.
"Guess we're starting with Britney Spears," laughed Tea, as she and Tristan picked up their own mic's.
At that moment, Yugi felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He sighed, "One moment guys. Don't start without me!"
He stepped into the hallway. "Hello?"
'Yugi! Where are you? It's almost eight o'clock," It was his mother.
"I'm at Tea's place, with the gang," said Yugi curtly. "Going to spend the night here after a games night. I told Grandpa before I left."
"Really, Yugi? It's our second night back and you're spending it with your friends."
"It's our end of exam celebrations! I can't not join in. And I spent the whole day with you already."
"Fine... Just, promise you'll be home tomorrow."
"You'll have to check with Grandpa. He said he wants to show me something. A family tradition?"
He heard his father groaning in the background, Yugi must have been on loudspeaker. "You're going to take him there! I can't believe you were planning to do that."
His Grandfather piqued up. "Unlike you two, Yugi shares my love for games. He'll have a blast!"
"You could have consulted us first... and letting him spend the night at a friend's place on our second night here?"
"He's about to graduate high school, Hayate. Yugi is old enough to make his own choices. I'm not holding him on a leash just because you finally decided to come back home."
His mother sighed. "Fine. We'll discuss this later. Just call us tomorrow morning so we know you're okay."
"Alright, see you tomorrow," said Yugi.
He put the phone back in his pocket and turned back to his friends, only this time they stared at him with concern. Mic's down.
"You okay, Yug's," said Joey. His mic dangling off the edge of the coffee table.
"Ah... yeah. My parents are home and..." started Yugi, raising a hand to his head with a sheepish smile.
His friends leapt from the couch, yelling in unison and nearly knocking over the snack bowls. "Your parents!"
Yugi sighed, looking away. "Yes, my parents. They are back from the States. It's complicated."
"Say no more!" said Tristan, throwing Yugi a mic. "Let's get back to it. You look like you need some Britney."
"Hit me baby!" yelled Joey, pumped up again and raising his mic into the air. "WE got no more exams! Finishing school in less than two weeks! And..." he pointed his mic at Yugi. "We have a Valedictorian in the gang! We need to party."
"What he said," laughed Tea. Shrugging her shoulders and winking at Yugi, causing him to flush.
He smiled back and took the seat next to her. Deciding to forget about his parents and focus on the night. Good food, games, karaoke... It was the best way to finish this crazy Saturday.
...
Yugi staggered a little when he stepped into the game shop, barely making it in by the afternoon like he promised his grandfather. They had been up until four in the morning...
He stretched his back. Tea's couch wasn't the best to sit on a good day, let alone to sleep on. But he was the only one short enough to fit on it.
An old voice sounded from the counter. "I take it someone had a good night."
Yugi looked up and gave his grandfather a sheepish grin. "Yeah. Lots of boardgames and karaoke."
His grandfather laughed. "Don't worry, I trust you. I'm just glad you made it back on time. You forgot to message your mother, by the way. She was in a tizz and me reminding her you're almost an adult did nothing."
"So, I've been warned before I see her," sighed Yugi.
"Something like that," laughed his grandfather as he wiped down the counter sides with a spray bottle.
It was only then Yugi actually looked around the store. The tables were empty with no players, and the till was set up as if it had already been counted for the day. "You're closing this early?"
"Well, how else am I supposed to go out with you?" said his grandfather, putting the spray bottle away. "I hope you don't mind going for a walk again. You'll probably need your backpack because it's quite the hike."
Yugi groaned. "Don't mention hiking! I'm pretending yesterday morning didn't happen!"
"Hohoho!" laughed his grandfather causing Yugi to hang his head even further.
The trip was a bit of a walk - hike was stretching it. Though maybe for his grandfather, who was a huffing by the time they got there, it may have been appropriate.
Yugi looked around and shrugged his backpack into a more comfortable position. It was one of Dominos many storage facilities - 'Stock'em High Storage'. Located near the docks and close enough to the water to hear the sea. The air smelt dusty and humid, typical for this time of year, with a tinge of dampness that would only make sense in a place filled with forgotten items in the couple hundred storage rooms seem to suggest.
"This is it!" said his grandfather, looking excited. He moved ahead of Yugi. "Come on. It's storage room 034."
Yugi squinted at the mention of 034. His grandfather must have had this storage for a while to have a number so low. At least since his father was in high-school if the 'family tradition' was to be believed.
He caught up to his grandfather, who seemed to regain a few years of his life and was moving at twice his usual pace.
"Here it is," he said with a smile, standing proud with hands on his hips. 'Room 034' staring back at him in bright yellow writing on a black door. Different from the brown on the rest of the compound. "I had to get the anti-humidifier room to protect them all."
"What kind of antiques need anti-humidity?" said Yugi with a tilt of his head.
"Ancient ones, my boy. You don't think all the games I collected on my travels just poofed out of existence, do you?"
Yugi felt his draw drop, his shoulders slumping. "You mean, the games you played in all your stories? The ones against monks and princes and whatnot?"
His grandfather pouted as he pulled out a key from his overall pocket. "They weren't just stories. I did find your puzzle, didn't I."
Yugi chuckled. "Yes, Grandpa. Sorry."
"You better be..." the lock clicked opened. "Now hurry in. We can't keep it open for long."
They hurried in, his grandfather shutting the door open and flicking on the light.
Yugi gasped at the sight. Piled high all around them were leather boxes, most just larger than the average game board and several smaller rectangle packs, and each labelled with names he only heard in his grandfather's stories.
Viking Chess - Hnefatafl, Go - Pieces dated 200BC, Mancala -Israel, Chaturanga -India, Patole - Mesoamerica...
"Wow!" said Yugi, almost as out of breath as his grandfather. Reaching for the viking chess box and inspecting the stone pieces in his hands. "All of these... You kept them!"
"Absolutely!" said his grandfather, opening a box of old chess pieces that looked like they were made of bone and inspecting a few pieces himself. "These are pieces of history and need to be kept safe."
"I don't believe it!" said Yugi. Opening yet another box, revealing what looked like an old Chinese game his grandfather use to tell him about - featuring stunning images of old dragons on tile pieces. "These are from all your travels... I remember the stories, but I didn't think you kept everything you found."
His grandfather laughed. Gesturing to a black box behind Yugi labelled 'Tomb - 1960'. "Oh, yes. I kept everything. Professor Hawkins wants to put them on display now that gaming is mainstream. I'm think it is a great idea! A special exhibit featuring an expansive collection of games from around the world."
"That sounds perfect!" said Yugi with an ear-to-ear smile. Turning around to open the black box pointed out by his grandfather, noting that it seemed a bit smaller than the others, and delicately taking off the leather lid. He stared at the contents, and as he registered what it he was looking at, his smile faded.
"What is..." he turned back to his grandpa. "It can't be."
"It's yours," said Grandpa. He gestured for Yugi to take it out. "You need a memento of the pharaoh besides that empty puzzle box, and I found that near the millennium puzzle in his tomb. I forgot about it until recently, but I think it was meant for you now."
Yugi tentatively reached in to pull out a golden crown, featuring an eye as the centerpiece in the forehead and a brilliant pair of wings spreading out from the sides. It felt cold and heavy in his hands, and time had taken away its original brilliant sheen, but it also felt real. Evidence of Atem's existence he could touch. An item he wore in his life. On instinct, Yugi pulled it close to him.
"I also believe it doesn't fit the gaming theme, don't you?" said his grandfather with a nod. "Would look a bit odd in the exhibit, and gold is fine out of the humidity room. It was made in Egypt, after all."
Tears started to prick at his eyes. "Thank you, Grandpa..."
"Come here," said his grandfather, pulling Yugi into a tight hug. "Better off with you than on display. But I suggest putting it back in the box and hiding it from your parents. They're a bit superstitious about these things."
Yugi hugged back, trying not to cry. "Is that why Dad is weird about the puzzle?"
"Unfortunately. Not sure why," his grandfather took a step back, cupping Yugi's cheek. "Anyway, you have done both me and the Pharoah proud. Don't let the strange antics of your parents get the better of you."
"I'll do my best," said Yugi with a chuckle.
"And I'll keep reminding them you're not in middle school," grumbled his grandfather. "They think they need to know your whereabouts at all times, as if you don't know the city better than they do. They'll come around but it will take time."
"You say that a-lot," said Yugi, wiping away a tear. "It'll take time. I know."
"Just be patient. That's all I ask," his grandfather gestured to the exit. "It's getting late. Put that crown in your bag and we will get going. Don't want to give your parents another heart attack."
Yugi laughed, giving the crown one final squeeze before placing it back in the box, and in turn, in his bag. He had just the spot in mind for it. Near the puzzle's old case next to a picture of Atem - a small shrine dedicated to the Pharoah. An idea from his grandfather to help him grieve. Yugi wasn't sure if it helped, but it was nice keeping the mementos together.
He gulped. Wondering if his parents would understand if they found it.
They talked all things gaming on the way back. With his grandfather going into great detail about potentially using Yugi's reputation to market the exhibition. An idea which Yugi fully supported. Anything to garner interest in the old game collection.
"I'm getting excited just thinking about it," said Yugi as they finally walked through the doors of the shop. "We have to ask Joey to name the exhibit. He's good at that type of stuff and would love to help out."
"We'll need his creative genius," laughed his grandfather, falling into step behind Yugi. "And a bit of muscle never hurt either."
They treaded up the stairs. "I'll get the whole gang involved. It will be our summer project before the tournaments start."
A loud cough sounded from the kitchen the moment they turned the corner causing them both to jump. "I hope that summer project was worth the late-night trip."
His parents stood, arms folded, piercing eyes tearing through the both of them behind their glasses. Hayate raised an eyebrow in Yugi's direction and leaned on the kitchen bench with a sigh.
"It's a school day tomorrow, Yugi," he said, frowning.
"I'm going to bed," grumbled Yugi. A hand unconsciously tightening on his backpack handle. "And I've already finished my exams. We're just preparing for graduation with some university prep and career guidance. Nothing to stress over."
"It's nine o'clock."
"My normal bed-time. Goodnight," said Yugi, feeling the weight of Atem's crown on his back and eyeing the door to his bedroom. "See you in the morning."
"Yugi..." said his mother. Her demeanor loosened at his tone.
"It's a school day tomorrow," said Yugi. Parroting his father. "I need to go to sleep."
He walked past her, trying to get to his room, when his mother's hand reached out to his shoulder. Dangerously close to his backpack. Causing Yugi to stiffen and clench his fists.
"We know you have been busy. But you should still remember to call us when you are out late, okay?" she said. Her expression softening.
Yugi smiled back. "Sorry, I forgot earlier. I overslept and didn't get home until midday. I'll try and get into the habit."
"You better," said his father. "Our hearts will give out before our time if you don't."
Yugi gave a mock salute before finally making it to his bedroom. Taking his backpack off and locking the door behind him once he was safely inside. Even going to far as to lock the door. He took another breath, grateful for the solitude. He glanced over at the small shrine space on his desk, the sheen from the puzzle's old box and the picture of Atem - him casually leaning on a wall and smiling at the camera with the puzzle in full view - taken by Tea near the arena entrance while they were waiting to duel against Leon at the KC Grand Championship. Neither of them knew it, but that would be the last time they would duel together as a team before they finally took that trip to Egypt.
He got to work. Deciding he needed to change the location of his memorial just in case his parents ever walked in. Maybe behind curtain in contact with the sun? The Pharoah was supposed to be the sun god on earth, right?
Yugi shook his head. No, it would then be seen from the street. There was a good chance his parents would see it.
He let go of the bag and reached for his alarm clock, moving it to his desk - he never used it anyway.
As he made space for Atem's memorial, moving his things from the side table to his desk and dragging the sidetable over to the free space next to his wardrobe, which would mean his parents would have to sitting on his bed for them to see it, a shiver ran up his spine.
He stopped. Taking a breath and looking around.
But his room was still mostly the same. Textbooks still lined up in order of his exams. Wardrobe still sporting the same Astroboy stickers his grandma gave him when she was still alive. Maybe she would have known what to do with his parents if she were still alive?
He chuckled as an odd image entered his thoughts. Perhaps Atem had met his headstrong Grandmother in the afterlife? She used to love Egypt - it's where she met Grandpa - and would have been right at home wondering around his palace or the city. Possibly even talking his ear off about all the history he missed out on.
Then it happened again. A shiver up his spin. That feeling of eyes on his back.
He looked around again. His room and the astroboy stickers the same as before.
A sigh escaped his lips, and he got back to moving the side table. Finally putting it in place next to the wardrobe. He thought for a minute before taking the box out of the bag and placing it on top as a base, then the puzzle box with their old cards safe inside, and the picture, in all its glory, sitting proud on top.
He smiled, then quickly looked around again. His curtains were closed. There was no camera looking at him... The only 'eyes' that seemed to be staring in his direction were Atem's and Astro's.
With a shake of his head, he changed into his pajamas and made his way to bed, falling into an uneasy sleep despite his exhaustion.
Hope you liked it! Who do you think is watching, Yugi? (Hint: It's not who you would originally think.) Happy New Year!