Queer As Tachi – Chapter 7
Flopping onto his bed one night after closing up the shop, Yugi tucked his arms under his head and looked up through the skylight at the stars. He noticed, then, that it was a full moon, and smiled sadly. He always got a little misty on the full moon, remembering what it had meant to him and Yami that one time. Yami noticed also, and hovered into view at the edge of Yugi’s mental sight, like a phantom seated on the bed beside him. Both were so occupied with silently reminiscing that they didn’t notice the strange presence melting into the room through the far wall. Only the soft step of a foot on the carpet got Yugi’s attention, and he leaped up in surprise at the intrusion of a figure who had not come in through the door. Thankfully, it was an intruder who posed him no threat, he saw. “Shadi?” he wondered, settling to a seat on the bed.
“Good evening, Yugi,” the Egyptian guardian said elegantly. “I hope this day finds you well?”
“What are you doing here?” Yugi queried. “Is something wrong?”
“No, there is nothing to be afraid of.” Shadi smiled mysteriously. “I know I seldom come to you, except in times of trouble, but I assure you, my visit is not intended to frighten you.” He bowed slightly. “The pharaoh, is he well?”
Yugi glanced aside, envisioning Yami standing there with his arms folded, observing intently. “Yes, he’s fine. We’re both doing really well. It’s not hard, when there’s no threat of a shadow game lurking around.”
“Yes, it seems we have entered a time of peace,” Shadi noted, “however temporary it might be. It has been some time since you invoked the ritual of embodiment. I trust everything went smoothly, and neither you nor the pharaoh have suffered lasting effects from it.”
Yugi shook his head. “Not that we’ve noticed. It was a good day, we…we both really enjoyed it. But we’re back to normal. It was fun while it lasted, but being bonded together every day is what’s important.”
“Ah, yes. I see.” The mystery of the guardian’s smile deepened. “Yet, I’m sure you would be interested to know that the one time does not have to be the only time.”
Yugi frowned, and Yami’s phantom figure started curiously. “What do you mean?” Yugi asked for them both.
Shadi cracked a rare smile and scratched nervously under the edge of his turban. “It seems that even I am able to make a mistake now and then.”
“A mistake?” Yami repeated within Yugi’s mind.
“A translation error.” Shadi closed his eyes and bowed his head. “When I first discovered the ritual, I thought I had found everything written about it in one place, but shortly after you performed it with success, I discovered another reference to it. And I had translated a single word wrong, thanks to a missing character. Instead of one day, ever, in the existence of the spirit, it was meant to say one day…per cycle.”
“Cycle?”
“The lunar cycle.” Shadi looked up through the skylight at the pearly moon. “Every full moon, the ritual can be performed with the correct offering and incantation, and the pharaoh will be given a corporeal form for one day.”
Yugi was so surprised and overjoyed that he leaped to his feet right there. “Are you sure? Are you absolutely serious, Shadi?”
Shadi nodded solemnly. “I have verified my findings, and yes. You may perform the ritual again, at the full moon.”
Clenching his fists, Yugi jumped up with a holler of excitement, and then added a wail. “Why didn’t you come to me last night and tell me this? We could have done it tonight!” He pointed up at the moon.
“I’m terribly sorry, Yugi,” Shadi said. “I couldn’t get away.”
“It’s all right,” Yami assured his young love. “It’s been several months since we last performed the ritual. One more won’t make a difference…because it’s a chance we never thought we would have.”
“We thought that one day was it,” Yugi agreed. “I may have wished it never ended, but I never expected it might be possible…”
“But I will not be able to travel this way to see you every month,” Shadi warned. “If you wish to be able to perform it, I must teach you the ritual now, and have you memorize it, so that you may recite the incantation without my help.”
“Oh yes…please!” Yugi sat back down on the bed, positively quivering with excitement. “Come in, Shadi, and teach me the incantation. I want to have it down perfect, I don’t want to screw it up.”
Nodding, the guardian crossed the room and perched himself on the edge of Yugi’s bed, facing him. Though it kept Yugi up very late, he drilled the ritual incantation over and over again until he was able to recite it without stumbling, his pronunciation perfect and not a word out of place. Even so, he wrote it down as phonetically as he could just in case he needed the reminder, though he promised Shadi he would practice it every night from now until the next full moon. Satisfied, Shadi finally vanished in the wee hours of the morning, leaving Yugi to sleep off his excitement and try to go about a normal day with this knowledge fresh in his heart. It wasn’t until the following evening that he got a chance to get away with Yami, inside the Puzzle, where the two of them hugged and celebrated the strange and welcome twist of fate that had befallen them. It was going to be a long month of waiting.
Like last time, Yugi kept his plans to himself just in case it somehow didn’t work, not wanting to subject his friends to the same disappointment he would have to suffer in the event Shadi’s information was incorrect and the ritual had been used up that one time. Most of his friends were busy about their own lives as it was, only Joey said he would be available to go hang out on that day. The night before, as they sat together having dinner, Yugi chose to spring his news on his grandfather first, since it would mean having a houseguest for the day and he needed a reason to ask for that day off from working the shop. Amazed, Grandpa wanted to know how it worked and how Yugi knew, having never seen Shadi himself and rather curious about the whole situation. They talked it over, and Grandpa agreed that as long as the pharaoh was overseeing the ritual, it would be perfectly fine. He saw no reason to deny Yami another chance at existence, particularly if it could be done on a regular basis. It would be the closest thing to a real life that the spirit could have, as if to make up for thousands of years of being locked away. Yugi appreciated his grandfather’s sympathy, and thanked him profusely for understanding and being encouraging. Within him, Yami smiled to himself, his heart warmed by the acceptance of Yugi’s last, closest family member. They still hadn’t spoken to him of their relationship, but for now, both were concentrating on making the ritual work and figuring out how this would change their lives. It would make for a very different relationship, that was for sure.
At last the day – or night, really – arrived, and a warm summer breeze drifted through the open skylight to ruffle Yugi’s hair as he settled onto his knees in the middle of his bedroom floor. He didn’t have Shadi’s ceremonial dagger this time, but a sharp safety pin would do just as well, and it was easy for him to find. Precisely at midnight, a drop of blood fell onto the Eye of the Puzzle, and he smoothly recited the incantation, hardly needing to look at the piece of paper with it written for help. The Eye began to glow with power, and sucked a portion of Yugi’s energy with the blood into the vortex of shadow magic inside, using it to create the corporeal body into which Yami’s spirit would step for one day. He emerged from the Puzzle like before, energy and magic swirling around his form and trailing away into the night as he coalesced into complete physical being. For a moment he stood as though transfixed, taking deep breaths to fill his lungs with air and relish being alive, and then he was suddenly tackled about the middle as Yugi leaped to his feet and rushed to hug him. Yami staggered backwards and then caught him, beginning to laugh as he felt the slender arms fastened around him. Yugi laughed too, and let him go for just a moment. Yami returned the favor and seized him around the chest, picking him up off the floor and twirling him around just once, both laughing in delight. There was a bathrobe lying on the bed for Yami’s use, as Yugi knew he would appear naked from the Puzzle, but it was simply set aside and never put on. Yami fell onto the bed with Yugi on top of him, already deep in a kiss that took their breath away. Plans and intentions were thrown aside, both knew the minute they beheld each other with their own eyes that they wanted to make love, and so they did.
Joey made it to their meeting spot first, and stood with his arms hanging over the railing he was leaning on, gazing down at the street below the pedestrian skywalk. The warm sun on the back of his neck made him sweat, but it was where Yugi said he would meet him so they could go hang out. Every now and then he would glance aside to see if the flicker of movement in his peripheral vision was his friend approaching, but he was a bit early and didn’t need to fret. Finally, he spotted the unique hairstyle moving through the crowd, and turned to greet Yugi with a big wave and a yell. But then, he saw that there were two of them, and his jaw fell open. Both Yugi and Yami broke out in huge grins when they saw Joey’s reaction from a distance, and Yugi quickened his pace to meet him, tugging Yami along by the hand. Joey stood there with his arms at his sides, stunned, and waited for them to come up to him before demanding to know, “What the hell? What is he doing here? I thought you could only do that once in your lifetime!”
“So did we!” Yugi laughed. “Guess what? We can do it every full moon!”
“Seriously?”
“Yes!”
Joey’s surprise turned to joy, and he laughed just as brightly. “No way! Did you just find this out?”
“Yeah, not too long ago. I wasn’t sure, that’s why I didn’t warn you we were trying it again, but…” Yugi shared a grin with Yami. “Surprise!”
Joey lunged and hooked an arm around each of them, pulling them into a group hug. “This is great! Are you gonna do it, then?” He looked at Yami. “Are you going to come and visit us every month from now on?”
“That is our intention,” the pharaoh said happily. “Barring any unforeseen circumstances that might prevent us from performing the ritual.”
“Yeah. As long as you can do it, you may as well.” Joey let them go and clapped them each on a shoulder. “Man, it’s great to see you again. Not for nothing, but I was kinda hoping for Yugi’s sake that he’d get another chance with you. One time couldn’t possibly be enough.” He winked at Yugi. “So what are we gonna do today?”
“Anything we want to,” Yugi giggled. “Now that we don’t have to worry about cramming in every little experience for Yami. Oh, but Grandpa wants us home for dinner, he wants to meet Yami good and proper this time.”
“All right, all right.” Joey turned and bid them to follow him with a wave. “I’m hungry, let’s get something to eat first.”
Yami took Yugi’s hand again and led him onward. “Can we stop at the park for ice cream later?”
Yugi rolled his eyes. “What have I started?”
Yami’s second day of corporeal existence proved as amazing and wonderful as the first, though he did nothing unusual over the course of those twenty-four hours, perhaps because at the end of them, he knew he would be back. There were no tears this time, only soft, hungry kisses and whispered promises to take care of each other until the next full moon, to live their bonded life as normal and try not to spend all of it simply waiting for four weeks to pass at a time. Yugi had things to do, after all, as the summer flew by and university loomed in the wings. He and Joey had to register for their classes and make their schedules, deciding how to squeeze in part-time jobs around them. Tristan was working already, in construction, a masculine and sweaty position that suited him well and usually left his evenings free to still hang out with his friends. What loomed even more threateningly was the dissolution of the inseparable foursome, as Téa would soon be going away to New York to study dance, the first time any of their close-knit group had departed since they all met early in high school. Talk was in the air about doing something special before she took off for America, but later, closer to the actual leaving. Inwardly, Yugi knew he needed to tell her about Yami before she left, but with the newfound promise of a visit from him once a month, he considered waiting until the pharaoh’s next embodiment. At least, it was a sort of reprieve after not being able to introduce her to him on what they once thought was his sole day of freedom.
The hottest days of summer were upon them, when not even the sea breeze from the west could cool them down. All kids were on summer break, and business was up at theme parks and game shops accordingly. Yugi was keeping an eye on some of the young customers thronging into Kame to get out of the sweltering heat while his grandfather got something from the storeroom, when the phone rang. He leaned across the counter and snatched it up, with a brisk, “Kame game shop…”
“Hey Yug,” Joey’s voice said, a bit surprised that he had beaten his grandpa to the phone.
“Hey Joey!” Yugi turned and leaned on the counter so he could watch the customers while he talked. He didn’t think they were trouble, but they were rather bubbly and enthusiastic about something. “What’s up?”
“Nothing much,” Joey said casually. “You in the shop, then?”
“Yeah. May as well, it’s too hot to do anything outside.” Hearing the scuffling of his grandpa’s shoes on the floor behind him, Yugi glanced to see that he had returned with a couple of boxes to be unpacked. “It’s okay though, I’ve got a minute.”
“Okay. I just wanted to let you know, I got that day off. The one when the pharaoh’s gonna be here again.”
“Ooo, you did?” Yugi quickly exchanged places with Grandpa Muto, sidling back around the counter to open the boxes and begin sorting through them while Grandpa went to see how the kids near the door were getting along. “That’s great. We should do something fun. Like, maybe go to the beach?”
“I haven’t been to the beach all summer,” Joey complained. “Sounds like a great idea. Should I call Tristan and Téa?”
“Of course…but I don’t know if Tristan can get off work. Definitely call Téa – it’ll be our last chance to do something together before she leaves for America.” Yugi squinted at the boxes of cards for some new TCG that tied in to an anime, finding them stupid, before stacking them on the counter beside him. “I bet she’d love to go to the beach.”
“Well, it’s still another week and a half away,” Joey pondered, “Tristan might be able to work it out. He has to…we can’t let Téa jet off to exotic lands without a proper sendoff.” His voice on the line sobered. “Man. It’s gonna be weird not having her around. All of a sudden, it’s down to the three of us.”
“I know.” Yugi found the packing list in the box and began to make tick marks on it, while still talking. “It’s kind of sad. But, I’m happy for her, too. This is what she always wanted, and I know she’s going for it. She’s not going to let herself be stuck here in Domino doing nothing just because she’d miss us.”
“Yeah, good point.” Joey was relaxing at home at the moment, and flopped down on his couch with his feet dangling over the end. “And you’re really okay with that, huh?”
Yugi leaned on the counter, deliberately hiding himself from view of Grandpa and customers as he lowered his voice. “Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”
“Now, I know you and the pharaoh – Yami – have got a pretty good thing going,” Joey cautioned, “but you crushed on her pretty good for like a year. You’ve totally dropped it? No lingering hints or anything?”
“Not a one.” Yugi felt confident enough to smile as he said it. “I’m happy now, Joey. I think it’s meant to be this way. I don’t regret anything. The only thing I’ll be sad about is, Téa is one of my best friends. Having her halfway around the world will be hard, but I wish her the best. I hope all her dreams come true.”
“Wow.” Joey grinned at the ceiling as he lay on his back with the phone to his ear. “The sex must be really good with Yami.”
“Joey!” Yugi bit down a shout and slunk even further behind the counter to hide. “Don’t talk about that when I’m in the shop!” he hissed. “And anyway, that’s not it. Oh, you wouldn’t understand.”
“Naw, I understand, Yug.” Joey rolled over and rested his elbows on the couch to prop up the phone. “You guys are bonded. There’s no human being on this earth who can even touch what you have with him, it’s really special. That’s why, isn’t it?”
“Mhm.” Yugi smiled sneakily and whispered, “But the other part’s good too.”
Joey cackled into the phone. “Yeah, I bet. Okay, okay. So, we should call up Tristan and Téa, and make plans to go to the beach on your special pharaoh day. Does that sound fair?”
“Yeah, I like that idea. You call Tristan, I’ll call Téa?”
“Works for me. And you’ve got the other factor covered.”
“Yes, Yami knows,” Yugi sighed. “We’ll both be there, he’s fine with it too.”
“Cool. I’ll let you go back to working, before your grandpa starts giving you nasty looks. Call me when we have it all planned, right?”
“Right.”
Playing phone tag and setting up the details of their party at the beach took the better part of the week and a half that led up to the full moon, though at the end of it, it looked like all four of them were going to be there. Téa was noticeably flattered and touched that her friends wanted to see her off in style, and have one last blast together, so she jumped at the chance to accompany them to the beach, saying something about a new bathing suit to show off. If that remark was intended to get a rise out of Yugi, it didn’t – he barely noticed it as he looked at the calendar, making sure she was clear on the date chosen. “Yeah, I got it,” she assured him. “Any particular reason you picked that day? Tristan has to ask off work, doesn’t he?”
“Oh, well…it was the only one both me and Joey had off,” Yugi lied, his face flushing red. “Tristan worked it out, though…so as long as it’s okay with you…”
“Yeah, it’s fine with me. I’ll meet you at the train station, right?”
“Right. Ten? Eleven?”
“Ten thirty,” Téa decided. “We’ll miss the lunch hour commuters.”
“Oh yeah, forgot about that. All right, then! I’ll see you then…” Yugi smiled mischievously to himself. “…and maybe I’ll have a surprise for you.”
“Ooo, a surprise?” Téa cooed into the phone. “What is it?”
“Well, if I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise.” Yugi laughed. “I can’t wait, this’ll be fun!”
The pearly light of the full moon made a bright patch in the middle of Yugi’s bedroom floor, glowing on his shoulders as he knelt waiting. He had prepared himself for the ritual early, but that meant enduring the ticking of the clock as it counted down to midnight. Why he was nervous this time, moreso than ever, he didn’t know, and unfortunately, Yami was not present to soothe him. He, too, was preparing for the ritual, waiting for the surge of energy that would break the bond that held his spirit in the Puzzle. Finally, it was time, and Yugi stabbed his fingertip with a pin to begin. He was getting better at reciting the incantation, not having to speak slowly in order to let himself remember the words before saying them, but he still trembled a little as he clutched the Puzzle in one hand, flinching from the brightness of the light pouring out of the Eye. The silent explosion of power that signaled the release of the spirit knocked Yugi back, forcing him to catch himself with one hand as he looked up and smiled at the sight of Yami’s solid form. The pharaoh himself was smiling, aware of his surroundings even before he opened his eyes. He looked down to see Yugi kneeling on the floor in front of him, sucking protectively on the finger he had poked to offer his blood. A kind look came into Yami’s violet eyes. “Does it hurt?”
Yugi smiled and drew his finger out of his mouth. “It’s nothing,” he assured. “A very small price to have to pay to have you here with me.” He couldn’t help but ogle the lean body standing before him, particularly the parts at eye level with him, not feeling like getting up just now. Yami noticed, and gave him a sultry smile as he crouched down opposite him. “I can’t believe it,” Yugi continued. “It’s still working. How lucky are we?”
“I’m sure there was a very important and valuable reason I created this ritual for myself many thousands of years ago,” Yami said, but he couldn’t stop the smirk that threatened to cross his lips. “But as long as it works, I see no reason to forego it.”
Yugi grinned and prowled forward, leaning up to kiss his lover cutely. “You’re the expert in shadow magic,” he teased, “I’ll let you decide that. Hmm…so…”
Yami cupped his cheek and kissed him back, more deeply. “You seem tired. I’m sure it’s been a long day.”
“Yeah, it has,” Yugi reluctantly admitted. “And we’ve got a big one ahead of us tomorrow.”
“Mm,” the pharaoh mused. “The beach.” He smiled down at his young love. “Does that mean you wish to forego the usual exercise and just go to bed?”
Yugi groaned unhappily. “Yeah, maybe we should. Much as I want to…” His eyes traveled the length of his partner’s fresh, warm, naked body. “I am kind of tired.”
Yami offered a hand to help him up, and they took a moment just to touch and kiss before Yugi maneuvered around him to get clothing out of his dresser for both of them to sleep in. Within minutes they were curled up together in Yugi’s small bed, arms around each other and Yugi’s head pillowed on Yami’s shoulder. Having just awoken from the Puzzle, Yami was not sleepy in the least, but he had nothing to complain about. Lying in Yugi’s bed with his adorable lover sleeping in his arms was no chore. He held Yugi close to him and stroked his hair while he slept, glad to see the complete contentment in his slack features as all the weariness and trouble fell away from him. Eventually, Yami also dozed for a couple of hours, still clutching Yugi to him, until the alarm woke them both. Yugi stretched to shut it off, but didn’t move to get out of bed. Yami blinked his eyes open and began to smile as he felt Yugi settle back against him and tiny, tender kisses roamed the upper part of his chest. “Well…good morning,” the pharaoh purred.
Yugi purred back and lifted his head. “Waking up to this almost makes me wish I didn’t have to get up.”
Yami pushed the Millennium Puzzle aside in order to clasp Yugi closer to him, sighing happily at the contact of skin against skin. Both had slept shirtless, for the summer night was warm enough, and only a light sheet covered their entwined bodies. They laid together for a while, waking each other up with slow, gentle kisses across lips and necks, but Yugi knew not to let themselves delay too long. They had to get ready and catch the train down to the seashore, and meet their friends for a day of summery fun. Yugi already had his backpack sitting open on the floor and had been stuffing things into it as he thought of them, towels and so forth, but he and his lover needed to get dressed and have a bit of breakfast before he gave serious thought to what they still needed. Fortunately for them, Grandpa Muto was already downstairs opening the shop, because Yami didn’t seem to want to keep his hands off Yugi as they invaded the kitchen and came out with breakfast. Giggling, Yugi let himself be chased into the living room and caught up in strong arms, all the while protesting that they were going to make themselves late. Even in the safe confines of his bedroom, the pharaoh wouldn’t stop touching him, caressing, cuddling, kissing, forcing them to devise a strange dance in order to get dressed while intently playing with each other. Yugi tossed Yami a pair of shorts that made him stop for a moment in order to inspect and reject them. “I’m to wear these?” he complained. “I don’t like the way they feel.”
“They’re swim trunks,” Yugi sighed. “You have to, if you want to go in the water.”
Yami lowered them with a regretful smile. “Yugi…I don’t know how to swim.”
“Oh…” Yugi straightened up and gave him a thoughtful frown. “Well…you can still wade in the water, right? I mean…I only have one pair of those, and I figured I can’t wear them, so…”
Yami looked perplexed. “Why not?”
Yugi picked the Puzzle up in one hand. “I can’t go swimming with this on. I’m pretty sure the water wouldn’t hurt the Puzzle itself, but the chain?” He smiled wanly. “Bad idea. Not to mention, I don’t want to risk losing it or having it slip off my neck. It’s okay, I’ve swam plenty of times. I just want to go wading to cool off.” His smile ratcheted up several degrees in cheeriness. “Go on, put them on under your jeans, just in case. It beats having to find a place to change when we get there.”
Shrugging, Yami relented, promptly dropping his pajama pants and standing there naked for a moment while he figured out which way was up on the shorts. The sight stopped Yugi short with a little gasp, though he refrained from reaching out and giving them both an excuse for being late to the gathering. Yami gave him a slight smile over his shoulder, knowing what was going through his mind, but kindly covered up so Yugi could go back to getting dressed himself. Eventually, they hopped down the back stairs one after the other, Yugi in cute shorts and a t-shirt, Yami in jeans and tight black tank top, calling out a farewell to Grandpa to let him know they were off. The end of August was still plenty warm and hazy, and the pharaoh stopped to take a deep breath of the sun-soaked air before sliding his hand into Yugi’s. “I can see why a swim in the ocean would be appealing on a day like today,” he murmured.
Yugi squeezed his hand and tugged him away down the sidewalk. “I’m sure the beach will be packed, even if it is a weekday,” he mused. “Forget about trying to go down on a Sunday. And school starts soon, a lot of people are like us, trying to get in one last beach visit while they can.” He hitched his backpack a little higher on his shoulder. “At least I have an extra week, before classes start at the university.”
“All the more reason to enjoy the day, while we can.” Yami parted his fingers and slid them between his partner’s, settling in comfortably for the walk to the train station.
They didn’t have to stand around and wait long at the station, for Joey met them within minutes of their arrival, carrying a backpack like Yugi. He had a special grin of welcome for the pharaoh as he came up to them. “You know,” he said, “it’s gonna be a while before I get used to seeing you.”
Yami smiled modestly. “Believe me, Joey, it takes some getting used to on my part as well.”
Joey chuckled and then ribbed Yugi with an elbow. “Ready for some fun in the sun?”
“Always!” A chime rang through the station, then, announcing that the next train was boarding, so the three of them wrestled their way through the crowds and got on, finding some seats together and plunking down as the train glided away from the station. Yugi then turned to his best friend. “We’re going to meet Téa at the last stop, at the beach,” he stated. “She said it would be easier if she went straight there and met us.”
“Yeah, Tristan too,” Joey informed him. “Big slacker, he wanted to be sure he got off today so he called in sick.”
Yugi rolled his eyes. “He’s going to get in trouble.”
“How are they gonna know? I’m sure his boss isn’t down at the beach to check.” Joey sat back with a relaxed sigh. “Our last big party, the four of us. Well…five, now.” He glanced past Yugi to smile at Yami.
Yami smiled coolly back. “If you think about it, Joey, it’s always been that way. I’ve been with Yugi through every adventure with you. Though,” he added a little more seriously, “I have still been somewhat on the outside.”
Yugi clasped his hand where it sat beside him on the seat. “That’s okay. It’s taken time for everybody to even realize you’re a separate soul from me. Now that they do, you’re part of the group. Everyone accepts you.”
“Oh, hey,” Joey suddenly realized. “I should have given Tristan a heads-up to expect the pharaoh. He doesn’t know.”
“Yeah, but he knows that we can do the ritual more often,” Yugi reminded. They had at least gotten to tell Tristan of that fact, though he had not seen the pharaoh since the first time.
Joey gave him a bemused look. “You think he’s aware it’s the full moon?”
“Oh…right. Hmm.”
“No worries…you gotta tell Téa all the messy details, don’t you?”
Yugi took a deep breath. “Yeah. It’s time. I can’t put it off any longer.”
Yami turned to him with a gentle smile. “Don’t worry, Yugi. I’m here with you, we can explain together. You aren’t in this alone.”
“You’re right.” He met his lover’s gaze, and then smirked. “Just don’t do anything like you did in front of Mai. We need to be a little more tactful.”
The pharaoh laughed. “I won’t. That was just for Mai’s benefit, I knew she would understand.”
The train station closest to Domino City’s biggest public beach was fairly busy even for a weekday, but it wasn’t hard for friends to find each other in the crowds. Téa and Tristan had already run into each other almost the minute they both arrived, and stood together now waiting for the next train to come in. Téa had a canvas bag on her arm, carrying her towel and sunscreen, but Tristan just stood with his hands in his pockets, a loose t-shirt covering the fact that in a few short months he had already grown brawnier from the hard work at his menial job. They chatted enthusiastically with each other about Téa’s upcoming schooling and all that she was looking forward to as the crowds on the platform suddenly surged to meet the train just pulling in, as if to press their way onboard the moment the doors opened. The two friends just stood aside and waited, their faces turned expectantly towards the disembarking passengers. Thanks to his height, Joey’s was the only head they could see bobbing through the traffic, and he likewise spotted Tristan first and waved. Behind him, Yugi felt all his nervousness concentrate into a lump in his throat, which he swallowed as he tried to force a smile back onto his face. He had Yami’s hand firmly, mostly so as not to lose each other in the crowd, but he felt a reassuring squeeze as they pushed through people and finally came out to the clear space beside the pillar where their friends were waiting. Joey had clued in to his best friend’s trepidation and smartly went up first, somewhat blocking Yami from view. “Hey, you’re both here,” he realized. “Great, now we don’t have to stand around here and wait more. We can head right out.”
“Where’s Yugi?” Tristan wondered, unable to see him for the crowds.
“Right behind me…” Joey turned, hoping he wasn’t about to be made a fool, but yes, there was Yugi, looking timid and wringing his hands as he stepped up. Only the hands on his shoulders steering him gave away that there was someone else with them.
Téa smiled brightly. “Yugi! I can’t wait, this was a great idea. I wanted so much to get to the beach one last time before school.”
“Yeah, I kind of figured,” Yugi said awkwardly. “Um…Téa? I have someone to introduce to you, first…”
She cocked her head curiously. “Oh? What is it, Yugi?”
Tristan clapped a hand to his forehead. “That’s right…!”
“Shush,” Joey warned him.
Yugi glanced over his shoulder, and stepped aside as Yami took the cue and came out from hiding behind him and Joey. For a long moment, Tea’s expression did not change. “Téa,” Yugi said bravely, “this is Yami. You…you should know him.”
At last, Téa’s eyes grew wide as the identical stranger became familiar to her. “The pharaoh, Yami?” she asked for clarification. “From the Puzzle?”
“Mhm.” Yugi nodded, and then looked up to him. “You see…there’s this ritual, part of the shadow magic, that restores him to a body of his own for one day. One day a month, actually. We tried it once, and it worked, so…we’re going to try it more often. Like, today.”
Tristan shook his head and murmured, “I totally forgot it was the full moon.”
Téa stood staring for a while, letting the information sink into her brain, and then reached a tentative hand out. Yami stood with a patient smile as she poked him in the shoulder to verify that he was not a hallucination. “I don’t believe it,” she breathed. “It’s really you…?”
“Téa,” Yami said kindly. “I’m glad to be able to see you.”
“And you’re not just…in Yugi’s body this time,” she noted. “You two are…”
“Completely real,” Yugi assured. “See? I have the Millennium Puzzle, but he doesn’t. Sure, he’s wearing my clothes, but…”
“So this is the surprise you were going to have for me?” Téa chirped. “Meeting the pharaoh, for real? Yugi, that’s awesome.” She turned shining eyes on the taller figure of the two, clasping her hands together. “A magic ritual? What’s it like? Did you create it? How did you find out about it?”
Yami held up a hand. “Patience, Téa. Maybe we should get out of the train station and sit down before we explain the rest to you.”
The others agreed, so together the five of them wove their way through the train station and out to the street, where the sun could beat down on them again. The platform stood right across the street from one entrance to the beach, so they waited for the light and crossed with a throng of excited beachgoers carrying blankets, bags, and umbrellas and made their way down the paved concourse. There was a lot for Yami to look at, though Yugi occasionally tugged his arm to make sure he didn’t wander off as he gazed in wonder at the colorful people passing them by. They walked some distance down the concourse, deciding just how far they wanted to go before searching out an undisturbed plot of sand, and then changed direction at Téa’s lead. She encouraged them to follow her to a nice spot far away from any parents with small children, equidistant from the ocean’s edge and the nearest concession stand. Everyone agreed that it would do, so bags were dropped and clothes began to come off. Yugi enthusiastically pulled out the towels from his backpack to lay out on the sand, so they would have something to sit on at least. Yami watched warily, not sure what to do with himself, though the view of the ocean and the cooling breeze coming in off it distracted him enough. He stood for a while gazing distantly outward, filling his senses with the sounds and smells of the ocean, while the others kicked off shoes and made themselves comfy on the beach blanket Téa had thought to bring. At last, Yugi gave a little tug to Yami’s pant leg. “Hey, you can come over here by us, now,” he sweetly encouraged.
The pharaoh glanced down to see them all watching him with teasing smiles. “Sorry,” he said sheepishly. “I can’t stop looking at the ocean. It’s like nothing I’ve seen before.”
He sank to a seat on the towel Yugi had brought for him, taking his time in slipping off his boots and removing his socks. Téa watched him closely, as if still trying to verify that he wasn’t someone play-acting as the pharaoh she knew. He certainly looked the part, nearly indistinguishable from Yugi but for his height and the way he carried himself, his slightly older features and deeper voice. Unlike Yugi’s other friends, Téa had been in the presence of the pharaoh for a space of time before, when he spent a few agonizing days in control of Yugi’s body while the young one’s soul wandered. Joey and Tristan had seen it happen; Téa had spent a good deal of time with him, trying to make their way to safety out of the American desert. She could tell it was Yami just by watching him move and smile. She gave him a hopeful look. “Well, of course you haven’t seen the ocean,” she rationalized. “Even if you could remember your past, I’m pretty sure an Egyptian pharaoh wouldn’t have had that experience.”
Yami smiled cheerfully enough, for him. “Perhaps,” he acknowledged. “But I have seen it before. Not only through Yugi, but the first time I was out of the Puzzle. He wanted me to see the ocean. It’s amazing, though. So…big. It fascinates me.”
“But you haven’t been in the ocean yet,” Yugi said smartly. “We’ll take care of that today.”
“Yes, we will,” the pharaoh grinned.
Téa continued to gaze at him in interest, her mind filling with questions the more certain she became that it was Yami himself sitting there beside Yugi. “So, tell me then, about this ritual,” she hinted. “What does it do?”
“Well,” Yugi answered, entwining his fingers in a fidgety manner, “it can only be performed on the night of the full moon, and then Yami gets a body for twenty-four hours, from midnight on. We thought we would only be able to do it once, in our lifetimes, but it turns out we can do it every month, every time the moon is full.”
Téa glanced concernedly at him. “But…it doesn’t hurt you, does it?”
“Not really.” Yugi shrugged. “I have to prick my finger to get a drop of blood, but that’s not a big thing. I’m fine.” He mustered a cute smile. “It does feel kind of weird, after being bonded for so long with Yami, not having him in my mind for a day, but I guess I can get used to it.”
Téa glanced from one to the other, still mentally comparing them. “It sounds almost too good to be true.”
“I know,” Yugi said, “I thought the same thing at first! I couldn’t believe we’d be able to do it once, let alone every month. But this is now the third time we’ve tried it, and it’s working just fine. We’re going to keep doing it, it’s the closest thing to having his life back that I can give to Yami.”
Yami smiled tenderly at him, hearing that, but refrained from reaching out and squeezing his hand like he wanted to. Not until they had sprung the other important information on Téa. She seemed to be accepting his presence well, but before they could continue speaking of the ritual and the reason behind it, Téa clapped her hands in a gesture of finality. “That’s great! I’m so happy for you, pharaoh. Yugi, you should have told me! Were you afraid I wouldn’t understand?”
Yugi blushed faintly. “Um…yeah, kind of…”
“Don’t be silly. I’ve been through all kinds of weird mystical stuff with you, and I’ve helped Yami before. Lots of times.” She smiled generously at the pharaoh. “If there’s anyone in the world you can trust with this kind of secret, it’s me, you know.”
“You’ve had much on your mind, I hear,” Yami said. “We didn’t want to thrust this surprise upon you, when you had so much to prepare. Congratulations, by the way.”
“Thank you!” Téa nudged Yugi’s shoulder. “See? I’m okay with it, Yugi. You shouldn’t have worried. Come on, now, let’s have some fun!” With that, she straightened up and stripped off her flowery shirt, revealing a fairly flattering bikini top that made both Joey and Tristan falter in their conversation and look her way. She unconsciously posed in a flirtatious manner, sweeping her hair back from her face with a hand and taking a deep breath of the sea air, but as her eyes went to Yami again, she saw that his attention was completely on Yugi. He hadn’t seemed to notice her disrobing, as he turned to ask Yugi something and received a smile and laugh in reply. Yugi, likewise, was pulling off his shirt, very carefully leaving the Puzzle around his neck as he did so. It glinted brilliantly in the hot sun as it bounced against his bare chest. Téa looked oddly at him. “You’re not taking the Puzzle off?”
Yugi blinked in surprise at her question, and then smiled. “I can’t,” he responded. “The Puzzle is my link to Yami. We don’t know what would happen if I broke it while he was outside the Puzzle, so…it’s a safety precaution. I don’t want to lose him.” He folded his shirt and stuffed it in his backpack, able to sit back at last and breathe a sigh of contentment. “That’s more like it. Yami?” He looked curiously at his companion. “You’re not going to change?”
Yami sat with his legs folded under him, looking around warily. “I’m…fine,” he assured. “Really.”
Yugi’s expression became more concerned. “You’re going to get really hot in that black shirt.”
Yami glanced over at the others, noting that Joey and Tristan were already down to their shorts and kicking back, while Téa rummaged through her bag for something. Leaning over to his partner, Yami lowered his voice so only he could hear. “I don’t know if I’m comfortable…taking off clothing is something I’m used to only doing in private, with you, when we’re…”
Yugi forced himself to steer his thoughts away from sex lest his sudden blush get noticed by the others. “It’s not like that,” he explained in a similar hush. “It’s okay, no one here will think that way. Well,” he added with a smirk, “except for me.”
Yami gave him a warning look as he sat back. “You’re not helping.”
“Well, you want to go in the water, don’t you?” Yugi prodded in a more normal voice, sitting back and stretching out his legs.
Joey glanced their way. “You going swimming, Yami?”
Yami smiled shyly. “Maybe later.”
Téa fished a bottle out of her bag and waved it in the air. “Sunscreen! Who wants to help me?”
The four boys looked at each other before Tristan eagerly volunteered by taking the bottle from her hand. Yugi just blinked at her. “Oh, I didn’t even think about sunscreen. Can I borrow that when you’re done?”
As the four friends settled in for a long afternoon of doing nothing, chattering amongst themselves about the usual nonsense, Yami turned his gaze to the ocean again, and the unique people gathering at its edge to wade or supervise swimming children. He couldn’t deny that he was beginning to feel rather warm in jeans and a black shirt, but his unfamiliarity with things that were so commonplace to Yugi made him decide to stay clothed until it was time to go in the water. He ignored Tristan rubbing sunscreen into Téa’s shoulders and Joey babbling about his muscles (or lack thereof) and just watched the sparkle of sun on the water, stretching out to dig his toes into the hot sand. For a brief instant, a spark flashed across his mind, a subtle sensation as of déjà vu at the feel of the sand beneath the soles of his feet. Perhaps it was a hidden instinct, a mere fragment of memory – after all, he would have known the sands of Egypt. He smiled very slightly to himself and closed his eyes, turning his face into the breeze to let it ruffle through the hair framing his face. Yami sat lost in thought for a long while, aware of Yugi’s eyes on him but not willing or able to break into the conversation between friends. He knew Yugi still had much to say, but Téa and the others were not giving him the chance to say it. Talk had been hopelessly diverted, as Joey went on a rant about something and Tristan started taunting him. “Oh please,” was Téa’s flippant reaction, and off they went on another tangent. Yugi just laughed, glad to have his friends around to keep things light and happy. After a bit, Téa made a disgusted noise at something Joey said and got up, brushing off her shorts. “I’m going swimming,” she declared forcefully. “You guys can sit here and ogle women all you want, count me out.”
“Hey, I’m not ogling,” Joey said sharply. “You’re not helping, you know, with that swimsuit.”
Téa tossed her hair and unbuttoned her shorts, dropping them onto the blanket and giving Joey a full view of said bikini. “What, this one?”
Joey eyed her suspiciously. “You have no right to complain about being ogled, wearing that.”
Téa cocked her head in a casual shrug and strutted off down the beach, pretending to be oblivious to the stares from men as she passed them. Tristan smacked Joey in the arm. “Would you cool it?”
“What? All I’m saying is, she can’t complain one minute and then go prancing around like that the next. It’s hypocritical.” Joey turned to Yugi beside him. “So, what do you say, Yug? We goin’ in too?”
“Sure.” Yugi turned to Yami. “It’s safe now. You can let us see the swim trunks.”
Yami looked at him, finding himself beginning to smile. “All right. If you insist.”
“I do insist. I want to take you into the water with me.”
Sighing, Yami surrendered, modestly glancing away as he pulled the tank top over his head and shook out his hair. Joey and Tristan were already getting to their feet, so the pharaoh did as well, in order to shed his jeans and finally reveal the dark blue swim trunks Yugi had forced on him. As predicted, Joey and Tristan did not care or call attention to him, giving Yami the confidence that this was one of those expected things in this modern age. But before he could join his friends, Yugi rose up onto his knees and grabbed his arm, pulling him back down. “No, you don’t,” he demanded. “Sunscreen first. We don’t want to damage that nice new body of yours.”
Joey and Tristan stood aside waiting, arms crossed, talking casually, as Yugi snatched the bottle of sunscreen and quickly applied some to his partner’s now-exposed shoulders and back. Though he didn’t quite understand, Yami allowed it, especially because the lotion was nice and cool against his skin. At last they were ready, and Yugi helped him up so the four could go to the water together. Téa was already knee-deep, stepping gingerly with her arms timidly raised against the colder shock of the salt water. Joey let out a yell and barreled toward her, making huge leaps through the water that splashed her and everyone else within a five-foot radius. Téa squealed, Tristan laughed, and Joey got pushed aside before he could grab Téa and dunk her. Yami chuckled a little at their enthusiasm, but he was content standing aside watching, unsure whether he should try joining them as they headed into deeper water. Light swells lapped at the shoreline, trouncing small children’s attempts at sand castles and leaving swirling eddies in the footprints made in the wet sand. Yami stepped slowly, relishing the way the texture of the sand changed the closer they got to the ocean, letting it squish between his toes. He knew by the jingling of the Puzzle chain that Yugi was right beside him, but still refrained from touching him with so many eyes around. Yugi couldn’t go in too deep anyway, with his regular shorts on, but he nudged Yami gently as he stepped ahead of him and entered the water. Yami took his cue and followed, letting the waves lap at his ankles. The water wasn’t nearly as cold as he thought it might be, the sun had warmed the shallows enough, but the difference from the air was refreshing. Yugi waded ahead of him, scuffling his feet through the sand on the bottom, until he stood knee-deep where the waves could wash up against his thighs below the cuffs of his shorts. There, he stopped and turned to see how his partner was getting along, smiling cheerily. Yami smiled back, thoughts of how cute his young lover looked running through his mind, and waded in a little deeper. By the time he reached Yugi, he could feel the tug of the current around his legs, the ebb and flow of the waves, and a bit of a shiver rippled up his spine at the tingle of colder water down by his feet. He met the questioning violet eyes turned up to him with a smile. “It’s not so bad.”
Yugi beamed. “I told you. Funny, for a guy who’s so brave and fearless, it took quite a bit to get you into the water.”
Yami laughed a little. “I’m sorry. As new experiences go, it’s a bit more foreign than going to arcades or walking in the park.”
“Hey, are you two coming in or what?” Joey called from further into the water. He and Tristan were both thoroughly wet by now, having wrestled each other into a good dunking, and Téa stood nearby, still keeping her arms huddled up close to keep her elbows from dipping into the water as the waves lashed at her.
“Eventually,” Yami called back. He didn’t want to leave Yugi alone, though his curiosity was getting the better of him and he finally felt like seeing just how deep he could walk out. The vastness of the ocean made him wary, but he considered that smaller children than he were swimming deeper with no sign of danger. He turned to his lover. “How much deeper can you go?”
“I’ll walk out a little bit more,” Yugi decided. “It doesn’t matter if the bottom of my shorts get wet, they’ll dry. But if you want to go out by Joey, go ahead, don’t worry about me.”
Yami gave him an indulgent look. “Maybe I don’t want to go out by Joey.”
“All right,” Yugi laughed. Together, the two of them waded a little deeper, Yami trailing his fingers in the water as if to catch the waves as they swelled around him, Yugi holding up the cuffs of his shorts to keep them as dry as possible. For a while they said nothing, as the pharaoh simply reveled in the novelty and the delicious coolness, but eventually he began to wonder, and asked Yugi if there were any fish in this part of the ocean. Yugi didn’t know, but it was fun to talk about them, teasing his lover about what he would do if he discovered tiny fish swimming around his feet. He stopped when it was clear he could go no deeper without completely wetting his only pair of shorts, but could still carry on talking with Yami, who took a few more steps. Then a wave splashed up as high as his crotch, making him gasp and start and retreat. Yugi laughed himself breathless.
Téa gave up avoiding the chill of the water and held her nose as she dunked herself under, coming up with a little yelp and splashing Joey when he chuckled at her. They amused themselves with a splash-fight for a bit, but after calming down, realized that no matter how much they tried to persuade him, Yami was not coming out to them. Joey glanced over his shoulder, taking a moment to observe Yugi walking cautiously through the water with his shorts hiked up, looking down into the clear, sandy depths. Yami stood nearby, sort of watching him, sort of just enjoying himself where he was. “Yeah,” Joey shrugged, “he’s got plenty to entertain himself. Besides, I’m guessing he can’t swim.”
“He can still touch out here. He’s not that much shorter than me.” Téa looked their way and smiled wistfully. “I suppose. He probably wants to stick close to Yugi, I bet he feels all protective or something.”
“Yeah,” Joey said absently, sure he could guess what the pharaoh really felt.
The friends played around in the water a little bit longer, but on such a nice day the beach was rather crowded, and between little kids and big jock-types throwing frisbees, there wasn’t much room for them to hang around unless they felt like actually swimming out deeper. Tristan lingered, dunking himself under one more time, but Joey and Téa waded back out, meeting Yami and Yugi along the way. Joey teasingly grabbed the pharaoh from behind, threatening to dunk him, but Yugi told him off in no uncertain terms. “I wasn’t going to,” Joey assured them, letting go of Yami. “Lighten up, Yug.”
“It’s not nice to mess around with someone who can’t swim,” Yugi pouted.
“It’s all right, Yugi,” Yami said kindly. “I’m none the worse for wear.”
“At least I didn’t splash you,” Joey pointed out. “Hey, we’re going back up. Coming?”
“In a bit.” Yugi let go of his concern with a smile. “It’s nice and cool in here.”
“Okay. Have fun.” Joey waded back onto the beach, making his way through the shifting sand and throngs of children toward their towels.
Téa had already toweled off and sat down when Joey joined her, perching on a corner of the beach blanket in order to dry off anything that might come into contact with sand. Not too long after, Tristan returned, dripping wet and too happy to share some of the water with Joey. Téa ignored their fight, her eyes on the distant figures with distinct hairstyles still enjoying the water’s edge in their own way. When Joey had tired of trying to pay Tristan back for dripping on him, she turned to him as he stole a corner of her blanket. “I hope you guys aren’t scaring off the pharaoh,” she warned, “with all your horseplay.”
“Nah, he’s fine,” Joey said flippantly, waving a hand. “He knows to expect it from us.”
“So…” A small frown crossed Téa’s petite features. “How many times have you seen him, like this?”
Joey sobered, knowing that he couldn’t avoid the topic much longer. “Couple times. Look, Téa…it’s not that Yugi didn’t want you to see him. He did, he was really sad that one day when we thought it was Yami’s only chance at this, and you couldn’t come with us because your parents dragged you to get your visa and passport and crap. It’s not his fault the timing just hasn’t been right. At least it is now.”
She still frowned absently at the two friends wading at the edge – it appeared Yugi had bent down to fish something out of the water. “But he didn’t even tell me. That day I got my visa was months ago, we’ve hung out so many times since then. That was way before school was even over! Why didn’t he want me to know that the pharaoh was able to come out of the Puzzle?”
Joey sighed, wondering why he had to be the one to tell her this. “I can’t pretend to know the way Yugi thinks,” he began. “But if I had to guess, I’d say it’s because he didn’t know how to tell you. Tristan and I got to see him for ourselves, but can you imagine what it would have been like a few days later at school, him trying to find a way to bring that up without sounding completely insane? Besides, we thought that day was it. We didn’t know until a month ago that the ritual still worked.”
“I guess.” Téa turned to him with a questioning look. “Is there anything about it that he’s not telling me? It’s not going to hurt him, is it?”
“You know as much as I do about this ritual,” Joey answered with a shake of his head. “Far as I know, he doesn’t need help doing it.” There is something he’s not telling you, he thought. Why that is, I don’t know.
“I don’t mean to sound paranoid,” Téa said cautiously, “but it almost feels like he’s avoiding me. I’m probably just being silly…he probably wants to help the pharaoh explore the world in his own way.” She glanced back down the beach, and noted with some curiosity that the two young men were standing close together, and it appeared that Yami was clasping Yugi’s hand as he held it up between them. Whatever Yugi had picked up – a seashell, a bottle cap – he had presented to the pharaoh, but why the lingering touch and the deep gaze…?
Joey followed her gaze. “You don’t see it, do you?”
“See what?”
“Them.” Joey bobbed his head in the direction of the spiky-haired pair. “I don’t think Yugi’s avoiding you, but there’s something he needs to tell you and he just hasn’t been able to.”
“What do you mean, ‘them?’ Joey…” Téa looked back and forth between him and the scene on the water’s edge. Something about the way Yugi and Yami were looking at each other made an uncomfortable feeling pass briefly through her heart, but she pushed it aside for now. “I don’t get it. What can’t Yugi tell me?”
Joey shook his head again. “It’s not my place, Téa. He really ought to explain it. But…” He looked down the beach and almost couldn’t stop the appreciative little smirk that flew across his lips. “…if you can’t see for yourself…”
She frowned in annoyance at him, shifting her gaze back to the pair on the beach. They stood facing each other, smiling at each other, Yami clasping Yugi’s wrists as they talked about something. That uncomfortable pressure squeezed Téa’s chest again…they looked exactly as if they were…
Joey’s solemn voice put words to the thought that had just burst into her mind, making her gasp under her breath. “They’re together, Téa.”
All three of the friends gazed at Yugi and Yami in the distance in silence for a few minutes. They weren’t doing anything spectacularly obvious, but their body language implied a closeness reserved for couples. After a minute or two, Tristan muttered, “I’m going to go back in the water,” and got up, beating a hasty retreat before he could get involved.
Taking a breath, Téa regained her composure and scowled. “You’re crazy,” she declared. “That’s not possible. The pharaoh’s just a…”
“Not anymore he’s not.” Joey sighed hard. “I don’t want to say any more, it really isn’t my place to interfere. There’s a lot more to it than just seeing them standing there together. You really ought to talk to Yugi about it.”
Téa didn’t know what else to say, or whether Joey was even right. Just because the pair of young men looked like they were enjoying each other’s company didn’t mean it was so. She knew they had a bond, unique to them alone, and depended on one another to survive. Yet, some part of her worried. Joey did not make a habit of lying. She just huffed and dug in her bag for her sunglasses, intending to lie in the sun and forget about it for now, until she could corner Yugi and ask him what the hand-holding was all about.