Queer as Tachi – Chapter 84
Another full moon was finally rising above the skyline of Domino City, and midnight brought Yami to life as usual. He opened his eyes to find Yugi sprawled on the floor in front of him, holding himself up with his hands on the floor behind him, panting a little as if in exertion. Without even reaching for his bathrobe, Yami knelt before his partner and cupped his hands around his face, lifting it to be able to look him over for damage. “Just as we feared,” he said worriedly. “You didn’t get enough rest. The ritual took most of your energy.”
Yugi closed his eyes and just sat there, glad to feel the warm hands on his cheeks. “Yeah,” he breathed. “It’s okay, though. I didn’t pass out.”
Yami leaned in to give him a tender little kiss on the forehead and then straightened up, looking to see what had been laid out on the bed for him. Instead of the bathrobe, a folded set of pajamas was waiting. He didn’t mind, though – judging by the state Yugi was in, he expected they would probably be just heading to sleep. Despite the precautions they had been diligently taking every month since last winter, a combination of circumstances had rendered Yugi’s nap too short and restless to have done him enough good to withstand the ritual’s draining effect. Aware of this, Yami had warned him before slipping into those few moments of dormancy which preceded the instant when shadow magic contained in the Puzzle drew his spirit from its house and knit a corporeal form for him to inhabit for the day. At least by the time he had dressed himself in the pajamas, Yugi was alert again and able to push himself to his feet. Yami gathered him up in his arms and kissed his flushed cheeks, chuckling a little to himself as he felt the younger one snuggle into him. “Shall we get you ready for bed, then?” he murmured. “Your nap wasn’t nearly enough, you must be worn out.”
“It’s been a long day,” Yugi groaned into his chest. “Make that a long week. I’m so glad I have tomorrow off.”
“Ah yes…and your surprise for me.” Yami smiled warmly as Yugi lifted his head. “Do I get to find out what it is, or why you chose to plan a secret for me?”
“In the morning,” Yugi murmured cutely. “If you can take the suspense, that is.”
“I think I can last until morning,” the pharaoh purred. “You, on the other hand…”
“Mm…I know,” Yugi mumbled tiredly. “I want so much to be with you right now, but I know I’ll totally fall asleep in the middle of it. You can cuddle me and kiss me, though,” he added, snuggling back into his partner’s chest and nuzzling the collar of his soft pajamas. “I won’t say no to that…”
Yami laughed in his rich, deep way and stepped back, taking Yugi’s hands in his. “All right. Let’s put you into some sleepwear and tuck you in. Then I’ll cuddle you all you want until you fall asleep in my arms.”
Yugi closed his eyes and smiled dreamily as he felt himself being tugged a few steps across the room to his bureau to pick out pajamas. “Sounds perfect.” It was finally that time of year when donning full pajamas and snuggling down in the blankets would be wonderfully comfortable, and after just a few minutes of being held and lovingly kissed, Yugi was sound asleep. Yami laid awake beside him, combing his fingers through Yugi’s bedraggled bangs, until the stillness of the darkened room and his partner’s even breathing lulled him into a doze.
As he drifted slowly awake, Yami guessed it was morning thanks to the soft, moist brush of lips across his bared chest. Somehow, the top couple buttons of his pajamas were loose now, exposing him partway to his bedmate’s attentions. The pharaoh blinked his eyes open to find Yugi awake but still snuggled against him, trailing kisses over his chest and throat in a slow, lazy manner, as if it were the only thing he could think of doing so long as his cheek was pressed to his partner’s skin. Yami showed his appreciation and alerted him that he was awake with a deep chuckle of contentment. Yugi took a deep breath and sighed it out luxuriously. “Morning,” he mumbled, finally opening his eyes and smiling.
Yami purred softly, mirroring his lover’s smile. “Good morning, indeed.” He shifted enough to turn toward Yugi and tip his chin up with a graceful fingertip, positioning his lips to be warmly and hungrily kissed. Yugi responded in kind, and didn’t back off when his partner relaxed, but continued to press forward and kiss him. His enthusiasm pushed Yami fully onto his back, making the pharaoh chuckle as he felt Yugi’s lithe body slide over on top of his even though his lips never broke contact for a second. When he had a moment to breathe, he murmured, “I don’t need to ask if you have your energy back…”
“Mmm… ‘course I do,” Yugi murmured back, nibbling at his lover’s lips in between his words. “I slept so good…with you next to me…all warm and happy…”
The Millennium Puzzle jingled on its chain as it slid down beside Yami’s arm, poking him with a corner as it went. He just continued to purr his delight at being woken up in such a splendid way and stretched his arms along Yugi’s body, helping to settle him in place mostly on top of him and then cupping his ass in strong hands. The slightest brush of his fingertips helped to trace the edge of Yugi’s briefs beneath his thin pajama pants. Yugi was fully awake now and lavished him with deep, wet, sensual kisses, which eventually trailed down from his lips to his chin and then neck and throat. Yami moaned softly at the treatment, and then breathed, “Would it be foolish of me to ask whether we’re getting up now or staying in for a while?”
Yugi giggled under his breath and finally tore his lips away from his partner’s skin to answer, giving him a hazy, insolent smile with half-closed eyes. “Maybe just a little. As long as you’re in the mood for staying in bed…” He nuzzled Yami and kissed his neck once more. “…or will be in the mood, as long as I don’t stop…”
“Naturally,” Yami chuckled. “Nothing would please me more than to stay right here in this position…”
Yugi suddenly pushed himself up on his hands, but he was still grinning. “Then don’t go anywhere. I’ll be right back, I promise.”
The pharaoh’s brow twitched, but he laid back with a smile and watched in pleasure as Yugi extracted himself from the blankets and stumbled to his feet, ruffling his hair for a moment as he padded across the room to the door. He peeked curiously out for his grandfather’s whereabouts and then headed off, leaving the door cracked open. Yami sprawled back in the bed and stretched his arms over his head, finding himself growing more than awake and even a little aroused at the mere thought of Yugi coming back to bed for the sole purpose of making love. He could hear the faint sounds down the hallway that indicated his partner was merely in the bathroom, doing nothing unusual, and smiled to himself when he heard the soft shuffle of bare feet on the hallway carpet that preceded Yugi’s stealthy return. He snuck his way into the bedroom and closed the door with a gentle click, and then locked it. “There,” he half-whispered. “Not that Grandpa’s going to be coming by anytime soon, but…I like privacy.”
Yami murmured his agreement, and only crooked an arm under his head as he laid there watching Yugi cross the room to him, unbuttoning his top and wriggling out of it before burrowing back under the blankets and crawling right back into position on top of his lover. They both helped each other place the Puzzle in a comfortable spot and then wrapped their arms around each other to pick up where they had left off. Yugi was already in a desirous mood just from being in bed with his partner, now that he was fully rested and eager to make up for lost time, but the feel of the pharaoh’s firm hands caressing his ass in time with their kisses and the way it pulled Yugi down to grind against him turned up the heat in no time. He kissed Yami fiercely, taking the lead and being the first to slip his tongue into his partner’s mouth, demanding more from him. He even went so far as to unbutton Yami’s pajama top the rest of the way and push it off his shoulders, while still kissing him fiercely. Once they were both fully worked up and certain that neither was going to stop, Yugi braced his weight on his elbows and slid his arms underneath Yami’s back, clutching him tightly and keeping him trapped beneath his own body. He tilted his chin up to be able to whisper in his lover’s ear – and trace his lips softly along his neck, too. “I have a request for you…”
“Mmm?” Yami wondered, slowly opening his eyes.
Yugi kissed his way back around to Yami’s wet lips. “Would you be okay with…just lying back and letting me do something?”
Yami kissed him fully and then nipped at his lips. “Of course, Yugi,” he murmured huskily. “Anything you want.” He quirked an eyebrow, and his lips began to curve with a sly smile. “Are you of a mind to experiment?”
Yugi let the same kind of smile dawn on his face, though he blushed a little, too. “I’m kind of thinking…maybe…I’m ready to be on top. For a change.” He kissed Yami again to emphasize his loving delight. “If that’s okay with you.”
His partner responded by squeezing his ass and pulling him against himself once more. “I think that sounds wonderful. Is there any particular reason…?”
“No,” Yugi said airily with a cute little shrug. “Just…something I’ve been thinking about. You’re always so good to me, I ought to pay you back for all the wonderful things you’ve ever done to me.” He leaned in and pressed their noses together with a little chuckle. “I think by now I know how it’s supposed to work.”
“Mm, good,” Yami said silkily. “Then I can just lie back and let you have your way with me.”
“I guess so.” Yugi wrapped his arms around his lover’s shoulders, instead, and pulled himself up so they were eye to eye, nose to nose, and stared down into his eyes with a delicious smile. “I may not be as aggressive as you are, but…I want to try it. I want you to feel what it’s like…more than just my fingers, anyway…”
Yami nodded with a little hum of agreement in his throat. They had experimented that much, and it was the feel of Yugi’s nimble fingers stroking inside him one night that made the pharaoh want more – want it all. He knew it would take time for Yugi to build the courage to see himself as the top, and had been patiently waiting for this moment for a while. His body twitched just from the anticipation. “I’m glad,” he murmured up at his love. “Please…have me. I want to share it all with you.”
They easily melted into another kiss, one that lasted forever. Yami’s hands splayed across Yugi’s bare back, pulling him in for more, while beneath the sheets he parted his legs so Yugi could rest comfortably on top of him in a provocative position. That way, they could both feel how the other was already getting hard and clearly wanted this. They wrapped themselves around each other and kissed for a long time, gradually becoming more fervent and deep, until Yugi descended lower and ran his moist lips all across his partner’s chest. He could feel the particular hardness against his stomach, as he slid himself lower to be able to reach Yami’s nipple and the upper part of his stomach, but it was the pharaoh’s soft moans that assured him that what he was doing was just right. He lifted his gaze to see Yami lying with his head tilted back, eyes closed, a look of pure rapture on his face. Chuckling to himself, Yugi went back to kissing every inch of his lover’s warm, solid body, taking his time for no particular reason other than he could. They were in no rush to get anywhere, with the whole day ahead of them, and only he knew what their plans were going to be.
A hand combed its way into Yugi’s hair, idly brushing his bangs away from his face, while he luxuriously favored Yami’s nearest nipple with his full attention. The chain around his neck warmed from their body heat where it lay wedged between his arm and his partner’s side. Each let his hands roam the other’s form, whether Yami’s hand in Yugi’s hair or Yugi’s fingertips stroking along Yami’s flanks beneath the folds of his open pajama top. The pharaoh was perfectly content to lie there and be the recipient of such lavish treatment, his eyes half-closed and a dreamy smile on his lips as he watched Yugi run nibbling kisses along the softest part of his stomach. He didn’t know what he had done to earn this gift, but he wasn’t about to take it for granted. He continued to comb his fingers through Yugi’s hair, caressing the top of his head, to encourage him to keep on doing as he pleased. It wasn’t long before his quiet contentment took a sudden turn – when Yugi slid a hand down into his pajama pants and around the curve of his ass, his fingers groping towards more sensitive places. Yami gave a gasping sigh and crooked his leg in such a way as to allow further exploration. Giggling, Yugi nuzzled his stomach and settled down to trace his fingertips along the muscle lines of his partner’s hips and abdomen. “Ready?” he asked teasingly.
Chuckling as well, Yami pushed himself up on one elbow and slipped his fingers into his own waistband. “Of course. As are you.” His voice lowered seductively. “I can tell.”
Yugi pushed himself up also and sat on his knees, placing one hand to his lover’s shoulder and taking his wrist with the other. “No, no. My job, this time.”
The pharaoh’s eyebrows lifted subtly. “You want to do the honors?”
“I told you…” The young one gave him an impish smile and ran his hand down his partner’s bared chest. “You just relax and let me do the work. I want to do for you the same things you do for me.”
Yami smiled indulgently and smoothed his fingertips along Yugi’s cheek. “Very well, then. I can’t argue with that.”
Yugi smiled back and took over while the pharaoh laid back on his elbows and prepared to lift his hips when it was called for. Off came the pajamas, and Yugi tossed them aside on the floor before bending to kiss his lover’s exposed body, hips and thighs and everywhere except the one part that burned with eagerness. A few more kisses, and then he straightened up and doffed his own pants, leaving himself fully naked except for the Puzzle swinging around his neck as he crawled over Yami and insisted with a gentle push to his shoulder that he ought to lie down and not worry. Their lips met even as Yami settled back down into the pillow, nestling into a warm nest formed by the blankets and his half-askew top which was now clinging merely to his elbows and bunched underneath him. Yugi knelt between his legs, pressing his thighs against the pharaoh’s to keep him lying down and waiting eagerly for the feel of their heated bodies brushing against each other. The Puzzle came to rest heavily on Yami’s stomach, making him chuckle in his throat in amusement even while Yugi continued to kiss him hotly, holding himself up on hands and knees. Yami reached up and tickled his fingertips along Yugi’s flanks, caressing in long, sweeping motions as the kiss deepened and drove him wild with delight. When at last they broke for breath again, Yami managed to purr under his breath, “I like this side of you, Yugi.”
“It isn’t a side of me,” Yugi said shyly as he sat back a little on his heels, keeping his hands where they were on either side of his partner’s shoulders. “I’m just…really excited.” He lowered his head very near to Yami’s chest and let his lips glance across his skin, though his eyes were still raised to watch his partner’s face. Yami gave him a moan of delight in response. “I can’t wait,” Yugi added in a breathy whisper.
Yami’s hands came to rest on Yugi’s arms, stroking gently. “Then, by all means,” he encouraged in the same low tone.
Heat rushed through Yugi’s body from head to toes, making him blush, but at the same time energizing him to push himself up again and press a ferocious kiss to Yami’s lips, leaving him gasping. The pharaoh’s hands closed on the curves of Yugi’s shoulders, holding him down for more of that, forcing Yugi to rely on other means of advancing their passion. He lowered his hips and rubbed his body, his erection, tantalizingly against Yami’s hips, his thighs butting up against his partner’s to demand that they spread wider for him. Very quickly, Yami had to tear his lips away to let out a deep groan, his hips tilting upward to receive and encourage his partner’s aggressive, playful action. Yugi indulged him for a bit, but then backed away, pushing himself up again and letting the Puzzle drag across the pharaoh’s stomach as he slid back and sat curled between his feet, smiling hungrily as he reached to tease his fingertip over the head of the erection he loved so much. It wasn’t that he had never been in this particular position before, but he was in the mood to touch and caress, to pay loving attention to Yami’s body and show his appreciation before taking that final step, the one thing he hadn’t done before. Sitting with his weight on one hand, he leaned over Yami and plied his fingers up and down his length, his touch feather-light and sensual. The pharaoh laid with his eyes closed, quietly moaning now and again when Yugi’s touch provoked him. He had managed to work one arm free of his pajama top, and now had his hand resting on his forehead, trying to concentrate on relaxing and just enjoying everything. It was difficult, with Yugi doing such a wonderful job at arousing him, but they were both so familiar with each other that he knew Yugi would stop or change tactics before too long. Sure enough, he then felt the gentle touch meander downward, beneath him, testingly brushing around the edges of his opening. A hazy smile crossed Yami’s lips as he looked to see Yugi focused on his efforts, though he, too, wore a little smile of enjoyment. He glanced coyly up to meet his partner’s eyes even while he sat and rubbed his fingertip lightly across his opening, merely teasing for now, awakening his sensitive nerve endings with that feathery caress. After a few moments, he withdrew and leaned across the bed to fetch the lubrication hiding in its customary place in the niche above the bed. On second thought, he left it hiding behind his stuffed puppy-dog’s foot and plucked up the vial of rose oil instead, noticing that they were almost out. There was perhaps just enough left for this session, which was all they needed. He filled the palm of his hand with a small amount of oil and capped the vial for later, wanting to start out slowly. He rubbed his fingers in the pool of oil until they were suitably coated, and then leaned close, gently guiding Yami’s legs wider apart so he could reach under him and find his place again.
The pharaoh willingly slid his foot up around his partner’s hip to open himself wider, even as he felt the warm, oily fingertips probing again. He gave a long sigh as he relaxed himself, and then felt one finger push inside. It was just as he had hoped, just as he needed. Yugi would not stop with one this time, and satisfy him merely with the penetrating touch and stroking that had driven him to ecstasy before. When his body had grown accustomed to it, Yugi carefully pushed two fingers inside, and moved them very slowly. Yami’s body trembled a little, but then relaxed and permitted the intrusion. Yugi smiled to himself to see it, to look up and behold his lover’s beautiful figure sprawled out on the bed, wanting and needing him this way. Some part of Yugi was still a little shy, considering himself in that position, moving that way, but he wanted it enough to get over his hesitation rather quickly – all it took was one look at Yami’s face, and the light in his violet eyes. He trusted and loved Yugi, he didn’t even need to say so. Yet, it was he who groped for the vial of rose oil first, and with an adoring smile, pushed himself up on his elbow. Yugi watched, about to protest, as Yami dumped the rest of the oil into his hand and then crooked his fingers at his partner. “Come,” he purred between panting breaths – Yugi’s fingers were still inside him, but at rest, now. “I want to touch you.”
Yugi withdrew his fingers, making his partner gasp, and then rose up a little on his knees. “What do you…?”
Yami tilted his head up, able to just barely glance his lips across his young love’s. “As I said,” he breathed. “I want to touch you. May I?”
Such a delicate plea made Yugi shiver with thrill, and only nod mutely in agreement. The pharaoh was sitting up enough to be able to reach him, and Yugi knelt there with wide eyes as his lover’s oiled palm came around him and stroked him gently, transferring all of the slick wetness to his erection. He was preparing him for the final step, lovingly sharing in the moment instead of just lying back to wait. Yugi began to breathe even more heavily, not just from the obvious hand on him but from the thought of them working together, equally involved, and the heady scent of roses that awakened his desire through the memories of what it meant to them. Yami stroked him until he was sure it was enough, and then blessed him with a playful flick of his fingertip across the head. Yugi gasped and groaned lightly as the pharaoh laid back down and stretched himself out to receive, arching his sinewy body and smiling seductively from under his long eyelashes. It was all up to Yugi, now, and he fell heavily onto his hands to catch his breath, appreciating the moment. When he felt himself ready, he ran a hand along his partner’s thigh, caressing but also beginning to direct him. Yami lifted his foot, and when Yugi scooted closer, gracefully slid it up over his shoulder until the back of his knee rested more or less comfortably on Yugi’s shoulder. Yugi had to position his hand just right on the bed to allow for his partner’s flexibility, and get his knees a little closer so he could brace himself. The fact that Yami was slightly taller than him was going to make this interesting, but he figured he could take it slow at the start, test and find a good position before really getting into it. He glanced down, and realized there was one more matter to be taken care of – the Puzzle was completely in the way. With his free hand, Yugi picked it up and swung it around over his back, taking a moment to settle the chain so it wasn’t pulling back against his throat. Now he could see down, see their bodies so close to contact and the pharaoh’s erection standing ready. Yugi gave it a loving caress before reaching around under him to find the opening already slick with oil. Yami chuckled a little as he watched from his position how Yugi needed to guide himself, watching the young one’s brow knit a little in concentration as he fumbled and then found his way. And then, everything changed, throwing Yami’s mind into blissful chaos when Yugi pushed inside him.
There was pain, but only briefly, as Yugi overcame resistance and entered him, and then they both rested to give it time to adjust. Yugi knew this drill all too well, having been through it countless times. He was more than used to it by now, but he remembered his own first time and knew the pharaoh’s miraculous body would be completely unaccustomed to the intrusion. But the hand groping over the bedsheets to find his where it braced near Yami’s hip assured him that he was doing this correctly, that the moment’s pause was appreciated and they were about to experience something wonderful together. Their fingers entwined, and Yami gave him a little nod to say that he was ready. Yugi leaned forward a little more, resting his other hand at his partner’s side, with Yami’s leg hooked around his hip – they weren’t going to get a better position than that. Closing his eyes, Yugi took a deep breath and gave his first push. The pharaoh gave a gasping groan of astonishment, his body involuntarily tensing. His hand covering Yugi’s squeezed, and Yugi squeezed back in assurance. The foot resting practically in the small of his back moved slightly, caressing in encouragement, so Yugi simply bit his lip and pushed again, already enthralled with the exquisite feeling of being clutched inside a tight grip that sent fire through his whole body with just the barest friction. Likewise, Yami found himself beginning to understand why Yugi loved to give himself so often without any thought to switching positions. It was new and uncomfortable but also exciting and soon enough, would be amazing. He held tight to Yugi’s hand and willingly bent his body to patiently receive, to allow Yugi comfort and control despite the pharaoh’s long legs wrapped around him. Yugi took a few thrusts to get adjusted, and then began to smile hazily as he found himself able to move more easily, to sink further inside without resistance. Appropriately, a sparkle of delight awakened in Yami’s eyes and his glistening lips curved in a pleased smile, his gasps tinged with small moans. They gazed at each other, at sweaty skin and disheveled hair shining in the morning sun falling down through the skylight, and shared a mutual smile. Yugi was doing just fine, and getting the hang of it no less. He shifted his knees back just enough to brace himself better, and began to speed up.
Yami closed his eyes and let his head fall back into the pillow, relaxing his body and letting Yugi’s weight push him down with every short, quick thrust. They had found that point where their bodies fit perfectly together, where everything fell into sync and let them concentrate solely on the blissful look on the face across from them that told each how good their partner felt. Yugi was fully committed to his part in it, rocking his lithe little body forward and back in steady rhythm, voicing some of the strain of being so energetic with every panting breath. Yami’s hands were clasped on his wrists, hanging onto him and gently encouraging with little caresses. At one pause to rest and possibly reposition, Yugi let his weight sag onto his hands and tossed his head to keep the trailing ends of his blond bangs out of his eyes. He blinked, then, as Yami stretched and maneuvered his other foot up over Yugi’s other shoulder, in effect tilting himself fully back to allow his lover the best access. Yugi’s shoulders were now braced behind Yami’s knees, a precarious position for the pharaoh were he not so flexible. It gave Yugi complete control over the moment. He smiled his appreciation and resumed where he left off, now able to just brace his hands on the bed and push forward with all his might, having his partner’s thighs there to tell him when it was too much. After a few moments of this, Yami suddenly pressed his head back into the pillow with a cry. “Yugi!” he gasped when he could make his mouth form words. “What…what is…ohh…”
Yugi blushed hotly, but didn’t let up for a moment. “Did I find that spot…?”
The pharaoh’s long groan answered in the affirmative. It was easy to reach with just gentle, probing fingers, but to hit the sweet spot this way took the right maneuvering, and Yugi was a little pleased with himself (though modestly so, if he was blushing so easily) to have done it on the first try. Smiling impishly to himself, he shortened his thrust and quickened even more, eager to bring his lover the most pleasure possible. The way Yami reacted, clinging harder to him, gasping louder, brought Yugi so much joy that he forgot all about being shy and embarrassed and just kept going, feeling himself close to the edge and wanting to bring Yami there just as quickly, so as not to overtake him and leave him wanting. Fortunately, he had nothing to worry about. The pharaoh’s gasps became soft, low cries, and then his head rolled to the side as he let out an uncontrollable, deep-voiced cry. His body bent beneath Yugi trembled and then unleashed, his shoulders arching back against the bed as he came, and came hard, judging by the force of the gasping yelp that escaped his lungs. A few more quick thrusts and Yugi joined him, surging his hips forward one last time to press himself in place as his body shook and emptied, his mouth hanging soundlessly open for each panting breath. He began to fall toward Yami, who took his feet down from over his partner’s shoulders and wrapped them around his waist instead, keeping them coupled for a few minutes longer. One heel kicked the Puzzle, making it rattle to remind them both that it still existed. Yugi sagged even further down, and gratefully collapsed onto his lover as arms came around him and hugged him. He rested his head on the pharaoh’s chest for a few moments, until their cooling bodies needed to part and he could finally crawl up alongside Yami to hold him. Strong arms curled around his shoulders and pulled him in, so that their bodies lay nestled together, sticky and warm and still breathing heavily. At long last, the pharaoh’s throaty purr broke the silence between them. “You are so wonderful, Yugi…”
Yugi nuzzled him, but decided that laying there with his eyes closed felt too good to interrupt just yet by moving around. “Did you like it?” he murmured coyly.
“Wonderful,” Yami repeated. “I love you so. Thank you.” He snuggled Yugi tightly in his arms and pressed a kiss weakly to his forehead. “Thank you for indulging me this once.”
Yugi purred as he nestled into his lover’s arms. “I don’t think it’s going to be just once…”
“Mmm?” Yami chuckled softly. “Did you like it, yourself? Want to give it another try?”
“I can definitely see the appeal.” Yugi had finally recovered enough to lift his head and grace his partner’s lips with a kiss. “I’m so glad you’re here,” he added. “I love you, too.”
The pharaoh smiled sweetly, and gave him a few more kisses back. They laid together for a while, occasionally whispering cuteness to each other but mostly just taking advantage of the lull to appreciate each others’ warm, naked, beautiful bodies. The long session had left Yami thoroughly satisfied by everything Yugi had wanted to do for him, but still curious as to why he was being treated so special. It couldn’t have been making up for their little tiff over miscommunication, could it? Eventually, Yugi stirred and mumbled something about it being a good idea to get up and shower, and his stomach growled to remind him that there was something else they ought to be doing as well. They tumbled out of bed together and helped each other to the shower, taking a little extra time to fondle and tease each other under the water, and then found themselves some clothing and headed off to the kitchen to make a late breakfast. There, Yami snuck up behind his adorable young lover and laid his hands on his hips so he could lean in and nuzzle behind Yugi’s ear. “So,” he murmured, “isn’t it time you told me more about this surprise of yours? Or have I already been treated to it?”
Yugi giggled at the affectionate caress of lips on his neck and glanced over his shoulder with a smile. “No, that was just the beginning. Actually…” He turned around in his partner’s arms and beamed up at him. “Well, you see…I’ve been thinking. You really have become someone special to me, now that you can visit in the flesh every month, but you still get treated like just an afterthought. You don’t have very much that you can call your own – just this,” he noted, touching the silver ankh pendant hanging around the pharaoh’s neck, “and a few shirts you got as gifts for the holidays over the past year or so. Everything else, you have to borrow from me. That’s not right.” He gazed up at Yami with mingled concern and interest. “I want to take you out and spend money on you. I want to take you shopping, to get some things for yourself. Clothes and shoes and a jacket, maybe.”
Yami’s violet eyes widened. “Yugi…” After a moment, he began to smile. “That’s very thoughtful of you. But I don’t really need anything. Your clothes fit me fine.”
“But I don’t want you to go the rest of our lives just wearing my hand-me-downs,” Yugi explained with a touch of exasperation. “You are your own person, you should have things that belong to you. Things that maybe I can borrow while you’re in the Puzzle,” he added with a wink. The flash of amusement passed, though, leaving him serious and wide-eyed with innocence. “This has gone way beyond an experiment to find out if you could remember what life should be like. You’re living your life again, in some way. You’re a separate person, and I want you to be able to really feel like you are, when you’re outside the Puzzle like this. You’re still stuck with me,” he said with a wry smile, “but that doesn’t mean you can’t be yourself. Find your own style, decide what you want instead of just digging through my closet.”
Yami laughed gently, rubbing his hands along Yugi’s arms. “You’re not going to take no for an answer, are you? No matter how much I insist it’s not necessary?”
“Come on,” Yugi implored. “I got the latest check for the game test from Kaiba yesterday, he’s paid me generously for consulting with him and even though I put a lot of it aside, I have enough left to spend on you. We’ve never celebrated your birthday, since we don’t know when it is,” he added. “I want to get you presents, and treat you to anything you want. What do you say?”
Yami was, in fact, wearing one of the warm shirts Grandpa Muto had gotten him last Christmas, but he could see the logic and the appeal of Yugi’s suggestion. He gave his love a curious smile. “Is there any particular reason to pick this day?”
“No…it was just the next full moon coming up, after I first had the idea.” Yugi shrugged. “It doesn’t matter, I just want to make this day about you. Please?”
“All right,” Yami chuckled, hugging him. “If it will make you happy, I would be pleased to waste your money. I suppose…” He stepped back and smirked at his partner. “Your boots are a little tight on me.”
“Then we’ll get you a pair of your own,” Yugi promised. “Anything you want. Thanks to Kaiba, I have enough to take good care of you.”
It was a cool day, but sunny, just right for October. Yugi and Yami both donned light jackets before stepping outside to go enjoy a day of shopping, though Yami’s need to wear Yugi’s old school jacket only drove home the point that he really needed some clothes to call his own. They spent most of the day walking around the city, just the two of them, picking and choosing the stores to peer into and maybe find something to the pharaoh’s liking. Yami’s only real experience with concepts like style and fashion came through Yugi’s personality, and while he had absolutely no problem with the things Yugi liked to wear, he had never really explored his own personality to see what, in this modern world, he might like himself. It was clear, the more they wandered around hand in hand and peeped into store windows, that there were more choices than just those espoused by Yugi and his group of friends. Watching Yami ponder and peruse racks of shirts or displays of jewelry in store after store kept Yugi in high spirits, leaving him with a bright grin on his face and the occasional giggle. They started with a new pair of stylish boots, since they knew for sure the pharaoh needed his own, and then a coat for the winter months, but from there on, it was entirely up to his whim. After deciding on a coat he liked, Yami started to find interest in the hunt, or at least was able to go around looking at things with a selective eye rather than dismiss the mere concept of shopping based on his assumption that it was something he didn’t need to do. The first time he actually stopped and went back to something he had passed because it caught his eye made Yugi beam in secret thrill – he wanted to see this side of his partner, him acting like a normal guy, and it seemed he had finally pulled it out of him. They had gone in and out of a few stores in disinterest, but Yami was finally getting into it, and in the next store modestly chose a shirt he liked before shyly displaying it to Yugi for his opinion. Yugi was of a mind that his lover would look downright sexy in it, and the price was right, so they got it. It opened up the doors for the pharaoh to seek his style and pick out a new wardrobe, though cautiously, as he considered that he only inhabited this body twelve or thirteen days out of the year and thus didn’t really need a lot. A couple of shirts, a pair of jeans, and then he found himself captivated by some slinky pants just right for clubbing and couldn’t tear himself away from them. Yugi smirked, but agreed, and assured him that they could afford it. It was, after all, prudent to prepare for the activities they liked to do, of which dancing was a major one. Such an argument brought a wry smile to Yami’s face, and he agreed to take the sexy pants.
As they walked, holding hands, they talked, as if they didn’t spend every day between rituals chatting idly with one another across their mental bond. In his enthusiastic mood, Yugi was full of chatter, and seeing as Yami was in a fairly playful mood himself, they kept up a casual banter throughout their course from store to store. Even though Yami knew every nuance of his life, Yugi felt like talking about it anyway, from his expectations and questions about the Tokyo Game Expo and going on vacation with his grandfather to the band they were going to see play at Duke’s that night. Most of the gang was going to be there, or so Yugi expected – Duke and Tristan obviously, and maybe Joey, at least – but apart from talking about them, Yugi and Yami didn’t spare too much thought for the others. This day was for them to spend together, no interlopers or interruptions, until the concert. That was why they were out on their own instead of spectating at Duke’s tournament, anyway. Yugi wanted as much time with Yami as possible, and even mentioned not staying too long at Duke’s so they could have some time to themselves before midnight. But Yami stopped him there. “I’m not going to let you leave the concert early on my account,” he warned with a twinkle in his eyes. “You’ve been going on about this band all week, you were dancing around your room to the CD yesterday…”
Yugi’s cheeks flushed brilliantly red. “Of all the times for you to be paying attention to what I’m doing…”
Yami tossed his head back and laughed richly. “It was adorable, of course I was paying attention.” He stopped and tugged Yugi around by their perpetually-joined hands, sweeping him majestically into his arms. “Come, now. This is already a wonderful, special day. There’s no need for you to run and hide from your friends and a concert you want to see just to spend some time with me.” He leaned in close with a smirk for his partner. “Besides…how do you know I don’t want to stay for the whole thing?”
Yugi lowered his eyes shyly and smiled at his lover’s proximity. “Well, if you were watching me dance, you heard the music…”
“They sound interesting. I’ve never been to a concert, you realize.” Yami gave him a knowing look, prodding Yugi to grin and shrug in agreement. “We shall simply, as you like to say, play it by ear. As long as we’re safely back in your room a minute before midnight, whatever else happens before then is up to the whim of fate.”
“All right, then,” Yugi said smartly, clasping his partner’s hands and twirling him around once in place as if dancing. “Come on, I’m hungry. Let’s go have lunch somewhere. And then maybe go to some cool stores I’ve always wanted to look in – but never with Joey along because he would make fun of me.”
“Joey just doesn’t have the same taste as you,” Yami said kindly, falling into step beside him.
They found a little café where they could get some lunch, and spent the rest of the afternoon looking for places specific to Yugi’s particular taste in clothing, as they held the most promise. Yami may not have wanted to consider himself that identical to Yugi, that he would choose to purchase the exact same clothing, but he was quickly growing accustomed to the exercise and knew himself well enough to know that he would not, given his personal choice, dress akin to Joey or Tristan or even Kaiba. It seemed he could get away with a few outfits Yugi adored but was too shy to wear himself, though now that he was out of school and under no one’s thumb, he was letting himself push the boundaries of his own taste a little. In the end, both of them considered it a day well-spent, with plenty of treasures to bring home and make room in the closet for. Some would stay out, though, for Yami to change into before going over to Duke’s shop. They had to make an early dinner, first, and bring some down into the shop to Grandpa before even thinking of going out.
The rival game shop not far from their own was thronged with kids in unusually high concentrations, rather like the regional Duel Monsters tournament almost a year ago. Being as they were tight with the shop owner, Yugi and Yami were allowed to bypass the minimal admission fee being charged to anyone coming for just the concert and after-party – participants from the Dungeon Dice Monsters tournament got in free as well. Sharply dressed in concert-appropriate attire, the wild-haired couple waved a hello to the familiar employees of Duke’s shop taking admission at the door and passed through into a cacophony of light and sound. The place was packed, with a curious mix of young gamer types and girls in short skirts. It was rather obvious who was here for the tournament, and who was here to see Bad Luck. Yugi and Yami made their way slowly through the crowd, keeping an eye out for anyone familiar, but familiar found them first; they suddenly heard Tristan’s “Hey!” over the noise of babbling voices and video games. Both heads turned sharply and erupted with smiles to see their friend squeezing his way through knots of kids half his size. “Boy, crazy, isn’t it?” he said by way of greeting when he reached them. “What’s up? Good to see you guys!”
“Hey Tristan!” Yugi said brightly. “This is awesome! I can’t believe how many people are here.”
“Yeah, it’s kind of beyond expectations,” Tristan grinned. “Here, let’s take your coats upstairs. It’s much more secure than the coat room down here.”
The pair eagerly followed him up the stairs to the office, and through the adjoining door to the apartment where they could safely stash their jackets. “How’s it going?” Yugi wondered as soon as they were in the quiet and could hear each other again. “Is Duke handling everything okay?”
“It’s going pretty well,” Tristan said with a casual nod. “Turnout for the tournament was pretty good – the Dice Monsters leagues are serious about what they do, they all came out to compete. They’re just entering the final round now, I came up to check on things upstairs – Duke’s overseeing everything down in the dungeon arenas.”
“Yeah, I figured,” Yugi nodded. “Sorry we didn’t make it out to watch…Yami and I kind of wanted to have the day to ourselves.”
“No surprise there.” Tristan smiled widely at them. “It’s cool, I didn’t think we’d see you or anybody else since you don’t really play the game. Lookin’ pretty sharp there, Yami,” he added toward the pharaoh.
Yami smiled coyly – he had slipped into his new clubbing pants and some of the new jewelry he had picked out. “We went shopping today,” he explained.
“Ah…” Tristan shared a knowing grin with Yugi and then gestured for them to follow. “Well, come check it out. We’ve got all the arcade games set up to play right up until the concert. It’ll start as soon as the finals of the tournament are over and the winner is decided, so…we’ve got time to hang out.”
Yugi and Yami went back downstairs with him, and looked around at the setup. The rear of the store where different displays usually sat, changing from month to month with the hottest new trends, had been cleared out and a temporary stage set up, with the floor area around it cordoned off. People could come and go through the area at the moment, but some were already camping out close to the stage to get the best view. Everyone else in the store was currently gathered around the arcade games and DDR stage, playing or watching others play to kill time. As long as it was going on, Yugi decided it would be nice of them to at least go down and have a peek at the final rounds of the Dungeon Dice Monsters tournament, so Tristan accompanied them for lack of anything better to do. They stayed long enough to nudge Duke and let him know they were there, and to watch a few turns pass between two very serious opponents, and then went back upstairs to mingle with the crowd and maybe play a round or two of DDR. The glimpse of the action downstairs was enough to figure out that it might be a while before the concert started. By that time Joey had shown up, and was clearly searching the room for them in turn. “There you are!” he cried in exasperation as they strove to meet each other in the crowd. “Damn, there’s a lot of kids here.”
“Hey, Joey!” Yugi chirped.
“What’s up? Where’s Mai?” Tristan added.
“Working,” Joey responded with an annoyed sigh. “She’s got a big deadline, she’s working late. Not enough hours in the day if you ask me.”
“Aw, that’s no fun,” Yugi pouted. “She’s going to miss a really cool show.”
“Eh, this isn’t her thing,” Joey assured. “She only kinda-sorta likes bands like this, but being surrounded by so many munchkins wouldn’t be any fun either. Truth be told,” he added with a shrug, “they’re not my favorite band either, but hey. Can’t pass up a free concert.”
“Oh, I can’t wait for the show,” Yugi said enthusiastically. “I’ve been listening to their CD all week, this should be really good.”
“Oh, you like that eurobeat stuff?” Joey chided.
“They’re not eurobeat! They’re sort of…somewhere in between rock and techno.”
“I heard their sound check earlier,” Tristan offered. “They sounded pretty good.”
Yugi looked excitedly around. “Where are they now? Hiding out from their fans?”
“We set up the back rooms as dressing rooms for them. I suppose if you promise to be good I can take you back there,” Tristan grinned. “Being as I’m in charge of hospitality and all.”
Yugi’s eyes widened, but then he shook his head. “No, I won’t intrude on their privacy. They’ll have enough of fans trying to get close to them, I don’t want to bother them.”
Joey nodded at Tristan. “Duke’s downstairs?”
“Yeah. Final round. We just came up from there.”
“Ah, yeah.” Joey clasped his hands behind his head and slowly looked around, casting a smug glance on some of the younger kids clustered around the arcade games. “Eh, I don’t really care that much. I’m just here to hang out. And for the promise of free food.”
“The after-party isn’t until after the concert,” Tristan taunted. “You’ll just have to wait.”
“Or I can just go up into your flat and get a beer from the fridge,” Joey said snidely back.
Tristan shrugged his acceptance of the possibility. “I suppose. You guys want anything? I can just go upstairs and get stuff for us. Or from the hospitality rooms – the band’s singer does not need any more caffeine,” he noted with a wry grin.
“Well, as long as you’re offering,” Yugi replied with a cute grin, “I won’t say no.”
“Yami?”
“Sure,” the pharaoh said with a quiet smile.
“All right. Be right back.”
Tristan left them clustered there in a corner of the shop while he ducked upstairs to his home to fetch some sodas for his friends. Yugi and Yami withdrew with Joey to stand around and chat. “You’ll have to tell Mai we missed her,” Yugi implored of his friend. “We don’t get to all hang out together all that often. Someone’s always too busy.”
“Yeah, well…it’s gonna get even busier,” Joey sighed. “I mean, I’ve got school, she’s got work, and now we both have to find time to plan this damn wedding on top of it.” He closed his eyes in a wince and shook his head. “I am not looking forward to that part. I want to just be married, already, but no…”
“Well, what’s to plan?” Yugi said cheerfully in an attempt to lighten his best friend’s spirits. “You’ve already picked the place to have it, right?”
“Yeah,” Joey said with a wary look at his pal. “We had to book that as soon as possible to get the date.”
“Good! And you already have your wedding party picked out, we’ve all agreed to do it.” He glanced at Yami with a smile; he and Tristan had agreed to be Joey’s attendants, equally, neither of them “best man” over the other. “And you told your parents, and all your friends know. Everything else is optional! You don’t really need the lace and the flowers, and the cake…”
“There better be cake,” Tristan interrupted as he returned to them with several cans of soda in his hands.
“Thank you, Tristan,” Yami said for all of them as they snatched sodas from him.
“No sweat. Talking about the wedding again?” he wondered with a teasing grin for Joey. “I’m with Yugi – you don’t need all that fancy stuff. The important people already know about it, you set the date. We’ll all just show up there, get you married, and then go out and party.”
“Yeah, but you know Mai,” Joey warned. “She may be a tough girl, but she’s still a girl, and she’s all into this wedding stuff. Maybe not as bad as some, but…she’s got it pretty bad. And I don’t want to be the evil boyfriend leaving her to plan everything by herself, even though I’m up to here in classes and homework and papers.” He held a hand just above his head, and then glanced up at it with a groan. “And I gotta spend all next term making arrangements to get like a student teaching gig, or an internship or something for my last year of school. It’s gonna kill me.”
“What, school or the wedding?” Tristan snorted.
“As long as Mai knows when to go easy on you,” Yugi said gently to assuage his worries. “She knows you’re in the toughest part of your schooling, she’s not going to let the wedding plans get in the way of it. And I don’t think she’s the type to go off the deep end with the planning,” he added smartly. “She may be excited to have a pretty wedding, but she’s still Mai Valentine.”
“Yeah, say that again when you’re being fitted for a tux,” Joey said with an evil grin.
The smile slid abruptly off Yugi’s face. “A what? Oh no…”
“I’m tryin’ to talk her out of it, but…yeah.” Joey snickered with glee now that he wasn’t alone in the torture. “Just you wait. It’s not final yet, I think we still get a couple months to argue over how we want it done, but…it might happen. At the very least, you’re not standing up for my wedding dressed like this.” He flipped back the tip of Yugi’s shirt collar with a finger.
Yami didn’t quite know exactly what they were debating, but somehow, it was making him extremely glad that he was going to be there merely as a spectator, not one of Joey’s attendants. He had thankfully reasoned his way out of that one. He glanced at Tristan and smiled in preface to a skillful change of subject. “How is your new job going, Tristan?”
Tristan lowered his soda from taking a drink. “Not too bad, actually,” he replied. “It took a little getting used to at first, but I like it. And they’re good about letting me have off when I want it.” He raised his soda in toast. “Couldn’t have gotten through today without it.”
Yugi smiled. “I bet Duke was real happy to have you around to help.”
Tristan smiled back, looking rather pleased that Yugi understood completely. “Something like that,” he said modestly.
“Schmoozing with the band, that couldn’t have been too hard,” Joey snorted.
“Hey, I did more than that,” Tristan said indignantly. “My new job actually came in handy – I helped them set up the sound system and get all the wiring done right so we don’t blow a fuse in here with the first note. I was the only one in the building who knew what to do.”
“Cool! That’s good, I’m proud of you, Tristan,” Yugi enthused. “I’m glad you’re finally doing something that makes you happy.”
Tristan shook his head. “It wouldn’t matter what I was doing, as long as home was still as happy as ever. And it is.” He suddenly gave Joey a casual smack across the chest with the back of his hand. “Whatever Mai does to you over this wedding thing, don’t you ever forget that. When you’re so frustrated that it makes you rethink ever asking her to marry you, that’s when you’ve crossed that line and need to just say ‘screw it’ and elope. And think about those of us who won’t ever get that chance,” he added heavily with a solemn look toward his friend.
Yugi nodded his agreement. “Don’t worry, Joey. You’ll be fine. And at least you get to marry Mai – the rest of us won’t ever get to do that.”
Joey lowered his gaze sheepishly. “I don’t know what the big fuss is,” he tried to joke. “Mai and I are already living together. Getting married…it’s just like a formality or something. We’re no different from you guys.”
“Then why’d you ask her?” Tristan asked dryly.
Joey shrugged awkwardly. “It’s…well…you know. I love her. I want to be with her for the rest of my life. It’s just one of those things you just do. At least…couples like us just do.” He lifted his gaze and fixed each of his friends with serious brown eyes. “I wish you guys could, too. But what you got ain’t no different from what I got. I just get to wear a suit and see all my relatives for a day and then pay different taxes for the privilege.”
Tristan slapped an amiable hand to his shoulder. Yugi glanced down at the ring on his left hand, which was nestled comfortably in the warm shelter of his embodied partner’s. Then, he heard Yami’s placid murmur. “Then, it’s just the principle,” he wisely noted. “Not for any gain, but simply the public recognition of promises made to each other.”
The others all nodded slowly. “Yeah, but just you wait,” Joey said with a wry note beginning to creep back into his voice. “I’d say right around, oh, probably end of March, I’m gonna be wishing I had your excuse not to go through a wedding.”
They all laughed it off together. Yugi took a breath and let it out in a little sigh before tugging at his partner’s hand. “Come on, I want to play at least one round of DDR before the concert. I have a feeling we’ll be too tired afterward.”
“All right,” Yami consented, giving Joey and Tristan a sultry smile as he was dragged away across the game shop to stand in line for the game.
Joey watched them go, with Tristan still leaning against his shoulder. “Maybe Yugi’s right,” he murmured after a moment. “I should just be happy that I have the right to get married to Mai and live happily ever after. I get this weird feeling…” A conflicted look passed across his face. “…like he ain’t gonna be so lucky.”
“Yugi?” Tristan wondered. “I don’t think it’s possible for him and Yami to break up. They’re made for each other. That’d be kind of awkward, sharing the same body and all…”
“No, they won’t break up. Ah, never mind.” Joey waved a hand dismissively. “Forget I said anything. I don’t wanna talk about my stupid wedding anymore, I’m here to forget everything – forget school, forget that paper I’m supposed to be writing – and just have fun. That’s all there is to it.”
Tristan smacked him amiably once more. “I’m with you on that one.”
Author’s note: Bad Luck and the members thereof appear courtesy of Gravitation, if you hadn’t figured that out by now. Just a little cameo for fanservice’s sake. Thanks go to GreenFire for the copy of the Shuichi Shindou Vocal Collection which I have been obsessed with for over a year.