Chapter Text
She made up her mind, they were going back to Domino, In Japan, their homeland. Don't get her wrong, she loved her job and all, traveling with her family while she was doing her work had no prize, but looking at her son… She saw that homeschooling did no good in his son's social life. And no, Atem didn't count.
She made up her mind and no one could change it.
“So Mom… is this where Grandpa lives?” asked a 15-year-old Yuugi, intrigued by the place: it was a small shop, a game-shop to be exact. Yuugi liked games a little too much, well, Atem didn't help either with controlling his passion…
“Yup, this is where we are going to live now on,” Before Yuugi could say something else– the door of the shop opened, and Sugoroku Mutou welcomed them with open arms.
“You arrived just in time! Come inside,” The shop was bigger than it look outside. It had a lot of things, oh! was that the new collection of duel monsters’ cards? –
It's seems like it, Aibou
“Hehe, mom will be mad if you keep calling me like that,” Yuugi teased.
“The apartment is upstairs, come in” His grandpa smiled at him.
After taking off their shoes, both mother and son were welcomed by a tasty smell.
“I prepared some fish and rice for you, hope you like it”
“Sugoroku, you didn't have to!”
“Well, you came from a long way. Let's eat before it gets cold.”
Your grandpa is nice, but the fish? yuck
“I don't understand how you don't like it” said Yuugi.
His grandpa raised an eyebrow, before he could ask–
“So, Atem, what are your first impressions so far?”
“Domino is nice– and I'm a little tired I should sleep go ahead and sleep a little–”
“eat your fish, Yuugi”
“Yuck”
“Did I say Atem? come on eat your fish” she said with a tired grimace, they had the same conversation a million times before…
“Sorry miss Mutou but, we share the same body, him eating– this thing– is like me eating it”
She looked at her dish, it was more interesting than the conversation. With a monotonous voice, she said the same response “Eat your fish, Yuugi”
Atem frowned, he looked at Miss Mutou with a glacial gaze–then…
With a loud gasp, Yuugi took back control of the body. “Y-yes, mom.”
They ate in silence after the scene.
Sugoroku couldn't believe it! The spirit did— in fact— possess his grandson so casually that– it was kinda spooky.
He knew about Yuugi's condition, but seeing it? it was completely different.
After dinner, he decided to talk with his daughter-in-law about the situation and—
“Is he like that all the time?”
“you mean Atem?” she lowered the book she was reading “No, he is usually polite, his parents raised him well– I mean, good enough for spirits from ancient Egypt– don't tell them I said that– but it's true! I— “ She relaxed a little, she was getting sidetracked. “You don't have to worry about them, they already set boundaries — that reminds me. Yuugi KEEP YOUR DOOR OPEN IF YOU'RE GOING TO PLAY GAMES WITH ATEM.”
“O-OKAY!” answered Yuugi from the next room.
“What does–?” Before he could even finish the sentence, she answered:
“You know how teenage hormones are…”
“...They are really close, huh?”
“Soul bonded,” she clarified.
— Silence—
“Do… do they know that?” he asked, the information was actually new to him.
She sighed, “Yes, but I’m 100% sure that they think it is platonic, which I don’t understand, to be honest…”
“... Do you think he’ll be safe here?” The Mutou frowned.
She shut the book. “The pharaoh and other spirits said that the king of thieves is far from us now. This is the safest place… for now.”
“He has been following you for years. Are you sure he didn’t follow you here?”
“We already took measurements; amulets, spells… We only hope he won’t find us… Their powers grow stronger each day, I can’t protect them forever…” Her eyes were like crystals.
Sugoroku sadly nodded, “I assure you that both of them will be strong enough to face the evil.” He put a hand on her shoulder.
“Thanks, I needed to hear that.”
In the other room, Yuugi and Atem were too busy playing cards.
Yuugi glanced at Atem while he was holding his deck. Atem dedicated an honest smile to him
Like— two or three hours passed and–
His mom knocked the opened door to draw the attention to her.
“Yuugi, it’s late, you should sleep.”
“but—”
“nu hu, no buts! It’s been a long way and you should rest, besides, you have your first day of school tomorrow.” Yuugi wanted to protest but Atem agreed with her this time:
Aibou, you’re tired, let's play tomorrow! and don’t you dare lie to me, I can feel you are tired.
Yuugi growled, but lights out means lights out!
“Are you gonna cry? Just because I killed him? pathetic. He trespassed on what is mine, and no one touches what is mine.”
Yuugi frowned “I’m not afraid of you, thief!”
Yuugi…
The ghost laughed hysterically.
He was scared, of course he was. After all, that spirit was the one who murdered— He didn’t want to remember.
The millennium puzzle…
He shouldn’t remember…
Yuugi!
Are you alright?
“Atem? Was that just a dream?” Yuugi was dizzy, what was real? What was a memory? What was a threat?
Yes, it was all a dream! I do not sense any danger nearby.
Yuugi sighed, relief was palpable in his face. He sat in his bed, hugging his legs.
Everything will be fine, Miss Mutou said we are protected, away from him.
Yuugi nodded tiredly “What time is it anyways?”
He looked at his alarm: 5 minutes before it sounded. Yuugi sighed— again— and walked to the bathroom.
.
.
.
He was nervous to say the least. He fidget with his fingers while he walked to the school. His mother already showed him the way to arrive safe and sound but— something made him stop on his tracks.
“Was that—?”
Aibou
“I mean— I should just watch just a little bit”
Aibou! You have school
“and they are playing Duel monsters, our favorite game!”
I'm not sure if disobeying Miss Mutou is a good idea…
“Come on—”
Yuugi I fear her more than this, sorry—
and like that, they switched places. Atem got away from the guys playing the game like they had the plague or something. And at last! They arrive at school.
It was weird seeing one, both of them only saw schools on pictures—
“Yuugi, are you mad at me?”
Yuugi's projection ignored him.
“Don't you want your body back?”
“Come on, Aibou we can play another time… okay, what's actually bothering you?”
I mean, how am I supposed to make other friends if that doesn't involve duel monsters?
“Who… said that? I mean, I know how your train of thought works but elaborate" Atem walked to the school doors. —he will never get used to this— Yuugi kept talking.
I've been thinking; our families want us to have other friends, don't they?
Atem nodded while he closed his assigned locker, he accommodated his shoes and walked to the classroom.
But every time we try it is either uncomfortable or boring. And it's because of Duel Monsters. Just think about it: remember that girl from the ice cream shop?
“The one who was a jerk? yeah… Yuugi don't try to remember that fiasco—”
Too late the memory was playing in their minds now:
they remember feeling clearly uncomfortable beside her, and Miss Mutou encouraged him to talk to her.
It ended badly: she was too noisy and clearly didn't have the same interest as them, worse, she hated when Yuugi or Atem talked about it. and had the audacity to criticize him for his… condition– they were (are) weird, okay? —Atem ended up biting her for laughing at them.
They were 13 at the time, sue him, he will do it again if he could.
The bell rang and with that the class started. The teacher approached them. “You must be a new student, come on, introduce yourself to the class.”
Alright, it's time to take over…
He took a deep breath. “Hello, um uh, my name is Yuugi Mutou, nice to meet you” he smiled, more than a smile--it looked like a grimace.
—Silence—
“That's all you want to say?”
We have to say more?
“we have to say more?” he repeated, realizing his mistake too late.
The teacher raised an eyebrow and sighed. “You may take a seat”
.
.
.
The class was boring, to say the least, when was the pause for lunch again? He was exhausted, class after class. And he needed to join a club— hell no. Until—
it was lunch.
good
“Hello, you are Mutou, right?” They just wanted some peace, but that girl didn’t seem to read the room.
“my name is Anzu Mazaki nice to meet you"
—Silence—
Okay, Yuugi, a girl is talking to you; you need to politely let her know that you are not interested in talking to her, but how?
Yuugi, I think we should talk, like they taught us.
I don’t think that would work
We should at least try
You should do it then
HUH? why me?
because you are the confident one, besides you own me one.
Since when?
I let you sneak a beer that time
That doesn’t even count, I literally spat it out after the first sip– and also you were the one that—
I’ll tell my mom
“Uh…” The girl was getting nervous.
“Sorry, you surprised me,” said Atem. “I didn’t meant to be rude, but—”
“Oh and I thought I was a nuisance.” She sat next to him.
Fuck.
HAHAHA laugh Yuugi
“This affects you too, AIBOU” muttered Atem.
“Sorry, what did you say?” asked Anzu, clearly confused.
“Nothing really, just… talking to myself”
“So Yuugi” Atem wasn’t used to being referred as his friend, blame Miss Mutou for not confusing them, they are totally different from each other. “Have you found any group to hang out yet?”
“No?”
“won’t you like to hang out with us? we usually like to play with cards–”
What type of cards?
“What type of cards?”
“uh, have you heard about Duel monsters?”
His eyes sparkled but his face was so serious that it was scary.
“I’m very fond of that game.”
“Uh yeah, we are on the rooftop. Follow me.”
.
.
.
“Are you really contacting the spirit of an old pharaoh in the middle of the living room?” asked the old man.
Miss Mutou didn’t even flinch, “You know your son used to do this too, right?”
“Yeah, those were good times, but we also agreed not to do it in the living room…”
She chuckled, she missed simpler times, when her husband was with them, but now…
“Pharaoh,” she acknowledged
“Miss Mutou… and you must be her father-in-law.” The projection was weak but stable.
“Yes, we were wondering if the magical defenses are affecting Atem's connection to your world.”
The man sighed, “Kind of– but he will understand why, he is a man now, able to face danger on his own.”
“I swear you are unaware that he is still clueless about his own powers.” Miss Mutou rolled her eyes.
“...I thought him well, after all we are descendants from the gods we are strong men–” he ignored her.
“ugh, here we go again…”
The pharaoh's speech was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay longer than expected, Sugoroku thought he wouldn’t shut his mouth ever. Something, something Egyptian gods, descendants, strong wives, strong magic and so on.
All the information he said was useless: either they already knew or it was totally unnecessary. Like the snakes in bed, what does that even mean????
Miss Mutou cut him off: “you are aware that he won’t have descendants, right ?”
“...” the pharaoh didn’t say anything because he knew what she was talking about, his son was, what do they call them these days? ah yes, gay, homosexual. He wasn’t stupid he noticed how his son’s eyes lit up when he talked to or about Yuugi, his ‘Aibou’.
Miss Mutou will exorcise his son's soul if he keeps calling Yuugi like that.
He sighed “Miss mutou, I want to say one last thing before hanging up.”
“Go on”
“I think they are ready to know about Mr.Mutou’s spell book”
She frowned, Sugoroku gasped.
“I think– you are right it’s their destiny…”
The pharaoh nodded before the projection disappeared.
—silence—
“My son’s research…” he took a deep breath “It’s been a while since I heard of it”
“Yes, but it's better that way…I don’t want— I don’t want my son dead, I’m scared his research… is our salvation and our curse.”
“For humanity’s sake, he must learn… today we are going to tell them.”
.
.
.
“So, Mutou…”
“Y-Yes?” It was Yuugi’s turn to control the body.
“Since when did you start playing duel monsters?” asked Katsuya Jonouchi, Anzu’s friend.
Yuugi made his last move and—
“How???” Jonouchi was actually frustrated, he was a good player, but Yuugi? He was a monster.
Hiroto Honda, Anzu’s friend, said with fine words: “He totally laid you, dude”
“WHAT? I DIDN’T EVEN TOUCHED HIM?????”
I think is a slang
Too late they were looking at Yuugi now.
Anzu laughed first.
Then, both boys followed her.
Yuugi blushed. embarrassed.
.
.
.
It’s been a long day for them. He even made new friends, it was weird… They exchanged numbers after finishing classes–
“Mutou wait!” Jonouchi called behind him.
“Oh, we are going in the same direction, isn't that cool?”
“Yeah, I think so…”
“Can I ask you something?” Yuugi nodded, “Where are you from? you have this weird accent…”
“I’m from Domino, but I grew up in different countries”
“Really? how was it?”
“It was uncomfortable, most of the time I stayed with my best friend, Atem, inside the house. Some eldritch god wanted our souls so, my mom, hid us with spells and other stuff…”
“Woah, your mom believes in magic?”
“Of course she does! imagine if she didn’t” Yuugi shaked his head. He couldn’t imagine his mother being closed minded having a weirdo like him, it was scary.
“And who is this Atem?”
Tell him, this will test our relationship
“Oh, you already met him”
Jonouchi stopped in his tracks. “What do you mean?”
“Okay, we are doing this…” he took a deep breath. “Atem is my best friend, a ghost. We share the same body, giving him the opportunity to grow up with me.”
—silence—
He laughed “good joke, Mutou–”
Normally, Atem emulated Yuugi’s voice with strangers, but this case was an exception. A trial of loyalty and found friendship–
Yuugi laughed
You sounded like your father Pfff–
“alright don’t freak out—”
“Your voice—”
“My name is Atem. Nice to meet you, Katsuya.”
Jonouchi dropped his backpack “okay, if it’s true, do a ghost trick…”
“Ghost… trick?”
“Yeah, you said– I mean, Mutou said that you were a ghost, so—”
“alright, I’ll do some ghost trick”
of course, Atem was just bluffing, until— a scream broke, a familiar voice. It was Anzu’s.
“Katsuya, where are you going,?”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
“This idiot— you don’t have a plan–” but he had already left.
Atem followed him. It was a dark alley. Jonouchi was in a fighting stance ready for whatever was hurting his friend.
Jonouchi couldn’t see it but it was— a ghost!