Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Journey to Heaven ❯ Leaving Paradise ( Chapter 22 )

WARNING: GLENN X YUGI LIME!!!

 

UkeToSetosSeme: I like your new name! I added some good stuff in this chappie!

Kat: I love the Helpless child and the milk. I may actually have to do that again so I can write the scene of the child drinking the milk.

Marik Ishtar77: Their wedding will come soon. I have some things to take care of first.

Aspiker: Gotta love Miranda and Marik banter.

Black Butterfly: My poor muses are running the gauntlet right now. *evil grin* they got a little more jumping to do.

Broken Time: I can't wait until their wedding!

Yakari Taito: *hands Bakura plushie* All new reviewers get plushies! Glad to see you'll continue reading! Congrats on reading it all! *feels loved*

Kura Magician Girl: He had to confess sometime. He couldn't keep it to himself forever

Valea: Here's more lovin' for ya! Those letters were from the group. They sent the letters.

Beysie: Robbie is good for him. The hate group wrote the letters.

I Is Me: *hands seto, Ryou, Marik, Malik, Aten, Robbie, Aria, Bakura, and Umi plushies*

Anubiset: Those letters came from the group. You're right. Yugi would never do anything like that.

Draza: *hands pyromaniac Asher plushie* here you go! Present from me!

Shadow of Light: I have a little lime in here with Yugi and Glenn all for you!

 

Leaving Paradise

 

Umi looked at his reflection in the mirror. He combed his blue hair back and took a deep breath.

Was this supposed to be THIS difficult?! If Robbie could do this, he could too…..right?

“Mr. Bakura, I love your daughter…'….No…he'll kill me. `Mr. Bakura, your daughter means everything to me.' …That sounds desperate. `Bakura, could I please marry Aria? PLEASE???????'….That sounds down-right pathetic…and sad. Maybe I should ask Robbie how he proposed to Aten and how he asked Marik. Since Robbie is still alive, it must have went well. I can see Marik killing Robbie more than Bakura killing me.'

Umi swallowed hard. “Of course, if he wanted to kill me, he would have done it the first time when I got Aria pregnant.” Umi tugged at his hair. “Why does this have to be so damn difficult?!”

Mako knocked on his son's door. “Little Minnow, you okay in there?”

“Yeah, dad, I'm fine. Come in.”

Mako stepped into his son's room. “Something's wrong, Little Minnow. Why don't you tell your Dad about it?”

Umi sat on his bed and sighed. “I want to ask Aria to marry me.”

Mako raised his eyebrows. “Oh…I had no idea that is what you wanted. Have you asked her father?”

“Oh, yeah, dad. I can just walk up to Bakura and ask him. `Hey, Bakura, can I marry your daughter?' I'll end up fish bait or trapped in the Shadow Realm for all eternity. Dad, I love her and I don't know what will happen when I ask Bakura.”

Umi buried his face in his hands. “I love her so much, father! With Robbie and Aten getting married, I started thinking. I want to be with Aria.”

Mako sighed and sat beside his son. “I wish I could have married your mother, Umi. But she never waited around for me. I did love her, too. Remember last year when we hit that storm in the Atlantic Ocean? The waves were rocking our little houseboat? We damn near capsized?”

“Yeah, that was scary. We almost never made it back to Domino alive.”

“Well, son, it took great bravery to stand up against the angry sea. The sea tested you, Umi. If you can stand up against the angry waves of Neptune, then you can stand up and ask Bakura for his daughter's hand in marriage.”

Umi rolled his eyes. “Okay…..and what if he sends me to the Shadow Realm and chops my corpse into itty bitty pieces and scatters them around so I'm never seen again?”

Mako laughed. “I'm sure Bakura would not be that heartless.”

Umi raised an eyebrow. “I have seen this man eat steak and ground meat raw.”

“That doesn't make Bakura heartless.”

“No, but it makes him insane. Doesn't that make him more dangerous?”

Mako pat his son on the back. “I don't think you have anything to worry about, Little Minnow. Have you bought the rings?”

“No, not yet. I found a really nice ring, though. It has a turquoise stone and two gold dolphins are curling around it. It's really pretty.”

“Sounds like you have everything under control. Go on, son, and ask Bakura. What's the worse he can do?”

Umi swallowed hard, afraid to answer that question.

*********************************

Umi trembled as he knocked on the door. He was relieved when Marik opened the door.

“H-Hello…..M-Marik.”

The yami raised an eyebrow. “Where's your normal greeting? `Hello, my daddy's friends?'”

Umi swallowed hard. “Is Bakura home?”

“Itemri! GET YOUR SWEET ASS DOWN HERE! It's the spawn of Fish-Boy!”

Bakura walked down the stairs, noticing the boy cringing. “Umi?”

“Bakura, can I talk to you? It's about Aria.”

Marik stepped back and closed the door behind Umi. “I'll be in the kitchen helping Ryou with lunch.”

Bakura walked past Marik and jumped as he felt a firm slap on his left buttock. He turned to his former lover and asked. “Can't you go five minutes without touching, slapping, grabbing, pounding, or kissing my ass?”

Marik grinned as he past, his own hips swaying as he walked away. “Tried…..I can't.”

The white-haired yami's eyes focused on the rear end of his former lover and he licked his lips. Bakura shook his head when Marik was out of sight. “He needs help. I think he has an unhealthy fixation on my ass.”

Umi blinked and shifted uncomfortably.

“What is it, Tsunami?”

Umi closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I have a question about Aria.”

Bakura crossed his arms in front of his chest, making Umi's heart beat faster with anxiety. “Yes?”

Umi watched Bakura's hair twitch with every passing moment that he remained silent.

“What is it, Umi? Spit it out.”

Umi swallowed hard. “Sir, I wanted to ask you for….permission to….to…”

Bakura raised an eyebrow and tapped his foot on the carpet. Sekhmet walked down the steps and started rubbing his muzzle against Umi's leg.

Umi pet the dog's head and scratched behind his ear.

“What is it that you want, Umi?”

Umi looked up and sighed. “I would like to ask permission to marry your daughter.”

Umi watched Bakura stand in front of him.

Silent…

………

Still……

His eyes narrowing…..

`Oh shit,' Umi thought as he heard a deep rumble coming from the bottom of Bakura's throat.

The teen backed away from Bakura. Sekhmet panted and sat between Umi and Bakura.

“You want to marry my baby girl?” Bakura asked with a raise of an eyebrow.

“Yes, sir.”

Bakura narrowed his eyes. “Do you know what you are asking me?”

“Yes…”

“Do you know the DANGERS of what you are asking of me?”

Umi nodded. “Yes, sir.”

Bakura stepped up to Umi. “You tell me, Fish-Boy. Why should I let you marry my daughter?”

“Because….I love her, Bakura.”

“Tell me what you would do if someone hurt her.”

Umi crossed his arms, proud of himself. “Robbie and I dueled Eric and Jason. They hurt her. Robbie dueled Keith, but both of us took down Eric and Jason. I was furious that they had dared hurt Aria! I made them pay in my own way!”

“You…dueled the punks who hurt Aria?”

“Yes, sir.”

Bakura's growl dissipated. “Do you really love my daughter this much?”

“I love Aria so much, Bakura! Please let me take your daughter as my wife. She will never want for anything. I will love her and cherish her for the rest of our lives.”

Bakura's brown eyes darkened and stared at Umi. They were young. But, in Ancient Egypt, it was customary for females to marry young. Umi had proven himself to be a protector. That is what he wanted for his daughter…someone to protect her and to love her.

That is all any father would want for his daughter.

Bakura reached down and scratched Sekhmet behind the ear. “You must prove yourself before you can marry my daughter, Tsunami. It is customary for the groom to offer the bride's father a gift.”

“Okay. What do you want?”

Bakura grinned. “You have to bring me a gift equal to what you think my daughter is worth to you. If I am pleased with your gift, you may marry my daughter. But you will not ask her until you have satisfied me first. Understood?”

Umi smiled. “You bet! I'm going to go out there and get you the best present that any father could receive as a dowry!” The teen patted Bakura on the shoulder. “You won't be disappointed!”

Umi ran out of the house as Aria walked down the steps.

“Was that Umi?”

“He'll be back later, baby girl. How are you feeling?”

Aria arrived at the bottom of the steps, her pregnant belly slowing her descent down the stairs. “I'm doing okay, daddy. The baby is really active today.”

Bakura smiled and put his hands on her shoulders. “That's a good sign.”

Aria smiled up at her father. “Do you want to feel the baby, daddy?”

Aria took Bakura's hand and lifted her shirt slightly. She put his hand on her expanding belly.

Bakura touched his daughter's pregnant belly and felt the baby within her move. The yami blinked silently. “I felt you move like this, Aria. I remember…..so long ago….you moved like this. I was so…happy.”

Aria smiled. “It's a great feeling, isn't it?”

“Well, all I knew, Aria, is that I wanted to be the best father I could be. I wanted to be the father that I never had growing up five thousand years ago.” Bakura sighed. “To think….I saw my father in the Underworld…..and he called me a `mistake.' Aria, sweetheart, you will never hear me say that to you. You are my blessing and I love you so very much.”

Aria grinned. “You're sweet, daddy.”

Bakura reached out and pulled his daughter into a hug. “I love you, sweetheart.”

“What's wrong, daddy? It's been a while since you've been this…..affectionate?”

“Can't a father tell his daughter how much he loves her?”

“Well, yes. I love you, too, daddy.”

Aria rested her head against her father's shoulder, smiling happily.

*****************************

Vidello shook the congregation's hands as they left one by one. Robbie sat in the pew by the priest's office nervously.

“Robbie? Are you coming?” his mother asked.

“I want to make sure that Vidello will marry Aten and I. I'll be out to the car in a bit, mom.”

Miranda nodded. “Sure, Robbie. I'll be out there walking around.”

Robbie looked up at the altar. Still waiting for Vidello, he kneeled in his pew. “Please, God, let Vidello marry Aten and I here.” He bowed his head reverently. “I love Aten so much, God. I want to give Aten the wedding he deserves.”

Robbie prayed to himself silently as Vidello passed him.

“My son? Why are you still here?”

Robbie looked up at the priest. “I wish to discuss my marriage with you, Father.”

Vidello sat beside Robbie. “Absolutely, my son. Do you have the necessary fees?”

Robbie reached into his pocket and removed a check. “My mom gave this to me for your fees and the church fees.”

Vidello looked at the check and put it into his pocket. “Thank you, Robbie. You are on your way to a glorious union with your sweetheart. Is she Christian? If not, she will have to attend classes.”

Robbie cleared his throat. “No, he's not Christian.”

“Well, then, she will have to attend special classes. And there is a fee for that, too, that you must pay.”

Robbie turned to Vidello. “You aren't listening to me at all, are you?”

“I'll have to your names in the church register. What is her name?”

Robbie sighed. “Father Vidello, I am not marrying a girl.”

Vidello's face drained of all color. “What?”

“I am not marrying a girl. I am marrying Aten Bakari Ishtar.”

Vidello blinked. “Who is that?”

“He used to play violin here, remember? He used to sit next to me in the choir whenever he played.”

“But….Robert….he's a male. You are a male.”

Robbie snickered. “Yeah….I know. What's the big deal?”

Vidello stood up and walked out of the pew. “Robert Morgan, I have seen many things, but this has to be the most disgusting vulgar thing that I could imagine!”

Robbie stood up. “Why is it so bad? I love Aten! Who are you to tell me who I can and cannot love?”

Vidello held up a book. “THIS BOOK!”

Robbie narrowed his eyes. “Love is love!”

“This is evil, Robert!”

“I want to spend the rest of my life with Aten! I don't want a woman!”

Vidello's face turned cherry red. “I will not let you defile this sacred place with foul acts and depravity!! Robert Morgan, I will not let you stand at that altar and make a mockery of the holy sacrament of matrimony!”

Robbie growled. “This is ridiculous! Times are changing! Not every priest in this town is as uptight as you! Some of them welcome gay marriages!”

“Then they are misguided creatures!”

Robbie left the pew and looked Vidello in the eye. “I don't want to be a part of a church who doesn't respect my right to marry whom I want based on sex.”

“You can't utter that word in the house of God!”

“Sex! Sex! Sex! Sex! Sex! HOT THROBBING SEX! I scream it out to the heavens!”

Vidello growled. “Robert Morgan, you have a choice to make: Your Faith or Aten!”

Robbie shook his head. “I already made that decision. I don't want to give up my Faith or Aten. However, I'm not going to be a part of a church which does not respect my choice to marry Aten. So, I'm leaving….for good. I'll find another church that will respect me.”

Vidello removed the check from his pocket and tore it in two. “This money is dirty. I will not accept this money.”

“Your choice. I'm leaving. Forever.”

Robbie turned his back and walked out of the church, letting the large wooden doors slam behind him.

The teen's blue eyes filled with tears as he walked to his mother's car. He opened the door and sat in the seat. He buried his face in his hands and sobbed.

“Robbie? What's wrong, honey?” his mother asked as he rubbed his back.

Robbie sobbed harder. “Vidello…..he…..refused…to marry…Aten…and I. He made me choose…between Aten….and the church. He said….I was making…a mockery…out of marriage.”

Miranda narrowed her eyes. “Oh, he did…did he? Robbie, you stay here. I'll be back in a minute.”

The woman stood up and walked towards the church furiously. Her black hair flowed behind her as she threw open the large wooden doors with force. She walked up to Vidello's office and banged on the door.

“Father Vidello? I'd like a word with you, please!”

“Come in.”

Miranda opened the door and stood in front of Vidello's desk, glaring down at the man. “Who are you to talk to my son like that, Father?”

“Your son asked me to perform a gay marriage. Are you aware of his sexual orientation?”

“Why does it matter? I love my son for who he is, not for his sexual orientation.”

Vidello held up his hands. “I baptized him. I should not have done that knowing what he was to become.”

Miranda crossed her arms sternly. “You will not marry those boys?”

“I refuse. There are other places which cater to….your son's kind.”

Miranda bit her lip. “Fine. Your decision.”

“Mrs. Morgan, your son needs help to fight this demon! As his mother, you need to show him the right path!”

“Why shouldn't he find his own path, Father Vidello? I've known for a very long time that Robbie had feelings for Aten that were deeper than any friendship I've ever seen. Robbie has stayed by Aten's side since his heart attack.” Miranda put her hands on her hips. “If you have no room for Robbie here, then you have no room for me neither.”

“Mrs. Morgan, you must think what is more important: Your faith or your son.”

Miranda shrugged. “Goodbye, then.”

Vidello jumped out of his chair. “Are you going to sacrifice your soul for your son's?”

“No. I'll find somewhere else to go, like Robbie. I'm not going to be a part of anything which makes me chose between my God and my son. Goodbye, Vidello.”

Miranda opened the door quickly and left. She walked out of the church and opened the car door.

Robbie was sitting in the car with his head down, the tears still falling from his cheeks.

“I took care of him, Robbie. Do you want to go out to lunch?”

“No. I want to go see Aten.”

Miranda started the car. “Don't worry, Robbie. We'll find someplace that will marry you and Aten. Don't get discouraged.”

“Do you really think we'll find a place?”

Miranda smiled at her son. “We sure will, Robbie.”

Robbie wiped his eyes dry. “Yeah…..I hope so. Does this mean we won't ever come back to see Angel, Delilah, and Christa anymore?”

“No matter what Vidello says, Robbie, we will come back and visit your brother and sisters' grave. We didn't get a chance to visit them today, but they'll understand.”

Robbie looked at the church as his mother pulled away.

Miranda drove up to the Ishtar-Itemri house. Outside Sekhmet was chasing a ball that Aria threw.

The dog ran to Miranda and Robbie when they entered the gate. He barked excitedly and wagged his tail.

“Hi, Miranda! Robbie? What's wrong?” Aria asked as she walked up to Robbie.

“Vidello….he….”

“What did he do, Robbie?”

Robbie sniffled. “He refused to marry Aten and I. I have to find a new church.”

Robbie walked into the house as Sekhmet leaned against Miranda panting happily.

“Robbie's very upset,” Miranda said.

Aria sighed. “I can imagine. That place meant a lot to him.”

Miranda hugged Aria. “You're looking well, Aria.”

“Thank you! The baby's moving today. She's very active.”

“That's a very good sign. You are looking very well.”

Aria smiled. “Thank you, Miranda.”

Robbie walked into the house and saw Aten sitting on the couch reading one of his vocabulary textbooks.

Aten looked up from his textbook to see Robbie sobbing. “Robbie? Robbie, what's wrong?”

Robbie ran beside Aten and started sobbing. Aten turned around and took Robbie into his arms.
”Baby, tell me what's wrong. Who or what upset you?”

Robbie sniffled. “I went to ask Vidello if he would marry us, Aten. Vidello….he said I was making a mockery out of marriage if I married you!”

Aten sighed and kissed his boyfriend's forehead. “I knew this would happen, Robbie. He's hated me from the very beginning…and it's because I live with four gay men.”

Robbie sniffled. “I had foolishly hoped that he would marry us. You're right. I should have known that he wouldn't perform the ceremony.”

Aten cupped Robbie's face in his hands and wiped away a tear crawling down Robbie's cheek. “We'll find someplace that will marry us, Robbie. I know your religion is important to you. I know it's always been a big part of your life and I want to see that it is present in your life. We'll find some place that will perform our marriage, Robbie. I promise you.”

The bright blue eyes continued to seep tears.

“Baby, don't cry. It'll be okay, Robbie. Some place has to perform gay marriages in Domino. We just have to look for one, that's all.”

Robbie wiped his eyes. “I can't believe I actually looked up to Vidello. I used to idolize him. I thought he could do no wrong.”

Aten shrugged. “Why? He puts his pants on the same way my father does and the same way we do. What makes him so different? Robbie, I know this is hard for you. Maybe we can do out tomorrow and search for a place. I can't go anywhere today. I'm too tired to move.”

“What did you do today?”

Aten put down his vocabulary book and pulled up the blanket that was covering his legs. “I took a shower by myself today! I almost fell into the tub, but I grabbed the tile before I could fall. Then I came down and had some breakfast and now I'm sitting and studying. I didn't do much, but I'm really getting tired.”

Robbie smiled and wrapped his arm around Aten. “Aww…my poor Aten is tired!”

Aten grinned. “Yes. But, I can't sleep. Mr. Cullen is coming over tomorrow to give me a quiz on these words. I have to try to remember their meanings and it's really difficult.”

Robbie looked at the list. They didn't seem all that difficult, but then again, Robbie had advantages over his friend. Robbie was gifted and excelled in all of his classes.

“If you need help, Aten, I can give you a hand later.”

“Thanks, Robbie, but I think I can manage. I have to study history tonight, too. My father can help with that. It was about the Boob-inic Plague.”

Robbie covered his mouth and snickered. “That's the `Bubonic Plague' not the `Boob-inic Plague.'”

Aten giggled. “Oh…I always get those two mixed up.”

“You are impossible, Aten.”

Aten pulled Robbie's collar and whispered into his ear. “True, but you wouldn't trade me in for the world, would you?”

Robbie felt a shiver go up his spine as Aten's breath brushed across his ear. He smiled and closed his eyes tightly as Aten's tongue lightly traced the contours of Robbie's ear.

Robbie turned to Aten and kissed him on the lips. Robbie cuddled into Aten's side. “Do you mind if I snuggle in for a bit?”

Aten put his arm around Robbie and held the book with the other hand. “Snuggle in, baby.”

Robbie cuddled into Aten's side as he listened to Aten read the words and sentences in English and then in Arabic.

************************

Yugi grabbed the dustpan and scooped up the dirt. He emptied the pan in the trashcan and coughed as the dust flew up.

“Glenn, we need to mop this place tonight before we go to bed!”

Glenn stepped into the doorway, stirring cornbread dough in the mixing bowl. “Yeah, well, I have to clean the kitchen floor tonight. I can do that after I finish mopping the kitchen.”

“Don't wear yourself out,” the duelist giggled. “You don't want to wear out before our big anniversary.”

Glenn sighed. “It's been three years already, hasn't it? It feels like it was yesterday, wasn't it?”

Glenn walked to his lover and kissed him on the cheek. “I love you, Yugi.”

“I love you, too, Glenn,” Yugi laughed as he kissed his lover.

Glenn dipped his fingers into the dough. “I got this recipe from Otogi. He said that it's really good. I made it from scratch.”

Yugi took the finger into his mouth and sucked it. With his tongue, he licked the finger free of batter.

“Damn, that is good!”

Glenn dipped his finger into the dough again and licked it himself. “There's more where that came from,” the man said as he brought Yugi into a deep kiss, sharing the cornbread dough between them.

Glenn put down the bowl of dough and wrapped his arms around Yugi. The two men pressed against each other as they moaned into their heated kiss. Glenn brushed his fingers lovingly over Yugi's cheek.

Yugi kissed Glenn's neck and unbuttoned two of Glenn's top buttons to kiss his chest.

“Yugi…baby….I want to make love to you so badly.”

Yugi grinned devilishly. “Who's to say we can't….close up shop for ten minutes?”

The duelist ran for the sign on the front of the door and ran out of the shop. Yugi closed the door separating the shop and the rest of the home and settled on the couch with Glenn on top of him.

Yugi moaned under his lover, grinding himself against the other man. Glenn moaned as he felt his lover rub his hips against him, exciting him through the material separating their straining arousals.

Glenn unbuttoned Yugi's shirt and opened it to allow him to kiss the warming skin. Glenn kissed Yugi's belly button as he rubbed his hand over the hardening arousal of his lover. The man rubbed, kneaded, and placed a light kiss over the material confining Yugi's length.

Glenn carefully pulled down the zipper on Yugi's pants and freed the throbbing organ from its confines.

Yugi looked down as his lover peppered the length with light kisses. A whimper of protest accompanied Yugi's thrusting hips. “Glenn….gods…” The shorter man whimpered as his body pleaded to enter the warm orifice of his lover's mouth.

Glenn's wet tongue glided lightly above the flesh, curving around the circumference of the organ.

“Glenn….please…”

Glenn placed his lips over the head of Yugi's length and slowly……carefully….absorbed Yugi's length.

Yugi arched his back as his lover carefully sucked on the organ with long, deliberate suction motions. Glenn's hands rubbed the twin globes at the bottom of Yugi's manhood, creating a delightful friction between his lover's legs.

Yugi thrust up into the warm heat above him. Glenn emitted a moan around the length, sending more shivers up Yugi's spine.

“Glenn….so close…”

Glenn moaned again, sending Yugi to the edge of ecstasy. Glenn let out a little whimper as he breathed heavily through his nose.

Yugi moaned as his fingers buried themselves in Glenn's hair. “Baby….I'm coming!”

Yugi arched his back and released into the wet heat above him.

Glenn swallowed every drop and crawled up to Yugi's mouth. He smiled and licked his lips. “You are so sweet, Yugi. I love you so much.”

Glenn leaned down and kissed Yugi, his mouth still bitter from the release he had just drank.

Yugi looked up at the clock. He gave a sigh of resignation. “I have to open the shop again, Glenn. Maybe we can…continue this later tonight?”

Glenn smiled down at his lover. “Well, I don't want the roast to burn, so that's probably a good idea.” The taller man kissed his lover on the lips again and crawled off of him.

Yugi stood up off of the couch and held his back. He opened the door and heard someone knocking. He ran over to the door.

“Sorry! We're opening again now!” Yugi called to the person knocking on the door.

Yugi opened it up and looked at Seto Kaiba standing at the door.

The shorter man blinked and silently stepped away from the CEO.

“Kaiba?”

“Yugi, I need to talk to you.”

The shorter duelist stepped aside and shut the door behind the CEO.

“It's been a long time since you've come, Seto.”

Seto reached into his pocket and removed an envelope. “I wanted to deliver this to you personally.”

Yugi opened the envelope and cocked his head to the side. “Weren't you and Joey getting married in another church?”

Seto sighed. “The church where we had planned our wedding told us that we were not permitted to marry there because of the scandal surrounding KaibaCorp now. This is the new church where we will be married.”

Yugi backed away from Kaiba slowly. “This….is an invitation for me and Glenn.”

“Yes. I'm having the wedding at my church and there will be a reception at my summer home. I'm looking forward to you and Glenn coming. I know Joey would be upset if you didn't show up, Yugi.”

Yugi sighed. “I don't see why we can't come.”

Seto walked to the door slowly and locked it. “Yugi, we need to talk.”

Yugi ran behind the counter and backed into the corner. “You're…not going to hurt me, are you?”

Seto shook his head. “Yugi…..I received this from you some time ago. This is why I have not come around to see you and Glenn.” The CEO threw an envelope onto the glass case.

Yugi cautiously opened the envelope and read the letter.

[One word: Payback. -Yugi Motou]

“Seto, I never wrote this.”

“You never wrote that letter?”

Yugi replaced the note in the envelope. “Seto, Ryou told me all about Yami. I know he's been going around and trying to undermine our friendship. I feel really bad about blaming you for beating up Glenn when it wasn't you. I'm really sorry.”

Seto watched the smaller duelist lower his head sadly. Seto went over to Yugi and put his arm around the shorter man.

“Yugi, no matter how much my defeat hurt at Battle City and Duelist Kingdom, I would never hurt you or someone you love. I consider you my…………… friend.”

Yugi's purple eyes widened. “You consider me your friend?”

“Well….yes. You're still my rival in the business world, Yugi, but that doesn't mean I would treat you like the other businesses I acquired through hostile takeovers. I wouldn't send my `Public Relations' department after you because you are my friend.”

Yugi wrapped his arms around Seto's waist and put his head on Seto's chest. “I really want us to be friends, Seto. I don't want Yami to come between any of us.”

“Neither do I, Yugi,” the blue-eyed CEO said.

Yugi and Seto held each other in an embrace quietly.

“Yugi?”

“Yeah, Seto?”

“No not tell anyone that we are hugging….it could be bad for business.”

Yugi laughed. “This will be between you and me.”

******************************

Aten scratched his head as he read his history book. He looked at the blank piece of paper in front of him and tapped his pencil on the table.

His assignment was to write a brief report on the Black Death and its impact on the European population.

His father entered the room and grabbed a soda from the refrigerator.

Aten gave a groan and threw his pencil down on the table. “I don't know what to write for this history report!”

“What's the problem, son?”

“Dad, what do you know about the Bubonic Plague?”

Marik grinned and sighed. “It was a great time to be a yami and alive in those days. Plenty of the three “D's”: Disease, Death, and Destruction.”

Aten sighed. “What do you remember about it? Were you around?”

Marik stood by his son. “Wailing was everywhere…..corpses in the streets.”

Bakura walked into the kitchen. “Are you reminiscing about the Black Death again?”

“My son has to do a report and I'm telling him everything I know about it.”

Bakura snickered. “What do you know about the Black Death?”

Marik crossed his arms. “I lived through the Black Death while you were still in the Shadow Realm!”

“Hey, I know about it, too!”

Marik groaned. “You know nothing about history, Bakura.”

“I take offense to that, Ishtar! I know plenty about World History!”

Aten shifted his eyes between his two arguing fathers. “Dad?”

Marik laughed. “You thought that George Washington worked in a laundry!”

“Well, his name had `wash' in it!”

“You also thought that the Cotton Gin was the first liquor ever made! How could that be? We had wine in Egypt!”

Aten sighed and leaned on his hand. “Dad? Hello?”

Bakura growled. “Well, you……you…..”

“Ha! Can't come up with anything, can you, Itemri? I lived through history! I know all of this stuff!”

“Oh yeah? What was the French Revolution all about?”

Marik shrugged. “Something about a guillotine and somebody asking someone to eat a cake is all I remember!”

Aten sighed. This report was not going to be finished. “Father?”

Bakura pressed his body against Marik laughing. “See? I thought you lived through history!”

“That happened two hundred years ago! How could I possibly remember that far back? I've had seven hikaris since then!”

Bakura grinned up at Marik. “I knew you couldn't remember anything! You're getting old, Ishtar.”

“I'm only a few years older than you, Itemri!”

“Yeah, but I still know about history!”

Marik laughed. “Oh really? Well, Mr. Expert. Tell my son what caused the Bubonic Plague?”

Bakura cleared his throat. “Fine! Well, Aten, the Bubonic Plague…..ummm……it…it was….very…..umm….Bubonic.”

Aten groaned and buried his face in his hands. “This is hopeless.”

“Itemri, you're going to confuse my son more than he already is.”

“I'm telling him about the Bubonic Plague, Ishtar!”

“Itemri, if you don't know anything about it, then just go away!”

“I know lots about it!”

Marik growled. “You haven't said one Ra-damned thing about it!”

“That's it, Ishtar! There's only one way we're going to settle this! To the bedroom!”

Marik and Bakura scurried out of the kitchen and ran up the stairs.

Aten looked around at the empty kitchen. He shook his head. “How come every argument they have has to end up in the bedroom?!”

Ryou entered the kitchen from the backyard. “Honey, where's your father?”

“I asked them to help me with my report on the Bubonic Plague. They had an argument and now they ran up to their bedroom to settle it.”

Ryou sighed. “Maybe I can help, Aten.”

Aten sighed and closed his history book. “No, I think I'll just put this away. Mr. Cullen's not coming until tomorrow night and I'm getting tired.”

Ryou smiled and brushed Aten's hair behind his ears. “Okay, sweetheart. Don't work yourself too hard.”

“I won't, mother.”

Ryou kissed his forehead. “Just have to make sure, honey.”

Aten watched his mother leave and let out a sigh.

*****************************

Later that night……

 

Umi knocked on the door to Bakura's home. Marik opened the door again and curled his nose at the smell emanating from the bag.

“What in the name of Ra is in that bag? It stinks!”

Umi smiled. “This is my payment to Bakura to marry Aria.”

Marik raised his eyebrow. “Itemri didn't tell this to us!”

Ryou stepped beside Marik. “What is that awful stench?”

“Hello, my daddies friends! I have brought you my payment in exchange for Aria's hand in marriage!”

Ryou smiled and hugged Umi. “Bakura never told me that you wanted to marry her, Umi! I'll have to talk to him about that.”

“Sweet Isis! What stinks?” Malik asked as he stepped between Ryou and his husband.

“Umi's going to ask Aria to marry him, Malik! Isn't that wonderful?!” Ryou said excitedly.

“Wow! How on earth did you convince Bakura not to kill you is my question, Umi?”

Umi held a burlap sack in his hands and shifted under its weight. “Well, Bakura said I could marry Aria, but I had to “pay” him for the privledge, basically.”

Marik nodded. “It's an old tradition, Umi. Don't think he singled you out.”

“What did you make Robbie get you?” Malik asked his yami.

“Trust me. Robbie proved himself without the need for me to resort to that. Scaring the hell out of him was enough.”

Ryou's nose curled. “What did you bring?”

“Can I show you? This is really heavy.”

The group followed Umi into the kitchen as he struggled with the burlap sack. Bakura was sitting at the kitchen table with his arms crossed in front of him, as if he anticipated Umi's arrival.

“What do you have for me, Chibi Tsunami?”

Umi turned over the burlap bag and thirty fresh fish fell out of the bag and onto the kitchen table. Ryou, Marik, and Malik held their nose. “That explains the smell.”

Bakura raised an eyebrow. “You think that you can pay for my daughter's hand with thirty stinking fish?” Bakura's voice growled angrily.

“You told me to go out and find a gift equal to what I thought you daughter was worth to me. These fish are valuable. With fish such as these, I promise your daughter will never starve. Food is valuable. Wasn't fish valuable back in your day?”

“But they stink.”

Umi shrugged. “I only caught them an hour ago. Dead fish have an odor.”

Marik turned to Bakura. “He has a point, Itemri. Fish was precious back in our day.”

Umi folded his hands. “'Kura, I promise that your daughter will have every luxury possible. I only want her happiness. Isn't that what you want for her? To be happy?”

Bakura picked up one of the trout and examined it thoroughly. He stood up and looked down at the pile of fish,

With a rumble in the back of his throat, he extended his hand. “I accept. You may have my permission to marry my daughter.”

Umi grabbed the hand and shook it excitedly. “Thank you so much, Bakura! You've made me the luckiest man on the planet! You won't regret this!”

Bakura leaned into Umi's ear. “See that I don't regret this, Tsunami….or it's a ticket to the Shadow Realm.”

Umi swallowed hard. “Y-Yes, sir!”

Ryou and Malik hugged Umi. Marik put the fish into the freezer with much cursing at the lack of space for thirty fish.

Umi smiled. `Now I can ask Aria to marry me!'

 

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