Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Return To Me ❯ Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! Just borrowing the boys for a little bit.

Warning: Contains spoilers to the end of the series. I haven't seen the episode myself, but I know the gist of what happens.

A/N: A plot bunny had followed me home and attached itself to my brain. A bit of a Sailor Moon concept for this story, but, if it works for Sailor Saturn, then it can work for Yami as well!

---------------------------------------------------

As Atemu bid his final 'goodbye's to his friends, and especially his young hikari, he stepped into the light portal to the netherworld. Tears rolled down his tanned cheeks as he forced one last smile to be strong for Yugi.

Yugi smiled back, his own tears freely falling. Inside, both felt the fine cracks beginning as their hearts slowly started breaking. They knew this was the last time they would see one another.

It was still hard for the young duelist as he recalled this memory. It seemed harder each day to pull himself out of bed and get ready for school without having the comforting presence of his darkness beside him.

Sure, he played his pain off to his friends, but inside, he questioned if he really should have let his other half go. He felt so.. empty now.

Yugi gave a heavy sigh as he slipped his backpack on and reached for the doorknob. As his fingers were just about to touch the smooth metal, a sudden burst of electricity shot through him. He straightened with a jolt and gasped. He recognized that feeling all too well. That's what he felt when he had shared his bond with Yami!

'But that's impossible! I saw Yami leave with my own eyes..'

As suddenly as the feeling had come, it had passed. But Yugi wondered what could have caused such a thing to happen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I'm home Grandpa!" Yugi called as he shut the door to the game shop.

Solomon Mutou appeared from the back, but seemed slightly troubled about something.

"I'm glad you're home, Yugi. I have something to tell you."

The teen tilted his head curiously, "What is it? Is something wrong, Grandpa?"

"Ishizu and Marik are on their way here from Egypt.. They said it was an urgent matter that concerned you.. I'm afraid Ishizu didn't go into much further detail, but it sounded very important.."

Yugi could only stammer slightly as he tried to think of what the Ishtars could possibly need more from him. He'd fulfilled his destiny, according to Ishizu, and Atemu was gone.

"Their plane should be arriving in the very early morning. I know that you shouldn't be missing school, but Ishizu insisted that she see you as soon as possible.. I'll pick them up from the airport and bring them here, but I'd like you to stay here and help prepare a room for our guests. Since they will be getting in so late, I've offered to let them stay in the guest room tonight."

The tri-colored haired youth nodded dumbly, but went to go get the spare room ready. He was lost in his own thoughts while putting fresh sheets upon the guest bed and getting clean towels ready in the bathroom.

Questions raced through Yugi's mind. All of them wondering about if there was a new threat, but if so, what would he do now without Yami?

He was so occupied within his own mind, he hardly recalled his grandfather sitting him down to dinner and eating. It was merely by memorized, mechanical movements did the duelist even receive any nourishment by his own hand. The elder Mutou was concerned as well, leaving the two to eat in relative silence.

"You should try getting some rest soon, Yugi. Marik and Ishizu's plane should be arriving around 3:30 tonight and I will probably not be home from the airport until closer to 5."

Yugi's head nodded in reply, but he knew well enough he wouldn't be sleeping tonight.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The small teen paced about the house in the early hours of the morning while he waited for his grandfather and their guests. He was late and the tardiness only caused Yugi's stomach to knot further.

'I wonder how many kids my age developed ulcers. I'm surprised I haven't gotten one already with all the stuff I've been through..'

With the telltale sounds of a car pulling up, the short youth leapt towards the front door. He could feel himself shaking nervously as he tried to open it.

In a few moments, Solomon emerged from the dusky outside. He held a suitcase in either hand while Marik brought in the rest. When the Egyptian teen recognized his friend, he offered an exhausted, frazzled grin that broke into a yawn.

".. It's good to see you again, Yugi.. Our plane was a little delayed.."

Forgetting his manners, Yugi blurted out, "What's this urgent matter with me??! What do you need me for?!"

Marik jumped slightly in surprised and blinked his tired eyes a few times.

".. Oh, yeah, almost forgot about that.. I just haven't slept in almost two days now, so my mind is a little fuzzy.. My sister is the one you really need to talk to."

As if on cue, Ishizu entered the Mutou home. She carried no luggage, but held a small bundle securely in her arms.

Anxious, violet eyes locked upon the woman as the boy waited to be dealt some horrible blow.

"What's the matter, Ishizu? Please tell me what you needed to come see me for! I thought you said my destiny was complete!"

She held up a free hand to hush the panicked youth, "Shh.. There is nothing that you should worry about. My brother and I needed to return here, for you see, your new fate's path is beginning."

"What do you mean by a 'new path'?"

The elder Mutou came to his grandson's side and rested a hand upon his shoulder.

"Yugi, I think we should sit down for this discussion. Let's take our guests to the living room and let them get comfortable."

Yugi all but dragged everyone into the living room so he could get to the bottom of all of this. Marik tried to push back his exhaustion for a bit longer while Ishizu carefully adjusted the bundle in her arms.

"Yugi.. Your first destiny has been fulfilled, but now fate has led you to the next. We came as soon as it happened, just as the ancient scriptures have predicted so."

The small duelist was growing rather impatient, "Predicted what??"

The Egyptian woman carefully pulled back a corner of the blanket wrapped around the object in her arms. A newborn lay sleeping within. The soft, round face giving a slight twitch now and then while he slumbered. A soft fuzz of black, magenta, and goldenrod covered his tiny head.

Yugi's eyes grew wide before he looked up with a questioning gaze.

"The scriptures foretell of the spirit of a Pharaoh being locked away and set free once again, as well as his leaving to the underworld..Once the spirit was able to reach the other realm, it was then able to be reborn into this world.. Pharaoh Atemu has returned, Yugi."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Even though Yugi's body was tired and craving sleep, he remained sitting in shock while looking down at the sleeping infant. Marik had long since excused himself to get some much-needed rest while Ishizu remained to further explain.

"You see, Yugi, because the Pharaoh's spirit was kept inside the Millennium Puzzle, it was unable to go into the next world and be born once more.. Pharaoh Atemu's spirit was no longer needed to fight evil while using your body as a vessel. He is now needed by you to be in his own body. Because of the mutual desire to be together once again, the Pharaoh was able to return to you."

".. B.. but he's just a baby.. I don't know how I can take care of him like this.. And I'm so much older than him now."

Ishizu gave a small, tired smile.

"All will be right again, Yugi. The Pharaoh will return to his true form very soon."

Solomon rested his hand upon his grandson's shoulder once more.

"What Ishizu means is.. Well.. Try to think of this as Atemu starting over. He needed to be born again so he could have his own body. He may be an infant now, but he will be just as you remembered him very soon."

Yugi tried to comprehend what everyone was saying, but the sleepy haze inside his mind was making it difficult. He gave an unconvincing nod in reply and the others left him to go rest.

The teen stared down into the small face before taking the little one off into his room. He found a folding playpen that was turned into a makeshift crib, but could not recall his grandfather leaving to set it up. However, he couldn't remember much after he saw Yami once more.

Carefully, he set the baby inside and covered him with the blanket so he could sleep. With one last glance, Yugi crawled into his own bed. He was asleep before his head even hit the pillow.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Ishtars only stayed for a day before they returned home to Egypt. They made sure to leave Yugi with a full grasp of what was happening. It still boggled the diminutive duelist's mind that he would be raising his baby darkness.

"So, his name is Atemu again?"

"If you so choose, Yugi. He will have all of his memories of you when he returns to his former state."

Yugi thought over this and nodded. With their parting 'farewell's, he went to check upon his ward. The infant was awake now, burbling gently and looking around with curious, crimson eyes.

Carefully, he lifted the baby into his arms and cradled him.

".. If you want to be, Atemu, then you can.. But you'll always be my, Yami..."

A soft coo came the reply.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was much harder taking care of an infant than Yugi first imagined. His friends all offered their help if he were to need it, but they still seemed struck dumb that Yami could have returned; and as a baby.

The Mutous had to go shopping for baby things just about every other day since the little one seemed to grow constantly. After a week, Yami looked more like a one year old. This wasn't what was making Yugi panic now though, it was the cough the little one was developing and the fevered flush upon his cheeks.

"Grandpa!.. I think Yami is sick!.. I don't know what to do. Should I take him to the hospital? You don't think it was something I did, do you? Ohh, I got Yami sick!"

The elder Mutou calmed his grandson's worried rambling by saying that it was probably most likely just a slight cold that Yami had picked up after the plane ride.

"Why don't you take his temperature and just make sure it doesn't get too high. We can take him to the doctor this afternoon as well."

Yugi nodded, "Alright.. I can do that.. I'm going to go get another blanket for Yami."

When the teen returned, Solomon was holding the fussing Yami. Tenderly, he handed him back over.

"The thermometer is by the changing table. I'm going to go call the doctor to make an appointment."

Yugi laid the little one back as he grabbed the glass thermometer, but then he wondered how baby Yami would be able to hold it under his tongue since he would not stop squirming and crying.

".. Uh.. Grandpa?.. How am I going to keep it in Yami's mouth?"

There was deep chuckle, "Yami is too young for the oral thermometer, Yugi.. The petroleum jelly is in the side drawer there."

With that, Solomon left the boy to digest what he had just said. Yugi flushed several shades of red while his eyes grew steadily larger.

There was no way he was going to be able to do that!.. But.. Yami had a fever and Mr. Mutou was right that the baby was too young for the oral thermometer.

Amethyst eyes looked to the little one, then to the thermometer, then back again as he battled within himself to gather enough courage. Yugi removed Yami's diaper and turned him over onto his belly. He then opened the jar of the lubricant shakily and stirred the rod around to coat it thoroughly. With gentle fingers, he spread the infant's buttocks apart.

'Oh, God.. Please forgive me, Yami..'

And with the mental plea, he slipped the rectal thermometer inside the small body and held it in place to get the correct reading. Yami began to make a few whines of protest as he wailed and writhed his little feet about.

A knock came at the bedroom door before it opened and Joey let himself inside.

"Jeez, I could hear da screamin' all da way downstairs!.." The blonde teen stopped in his tracks and blinked a few times, ".. What da hell are ya doin' ta him, Yug??"

The shorter youth lowered his head until his eyes were hidden by his bangs. He still had a firm hold upon the thermometer.

He replied in a shaky voice, ".. I had to t-t-take Yami's t-temperature.. Grandpa said I w-wouldn't be able to use the oral thermometer s-so I had to use the.. um.. other one.."

Joey could see how embarrassed his young friend was. He chuckled softly, "I guess I'd be screamin' too if I were him.. Maybe ya better think about gettin' one of those ear ones or somethin' in case he gets sick again."

Yugi gave a curt nod before casting a glance at his clock and removing the thermometer. He held it up to the light to see where the line was.

".. 101°.. Yami's really sick, Joey.." the shorter teen said solemnly as he looked to his friend.

The blonde frowned some. He didn't like seeing his buddy this worried, but he knew Yugi had good reason to be.

Solomon stepped back into the room just as his grandson was wrapping Yami in a warm blanket.

"I just got off the phone with the doctor's office. We have an appointment for today, so let's go ahead and leave now.. Don't worry, Yugi, he'll be just fine. You had your share of high fevers and colds when you were a baby too, you know."

Yugi nodded slightly as he walked towards the door, almost completely forgetting about Joey. He remembered when he almost bumped into him on his way out.

"Oh!.. I'm sorry, Joey. I was just worried.. It was really nice that you came over though."

"Hey, no problem, Yug. I just wanted ta see how ya were doin' an' all. And I came over ta drop off a present from all of us.. Me, Tristan, Teá, an' Ryou pitched in an' got ya some stuff fer Yami."

"Thanks, Joey.. And tell everyone that I said 'thanks' too. We have to get going though.. I'll see you guys at school."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The pediatrician had indeed diagnosed Yami with a small cold and Yugi made sure to devote all of his possible time to nursing his dark back to health. He did so well that Yami was right as rain in about four days.

The little one had grown more as well and started walking. The walking was quickly bypassed by running though. Yami was also forming his first little words. He had some trouble trying to say 'Yugi', even with the enthusiastic encouragement.

The small darkness would occasionally call for "Udi", but was much more fond of calling Yugi, "ma ma" for a while.

Yami had also started teething and trying to feed himself solid foods. However, that did not mean he was above being cradled in his hikari's arms with a warm bottle, just yet.

Both of them loved those times. Yami would usually drift off into a sated slumber on a full tummy while Yugi would hold him close and tenderly play with the little one's soft tresses.

And so, it was the nightly ritual. Yami would have one last diaper change before getting into his jammies while he started drinking a bottle. Then came the eventual nodding off. Yugi would take him upstairs afterwards to tuck him into his crib and kiss his forehead goodnight.

This did not last long with Yami's accelerated growth rate though. In merely two weeks, the little one was ready to be potty trained. This put a strain on having a bottle before bedtime once Yugi found it would often lead to accidents.

It slowed into a less frequent occurrence, but it still happened occasionally. The violet-eyed teen would be fast asleep in his bed until a tiny hand would tug softly at his pajama sleeve. There, he would find Yami standing teary eyed and sniffling in wet jammies.

".. *sniff* I had uh assi-- *sniffle* assident, Udi.." whimpered Yami while he rubbed his eye with a little fist.

Yugi yawned some before sitting up and pushing the covers back so he could get up.

"Shh.. It's okay, Yami.. Let's go get you cleaned up, okay?" he took the toddler dark by the hand and into the bathroom.

Lovingly, he stripped the little one out of his soiled nightclothes and cleaned him off with some baby wipes and a dry towel to help prevent diaper rash. Yugi slipped a pair of Goodnights on Yami, then took him back to the bedroom to redress him. Most nights, it would just be one of Yugi's old shirts. After, they would both crawl back into the teen's bed and fall asleep once more.

Luckily, it was not long before Yami grew out of having accidents. He started having improved speech as well. But his proudest accomplishment was that he could wear "big boy" underwear now.

In fact, when Joey, Teá, and Tristan came over to see how Yami was doing, he came running up and promptly dropped his pants to show them off.

"Look what I'm wearing! Yugi gotted me big boy undies wif Kuribohs on dem! Dey look jus' like Yugi's, buh he's got Sifer on his.." he exclaimed exuberantly.

The three were snickering and trying to hold back giggles while Yugi covered his face with his hand and groaned softly.

".. Yami.. We're all very proud of you wearing your 'big boy' underwear.. but you don't have to tell them about mine, please.."

Yami blinked curiously, "But you gotted dem when you gotted mine. Yours were on duh top because you're bigger dan me.. An' I hearded you say dat you always get dem dere because you can't fit into duh big boy setchin."

This left the others to howl in fits of laughter now and poor Yugi as red as a tomato. He forgot that he shared a bond with Yami once more. However, it was not always comforting to have when a little mind read his thoughts without asking.

Once more, Yami blinked and tilted his little head, ".. Yugi?.. What's 'pu'erdy'? Is it somefing bad? You were tinking about wanting to hit it.. You tol' me dat hitting was bad."

Yugi's friends were on the floor at this point with tears streaming down their faces. The mortified duelist decided that now was the perfect time for Yami's nap and ushered him off towards the bedroom.

------------------------------------------------------