Chapter Text
MONDAY
"Your deck is so cool!" Yuma gushed as he headed down the stairs after the end of his shift at YouShow. For the first time, he had Yuto by his side.
Ever since Yuya had spilled the beans about his counterparts, Yuma had been eager to duel the one from the Xyz-Dimension. Unfortunately, he'd never found the right time to ask. But now that Judai had started to bond with Yuto, he seemed to be coming over outside of crisis situations as well and Yuma had finally managed to challenge him before he needed to head into work.
"You're also battling with some very interesting cards," Yuto replied. "I've never seen anyone else use Numbers cards like yours."
"They're very special," was all Yuma offered.
Yuto accepted the explanation with a nod.
They headed out the front door and turned left where Yuma's sight fell on a familiar figure leaning against the side of the building they'd just exited. "Astral?"
The hooded figure looked up and smiled. "Yuma. Yuto." Astral offered Yuto a slight nod.
"Why are you dressed like that?" Yuma couldn't help but ask as he gave him a once-over. White skinny pants, an ice blue hoodie and white sneakers. All of it hiding that familiar and comforting gentle glow and signature fluffy white hair.
"Atem recommended it." Astral awkwardly put his hands in his pockets, clearly not used to wearing earthly garments in general. "It's meant to shield me from the Goha drones in case they might be spying on us."
"Oh." Yuma looked down at his signature outfit full of clashing colors. "I wish I would've thought of that this morning."
"It's alright. You don't stand out as much as me." Astral reached out to take Yuma's hand and tug him closer. "Now come on. Let's go home."
Yuma smiled and squeezed Astral's hand once before letting go and tackling him into a lingering hug. "Happy anniversary, Astral," he whispered and pressed a kiss to his cheek.
A lock of hair had fallen out of his hood but Astral didn't seem to care. A small private smile softened his features as he looked at Yuma and reached up to cup his face. Yuma leaned into the touch. "You didn't forget." He sounded genuinely surprised.
"How could I?" Yuma protested. "It's been a decade now."
"And you've forgotten a lot of anniversaries during that decade."
Yuma huffed but didn't pull out of Astral's hold. "You're being mean again."
Astral's apology was a light kiss that absolutely scrambled Yuma's brain and left his face heated. He really should've gotten used to this by now.
Beside them, Yuto cleared his throat.
The hands fell away from Yuma's face but Astral made no move to pull back any further which meant Yuma got to linger tucked into his side.
"I could sense you've dueled," Astral said in a neutral tone.
"Yes," Yuto confirmed.
"You won?"
"Indeed."
Astral patted Yuma's back.
"Don't you worry," Yuma was quick to tell Yuto. "I'm used to it. I lost to each of our neighbors more times than to Tetsuo throughout my entire life. And I had a lotta fun today!" He grinned at his new friend. "We got to know each other a lot better!"
"Observation number fourteen holds true then." Astral's tone was low, as if he were speaking to himself before he continued at regular volume: "Will you be coming home with us as well?"
Yuto nodded. "Yuya asked for my help with something."
They began to walk as Yuma cocked his head in thought. "What does he need help with?"
"I'm not sure. Something about filiming a video?"
"You want to be an online personality?" Yuma asked.
"During this time where Goha is likely keeping a close eye on all of us?" Astral added.
Still determined, Yuya kept setting up his filming equipment in their shared living room. He'd positioned himself with his back to the bookshelves lining the majority of the wall perpendicular to the front door. "I think it's a great idea! I could offer the citizens a more personal insight into our lives. And on top of that, they'll be reminded of us on the regular and if we suddenly went missing, they'd be looking for us!"
"You already assume you'll become famous?" Yuto asked.
"If not because of me than because of everyone else who lives on this floor!"
Astral drew his eyebrows together. "I don't know if you'll manage to convince any of them to appear in a video."
Yuma looked from him back to Yuya. "Well, I think it's a great idea!"
"Of course you do."
Yuma lightly elbowed his boyfriend. "Can I be in the first one?"
"Sure!" Yuya smiled brightly.
They shared a high five.
"Call me when you're ready?" Yuma asked.
"Will do!"
He shot Yuya another smile as he took Astral by the elbow and lead him toward the vibrant pastel shades of their kitchen. "So... what would you like to do for our anniversary?"
"Spend time with you."
Yuma tightened his hold for a moment, his smile bright, before he nudged Astral toward one of the three mismatched chairs surrounding the small round dining table. "That's a given."
"And it's all I'd planned on doing."
Yuma shook his head but couldn't stop grinning like a buffoon. "You cheeseball." He got lost looking at Astral's face for a moment. "It's so weird seeing you in these clothes."
Astral looked down at himself. "It's been weird wearing them too. I'm not used to feeling this fabric all over."
"I prefer you without them but they do suit you." Yuma reached out to tug down the hood. "I guess it's finally time to make some space in the dresser for you."
"Groupchat!" Yuya suddenly called out.
Yuma instinctively pulled out his d-gazers to check his messages. And indeed, there were several notifications from his chat app. One from the groupchat asking him to check his phone, and one from Yusei directly, asking him to come over. He got up. "Sorry, Astral, I need to go check something at Yusei's for a minute."
"Should I come with you?"
"I'll only be a minute," Yuma promised.
To his surprise, it wasn't just Yusei in the apartment but also Judai, Yusaku, Ai and even Yuga. They were all gathered in the living space, with Yusaku and Ai leaning against the backrest of the couch facing Yusei, Judai and Yuga seated on the barstools, their backs to the kitchen counter stacked with piles of research. They all seemed to have come up with something collectively.
"My Emperor's Key?" Yuma asked after hearing them out.
Judai nodded. "I remembered you telling me once how it was used to form a portal."
"But it only leads to the world inside."
"Which is already pretty wild," Ai jumped in.
"It originates from Astral World, right?" Yusaku asked.
Yuma nodded.
"Then it might also help us find a way to communicate with that world," Yusei said. "But for that, we'd need to understand it better."
"Kaito analyzed it before."
Yusaku drew his eyebrows together. "Could you get him to hand over the findings from that analysis?"
"Hm... I'm not sure where he is right now but I can call him?" Yuma offered. "He should be in the country somewhere, researching parallel worlds."
"He works for Leo Corp?" Judai asked.
"No, it's independent research." Yuma paused. "I think. But now that you're saying it, I should probably tell Yuto to give him a call as well. They could collaborate on this."
"You can just text it in the group chat," Ai suggested.
Judai sat up straighter. "You guys have a group chat?"
"And you'd be in it if you finally gave in and bought a smartphone or some d-gazers!" Yuma shot back.
"You don't have a smartphone?" Yuga burst out.
"He still uses a flip phone," Yusei confirmed.
Yuga hopped off his chair and stared up at Judai with wide eyes. "Can I see?"
"Sure." Judai got up and began patting down his pockets. "Oh no," he mumbled. "Where'd I..."
Yuma rolled his eyes. "Yuga, you can just head over to your parents' later and dig through the couch. You'll find it there somewhere."
"Who?"
"He means Yugi and Atem," Yusei clarified.
Yuga looked confused but nodded anyway. "You guys are all pretty weird." He climbed back on his chair.
"But you like us anyway?" Judai said with a hopeful undertone.
"Of course!" Yuga agreed cheerfully. "You're some of the most interesting people I've ever met!"
Yusei's smile was too parental for Yuma to fully comprehend.
"I'll call Kaito now."
TUESDAY
"Good morning, everybody!" Yuma greeted as he walked into Yugi and Atem's apartment.
Luckily, Atem was already at work and couldn't send him a dirty look this time. The entire place seemed to be vacated in general until Yuma spotted the lone figure through the floor-to-ceiling windows on his left. Yugi was out on the balcony. Yuma fetched himself a mug of tea and went out to join him.
"Morning," Yugi greeted, accompanied by a brief glance, before he returned his attention to the skyline. "How was your anniversary date yesterday?"
"Really nice." Yuma took a seat on the only other chair which was placed right by Yugi's side. Atem had probably been sitting on it earlier. "We went stargazing and everything. It really took me back to the early days of our relationship."
Yugi smiled. "That's nice."
"Do you still remember what it was like when Atem was just a spirit to you?"
"Of course. Talking to seemingly empty air out in public is a very specific kind of embarassing you don't just forget."
Yuma chuckled. "Ah, you introvert. I was never embarassed!"
"Of course you weren't."
A comfortable silence settled over them for a few minutes as they both sipped on steaming mugs and watched the clouds travel by. There were only a few people in this world Yuma could be with like this. With most, he felt the need to be loud and entertaining at all times. Not that he minded. He chose to work part-time at You Show for a reason. But sometimes it was nice to just coexist without a need for interaction.
"Did you ever ask Kaiba what he found out about the Millennium Puzzle?" Yuma asked eventually as the thought occurred to him.
Yugi shook his head. "No. I never wanted to know."
Yuma looked down at his now only half full mug. "Were you also scared the magic would fade if you found out the science behind it?"
He could feel Yugi's concerned eyes on him. "Is that what you're worried about with your key?"
"It doesn't feel right to have it analyzed. But I need a way to be able to talk to everyone here while I'm gone."
"Then let your friends here handle it. You don't need to know anything for them to make it work."
"But I'm curious."
Yugi laughed. "Well, that's on you then."
Yuma gaped at him for a moment. "Atem's attitude really rubs off on you sometimes, doesn't it?"
Yugi shrugged.
"Unbelievable."
"Hey, Yuga!" Yuma greeted as he was leaving Yugi's place and saw the kid approach from the stairwell. "Class ended early?"
"Ah no, I just forgot lunch," Yuga answered as he came closer.
Yuma frowned. "They let you leave the school grounds during break?"
"Not really, no. I had Kaizo help me get out."
"It's weird how you adopted this drone."
"You adopted a trashcan once," Astral commented.
Yuma had felt him appear but the sudden proximity of his voice still made him jump a little. "She's not a trashcan and I didn't adopt her!"
"You adopted a trashcan?" Yuga came to a halt a couple of meters away and tilted his head like a confused puppy.
"You can't even hear him right now and that's still the conclusion you came to?" Yuma whined. He could sense Astral's amusement and suppressed the urge to snap at him.
Yuga frowned. "What?"
Yuma sighed and waved the comment aside to get back on topic. "My friends and I befriended an o-bot and named her Obomi. She's married and has kids now."
"Kids?" Yuga echoed in disbelief.
"Maybe her and Kaizo would get along!"
"Ah, I don't know. I prefer to keep him close by in case I need him."
"Fair." Yuma pulled out his d-gazers and checked the time. "Oh boy, you should probably getting going or you'll be late for your next class!"
Yuga's eyes widened. He dashed through the door Yuma had just exited.
"Kattobingu Yuga!" Yuma called after him, knowing he'd understand by now.
Back in his own apartment, he found Yuya kneeling by the coffeetable hunched over his laptop. He was still in his pyjamas and there was a crumb-laden plate near his right hand precariously balanced on the table's edge. He must've rolled out of bed while Yuma was with Yugi.
"How's it going, roomie?" Yuma called out in greeting.
Yuya jumped in surprise and turned to face him. "Shit, you startled me!" He looked back at the screen. "I was checking on our video and it's doing really well."
Yuma stopped closing the door as the excitement kicked in and made him hurry over to his friend. "Really?"
"Of course!"
Astral was already hovering over Yuya's head to look for himself as well. "People are still commenting. They seem eager."
"That's so cool!" Yuma squeezed Yuya's shoulders in excitement. "What're we gonna do next?"
"Well, I was thinking-"
A melody from Yuma's pocket cut him off. Yuma pulled out his d-gazer and frowned at the screen. "Unfamiliar caller," he mumbled and got up. He put the headset on and accepted the call as he headed for the bedroom. A stranger in a white coat appeared in front of him. "Hello?"
"Hello, I'm the head doctor at Heartland City hospital and-"
"What?" Yuma shook his head. "Hospital?"
"It's about your grandmother."
Yuma's eyes widened. "What happened?"
"Your sister brought her in less than an hour ago following a rather serious heart attack."
"Is she..."
"She's stable now and accepting visitors."
"I'll be right there." Yuma hung up the call and whirled around to face Astral who'd taken on his physical form. He reached out and squeezed the familiar white fingers. "Let's go."
WEDNESDAY
"You can't spend another night in the waiting room."
Yuma looked up at his sister. "They said she might die soon, Akari."
"They also said she may still have years to go. That's what happens when we get old! If you keep hovering around her like this, your nervous energy will drive her crazy before anything else."
Yuma crossed his arms in defiance and remained firmly seated.
With a sigh, Akari sat down next to him. "You can't put your entire life on hold like this. It's not what she wants."
"What about what I want?" Yuma bit his lip as his voice wobbled. He felt the tears well up in his eyes as his heart clenched. He'd thought there were no more tears left. Clearly, he'd been wrong.
Akari's arm fell around his shoulders and pulled him closer to her. "She'll be alright, Yuma. You know how strong she is."
"I don't want her to die alone," he got out.
"She won't die!" Akari said firmly as she shook him slightly. "Stop saying that! She'll kattobingu that health condition or however you use that senseless phrase."
Yuma laughed brokenly despite it all and sniffed. "When are mom and dad getting here?"
"Some time in the morning. Their flight got delayed again."
Yuma nodded. "Okay."
Akari hugged him closer for another minute. "Now go home to your alien. I'll call you if anything happens, I promise."
Despite everything within him screaming at him to stay put, Yuma got up and left.
THURSDAY
It was already past midnight when Yuma got home but all the lights in his apartment were still on and all his neighbors were gathered in the living room. And now that he'd come in, they were also all looking at him.
Astral appeared right in front of him and spoke as he retook his physical form. "Akari told us you were coming. She said you may like some company but I can kick them out if you'd prefer."
"Hey!" Ai complained.
Yuma shook his head and wrapped himself fully around Astral the moment he turned fully physical. The urge to cry some more immediately kicked in but he suppressed it by squeezing his eyes more tightly and focusing on the comforting warmth around him.
"When did you last eat?" Yusei asked.
With little trust in his voice at the moment, Yuma spoke to Astral through their connection and let him translate.
"He says he had lunch."
"I'll reheat the leftovers!" Yuya announced.
"What's going on?" The sleepy voice popping up behind him had Yuma jump up into Astral's arms with a small yelp. Luckily, he was caught without too much flailing.
"Yuga, go back to bed!" Atem called out.
"Why're you all here? Did something happen?" Against his orders, Yuga stayed put.
Yuma unwrapped his legs from around Astral's waist and let himself be lowered back down before he turned to look fully at his new neighbor.
The kid was barefoot and dressed in cartoonish space-themed pyjamas. His hair was even poofier than usual and his green eyes a little blurry with sleep.
"Everything's alright," Yugi reassured him. "You can go back to bed."
Yuga shook his head. "I'm already up now."
"It's just past midnight," Atem argued. "You can't stay up all night without falling asleep at school. Now shoo!"
"I've pulled all nighters before, I'll be fine!"
"As long as you live with us, you'll-" Atem cut himself off. A brief moment of silence passed. "What am I doing?" He sighed. "Just stay up then, what do I care."
"Oh... kay?" Yuga's tone was careful.
"Really, Atem?" Yugi asked. "You're just gonna let the kid stay up now? He's got school in the morning!"
"And? He's old enough to make his own mistakes and learn from the consequences!"
"Guys, guys!" Judai called out. "Can you settle your dispute somewhere else, please?"
Yuma let the chaos wash over him and leaned back against Astral's shoulder. "It is kinda nice to be home again."
"Yusei definitely has it more convenient there," Judai said from the papasan chair Yusei had joined him on. He'd draped his legs over Yusei's lap and covered them in a brightly patterened blanket. "At least his invisible tattoo can't be stolen."
"I agree," Yugi said. "The moment I put a sturdier chain on my puzzle, some thieves got it again."
"And nearly killed you with fire," Atem added.
Yugi nodded in agreement and sunk deeper into the cushions of the armchair on the other side of the couch. Atem remained perched on the armrest.
"My key was full-on broken a coupla times," Yuma said without lifting his head from Yuya's shoulder. The couch was feeling a lot more comfortable than usual after a night spend on the chairs in the hospital waiting room.
"What is it with you people and your fancy necklaces?" Ai gestured into the air, sprawled out on the floor between Atem's feet and the wall-mounted TV.
The three people in question shrugged. Yuma's head momentarily slipped from his resting place but Yuya was quick to reprise his role as a pillow.
"I'm more confused by the supernatural stuff going on around you people," Yuga spoke up. He was curled into a ball beside Yusaku who sat cross-legged on the floor near Ai.
"Supernatural stuff?" Astral echoed from Yuma's other side.
"Like the human and duel monster spirits, or the gods," Yugi listed.
"Neo space," Yuma added.
"So many dragons," Judai went on. "And the Seal of Orichalcos."
"Losing your soul in a duel," Yuma continued.
"Getting possessed," Yugi said.
"Does the soulmate stuff count as well?" Yuya asked.
"Soulmate stuff?" Judai asked.
"You know, like Yugi and Atem, Yuma and Astral, Yusaku and Ai, you and Yubel or Johan or whatever..."
"You and your three counterparts," Judai added.
"I'm not sure all these bonds are comparable," Astral said.
"Ai and I are connected by our Link Sense," Yusaku spoke up. "It's different from what Astral and Yuma share."
"You talked about this before?" Ai sounded surprised as he rolled over to look at Yusaku.
"We talk quite frequently," Yusaku confirmed.
"We both struggle a bit with socializing sometimes," Astral said. "Though my observations have helped tremendously."
"I also talk to Yusei sometimes."
"Do you two just sit in silence and share one word answers?" Ai asked.
Yusaku shot him a death glare.
"I was just teasing!"
"Have fun sleeping on the couch for a week," Atem said.
Ai narrowed his eyes at him.
Yuma closed his eyes and let the bickering wash over him as the fatigue settled deeper into his bones.
FRIDAY
"What would you do?"
Yugi looked up from his clipboard to meet Yuma's eyes. They were in the game store after closing time since Yugi had to create his balance sheet. "What're you referring to?"
"If you were me and your grandpa might die soon while Atem has to leave for a year," Yuma clarified. "Would you stay or leave with Atem?"
Yugi clicked his pen and averted his eyes. "I don't know."
"You're not helping," Yuma grumbled. He crossed his arms.
Yugi sighed. "Look." He set his clipboard on the counter and placed his hands on Yuma's shoulders. "You and Astral have spent all day with your grandmother again and we all visited her yesterday too when she was relesead. Now she's with your parents and sister at home where she's most comfortable. And you've said it yourself: she's been looking healthy and she's getting the best care the country has to offer, all thanks to whose connections? Exactly, yours. For right now, she's fine, Yuma. Does that mean she'll live forever? No. But that's the case for all of us. I understand why you're scared and worried. I'd feel the same! But you need to weigh your options based on the actual situation and not the worst case scenario."
Yuma felt the intensity of Yugi's gaze burning into his and nodded slowly. "Okay."
Yugi nodded and took a step back, dropping his hands. "Can you imagine spending a full year without Astral?"
Yuma's head sunk under the weight of the thought. He looked down at Yugi's shoes. "I always feel like a part of me is missing."
"I know what that's like." Yugi's voice took on a gentle tone. "It took me years to find myself again while Atem was gone. Yuya experienced the same thing. And you saw Yusaku, how he got fully lost in his grief. The type of connection you two have is extremely intense. It goes beyond what other humans can experience or even understand. It's okay to choose him. It doesn't mean you don't care about your grandmother. She knows you love her. You've spent your entire life proving it to her."
Yuma instinctively reaches to grasp the Emperor's Key as memories with his grandmother flashed through his mind. She'd been scolding him and Astrall all morning to get back to their lives, claiming they were annoying her when he could clearly tell she was happy to have them there. It would all be so much easier if they didn't have to leave at all. Why did this all have to happen now? Why couldn't the people of Astral World just accept Astral's decision?
Yuma took a deep breath. Getting frustrated wouldn't help. He thought about him instead. How easy it was to be with him. How not having him there always made him feel a little cold, a little lost. He wasn't incomplete without him but there was a sense of... wrongness when he couldn't feel the familiar presence closeby. Like he'd forgotten something. And like his heart was longing for something. Even now, that was the case but since he knew where Astral was, that he was safe, he could ignore those feelings. But it was still easy to admit he was simply happiest and felt safest with Astral by his side. A familiar and frequent thought drifted to the forefront of his mind. "He means more to me than anything else."
"I know."
Yuma looked back up at Yugi.
"And so does he. Your family will understand too."
Yuma accepted the comfort in Yugi's gaze. "Thank you."
Yugi offered him a small smile. "Don't mention it."
SATURDAY
"Welcome back, ladies, gentlemen and beyond!" Yuya greeted the camera.
Yuma chuckled from the other side of the lense but tried to keep his hands steady as he did. No one liked shaky footage.
"We're back in our living room and on our way to the rooftop." Yuya reached for the camera and turned it in his hold. "And why is that, Yuma?"
Startled, Yuma looked into the lense for a second. "Oh, right. We're gonna watch a duel!"
"A very exciting duel," Yuya added.
"Judai challenged Yusaku and to everyone's surprise-"
"Yusaku accepted!"
"Stop stealing my lines!"
Yuya laughed. "Sorry."
'They're starting in five minutes.' Yuma blinked as Astral's voice flooded his mind. "Only five minutes left, guys!"
"Thanks, Astral!" Yuya called out.
"I don't think he can hear you."
Yuya shrugged and turned the camera back onto himself. "If you want us to livestream some duels in the future, let us know in the comment section!"
"Now hurry!"
SUNDAY
Yuma woke up in the hammock in his old room after spending the night at his grandma's. It had been an eventful week and getting back to his childhood home was the best way to recover from it, he figured. The attic space was familiar and cozy. The sunlight flooding across his skin golden and begging him to rest some more.
"Good morning."
A sleepy smile spread across his face as he looked up at Astral floating above him. Without a second thought, he reached up to cup his glowing cheek. "Morning."
Astral's smile was small but warm as he closed his eyes and leaned into the touch.
"It's nice to wake up here again."
"Did you miss it?"
"Sometimes." Yuma began to lightly brush his thumb back and forth across inhumanly soft skin.
"Maybe you should stay then."
Yuma knew Astral had been sitting on the thought for a while now and shook his head in response. "I'll come with you."
"But-"
"You already know I've made up my mind."
Astral sighed and reached up to cover Yuma's hand, stopping his thumb's motion. His gaze was firm. "Your family means a lot to you, Yuma, and I don't want to keep you from them."
"You mean a lot to me too."
"I know. How could I not? But a year is a long time."
Yuma raised his second hand to fully hold Astral's face. "Exactly."
Astral silently watched him.
"I already got a bunch of people working on a way to communicate with my world while we're in yours."
"How?"
"Using the Emperor's Key."
Astral frowned. "How would that work?"
Yuma shrugged. "Some earthly science and technology wizards will make it happen, I'm sure."
The laugh that bubbled out of Astral felt like a cozy blanket. "Okay. I guess we'll just have to trust in that."
Yuma nodded and pulled Astral closer. "Now come lay down for some morning cuddles."
"You barely fit in that hammock when you were thirteen, how would this ever work?"
"Just come here!"
"There's a perfectly fine bed down there, why can't we use that?"
"It's Sunday morning! I'm not moving for at least another two hours!"
"Seriously, Yuma, stop pulling on me!"
"Then lay down already!"
"We won't fit!"
"You're light as a feather, what could possibly happen?"
"I swear I'll go back to my spirit form if you don't stop!"
"No!"
They ended up breaking the hammock and switching to the bed below.