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Yugi drummed his fingers nervously on the table. He was sitting across from Téa at the gang’s favorite restaurant. For now, they were alone, and this would be his only chance to make his move. Atem had winked at him as he went to the bathroom to give them space, and Tristan and Joey were late as per usual.
“T—Téa...” he stuttered. Gods, how could he be this embarrassing?
Téa smiled at him, twirling a strand of her hair. Yugi has wanted to tell her for quite some time now about how he felt about her—if it wasn’t obvious enough. He’s had a crush on Téa for years , and even though he was certainly no longer a baby high schooler, as Grandpa referred to him as—Yugi wondered if that was all Téa saw him as.
He’s glad that he had the foresight to write his feelings down in the form of a card, because he’s absolutely tongue tied and the silence is getting uncomfortable. “Here…” He says hastily, sliding over his love note. Ugh, what was this: grade school?
“ Erm... ” Téa fiddled with the note, “what’s this?”
His palms began to sweat. What a stupid idea! If Tristan and Joey saw me now, they’d be crying of laughter!
“I—uh...I made it…for you.”
Téa opened the note, silently. She then smiled, and Yugi’s heart began to flutter. Is this working? Is this finally my chance?
“Thank you, Yugi,” Téa interlocked her fingers with Yugi’s hand—which was undoubtedly sweating—and her smile widened. “You’re so sweet.”
Was this actually happening? Yugi was now finding it harder to breathe. He lost his ability to speak.
“This is the perfect card to slip into Atem’s pocket!” Téa suddenly declared.
Oh.
“I’m...sorry? What?” Yugi sputtered.
“You’ve perfectly captured the feelings I have for him on this card! You’re such a good friend, Yugi! Thank you so much.”
Yugi stared. And continued to stare. Friend?
“That’s...that’s not for you to give to Atem, Téa! I made it for you!” Yugi trembled. His face flushed as he felt tears prick the corner of his eyes. Gods, I can’t cry in front of her!
Téa stared blankly at Yugi. “For me to…give to my crush?”
He got up to run to the bathroom to cry. On the way over, he nearly barreled into Atem who was leaving to head back to the table.
“Yugi?” Atem braced his shoulders. “What’s going on—are you crying?”
“I-I got an eyelash stuck in my eye…”
“Did it not go as planned?” Atem asked gently.
Yugi remained silent. He was unsure of what to say—he was sad, but he was also angry —he was angry at Téa, but he also felt anger towards Atem. He knew it wasn’t Atem’s fault by any means, but he couldn’t help but feel jealous at this point.
“No. But…I just need to use the bathroom. Why don’t you go wait at the table? Hopefully Joey and Tristan show up soon…”
“Yugi…”
“No—I’ll be okay, alright?” Yugi rubbed his eyes, pushing past Atem into the bathroom.
Atem stared at the bathroom door, dumbly. He was going to go in himself, until Joey and Tristan suddenly appeared.
“Ra…” Atem muttered to himself.
“Where’s Yugi?” Tristan whined. He was wearing a maroon beanie. His pointy hair had poked a hole right on top so that it could still stick out. His false eyelashes were not sticking properly to the glue, either.
“He’s in the restroom.” Atem replied. “Shall we go sit?”
He wanted nothing more but to go into the restroom and console Yugi himself, but he also knew his partner would want to be spared from the embarrassment.
I’m here for you if you need anything, Aibou. Well...I’ll be at the table, but in spirit I’m technically always—I’m here for you. He nearly walked directly into a waiter during his wayward train of thought.
I’m fine, I’ll be out in a second.
Atem sighed at the response, and took his seat next to the trio. Téa batted her eyes at Atem before looking at Tristan.
“Tristan, your eyelashes are falling off. Come to the ladies room with me, I’ll fix them for you.” She sighed.
“I’m a guy, Téa!”
“Yes, but this is an emergency!” Téa cried. She then sat on his lap and forcibly started readjusting them.
“Owwww!” Tristan whined. Joey stared in silence.
“If you’re going to wear a bold choice like purple eyelashes, you have to at least make sure they’re on right.” Téa winked. As she stood up, she slipped Atem the note that Yugi had originally given to her.
Atem read it in horror, finally understanding the situation. He immediately threw it under the table as he heard Yugi approaching the table.
Yugi quietly sat down, notably avoiding eye contact with Téa and Atem. An uncomfortable silence ensued.
Joey cleared his throat awkwardly. “Let’s do some shots, guys!” he banged his hands on the table, woofing excitedly.
“Joey!” Téa hissed. “We’ve talked about this! No more woofing in public!”
“Téa, it’s a joke! It’s because everyone calls me a dog! So I’m being ironic…” He sighed. “Nobody gets it.”
“I understand you, Joseph.” Tristan said sagely.
Joey discreetly called the waitress over and asked for a round of tequila. They were taking a cab to the karaoke club afterwards, so he figured they’d all need a little liquid courage.
Soon enough she returned with a round of shots.
“I don’t like tequila!” Téa whined.
“I’ll drink it.” Yugi muttered, grabbing two shots off the tray. Atem eyed him warily. He’d never seen his aibou have more than the occasional beer or glass of wine. He shrugged and took his own shot glass.
“Cheers!” Joey called, slamming the shot down before swallowing it. Atem stared blankly at the ritual his friends were doing and then did the same. He shuddered at the taste. Why did he think it would taste like water?
They ordered their food, and Joey decided that one round wasn’t sufficient, so he got another—this time with rum, hoping to appease Téa. But apparently she didn’t care for any kind of hard liquor.
Atem, if you don’t want it, I’ll take your shot for you.
...Yugi...how much alcohol is in one of these small glasses?
Instead of answering, Yugi found himself five shots in.
“Alright, Yuge!” Joey cheered. “It looks like you’re ready to party! Maybe we should slow down now…” Even Joey was beginning to feel tipsy. He’d only had his fair share of two, and then he’d had Tristan’s rum. But he figured that if he’d already had a bit of a buzz, Yugi who weighed barely over one-hundred pounds must be beyond tipsy by now.
“Sure…” Yugi mumbled. The food came, and Yugi scarfed down his burger.
Atem fiddled with his empty shot glass. He was more of a beer person—after all, in his day, he would drink beer for breakfast on occasion. He figured he could order some, but he had a feeling that Yugi would need a sober friend. His eyes had looked pretty red after he’d left the bathroom.
Yugi was noticeably quiet as their friends chowed through their meals. Tristan and Joey laughed together, seemingly oblivious to the change in Yugi’s mood, while Téa’s eyes were on Atem.
“Oh, guys, we should get the cab soon!” Joey announced. “We can’t be late for the karaoke night!” He reached for another shot—but Yugi beat him to the punch. What shot was he on now? Six? Yugi had lost count. He’d already had to use the bathroom twice within the past two hours.
His vision was beginning to blur—was his body swaying?—but decided it was of no matter.
“Yugi…” Atem placed a hesitant hand onto his shoulder, steadying him. “Are you feeling alright? Do you still want to go to karaoke?”
“M’fine.” He said, drinking a glass of water for good measure. He didn’t even care anymore. He had no desire to go to karaoke or to be with his friends any longer, but at the same time he didn’t want to go home obviously drunk off his ass and deal with his grandpa’s commentary.
I can handle my liquor, Yugi spoke through their mind link, clearly agitated.
I didn’t mean to imply otherwise…
“Ugh, this purse is so heavy!” Téa whined. “Yugi, can you hold it for me?”
Too drunk to protest, Yugi grabbed it and toppled to the ground. What the ever living fuck was in this thing? He’d apparently asked it aloud, because Joey was snickering.
“Yuge-poo!” Tristan gasped.
“That’s very rude, Yugi! You should never ask what’s in a lady’s purse.”
Yugi, who was still on the floor, groaned as Atem hoisted him up. Could this be any more emasculating?
Aibou…I think we should go home.
“No!” Yugi protested, wriggling out of Atem’s grasp. He somehow managed to not fall over again. He grabbed Atem’s shoulder for support. His friends stared. “Are we ready t-to leave? Let’s go.”
If Yugi’s crush weren’t standing there, Atem figured he’d pick up his partner and walk him home himself—but he decided to spare him the humiliation.
“Yeah, Yuge!” Joey cheered, wholly oblivious to how blackout drunk his “best friend” clearly was.
The cab came finally, and Yugi leaned against Atem the entire ride over. They’d all managed to fit, and had made Yugi sit sandwiched between Tristan and Atem. There was enough room for four people in the back, but Joey had opted to lay on the floor. The driver had sighed and looked the other way.
It wasn’t long before they arrived. They’d only been here once before Atem had gotten his own body, and it was hilarious given that none of them were any good at singing.
Joey crawled out of the cab on all fours—Téa scowled—and the rest of the group followed.
Atem kept his hold around Yugi’s shoulders, who was leaning more into him as they walked into the karaoke club.
“Who wants to sing first?” Joey grinned, nudging Yugi.
“Sing, Yuge-poo, sing!” Tristan slurred. He’d had one shot.
Yugi staggered over to the microphone and selected Wham!’s Last Christmas.
“Joey,” Atem hissed. “Can’t you see he’s wasted? ”
“Lighten up, Atem! He’s having fun!” Joey laughed.
They watched as Yugi slurred his way through the first verse, and as he began falling apart during the chorus.
“ But the vv-eeery next day, y-you gave it away—” Yugi sobbed. Tears streamed down his face as he attempted to drunkenly sing.
“That’s it—” Atem rose and stormed over to his partner. “No more karaoke!” He yelled, picking Yugi up bridal style and carrying him out of the room. Everyone else sat there in shock.
“Sing, Joey! Sing!” Tristan cheered in the background.
The next song began: Barbie Girl.
Yugi stared at Atem in drunken confusion as he was carried off the stage. He tried his best to tune out Joey and Tristan’s drunken duet as his head began to pound.
“Atem, wait!” Téa called, but Atem pointedly ignored her. His only priority at this point was getting Yugi home safely.
“...’tem,” Yugi slurred, “...’msorry.”
Atem looked down at Yugi and frowned. “It’s not your fault,” he whispered.
“I should’tve drank so much…”
“Let’s just go home. I understand.”
It felt surprisingly nice to be carried by Atem. He figured it was emasculating, but he didn’t care. Yugi wondered if he’d even remember any of this tomorrow.
“I see why she likes you…” Yugi mumbled. “Very strong…”
Atem flushed. “W-Well...I don’t like Téa…I’ve never been interested in…uhh…her…”
“R-Really?”
“I don’t like women, Yugi…” Atem said. “Well… Ah , not in a misogynistic way! I merely mean I have no romantic or sexual interest in them…”
“Oh, cool.” Yugi mumbled. “D’ya like guys?”
“Yes.”
“Cool, same.” Hr mumbled, attempting to high-five the man who was carrying him. “Er, I like both…everything…everyone…not literally…”
“I see.”
“I like Téa.” He sobbed. “She does not like...ME!”
“I know.” Atem attempted to soothe his partner.
When they finally got home, he was met with the light turning on to reveal the heaving Solomon Muto.
“Oh no!” Solomon cried. “Is he dead?” He said in reference to his sleeping grandson.
“...No, Solomon…he ah fell asleep. He’ll be fine.”
“My poor baby grandson!” Solomon wailed. Yugi scrunched his eyes in annoyance.
“Don’t worry, Solomon,” Atem sighed, “Yugi just needs to—”
“You need to turn on his night light, or he will have nightmares, Adopted Grandson!”
“...Okay.” Atem began to carry Yugi upstairs. “Count your sheep, Solomon.”
“One…two…uhhh…threeeeeee… four …ten…five…”
Atem sat Yugi up on his bed. He was pretty sure that you weren’t supposed to lay a person this drunk on his back. He didn’t really know what to do with a drunken person outside of that.
“Um…” Atem looked around the room for some sort of distraction. “Do you want the TV on? We could…try playing…Checkers?”
“Sure.”
Atem let Yugi win a few rounds. It seemed like his partner needed the self-esteem boost.
“Can you sleep in my bed tonight?” Yugi asked, after a few hours. He was slowly sobering up, but the request made Atem do a double take.
“Uhhh…” He flushed slightly. “Aibou, what if when you wake up, you don’t want me there anymore?”
Yugi laid down on his side, facing away. “It’s okay…You don’t have to.”
So Atem sat there hesitantly on the side of his bed. He did not move any closer or any further. Somehow he fell asleep like that.
When Yugi woke up, he sheepishly thanked Atem for getting him home safely. He felt awful —and it wasn’t only because of his hangover.
“How much do you remember?” Atem quietly asked.
Yugi shifted uncomfortably. He certainly remembered singing while sobbing as his drunken friends laughed and cheered. He remembered Téa’s blank stare. He also remembered playing—and winning at—checkers with Atem.
“I…” Yugi shyly smiled. “I beat the King of Games at checkers.”
Atem stared.
“Yugi, you must have been wasted . Obviously, you did not win against me,” he scoffed, but there was a shy smile on his face, too.
Yugi gasped. “Aww, you let me win.”
“No,” Atem scoffed, looking away. “I didn’t—I—Who would do such a thing? That is no way to play a game!”
Yugi gave his partner a hug. His head throbbed, but he could only imagine how badly Atem’s night had turned out on his account.
But Atem didn’t seem to care. He didn’t scorn him, or laugh at him—he was just there. And he was returning the hug. The pain in Yugi’s head melted away for a moment. It was going to be a rough morning as he attempted to cure his hangover, but at least he had Atem’s support. Besides, maybe things had just been a misunderstanding with Téa, and he’d overreacted last night.
He was grateful that he had a friend like Atem to get him through it.