Intertwined fates (book 3)

Chapter 14: visitors

   A loud groan from the doorway alerts me of Yugi's return. I smile as I relieve him of his backpack. He sighs in relief before smiling slightly and pulling me into him. A light chuckle escapes me as I run an affectionate hand through his hair.
   "How was school?"
   "Painfully dull."
   "Is that so?" I murmur as I set his backpack down. He leans into my side as we walk into the living room where he plops down on the couch. His small eyes rolling up in ecstasy as he reclines on the plush fabric.
   "There is so much homework to be done." He groans.
   "Perhaps you should do it." I suggest as I walk back and forth from the kitchen to the living room. Yugi sighs as he sinks deeper into the couch. A small smile pulls at my lips as I organize the several bowls on the surface of the coffee table. "Just a thought."
   "But that would require me to do math." He muses.
   "It can't be that bad."
   "Says the pharaoh who had scholars to do all the math for him."
  "That's actually not true." I say with a grin. "I was able to do all the math myself." Yugi sits up rod straight and stares at me in amazement and shock. I can't help but chuckle at his expression.
   "You're telling me that you did everything?!" I nod with a slight smirk as I pour some strange snack called chips into a bowl. "Why?! You had the option to let someone else do that for you! Why didn't you take it?"
   "I spent my whole life having people doting on my every need it was nice to be able to do something for myself." I say patiently. "Also I would be certain that it was done correctly if I did it myself."
   "Oh..." He says leaning back on the couch his eyes slide shut in bliss as he relaxes. I smile at his serene expression before his eyes open suspiciously to peer back into mine. "Yami? What are you doing?"
   I glance down at the coffee table covered in a wide assortment of foods and beverages for a moment before returning my gaze to Yugi. "Putting out snacks."
   "I can see that." He says slowly. "But why are you doing it?"
   "Aren't you hungry?"
   "You're plotting something." He says certainly as he crosses his arms across his chest.
   "Aibou." I say with a faux wounded expression as I sit beside him on the couch. The cushion sinks beneath my weight as I lean towards him. "I am wounded by your lack of faith in me." He stares seriously into my eyes.
   "Alright Yami," he muses. My heart soars as victory begins to flood my system. "Tell me the truth now." Damn it! My heart pounds in frustration as that soaring sense of victory crash lands leaving me feeling hollow and disoriented.
   "I am."
   "The corner of your left eye twitches when you lie." He says matter of factly. My eyes narrow dangerously as I stare down my small love. I can't tell if he is saying this solely to mess with my head or if he is telling me the truth. His innocent face is unreadable. "You know I could always torture the information out of you."
   I hastily slide away from him and use my arms as a sort of makeshift shield to protect my sides. He watches me with an amused expression as I am now on the defensive. "You wouldn't dare." I growl.
   "If you're so certain of that come back over here." Yugi teases, beckoning for me coyly. I glare daggers at him as I remain on the opposite side of the couch from him. He fakes a pout for a moment before erupting into a fit of giggles.
   "But really what are you planning?"
   "I'm not planning anything."I say seriously.
   "Ok, then what are you plotting?"
   "Who said I was plotting at all?" I ask mischievously. Talking in circles always puts yugi off balance but it seems that he is actually holding on to a small sense of focus. Now if he would only apply this to his homework....
   "Are you plotting something?!" He cries out in frustration. Just as I open my mouth to respond a knock sounds on the door. Yugi whirls around in surprise before meeting my gaze with a confused and aggravated expression.
   "To answer your question," I say as I rise to my feet. "I am absolutely plotting something."
   "Effin knew it." Yugi mumbles as I walk past. I stifle my chuckle as I pull open the door revealing all of Yugi's friends that I had cared to invite over for the evening.

   "Yug!" Joey screams from the doorway making his heart race in surprise. I chuckle at the sensation of his accelerated heartbeat resonating in my chest. He jumps from the couch and stares through the open doorway at the four people who are standing in its borders.
   "What are you all doing here?" he asks with a shocked expression as he comes to stand beside me.
   "Yami invited us." The small boy that was just a little bit taller than Yugi answered. I can't help but marvel at the sheer lack of color in this boy's hair. It was almost like his hair was completely composed of clouds.
   /"Why did you do that?"/
   /"Do you like it?"/
   "He wanted to get to know us and to help you catch up on all of your work." Honda says with a goofy grin before Yugi can answer. I have to choke down the irritation at Honda for interrupting Yugi, but it quickly replaced with relief as a smile dawns on his face.
   "Oh I see." he steps aside and pulls me with him out of the way of the door. "Come on in."
All four boys walk through the door in varying states of excitement and just plain indifference. There were only two faces that I didn't recognize. One being that of the small white haired boy and that of a tall, brown haired man that seemed to be scanning everyone in the room with critical ice blue eyes.
   /"You did this for me?"/
   /"I know how much you missed them...Plus I figured that it would help you to catch up on all of the work that you missed."/
   /"And the true motivation is revealed."/ Yugi says dramatically.
   /"I also wanted to meet them."/
   /"Why?"/ Yugi peers up at me curiously.
   /"They have been in your life far longer than I have. I just wanted to see what your life was like before I arrived."/
   /"Ya-"/
   "Yo!" Joey called from the living room. "How long are you guys just going to stand over there staring at each other?! Get in here!" He says with a broad smile. I sigh as I grab Yugi's hand and pull him along behind me. He has fallen into a tense sense of silence as we walk into the room filled with his friends. His face has appeared downcast and as I was about to ask him what was wrong but as soon as he noticed my gaze it quickly brightened into a face of absolute glee. Yugi bounded over to his friends and began avidly chatting amongst them.
   He looks like he is enjoying himself yet...I can't help but feel that there is something off about the situation. Something that Yugi isn't telling me. Yugi looks over at me expectantly as he sits on the couch. He pats the open cushion beside him in invitation and I smile as I sit beside him. Is my mind just wandering? Am I overthinking things? The dulled glow in Yugi's eyes tells me that I am not...What could it be that my Aibou isn't telling me?