Fanfic 100, Puzzleshipping, #25, Strangers, Stock, Crates and Cards
Title: Stock, Crates and Cards
Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters
Characters: Yami no Yuugi (Atemu) & Mutou Yuugi
Prompt: # 025, Strangers
Word Count: 5.025
Rating: MA
Summary: On a dreary, boring day of cleaning out the stock room, Yuugi meets a customer who’s collecting rare Duel Monsters cards and who wants to inquire if he has any special additions to his collection in a very personal way…
Author's Notes: AU. Just a fun and silly PWP, nothing more. Made up surname for Atemu.
Key: ----------------- = scene change
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Today is the day, Mutou Yuugi thought to himself as he rolled up his sleeves. He had postponed it for ages, but now he could no longer put it off: the stock room was in desperate need of a thorough cleaning. It was hard to believe that so much clutter had been gathered in such a small space. Boxes and crates everywhere, shelves filled with knick-knacks, outdated junk and stuff that needed to be sorted out. He heaved a sigh. Ever since his graduation, Yuugi hadn't known what to do. His mother always stressed the importance of a good education and had been terribly disappointed when he told her he wanted to take a year off, as he had no clue about what study to take - if he was going to study at all. However, his mother also stressed that she didn't want him to slack off a whole year long - he had to find a job and until then, he could help out his grandfather. Yuugi certainly didn’t mind; Mutou Sugoroku was almost in his eighties and lunging around heavy boxes was too much for him. He had wondered though, what kind of merchandise was still left in those crates and boxes in his stock room, so Yuugi had offered to clean it up and sort it out. Besides, his grandfather had asked multiple times when he’d get to it; he didn’t want to disappoint him.
Alright, first he had to create some room to move around. No wonder his grandfather kept so little stock; the entire room was filled to the brim with clutter and garbage! Yuugi opened a couple of boxes with promotional material for a game that was already off the market. He folded everything flat to be discarded with the rest of the cardboard later and moved on, opening another box. How awesome would it be, if he stumbled upon something exclusive, a collector’s item? Whistling a nondescript tune, he went through box after box. Mostly rubbish, incomplete or outdated games and other obsolete materials, nothing of real value. A sudden cough jolted him out of his concentration. Yuugi looked over his shoulder. Someone was standing in the door opening.
"I'm sorry, the stock room isn’t accessible to customers," he said. "Would you mind going back to the store, please?" He wondered what the man was doing here. Sugoroku would never allow a customer to pass from the Game Shop to the stock room. Did something happen to the elderly man?
“My name is Atemu El Tumaini,” the stranger spoke with a fairly deep, confident voice. He stepped forward so he was better visible in the harsh tube light. Yuugi barely could contain a gasp. The man looked almost exactly like him! Well, safe for the golden tan skin and the reddish eyes with long, long dark lashes… Yuugi realized he was gawking and he turned to face the man, as looking over his shoulder was getting a bit awkward and straining his neck. “I am a collector of Duel Monsters cards, preferably the rarest kind: limited editions and first prints.”
“I’m sorry, eh… Tumaini-san,” Yuugi apologized again. “We’re a small Game Shop with a modest Duel Monsters range: basic starter decks, booster packs and the like. I think you’ll have more luck at the Black Crown store…?”
“I have been there.” Atemu took another step forward. He looked even better from up close. How could anyone look this good in artificial tube light? And that accent… that sexy, almost sultry accent. “I like visiting quaint, old, small Game Shops. They often have that one little diamond in the rough that I am searching for. Your grandfather told me that you were sorting through old merchandise in the back, and offered me to take a look myself.”
“I see.” Yuugi knew that he was blushing, and that the unattractive light probably made him look even redder in the face, as if he was running a high fever. “I… I, eh, I just got started on clearing out this mess. I haven’t come across any Duel Monsters merchandise yet and to be honest, I don’t think we have special cards lying around here.”
“You have the God Cards, have you not?”
Yuugi blushed even harder. Atemu was standing quite close to him. “Yes, I do, but they are not for sale.” He had participated in various Duel Monsters tournaments in his high school days, and he received offers for the infamous God Cards all the time. Of course a collector like Atemu would be interested in them; they were unique and only one set of God Cards existed in the world. For a moment, Yuugi thought he saw something in those strangely mesmerizing eyes, something… like interest, a bit of curiosity perhaps… but it had to be because of the cards, not because of him.
“I understand,” Atemu said suavely. Yuugi tried to refrain from shivering. That voice could bring down castles and countries. “I would not sell them either, if I were the owner. You know, I am not a duelist, I am strictly a collector. Sometimes I buy, sometimes I sell.”
“So you must be ‘the Pharaoh’.” It dawned to Yuugi. “I’ve seen your nickname on the Duel Monsters message boards. Why do you call yourself that anyway?”
“The game is based on an Ancient Egyptian game, and I have Egyptian roots. It is nothing more than a tongue-in-cheek nickname.”
“You own the world’s most extensive private Duel Monsters collection, right?”
“Guilty as charged.” Atemu smiled. “I keep a low profile as I have more than enough people harassing me about my collection… among them a certain Kaiba Seto.”
Yuugi returned the smile. “Of course. He owns the only three Blue Eyes White Dragon cards in the world… and you have the elusive fourth one.”
“He offered me millions for it,” Atemu said, his tone of voice bored, but with a devilish twinkle in his eyes. “I love seeing and hearing him twitch and squirm whenever I say that I might be persuaded to sell…. I guess it is a little cruel.”
Yuugi could only imagine Kaiba’s frustration. Still, it would be a miracle if a unique card like that would turn up amidst the rubble in the stock room.
“Are you sure?” Atemu sounded amused and Yuugi realized that he had voiced his thoughts out loud. The collector slid his hand over the box, towards Yuugi. “I have already spied with my little eye, a box marked ‘Duel Monsters’ in the upper left corner of the top shelf.”
Yuugi gawked once more and turned his head into the aforementioned direction. Indeed, a small grey box sat on the top shelf, with Sugoroku’s squiggly handwriting all over it.
“Oh! I didn’t see that… well, I just got started…”
“Would you be as kind as to retrieve that box for me?” Atemu was of his height, yet somehow he seemed taller. How else could his voice be so close to his ear, melting every bit of resistance away? Setting his body and soul on fire? Yuugi wanted to obey him. His knees wobbled.
“Yes, Tumaini-san. Just a moment, I need the step ladder to reach it…” Yuugi didn’t know whether to curse or compliment his grandfather. He climbed on the step ladder, reaching for the box. He froze when he felt hands on his legs.
“Be careful.” Atemu’s hands on his body were just as helpful as driving a tank through a supermarket. Yuugi’s legs wobbled, not just his knees. He quickly retrieved the box and stepped down again. Atemu let go of him, his eyes on the box. Yuugi put it on the stack of crates that he used as a makeshift table. He opened the box and arched an eyebrow.
“Those are actually quite old.” Atemu’s voice was close to his ear again, his breath washing over him. Yuugi inhaled his scent; spicy like garlic, cloves, hot peppers, a weird mixture of sandalwood and candles, cinnamon, peach and a burning sun… he was already addicted. His fingers trembled when he took out the small packages with colorful pictures on it.
“I guess these are first prints Duel Monsters cards after all,” he said. “I had no idea my grandfather had these, honestly.”
“I believe you.” Atemu reached past him to retrieve another package. “This is exciting, is it not? This discovery? The thrill of the hunt?”
“I… I guess,” Yuugi answered, his voice a little shaky. He wasn’t that much excited for the cards, but for something… someone else, standing behind him. That cocky smirk, that self-confident attitude… Yuugi had no idea it aroused him so much. The few flings he had in high school had been with fairly shy, reclusive guys just like himself. Was it Atemu’s confidence that made him so attractive? He didn’t notice he was fidgeting to open the package when Atemu put his hand on his.
“Let us wait with that,” he said. “Show me the others first, alright?”
“Alright.” Yuugi took a deep breath and went through the box once more. “Oh! This one is open! I guess that…”
There was a hand on his ass. A hand on his ass. Unabashed, unrepentant, unstoppable. More so, the hand moved, as if sizing him up.
“Tumaini-san, that’s wildly inappropriate,” Yuugi said, struggling to speak. “Would you mind to remove your hand?"
“I certainly would,” Atemu said. His other hand calmly stroked Yuugi’s hand, moving up on his arm, his long slender fingers traipsing over the fabric of his shirt. “As a matter of fact, I would object strongly to your demand.”
"This is really, really inappropriate," he stammered.
"Yes, it is," Atemu answered. "You have such a lovely, plump backside. It is just begging to be touched.”
“P-plump?” He didn’t have the time to feel offended, if he’d already chosen to feel that way; Atemu attached his lips to his neck and suckled on his skin. Yuugi gasped. This... this couldn't be! He started shaking. Gods, he wanted more! Nevertheless, he wriggled a little. “I don’t even know you,” he said and gasped once more when Atemu moved his lips slightly higher and repeated his previous effort. “We’re complete strangers!”
“No, we are not.” Atemu nuzzled him. “You are Mutou Yuugi, winner of the Duelist Kingdom and Battle City tournaments, owner of the God Cards. I am Atemu El Tumaini, also known as the Pharaoh, collector of rare and exquisite… objects.” He squeezed Yuugi’s ass for good measure.
Yuugi squeaked. “That’s not what I meant! We barely know each other! You... ah! Stop doing that!”
“Hm-m.” His hand was under Yuugi’s shirt, touching bare skin, lightly scratching, almost tickling. Atemu resorted to kissing along his neck and jaw line, pressing light kisses all over him. Yuugi couldn’t help himself, he mewled. He craned his neck to tilt his head towards Atemu and he parted his lips, wanting to feel those lovely lips on his. Atemu didn’t hesitate and brushed his lips past his, teasingly. His hand, splayed against Yuugi’s chest, felt warm and cozy. He moved his fingers, a simple shift in position, but the intense touch had Yuugi almost in tears of pleasure. “Are you sure you want me to stop?”
“I…” Yuugi’s breath was taken away when Atemu pressed himself against him. His eyes went wide. That hard… rigid… thing couldn’t be what he thought it could be, right? Right? “We…”
Atemu nibbled on his earlobe. “Tell me you want this. Look me in the eyes and tell me you want this.”
He had to crane his neck a little more, but Yuugi managed to look at Atemu, staring straight at him. “I want this,” he whimpered.
“Fuck me, Tumaini-san,” Atemu whispered in his ear.
“Fuck me, Tumaini-san,” Yuugi repeated, his voice hoarse. Atemu kissed him passionately on the lips and Yuugi almost sank through his knees. He leaned heavily on the makeshift table, his elbows almost slipping off. He twisted his torso to get more out of the kisses, parting his lips. Atemu shoved up his shirt to freely roam his skin, meanwhile continuing the kisses. Yuugi was caught between the table and Atemu, pressing back against him. More kisses, and Atemu moved his hands lower, sliding down Yuugi’s sides. His fingers darted over the studded belt and infallibly stumbled upon the clasp, unbuckling it.
“Lovely, just lovely,” Atemu said, his breathing slightly erratic. Yuugi was unable to control his body, shivering and shaking in anticipation and excitement. He hissed when cool air brushed his bare skin and he felt vulnerable and exposed. As if he sensed his discomfort, Atemu put his hands all over him, his touch warm and consoling. Yuugi all but melted into those delightful touches, so experienced, so determined.
“Tumaini-san,” he mumbled, a longing sigh audible in his voice.
Atemu leaned into him, lapping at his earlobe. “Call me by my first name,” he said and Yuugi nodded, eyes closed in pleasure.
“Atemu,” he said and he was rewarded with another kiss. The collector moved his hand between Yuugi and the stack of crates, touching his chest again and traveling down south. Yuugi held his breath and forgot to breathe altogether when Atemu’s slender fingers touched his cock.
“I love such an enthusiastic response,” Atemu whispered in his ear, trailing his fingers all over his length. Yuugi had no other response but to moan. Why… how… it wasn’t possible, it wasn’t normal for someone to elicit this much pleasure with just a couple of touches… but he exactly knew where to touch him, to apply a little bit of pressure, to tease him, to caress him right there, and to make him squirm and whimper. He pressed himself against Atemu’s fingers, acting upon his primal instinct of wanting more, it felt so good! Yuugi had to grab the sides of the stacked boxes to keep himself stable. Moaning, he thrust into Atemu’s hand, the collector stroking and caressing him. The way he played with him, rubbing all over, fondling… Yuugi was nearly reduced to tears of joy.
"Please… oh Gods, please..!" he moaned loudly, eliciting a chuckle from Atemu.
"Shhh, do you want your grandfather to hear us?" he said, but he sounded incredibly amused.
Yuugi grunted in response. He actually couldn’t care less if Sugoroku would hear them; it would make for an embarrassing situation for sure, but he just couldn’t stop himself! Breathing erratic, he tried to keep his voice and his heavy gasps down. Behind him, Atemu calmly unbuckled his own belt. Yuugi heard the rustling of fabric and shivered in anticipation. It was a pity he couldn’t see Atemu’s face, he preferred to have eye contact with his lover, but Yuugi didn’t protest. He bit forcefully down on his lip when he felt Atemu’s cock against him, teasingly sliding between his buttocks, and he almost started to salivate at the thought of what was coming next.
“Stop teasing me,” he managed to croak out and Atemu playfully slapped his ass.
“Like I said, so nice and plump,” he retorted and took his time to knead and stroke the lightly bruised flesh. As he used both his hands, Yuugi mourned the loss of his touch but reveled in the attention, the anticipation increasing with every second. Atemu continued to tease him while he roamed his skin, his fingers caressing and kneading, once in a while squeezing and a little pinching - Yuugi wasn’t used to pain so close to pleasure; though the intensity was maximal, the pain itself was minimal. Atemu wasn’t set out on hurting him or to incorporate real physical pain; his loving and attentive touch proved that he was more interested in creating joy and lust.
While holding on to the stack of crates, every now and then squeaking and wobbling under his weight, Yuugi pushed back against Atemu, the delicious friction driving him insane. The temperature in the stock room had risen to great heights. It was hard to believe that not long ago he had shivered at the chilly breeze, brushing past his abdomen… now it was hot, humid, lustful, sensuous… and he forgot all about time, about sorting the clutter, about Duel Monsters cards. Atemu was doing… something behind him, he couldn’t make it out, but then his body cramped up and he bit on his lip once more, hard, when the collector pushed his slick, hard cock against his entrance.
"Try to relax," Atemu encouraged him, his free hand on his lower back, moving in large circles.
“I… I’m trying,” Yuugi answered. He had never done this before, that is, having sex with a stranger, unprepared like this… he had enjoyed his flings in his high school days, but this… this was so different, in every way possible! He gasped and moaned at the same time; this was never going to work! Atemu pushed himself in and Yuugi almost choked to keep his loud moan down. He tensed up, clammed up, his legs trembling. Looking over his shoulder, he could see the intense look of pleasure on Atemu’s face, and he berated himself mentally for giving up so easily. However, it was so hard to relax on command and he tried to focus on that warm hand roaming his back, touching his neck and shoulders and occasionally running through his hair.
"Easy, shhh, take it easy," Atemu said, meanwhile slowly guiding himself in further. His hand gestures and his calm voice helped immensely to relax and Yuugi licked his lips as Atemu went in all the way. The sense of discomfort was still there, yet that weird sensation of being filled in such an intimate way took over quickly. His body responded ferociously to the intrusion, making Yuugi feel as if he was on the edge of climaxing already. A violent shiver went from his toes to the top of his head. He couldn’t take it anymore, if Atemu didn’t start now..! As if he had overheard him, Atemu withdrew and then pushed back in, effectively silencing Yuugi; his mouth was open in a continuous gasp, but he couldn’t find the strength to make a sound, his entire mind blown, reduced to the most basic of all bodily functions: breathe. He forgot how to breathe when he was fucked, whimpering, gasping and moaning with every thrust and Yuugi wasn’t Yuugi anymore, he was… a body, a vessel, a living sensation, he could only experience the thrill, the ecstasy, the lust… he registered Atemu’s hands on his hips, holding him and lifting him up a little so that his feet came off the ground; he had to have quite the upper arm strength to keep him in this position, but it added even more pleasure because of the change in angle and Yuugi was nothing more but the aforementioned pants and gasps.
He almost forgot to hold on to the crates, his arms almost flailing as if he could withstand everything that was happening to him. He let himself go, crying out Atemu’s name, pleading, begging to go harder, to go deeper, anything, anything! He didn’t know if he was going to come or not - his body was treacherous, keeping him on the edge and he could go over any second but he wanted to last longer, so much longer and he mewled, he whispered, he grunted…. and then, it was over. The decision was taken for him, his body giving up on holding off the inevitable; and when he came, Yuugi didn’t hold back, crying out Atemu’s name once more as he forcefully shook and shivered.
“Lovely, lovely,” he could hear Atemu’s voice far away and he couldn’t care less; for all that it mattered, he could recite a phone book and Yuugi still would’ve swooned over just the sound and the depth of his voice. Completely spend, Yuugi lied on his stomach on top of the crates, his hands slipping of the edges as he tried to regain his breathing. Atemu still had his hands on his hips, continuing his pace until he reached his own climax; Yuugi could feel him push in even deeper and he couldn’t even respond to it, there was nothing left in him but whispers and soft moans. The collector tightened his grip on Yuugi’s hips and pulled him towards him, throwing his head into his neck as he thrust a couple of more times into him, sending himself over the edge. He wasn’t as loud as Yuugi, but his deep, satisfied moan reached his ears, and brought a goofy smile to Yuugi’s face. The next moment, his legs finally gave out on him. Before he could slide off the crates, totally limp, Atemu caught him.
“You…” Yuugi hadn’t regained his composure yet, “you… what…”
Atemu kissed him on the nape of his neck. “I am so happy that you enjoyed it.”
“Did you…?” Yuugi tried to look over his shoulder.
Another kiss. “Do not worry. I enjoyed it very, very much.” He leaned into Yuugi and put his fingers on his cheek, gently caressing. “Next time, you should come over to my place.”
“That would be amazing,” Yuugi said, shivering once more when Atemu’s lips brushed past his ears.
“I would love for you to check out my collection,” he whispered. “It is not all about Duel Monsters cards, you know. I also collect toys.”
Toys? A grown man with… Yuugi’s eyes went wide when the double entendre hit him. He didn’t know whether to drool at the thought or be aghast at the suggestion, his mind running wild from the implication of said toys… he groaned one last time when Atemu withdrew, still holding him. The rest was a blur; more kisses, a soft laugh, a few whispers and Yuugi found himself sitting on another crate, dazed and confused and still enjoying what had happened. He wished Atemu would stay with him, but the collector had left; not after kissing and cuddling him some more, and promising that they would meet each other real soon again. What in the world had just happened? How much time had passed? Was he still on Earth? Had he… had he just had sex in the stock room? His body refused to get up and resume his work. Yuugi was just sitting there, staring in front of him, reliving the delicious physical sensations…
“…Yuugi? I hope you didn’t mind I send a customer over,” Mutou Sugoroku said, announcing him from afar. “I know we don’t have any rare cards, but you never know…” He entered the stock room, raising his eyebrows at seeing his grandson sitting on a crate, staring ahead of him. “Yuugi?”
“Huh, what? Oh, yes, jii-chan,” Yuugi said, startled out of his very vivid reminiscing.
“I hope you didn’t mind I send a customer over,” Sugoroku repeated. “Are you feeling alright? You’re extremely red in the face.”
Yuugi blushed on top of that, knowing that he probably looked like a tomato. It was a good thing that Atemu had redressed him, otherwise it would’ve been a terrible, embarrassing situation. “I’m sorry, jii-chan,” he said, trying to find an excuse quickly. “I’ve been lunging heavy boxes around all day.”
“So I see,” Sugoroku cast a look around. “You’ve made quite some progress! I can see the entire back wall again!” He turned towards the stack of crates. “Oh! You even managed to find a box with rare cards after all?”
Yuugi looked into the same direction and instead of turning red, all the blood withdrew from his face. The Duel Monsters packages had been scattered all over the top of the stack of crates and on the floor, when he had shoved them out of his way while trashing around. He quickly got up, almost failing to cover up a moan as his lower backside protested from the sudden movement. Yuugi moved to stand in front of the crates, hiding the tell-taling stains from view.
“I totally forgot I had that box,” Sugoroku said, frowning at his own forgetfulness. “Look, I even wrote “store carefully” all over it. It was one of the first runs of the trading cards, and I thought that it might be worth something in the future.”
“I guess it was,” Yuugi said, not knowing what else to say. His grandfather picked up a couple of the scattered packages and put them back into the box.
“Strange that a collector like him didn’t open them,” Sugoroku said. “He was interested in rare cards and the like.”
“Did Tumaini-san leave without buying anything?” Yuugi asked.
“He introduced himself to you? He only told me that he wanted to check out my stock, to see if I had any rare cards. That’s why I send him over to you and when he left empty-handed again, I figured he hadn’t found anything interesting. But how would he know if he didn’t open the packages?”
“He was very polite,” Yuugi said, smiling sheepishly. “I wanted to open them, but he kept me from tearing the packages. Something about the thrill of the hunt…”
“Well, I’m curious.” Without much further ado, Sugoroku yanked the package open and removed the cards. “Look at this,” he said enthusiastically, holding one up. “A first print Dark Magician! That’s actually quite rare!”
“I see, jii-chan.” Yuugi couldn’t muster up all that enthusiasm for the card in itself. Was Atemu ever going to return to the Game Shop? He had mentioned a ‘next time’…
“What’s this?” the elderly man noticed a smaller card between the rest of the packages and picked it up. “Great! It’s his business card. Now we can call him and offer him the card for a good price.”
“Great, jii-chan.”
Sugoroku frowned once more, but not at his grandson’s lack of enthusiasm for a great sale. “You did a lot of work today, but you also made a mess out of it,” he said. “Some of the packages are even on the floor! How’s that even possible?”
“I… don’t know,” Yuugi answered, flustered as his eyes traveled to the floor. He caught the movement of his grandfather, about to pick it all up, but he hurried to stop him: “No, no, I’ll get it! You shouldn’t, jii-chan, think about your poor back!” As to demonstrate, he crouched down, once again ignoring his lower backside, and started collecting the Duel Monsters cards… using the opportunity to flick the used condom under the stack of crates. With his face just as red as before, Yuugi straightened himself and handed the retrieved packages to his grandfather. “Here you are!”
“We should be very careful with them,” he nodded. “If we can sell them for a good price…”
“But of course, jii-chan. I’ll give Tumaini-san a call, alright?”
Sugoroku agreed. “Yes, you should call him. I had a feeling you two could get along, with both your passion for Duel Monsters… you worked very hard Yuugi, why don’t you quit for today? You can finish up tomorrow. It’s almost closing time anyway.”
“S-sure.” Yuugi watched his grandfather’s retreating back and released the huge sigh of relief he’d been holding. Gods..! He was holding Atemu’s business card, simply stating his name and ‘collector of rare antiquities’, along with his address and phone number. Next time, you should come over to my place… I also collect toys… A delightful shiver ran down his spine. He wanted to try out all of Atemu’s toys. He wanted to share their passion for a million years to come… Yuugi retrieved his cell phone and dialed the number on the business card. It didn’t take long before he heard that wonderful, deep voice again.
“Yes?”
“Tumaini-san?”
“The very one and the same.”
“You left the condom on the floor,” Yuugi blurted out and wished he was dead the next second.
“My apologies,” Atemu said, with that familiar amused tone to his voice. “I did not feel like putting it back into my pocket again.”
“Do you always visit potential sellers like that?”
“I always come prepared,” he answered, in all seriousness. “Do you really think I visited your Game Shop on coincidence? No, I had my eyes on your little store and on you for quite a while, Mutou Yuugi. I am sorry if that ruined the moment for you…”
“No, no, not at all,” Yuugi said. “I mean… it was… so amazing, nothing could ruin that…”
“I am glad to hear that.”
“I found a first run Dark Magician for you,” he blurted out again. Ye Gods! How much more stupid could he be?
“Interesting.” Atemu remained silent for a moment. “I have a couple of Dark Magicians in my collection, but I do not believe a first run is one of them. Are you… interested in seeing it for yourself or do you… wish for me to visit you at your store? I really liked your stock room.”
Yuugi’s knees wobbled all over again. “Your place.”
“I have toys,” Atemu breathed.
“I want your toy,” Yuugi whispered.
“It shall be yours,” the collector answered, “the sooner you are at my place…”
He didn’t need to say more. Yuugi sprinted out of the Game Shop, out of the building before Sugoroku could say anything to stop him or ask him where he was going. Yuugi’s mother, who always helped to clean the store after closing time, was almost run over by her son in his hurry to get out.
“Yuugi-kun..?” Bewildered, she stared after him. “What is he doing?”
“I think he’s found a friend to share his passion for Duel Monsters with,” Sugoroku answered.
She crumpled her nose. “That weird game? He has friends enough, hasn’t he? They went along with him when he was playing those tournaments…”
“Yes, true. But this is a very, very special friend,” Sugoroku said, taking out his broom to sweep the floor. “He collects the rarest cards…”
“Grown men and card games,” she snorted. “They’ll always be children at heart!”
“I guess so,” Sugoroku answered pleasantly and started to sweep. He was smiling all the way. When should he tell Yuugi that Atemu had called the Game Shop beforehand to inquire if he was working today in the stock room?
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This entry was originally posted at http://the-goldenpath.dreamwidth.org/89549.html. Please comment there using OpenID.
Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters
Characters: Yami no Yuugi (Atemu) & Mutou Yuugi
Prompt: # 025, Strangers
Word Count: 5.025
Rating: MA
Summary: On a dreary, boring day of cleaning out the stock room, Yuugi meets a customer who’s collecting rare Duel Monsters cards and who wants to inquire if he has any special additions to his collection in a very personal way…
Author's Notes: AU. Just a fun and silly PWP, nothing more. Made up surname for Atemu.
Key: ----------------- = scene change
-----------------------------------
Today is the day, Mutou Yuugi thought to himself as he rolled up his sleeves. He had postponed it for ages, but now he could no longer put it off: the stock room was in desperate need of a thorough cleaning. It was hard to believe that so much clutter had been gathered in such a small space. Boxes and crates everywhere, shelves filled with knick-knacks, outdated junk and stuff that needed to be sorted out. He heaved a sigh. Ever since his graduation, Yuugi hadn't known what to do. His mother always stressed the importance of a good education and had been terribly disappointed when he told her he wanted to take a year off, as he had no clue about what study to take - if he was going to study at all. However, his mother also stressed that she didn't want him to slack off a whole year long - he had to find a job and until then, he could help out his grandfather. Yuugi certainly didn’t mind; Mutou Sugoroku was almost in his eighties and lunging around heavy boxes was too much for him. He had wondered though, what kind of merchandise was still left in those crates and boxes in his stock room, so Yuugi had offered to clean it up and sort it out. Besides, his grandfather had asked multiple times when he’d get to it; he didn’t want to disappoint him.
Alright, first he had to create some room to move around. No wonder his grandfather kept so little stock; the entire room was filled to the brim with clutter and garbage! Yuugi opened a couple of boxes with promotional material for a game that was already off the market. He folded everything flat to be discarded with the rest of the cardboard later and moved on, opening another box. How awesome would it be, if he stumbled upon something exclusive, a collector’s item? Whistling a nondescript tune, he went through box after box. Mostly rubbish, incomplete or outdated games and other obsolete materials, nothing of real value. A sudden cough jolted him out of his concentration. Yuugi looked over his shoulder. Someone was standing in the door opening.
"I'm sorry, the stock room isn’t accessible to customers," he said. "Would you mind going back to the store, please?" He wondered what the man was doing here. Sugoroku would never allow a customer to pass from the Game Shop to the stock room. Did something happen to the elderly man?
“My name is Atemu El Tumaini,” the stranger spoke with a fairly deep, confident voice. He stepped forward so he was better visible in the harsh tube light. Yuugi barely could contain a gasp. The man looked almost exactly like him! Well, safe for the golden tan skin and the reddish eyes with long, long dark lashes… Yuugi realized he was gawking and he turned to face the man, as looking over his shoulder was getting a bit awkward and straining his neck. “I am a collector of Duel Monsters cards, preferably the rarest kind: limited editions and first prints.”
“I’m sorry, eh… Tumaini-san,” Yuugi apologized again. “We’re a small Game Shop with a modest Duel Monsters range: basic starter decks, booster packs and the like. I think you’ll have more luck at the Black Crown store…?”
“I have been there.” Atemu took another step forward. He looked even better from up close. How could anyone look this good in artificial tube light? And that accent… that sexy, almost sultry accent. “I like visiting quaint, old, small Game Shops. They often have that one little diamond in the rough that I am searching for. Your grandfather told me that you were sorting through old merchandise in the back, and offered me to take a look myself.”
“I see.” Yuugi knew that he was blushing, and that the unattractive light probably made him look even redder in the face, as if he was running a high fever. “I… I, eh, I just got started on clearing out this mess. I haven’t come across any Duel Monsters merchandise yet and to be honest, I don’t think we have special cards lying around here.”
“You have the God Cards, have you not?”
Yuugi blushed even harder. Atemu was standing quite close to him. “Yes, I do, but they are not for sale.” He had participated in various Duel Monsters tournaments in his high school days, and he received offers for the infamous God Cards all the time. Of course a collector like Atemu would be interested in them; they were unique and only one set of God Cards existed in the world. For a moment, Yuugi thought he saw something in those strangely mesmerizing eyes, something… like interest, a bit of curiosity perhaps… but it had to be because of the cards, not because of him.
“I understand,” Atemu said suavely. Yuugi tried to refrain from shivering. That voice could bring down castles and countries. “I would not sell them either, if I were the owner. You know, I am not a duelist, I am strictly a collector. Sometimes I buy, sometimes I sell.”
“So you must be ‘the Pharaoh’.” It dawned to Yuugi. “I’ve seen your nickname on the Duel Monsters message boards. Why do you call yourself that anyway?”
“The game is based on an Ancient Egyptian game, and I have Egyptian roots. It is nothing more than a tongue-in-cheek nickname.”
“You own the world’s most extensive private Duel Monsters collection, right?”
“Guilty as charged.” Atemu smiled. “I keep a low profile as I have more than enough people harassing me about my collection… among them a certain Kaiba Seto.”
Yuugi returned the smile. “Of course. He owns the only three Blue Eyes White Dragon cards in the world… and you have the elusive fourth one.”
“He offered me millions for it,” Atemu said, his tone of voice bored, but with a devilish twinkle in his eyes. “I love seeing and hearing him twitch and squirm whenever I say that I might be persuaded to sell…. I guess it is a little cruel.”
Yuugi could only imagine Kaiba’s frustration. Still, it would be a miracle if a unique card like that would turn up amidst the rubble in the stock room.
“Are you sure?” Atemu sounded amused and Yuugi realized that he had voiced his thoughts out loud. The collector slid his hand over the box, towards Yuugi. “I have already spied with my little eye, a box marked ‘Duel Monsters’ in the upper left corner of the top shelf.”
Yuugi gawked once more and turned his head into the aforementioned direction. Indeed, a small grey box sat on the top shelf, with Sugoroku’s squiggly handwriting all over it.
“Oh! I didn’t see that… well, I just got started…”
“Would you be as kind as to retrieve that box for me?” Atemu was of his height, yet somehow he seemed taller. How else could his voice be so close to his ear, melting every bit of resistance away? Setting his body and soul on fire? Yuugi wanted to obey him. His knees wobbled.
“Yes, Tumaini-san. Just a moment, I need the step ladder to reach it…” Yuugi didn’t know whether to curse or compliment his grandfather. He climbed on the step ladder, reaching for the box. He froze when he felt hands on his legs.
“Be careful.” Atemu’s hands on his body were just as helpful as driving a tank through a supermarket. Yuugi’s legs wobbled, not just his knees. He quickly retrieved the box and stepped down again. Atemu let go of him, his eyes on the box. Yuugi put it on the stack of crates that he used as a makeshift table. He opened the box and arched an eyebrow.
“Those are actually quite old.” Atemu’s voice was close to his ear again, his breath washing over him. Yuugi inhaled his scent; spicy like garlic, cloves, hot peppers, a weird mixture of sandalwood and candles, cinnamon, peach and a burning sun… he was already addicted. His fingers trembled when he took out the small packages with colorful pictures on it.
“I guess these are first prints Duel Monsters cards after all,” he said. “I had no idea my grandfather had these, honestly.”
“I believe you.” Atemu reached past him to retrieve another package. “This is exciting, is it not? This discovery? The thrill of the hunt?”
“I… I guess,” Yuugi answered, his voice a little shaky. He wasn’t that much excited for the cards, but for something… someone else, standing behind him. That cocky smirk, that self-confident attitude… Yuugi had no idea it aroused him so much. The few flings he had in high school had been with fairly shy, reclusive guys just like himself. Was it Atemu’s confidence that made him so attractive? He didn’t notice he was fidgeting to open the package when Atemu put his hand on his.
“Let us wait with that,” he said. “Show me the others first, alright?”
“Alright.” Yuugi took a deep breath and went through the box once more. “Oh! This one is open! I guess that…”
There was a hand on his ass. A hand on his ass. Unabashed, unrepentant, unstoppable. More so, the hand moved, as if sizing him up.
“Tumaini-san, that’s wildly inappropriate,” Yuugi said, struggling to speak. “Would you mind to remove your hand?"
“I certainly would,” Atemu said. His other hand calmly stroked Yuugi’s hand, moving up on his arm, his long slender fingers traipsing over the fabric of his shirt. “As a matter of fact, I would object strongly to your demand.”
"This is really, really inappropriate," he stammered.
"Yes, it is," Atemu answered. "You have such a lovely, plump backside. It is just begging to be touched.”
“P-plump?” He didn’t have the time to feel offended, if he’d already chosen to feel that way; Atemu attached his lips to his neck and suckled on his skin. Yuugi gasped. This... this couldn't be! He started shaking. Gods, he wanted more! Nevertheless, he wriggled a little. “I don’t even know you,” he said and gasped once more when Atemu moved his lips slightly higher and repeated his previous effort. “We’re complete strangers!”
“No, we are not.” Atemu nuzzled him. “You are Mutou Yuugi, winner of the Duelist Kingdom and Battle City tournaments, owner of the God Cards. I am Atemu El Tumaini, also known as the Pharaoh, collector of rare and exquisite… objects.” He squeezed Yuugi’s ass for good measure.
Yuugi squeaked. “That’s not what I meant! We barely know each other! You... ah! Stop doing that!”
“Hm-m.” His hand was under Yuugi’s shirt, touching bare skin, lightly scratching, almost tickling. Atemu resorted to kissing along his neck and jaw line, pressing light kisses all over him. Yuugi couldn’t help himself, he mewled. He craned his neck to tilt his head towards Atemu and he parted his lips, wanting to feel those lovely lips on his. Atemu didn’t hesitate and brushed his lips past his, teasingly. His hand, splayed against Yuugi’s chest, felt warm and cozy. He moved his fingers, a simple shift in position, but the intense touch had Yuugi almost in tears of pleasure. “Are you sure you want me to stop?”
“I…” Yuugi’s breath was taken away when Atemu pressed himself against him. His eyes went wide. That hard… rigid… thing couldn’t be what he thought it could be, right? Right? “We…”
Atemu nibbled on his earlobe. “Tell me you want this. Look me in the eyes and tell me you want this.”
He had to crane his neck a little more, but Yuugi managed to look at Atemu, staring straight at him. “I want this,” he whimpered.
“Fuck me, Tumaini-san,” Atemu whispered in his ear.
“Fuck me, Tumaini-san,” Yuugi repeated, his voice hoarse. Atemu kissed him passionately on the lips and Yuugi almost sank through his knees. He leaned heavily on the makeshift table, his elbows almost slipping off. He twisted his torso to get more out of the kisses, parting his lips. Atemu shoved up his shirt to freely roam his skin, meanwhile continuing the kisses. Yuugi was caught between the table and Atemu, pressing back against him. More kisses, and Atemu moved his hands lower, sliding down Yuugi’s sides. His fingers darted over the studded belt and infallibly stumbled upon the clasp, unbuckling it.
“Lovely, just lovely,” Atemu said, his breathing slightly erratic. Yuugi was unable to control his body, shivering and shaking in anticipation and excitement. He hissed when cool air brushed his bare skin and he felt vulnerable and exposed. As if he sensed his discomfort, Atemu put his hands all over him, his touch warm and consoling. Yuugi all but melted into those delightful touches, so experienced, so determined.
“Tumaini-san,” he mumbled, a longing sigh audible in his voice.
Atemu leaned into him, lapping at his earlobe. “Call me by my first name,” he said and Yuugi nodded, eyes closed in pleasure.
“Atemu,” he said and he was rewarded with another kiss. The collector moved his hand between Yuugi and the stack of crates, touching his chest again and traveling down south. Yuugi held his breath and forgot to breathe altogether when Atemu’s slender fingers touched his cock.
“I love such an enthusiastic response,” Atemu whispered in his ear, trailing his fingers all over his length. Yuugi had no other response but to moan. Why… how… it wasn’t possible, it wasn’t normal for someone to elicit this much pleasure with just a couple of touches… but he exactly knew where to touch him, to apply a little bit of pressure, to tease him, to caress him right there, and to make him squirm and whimper. He pressed himself against Atemu’s fingers, acting upon his primal instinct of wanting more, it felt so good! Yuugi had to grab the sides of the stacked boxes to keep himself stable. Moaning, he thrust into Atemu’s hand, the collector stroking and caressing him. The way he played with him, rubbing all over, fondling… Yuugi was nearly reduced to tears of joy.
"Please… oh Gods, please..!" he moaned loudly, eliciting a chuckle from Atemu.
"Shhh, do you want your grandfather to hear us?" he said, but he sounded incredibly amused.
Yuugi grunted in response. He actually couldn’t care less if Sugoroku would hear them; it would make for an embarrassing situation for sure, but he just couldn’t stop himself! Breathing erratic, he tried to keep his voice and his heavy gasps down. Behind him, Atemu calmly unbuckled his own belt. Yuugi heard the rustling of fabric and shivered in anticipation. It was a pity he couldn’t see Atemu’s face, he preferred to have eye contact with his lover, but Yuugi didn’t protest. He bit forcefully down on his lip when he felt Atemu’s cock against him, teasingly sliding between his buttocks, and he almost started to salivate at the thought of what was coming next.
“Stop teasing me,” he managed to croak out and Atemu playfully slapped his ass.
“Like I said, so nice and plump,” he retorted and took his time to knead and stroke the lightly bruised flesh. As he used both his hands, Yuugi mourned the loss of his touch but reveled in the attention, the anticipation increasing with every second. Atemu continued to tease him while he roamed his skin, his fingers caressing and kneading, once in a while squeezing and a little pinching - Yuugi wasn’t used to pain so close to pleasure; though the intensity was maximal, the pain itself was minimal. Atemu wasn’t set out on hurting him or to incorporate real physical pain; his loving and attentive touch proved that he was more interested in creating joy and lust.
While holding on to the stack of crates, every now and then squeaking and wobbling under his weight, Yuugi pushed back against Atemu, the delicious friction driving him insane. The temperature in the stock room had risen to great heights. It was hard to believe that not long ago he had shivered at the chilly breeze, brushing past his abdomen… now it was hot, humid, lustful, sensuous… and he forgot all about time, about sorting the clutter, about Duel Monsters cards. Atemu was doing… something behind him, he couldn’t make it out, but then his body cramped up and he bit on his lip once more, hard, when the collector pushed his slick, hard cock against his entrance.
"Try to relax," Atemu encouraged him, his free hand on his lower back, moving in large circles.
“I… I’m trying,” Yuugi answered. He had never done this before, that is, having sex with a stranger, unprepared like this… he had enjoyed his flings in his high school days, but this… this was so different, in every way possible! He gasped and moaned at the same time; this was never going to work! Atemu pushed himself in and Yuugi almost choked to keep his loud moan down. He tensed up, clammed up, his legs trembling. Looking over his shoulder, he could see the intense look of pleasure on Atemu’s face, and he berated himself mentally for giving up so easily. However, it was so hard to relax on command and he tried to focus on that warm hand roaming his back, touching his neck and shoulders and occasionally running through his hair.
"Easy, shhh, take it easy," Atemu said, meanwhile slowly guiding himself in further. His hand gestures and his calm voice helped immensely to relax and Yuugi licked his lips as Atemu went in all the way. The sense of discomfort was still there, yet that weird sensation of being filled in such an intimate way took over quickly. His body responded ferociously to the intrusion, making Yuugi feel as if he was on the edge of climaxing already. A violent shiver went from his toes to the top of his head. He couldn’t take it anymore, if Atemu didn’t start now..! As if he had overheard him, Atemu withdrew and then pushed back in, effectively silencing Yuugi; his mouth was open in a continuous gasp, but he couldn’t find the strength to make a sound, his entire mind blown, reduced to the most basic of all bodily functions: breathe. He forgot how to breathe when he was fucked, whimpering, gasping and moaning with every thrust and Yuugi wasn’t Yuugi anymore, he was… a body, a vessel, a living sensation, he could only experience the thrill, the ecstasy, the lust… he registered Atemu’s hands on his hips, holding him and lifting him up a little so that his feet came off the ground; he had to have quite the upper arm strength to keep him in this position, but it added even more pleasure because of the change in angle and Yuugi was nothing more but the aforementioned pants and gasps.
He almost forgot to hold on to the crates, his arms almost flailing as if he could withstand everything that was happening to him. He let himself go, crying out Atemu’s name, pleading, begging to go harder, to go deeper, anything, anything! He didn’t know if he was going to come or not - his body was treacherous, keeping him on the edge and he could go over any second but he wanted to last longer, so much longer and he mewled, he whispered, he grunted…. and then, it was over. The decision was taken for him, his body giving up on holding off the inevitable; and when he came, Yuugi didn’t hold back, crying out Atemu’s name once more as he forcefully shook and shivered.
“Lovely, lovely,” he could hear Atemu’s voice far away and he couldn’t care less; for all that it mattered, he could recite a phone book and Yuugi still would’ve swooned over just the sound and the depth of his voice. Completely spend, Yuugi lied on his stomach on top of the crates, his hands slipping of the edges as he tried to regain his breathing. Atemu still had his hands on his hips, continuing his pace until he reached his own climax; Yuugi could feel him push in even deeper and he couldn’t even respond to it, there was nothing left in him but whispers and soft moans. The collector tightened his grip on Yuugi’s hips and pulled him towards him, throwing his head into his neck as he thrust a couple of more times into him, sending himself over the edge. He wasn’t as loud as Yuugi, but his deep, satisfied moan reached his ears, and brought a goofy smile to Yuugi’s face. The next moment, his legs finally gave out on him. Before he could slide off the crates, totally limp, Atemu caught him.
“You…” Yuugi hadn’t regained his composure yet, “you… what…”
Atemu kissed him on the nape of his neck. “I am so happy that you enjoyed it.”
“Did you…?” Yuugi tried to look over his shoulder.
Another kiss. “Do not worry. I enjoyed it very, very much.” He leaned into Yuugi and put his fingers on his cheek, gently caressing. “Next time, you should come over to my place.”
“That would be amazing,” Yuugi said, shivering once more when Atemu’s lips brushed past his ears.
“I would love for you to check out my collection,” he whispered. “It is not all about Duel Monsters cards, you know. I also collect toys.”
Toys? A grown man with… Yuugi’s eyes went wide when the double entendre hit him. He didn’t know whether to drool at the thought or be aghast at the suggestion, his mind running wild from the implication of said toys… he groaned one last time when Atemu withdrew, still holding him. The rest was a blur; more kisses, a soft laugh, a few whispers and Yuugi found himself sitting on another crate, dazed and confused and still enjoying what had happened. He wished Atemu would stay with him, but the collector had left; not after kissing and cuddling him some more, and promising that they would meet each other real soon again. What in the world had just happened? How much time had passed? Was he still on Earth? Had he… had he just had sex in the stock room? His body refused to get up and resume his work. Yuugi was just sitting there, staring in front of him, reliving the delicious physical sensations…
“…Yuugi? I hope you didn’t mind I send a customer over,” Mutou Sugoroku said, announcing him from afar. “I know we don’t have any rare cards, but you never know…” He entered the stock room, raising his eyebrows at seeing his grandson sitting on a crate, staring ahead of him. “Yuugi?”
“Huh, what? Oh, yes, jii-chan,” Yuugi said, startled out of his very vivid reminiscing.
“I hope you didn’t mind I send a customer over,” Sugoroku repeated. “Are you feeling alright? You’re extremely red in the face.”
Yuugi blushed on top of that, knowing that he probably looked like a tomato. It was a good thing that Atemu had redressed him, otherwise it would’ve been a terrible, embarrassing situation. “I’m sorry, jii-chan,” he said, trying to find an excuse quickly. “I’ve been lunging heavy boxes around all day.”
“So I see,” Sugoroku cast a look around. “You’ve made quite some progress! I can see the entire back wall again!” He turned towards the stack of crates. “Oh! You even managed to find a box with rare cards after all?”
Yuugi looked into the same direction and instead of turning red, all the blood withdrew from his face. The Duel Monsters packages had been scattered all over the top of the stack of crates and on the floor, when he had shoved them out of his way while trashing around. He quickly got up, almost failing to cover up a moan as his lower backside protested from the sudden movement. Yuugi moved to stand in front of the crates, hiding the tell-taling stains from view.
“I totally forgot I had that box,” Sugoroku said, frowning at his own forgetfulness. “Look, I even wrote “store carefully” all over it. It was one of the first runs of the trading cards, and I thought that it might be worth something in the future.”
“I guess it was,” Yuugi said, not knowing what else to say. His grandfather picked up a couple of the scattered packages and put them back into the box.
“Strange that a collector like him didn’t open them,” Sugoroku said. “He was interested in rare cards and the like.”
“Did Tumaini-san leave without buying anything?” Yuugi asked.
“He introduced himself to you? He only told me that he wanted to check out my stock, to see if I had any rare cards. That’s why I send him over to you and when he left empty-handed again, I figured he hadn’t found anything interesting. But how would he know if he didn’t open the packages?”
“He was very polite,” Yuugi said, smiling sheepishly. “I wanted to open them, but he kept me from tearing the packages. Something about the thrill of the hunt…”
“Well, I’m curious.” Without much further ado, Sugoroku yanked the package open and removed the cards. “Look at this,” he said enthusiastically, holding one up. “A first print Dark Magician! That’s actually quite rare!”
“I see, jii-chan.” Yuugi couldn’t muster up all that enthusiasm for the card in itself. Was Atemu ever going to return to the Game Shop? He had mentioned a ‘next time’…
“What’s this?” the elderly man noticed a smaller card between the rest of the packages and picked it up. “Great! It’s his business card. Now we can call him and offer him the card for a good price.”
“Great, jii-chan.”
Sugoroku frowned once more, but not at his grandson’s lack of enthusiasm for a great sale. “You did a lot of work today, but you also made a mess out of it,” he said. “Some of the packages are even on the floor! How’s that even possible?”
“I… don’t know,” Yuugi answered, flustered as his eyes traveled to the floor. He caught the movement of his grandfather, about to pick it all up, but he hurried to stop him: “No, no, I’ll get it! You shouldn’t, jii-chan, think about your poor back!” As to demonstrate, he crouched down, once again ignoring his lower backside, and started collecting the Duel Monsters cards… using the opportunity to flick the used condom under the stack of crates. With his face just as red as before, Yuugi straightened himself and handed the retrieved packages to his grandfather. “Here you are!”
“We should be very careful with them,” he nodded. “If we can sell them for a good price…”
“But of course, jii-chan. I’ll give Tumaini-san a call, alright?”
Sugoroku agreed. “Yes, you should call him. I had a feeling you two could get along, with both your passion for Duel Monsters… you worked very hard Yuugi, why don’t you quit for today? You can finish up tomorrow. It’s almost closing time anyway.”
“S-sure.” Yuugi watched his grandfather’s retreating back and released the huge sigh of relief he’d been holding. Gods..! He was holding Atemu’s business card, simply stating his name and ‘collector of rare antiquities’, along with his address and phone number. Next time, you should come over to my place… I also collect toys… A delightful shiver ran down his spine. He wanted to try out all of Atemu’s toys. He wanted to share their passion for a million years to come… Yuugi retrieved his cell phone and dialed the number on the business card. It didn’t take long before he heard that wonderful, deep voice again.
“Yes?”
“Tumaini-san?”
“The very one and the same.”
“You left the condom on the floor,” Yuugi blurted out and wished he was dead the next second.
“My apologies,” Atemu said, with that familiar amused tone to his voice. “I did not feel like putting it back into my pocket again.”
“Do you always visit potential sellers like that?”
“I always come prepared,” he answered, in all seriousness. “Do you really think I visited your Game Shop on coincidence? No, I had my eyes on your little store and on you for quite a while, Mutou Yuugi. I am sorry if that ruined the moment for you…”
“No, no, not at all,” Yuugi said. “I mean… it was… so amazing, nothing could ruin that…”
“I am glad to hear that.”
“I found a first run Dark Magician for you,” he blurted out again. Ye Gods! How much more stupid could he be?
“Interesting.” Atemu remained silent for a moment. “I have a couple of Dark Magicians in my collection, but I do not believe a first run is one of them. Are you… interested in seeing it for yourself or do you… wish for me to visit you at your store? I really liked your stock room.”
Yuugi’s knees wobbled all over again. “Your place.”
“I have toys,” Atemu breathed.
“I want your toy,” Yuugi whispered.
“It shall be yours,” the collector answered, “the sooner you are at my place…”
He didn’t need to say more. Yuugi sprinted out of the Game Shop, out of the building before Sugoroku could say anything to stop him or ask him where he was going. Yuugi’s mother, who always helped to clean the store after closing time, was almost run over by her son in his hurry to get out.
“Yuugi-kun..?” Bewildered, she stared after him. “What is he doing?”
“I think he’s found a friend to share his passion for Duel Monsters with,” Sugoroku answered.
She crumpled her nose. “That weird game? He has friends enough, hasn’t he? They went along with him when he was playing those tournaments…”
“Yes, true. But this is a very, very special friend,” Sugoroku said, taking out his broom to sweep the floor. “He collects the rarest cards…”
“Grown men and card games,” she snorted. “They’ll always be children at heart!”
“I guess so,” Sugoroku answered pleasantly and started to sweep. He was smiling all the way. When should he tell Yuugi that Atemu had called the Game Shop beforehand to inquire if he was working today in the stock room?
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