And here we go with the last chapter of "A single card". I was thinking about splitting it up again, but both parts alone were too short, and so it is finally finished! As I said at the beginning, the story was originally a One-Shot, but I decided to split it up. But now I'm curious – do you think that was a good decision? I would be pleased if you would tell me in the comments if you'd rather wished to read this as One, or liked the split-up version more? I'm curious and thankful for every opinion!

Thanks for all the lovely comments, and I hope you enjoy the last chapter!


"Good morning class" Mrs Imuchi greeted us as she entered the class. After we welcomed her as usual she looked through the classroom excitingly. "How was your day yesterday? Did anybody found his or her valentine?"

Some of us groaned, a few girls chuckled while others ignored the question. But a really big laughter disturbed the all in all easy atmosphere; Jounouchi couldn't suppress his amusement anymore and was silenced by Honda, who looked quite embarrassed. Anzu just face palmed and shook her head, but did also smile amused at her friends.

I looked to Yami and he smiled at me lovingly, not really caring about our friends. And under the table he took my hand in his and squeezed it softly.

Yesterday, after we laid there cuddling on his mattress and drowning in newfound love, the light got back on. Yami and I went downstairs to check the electricity and to turn out the devices – and then decided to go back to cuddling, but this time on my bed. I never imagined it as wonderful as it was to fall asleep in his arms.

We discussed how to tell our friends and family the new development in our relationship as we walked to school together. My heart beats faster every time I looked at him now, knowing that he is mine…

It would be better and easier for us when we would tell them as soon as possible. For our family, we needed to wait until they would return from Egypt. But Yami stated that his father knew of his feelings and he was quite sure that my grandfather would also know, which made me blush.

"Was that why they joked we should move in together?" I asked and I earned a laughing Yami with a wink he simply answered.

"Who knows?"

I bet he knew!


Later that day, we met with our friends at Burger World.

"So tell me Jou, why were you laughing like mad at Mrs Imuchis class?" I asked while we walked to our usual booth with our tablets.

Again he began snickering like mad, which caused Honda to blush and he was obviously mad at Jou. "You know, she asked if we knew who wrote us valentines card or something similar, and our good guy Honda here" he said and wrapped an arm around his shoulders as we sat down, "did wrote one to himself!"

Yami choked on his coke. I coughed on my French fries and Anzu begun laughing.

"Why did I expect something like that!" she said out loud while Honda fought himself free of Jous grip.

"It's not funny!" he stated while he was blushing and looking furiously at Jou. As they began fighting we started laughing and waited until they were finished. In the end Jou gave up.

"Ok, ok, you're right. It's not that funny!" Jou said.

"But why did you do that, Honda?" I asked sheepishly and he bumped back onto the bench, looking defeated.

"I knew that I wouldn't receive a card in class, and I didn't want to be the only one in our group that didn't get one in Mrs Imuchis class."

I looked at him with a sad expression. So my cheer that everyone of my friends did hear something nice yesterday was somehow proved wrong. "I'm sorry Honda."

"Nah, don't be Yugi – I actually got a real one yesterday via Mail! It was really nice" he said and began blushing again, dazing dreamingly into the air.

"Oh, for real? Did you know who wrote it?" Anzu asked curiously and Honda began blushing again.

"Actually yes! It was from Shizuka!"

With that Jou spat out the coke he was drinking at that moment. Yami held his arms up protectively, but was lucky that Jou aimed for the floor next to our table.

"WHAT?!" he yelled through the restaurant – and began his fighting with Honda again; this time to protect his younger sister from 'this jerk that could never give her what she needed'.
While they fought we were laughing again, but cautiously looking out for the manager of this restaurant, so we wouldn't get into trouble.

While the tumult was still big and the focus was on Honda and Jou, Anzu tipped my foot under the table, gaining my attention.

"I know that one card was from you, Yugi" she said in a normal way and she smiled at me while I blushed. "I… appreciate it, and I'm happy to be a close friend of yours too."

I sheepishly smiled back at her and just nodded. "Thanks" I simply said, feeling how Yami took my hand again under the table. As I looked up to him he smiled at me. I told him yesterday that my second card was for Anzu, and what I wrote to her. I also told him that she was somehow my 'victim' as long as I couldn't confess or allow my feelings for him, but in the end I couldn't hide it any more.

Anzu then silenced Honda and Jou, telling them that she would sue them for her training lessons if they didn't stop now.

"How about you Yugi? Who has written to you?" Anzu asked politely to change the focus from Honda and Jou to me – or better say to us, so they could cool their heads down.
I started blushing and felt Yamis gaze on me. He tried to play along with them, waiting for me if I was ready to tell them.

But why should I hide it any longer?

"A-actually, I know who has written to me" I said and sighed as everyone 'Oooed' in excitement to the news.

"And? Who was it?!" Jou asked in eager excitement and forgot his tumult with his friend. I started blushing more as everyone was looking at me – except one person. We were going through this and still I felt unsure how to tell it. But surprisingly I didn't need to think about it anymore.

"I wrote it." Yami said simply and smiled lovingly down to me.

My friends were silent.

Anzu looked at us with pure happiness, knowing what it meant; Honda and Jou looked dumbstruck as ever. I looked up to him surprised with his sudden outcome.

"Eh, did that mean that you pranked your best friend?!" Jou asked and Yami and I looked baffled.

"Oh man, if you have done this on purpose, this is mean! You're like brothers, you shouldn't play such a trick on him!" Honda lectured Yami and his redness in his face wasn't any longer from shyness, but from anger.

And here I thought my friends were smart.

"N-nono, guys, you're getting it all wrong!" I began fighting while Yami was still smirking at those too. Anzu facepalmed again and whispered a clearly hearable 'Idiots' while she was still smiling.

"But you said it could've been a prank on you! And Yami here-" Jounouchi gesticulated towards him.

"Is in love with Yugi."

Jou stopped his motions and his words were swallowed down as Anzu stated that. Honda went also silent and his face color returned to normal while both guys blinked at me and Yami and then turned their head to Anzu.

"What?" they asked simultaneously and changed their gaze between her and us.

"You guys never noticed, did you? How Yami looked at him or how he was acting when Yugi was not around?" she asked and still smiled as she looked between them. Honda and Jou now exchanged a look and turned their heads to us.

Yami did smirk to them, while I was smiling dreamingly, gazing into to air between us, a soft heat in my face. My hand was still in Yami's and I could feel how he softly squeezed it.

"You're…" Jou began and Yami softly nodded.

"Yeah. I was from the very beginning. It was a tough decision, but I couldn't keep it any longer to myself. It was a mere coincidence that Aibou thought the same thing" he said with a wink and I could feel how the heat in my face intensified. Well, thanks Yami for spoiling that so directly.

But on the other hand, he spoiled it to Jounouchi. He always needed some time…

"So Yugi is in love with you, too?" he asked in excitement.

Argh – and here I was proven wrong! I sighed and looked up. Not trusting my voice I nodded and smiled to them.

They were silent for a moment, looking between him and me. But it was not a judging look; more like a curious gaze.

"So, are you both together now?!" Honda asked cautiously. Yami and I looked at each other, hoping to get confirmation for what we're going to say. As he smiled lovingly at me and I returned this smile, our friends sighed and laughed softly.

I think they don't need an answer to this question as Yami slowly maneuvered his entangled hand with mine onto the table, stroking over it.

I looked into the stunned faces of my friends, happily gazing at us. "I hope it is okay for you, guys?" I asked cautiously, hoping not to offend any one of my friends with our new relationship status.

"Naaah!" Jounouchi declared loudly and smiled at me brightly. "It's a good thing to be in love -especially with the one you love! And as Anzu said, I think it was obvious on one point, so yeah. Don't worry too much, pal!"

Honda and Anzu just nodded and I was relieved that my friends were cool with it.

"And what about you, Jounouchi. Who wrote to you yesterday?" Yami asked to change the focus from us back to the original subject. I sighed silently and squeezed his hand softly; thankful for the change of attention. Even if those were my friends, I appreciated not being the center of attention.

"Gah! You won't believe it, but it was from someone who was NOT in class yesterday!" he groaned and he ruffled his hair. I raised my eyebrow and tried to figure out who it was. Anzu looked as puzzled as I did, and Honda scratched his chin in his typical manner. Even Yami didn't have a clue who could it be. Jounouchi visibly enjoyed that we really couldn't guess who the author of his valentine's card could be.

Unless…

"No way!" I yelled as I thought of the only person who wouldn't attend class and the teachers were perfectly fine with. But Jou's smile didn't vanish – instead an angry frown came to his face.

"Yes way! I couldn't believe it either, that Mr. Moneybags himself wrote it. He didn't even bother to hide it as I confronted him!"

"Wait – are we talking about THE Mr. Moneybag?!" Honda asked in disbelief and even Anzu was surprised as Seto Kaiba was revealed.

"Apparently yes" Yami stated bluntly and stole one of my French fries. "It surprises me that he really did it." As soon as the words left his mouth he recognized his mistake and looked into the faces of our friends.

He was lucky that they didn't notice his words. Unlucky for him, I did.

"What?!" I whispered to him and looked at him with big eyes. He swallowed and signaled to me that he would explain it later and if I could be polite enough to not voice it out again.
Everything just with one look in his pitiful eyes. I nodded and changed my gaze back to my friends, that were heavily discussing why Kaiba would write a card to Jou.

"Have you ever thought about to ask him personally?" I asked after a while. Jou looked dumbstruck as I asked him this, but soon would look somehow annoyed.

"No! How? He isn't in school and I cannot just walk into his Tower and ask him?!" he stated. "Also I don't want to waste my time with this! I need to get a B in English literature or I won't pass the class!"

I blinked at him. "How about asking him at the tournament next week? He will be there, and you aren't so bad, so the chances you'll meet him in the finals is quite high."

He thought about this for a moment and shrugged. "Yeah, you might be right. But who knows if he wants to talk to me when I crash his deck?!"

This caused us all to laugh. Jou and his self-esteem was as twice as high as Kaiba's tower when it comes to dueling. And after we started the topic of the tournament next week the topic of Valentine's Day was dropped and we started to discuss new strategies and who would attend.

And it wasn't long until Anzu was called for work, so after our last predicament of who would join us in the finals, we made our way home. Halfway Yami took my hand to maneuver us through the peoples on the street – but he didn't let go as we were in our neighborhood and it was really… lovely.

"So – what was that with Kaiba and him writing a Valentines card to Jou?" I asked instantly as we walked into the hall. He laughed and talked while he made his way into the kitchen.

"Do you remember that I played a duel against him last week?"

I laughed. "Of course I did! I would never forget how he came into the shop and rather pushed you out to test his new system for the tournament."

"Right. Somehow while we were dueling we came to the topic of love, and that Kaiba wasn't capable of ever loving something more than his company. I guess I hit a nerve there because he became rather personal after this, calling me a coward and that I never would find someone. I told him then that I was in love with you."

"What?! You told him?"

"Yeah… sorry Aibou, it rather slipped out. But I distracted him long enough to decrease his life points to nearly 1000. He was out of his strategies and lost his temper and somewhere in between, he confessed that he liked Jou more than he wanted to admit. After the duel he allowed some small talk – or whatever you could call a talk with Kaiba" he laughed at this while I looked at him bewildered. I couldn't believe what I was hearing there.

"And?" I asked, after Yami just stood there, looking at me and gazing.

"Well I told him that Valentine's Day would be a great opportunity to tell him. At that point our talk was over and he sent me home. It also gave me the idea to write you a Valentine's card."

I smiled at this. "Well it worked for us. Let's just hope that those two can figure it out without calling an ambulance."

Laughing, Yami came to me and took me into his arms. It came so surprisingly, for a few seconds I just stood there, doing nothing.

"I-it's still so new…" I whispered as I carefully lay my arms around him.

"I know" he whispered and sighed happily. "But we have all the time in the world to get used to it."


5 years later


"Do you have the lilies?" Yami asked as I climbed out of the car.

"Yup" I said and walked to his side, taking his hand in mine.

"Dad said he would come later; his train is late" Yami explained while we walked through the gate. It gave a loudly screech as it was moved and a soft 'clonk' was heard as Yami's ring made contact with the steel of the gate.

It was mid-September in Domino. It was still warm outside, but autumn was coming closer. The last days it was raining heavily and the sky was clouded, but today it was crystal clear and the sun was shining.
"Should we settle the dinner to a later hour?" I asked as I walked next to him. "I think it would be no problem to pick up grandpa later too."

"No, I think 6 is still a good time" he stated shortly and was silent the rest of the time. We walked under the trees, preparing ourselves again. Yami got more anxious as we turned right and approached our destination.

I squeezed his hand in comfort, knowing that it won't get better the closer we get, and it will never be.

Soon we were there. For a moment we just stood there, looking down and lost in our thoughts. Yami let go of my hand and bend down, taking the flowers from the vase and softly laying it next to him.

"Hi Mum" he said and began cleaning the tombstone from dirt and leaves. I picked up the vase to get fresh water and left Yami alone for a moment.

Every year on her anniversary we came and looked after her grave, remembering her and telling her what happened. Yami's dad would usually join us, but as Yami said before he was late.

So we needed to tell him the big news at dinner.

The last years were kind of exciting. Kaiba's Tournament was a long one - as we expected both of us made it into the finals, playing one draw after another. In the end it was decided that we both would be champions – and Kaiba forbid us to attend a tournament together again. But after it I rarely attend tournaments anymore. I decided to make my dream come true and to develop my own game, so I attended college and was rather occupied with it. Yami kept dueling and was still the World Champion and travelled the world, but he also took care of our game shop. Grandpa was pleasantly surprised as he announced that he would run it for him after he got the needed qualifications. It wasn't a surprise that we looked for a college where we could both study what we wanted, so we could stay together.

As Yami had said, my grandpa knew of his feelings and it wasn't that difficult to announce our relationship to him and Yami's dad. They supported us where they could and they made true to what they jokingly once announced. They moved in together – but not in a way we would've expected it. After we graduated from college and came back home to Domino, my grandpa gave me the keys for the house, telling us that he and Aknamkanon would move into an apartment together, while Yami and me could have the house and the shop, living our dream. He would just drop by every now and then and help Yami if there was too much work to do, and we promised to look after them once in a week.

Jou really got the chance to talk to Kaiba during the tournament, and it came out that Kaiba really meant it – even if they communicated in a rather difficult way. But until now they were an equally happy couple as we were, living in Kaiba's Mansion here in Domino. Jou also still dueled and fought for Yami's title, but until now he hadn't succeeded. Anzu went abroad to become a dancer in the US and after her training she returned home to dance here; she got homesick quite often and didn't want to stay in New York City any longer. Honda now ran the company of his father. He was the first of our group that got married, and soon Jou would be an uncle.

Yeah, the last years were really exciting.

I returned with the vase and placed it on the grave. Yami carefully put the lilies we bought her in and lit a candle. He looked sad, but also smiled to the letters on the stone. "Mum, I think we need to tell you something" he said and took my hand in his. I smiled encouragingly at him, but still couldn't believe what he was going to say…

"I… asked if Yugi would stay with me until death do us part, and… he said yes. So… we're getting married. I hope you won't be offended that I'm going to marry my little brother here" he said with a sad smile. "I wish you could be there."

I wrapped my arm around his waist and looked up to him. "I think you don't need to wish for it. I believe she will be right at your side" I said and he smiled down at me.

"I know" he simply said and looked back at her grave.

We stayed a little longer and said our goodbyes, going to look after another grave. I rarely talk about my parents or their circumstances of their deaths. Yami helped me to come over it and talked with me quite often after his mother passed away, knowing what it meant to lose part of your family. But it still wasn't easy.

As we arrived, it was obvious that my grandfather was here before, because the tombstone was cleaned and fresh flowers stood in the vase. Unlike Yami, I didn't talk to them. We were just silent, thinking about them and telling them silently what would happen soon.

"Let's go home" I silently whispered after a while, turning around and leaving this place. I cried over them so much, I didn't want to do it in public. And especially now, with the new circumstances, I would miss them dearly. Yami followed me fast and laid his arm around my shoulders, feeling my trembling and my unease. I climbed into the car and fastened my seat belt as Yami got onto the driver's seat and starting the engine.

He was lucky that he could say good bye to his mother, exchanging last wishes and thoughts before she slept for eternity. I could say good bye to them, too – but it was a different one.
At least I could have this kind of talk with Yami's Mum. I laughed as the thought crossed my mind, that her wish for me would come true somehow.

"What is it, Aibou?" Yami curiously asked.

"Oh, I just thought about – do you remember the night of the black out? On Valentine's day?"

A dreamy smile came to his face while he focused on the traffic. "How could I ever forget this?" he stated and took my hand.

"I told you that your mother I and talked a bit more, and that it wasn't the right time to tell you her wish she had for me?"

"Yes, I do. And I'm still curious what it was, but I never dared to ask you again" he stated and slowed the car down due to a red traffic light.

"I couldn't tell you because it was indeed a wish for a life time. And I feared that if I would tell it too soon, it would push things too far" I told him and looked into his eyes. I knew that the car wasn't the right place to tell him, but he wouldn't wait until home now.

Not on his mother's birthday.

"And what did she actually wish for you?"

I sighed and smiled to him, feeling his engagement ring on my finger. "She asked me to be happy, and to stay with you until you'll meet her again. Or in other words – to stay with you until death do us part."

He looked at me in awe with loving eyes, but soon looking back at the traffic. "This sounds so like her…" he said and took my hand while he was driving through the streets. I chuckled and enjoyed the touch, staying silent for the rest of the drive.

When we got home, Yami got into the kitchen to check for the meal. We asked my grandpa and Aknamkanon to come over for dinner tonight to tell them our engagement officially. But as far as I know my grandpa already knew from Yami's plans, and I was sure that his father wouldn't be surprised either.

We didn't change much after my grandpa moved out. The living room was still the living room, and my bedroom was still our bedroom. The only thing changed here were the prizes Yami and I had won through all of our tournaments – of course he has more prizes than I did, but it was important for him that I showed mine too. We also made our own dueling room where we held our cards and could duel more comfortably. We enjoyed a good duel once in a while, and Yami loved to train his skills or try his new decks against mine. We still played a lot of draws, but sometimes one of us would really win a duel. But after all, the number of wins and losses was still equal.

I still thought that it would be a bad idea to attend together again – even if I was challenged to a duel every time I was seen at a tournament I accompanied him to.

"What are you thinking about, love?" he asked as he slung his arms around my shoulders while I was looking at his last trophy.

I chuckled. "About joining again. I miss dueling in a tournament, but I don't want to be the reason why you cannot participate."

He kissed my temple softly. "If you want to duel then you should duel. I think I don't need to attend every tournament now anymore, you know."

I smiled and laid my hands upon his, expecting this answer. "I know, but I know how much it means to you. I just wished that we were allowed to attend one together again…" I said with a sigh.

"Well – if Kaiba won't hold the next tournament, maybe we could ask for it?" he suggested and slowly maneuvered me around, so I was facing him. I still smiled and nodded.

"That would be great."

I leaned on him and enjoyed the closeness, and by hearing his sigh I knew that he felt the same.

"Did I ever tell you what mum wished for me before she died?" he whispered softly, stroking my hair. I simply shook my head.

"Like you I didn't want to push you… And even if you never wanted to tell it I would be okay with it" I honestly said.

"Mhmm… I wanted to tell you, but as you, I waited for the right moment." He moved his head so he could look into my eyes properly.

"She knew how much you meant to me. And so she wished for me to stay with you, be happy… and make you mine. At the beginning I didn't understand the full meaning of it, even if I was more interested in you. I wished to ask her what she exactly meant by that, but I didn't get the chance…" he explained and tucked one of my blond bangs behind my ear. "But after my feelings increased for you, I understood that she meant to stay with you forever and… well, do what we're going to do" he said and smiled lovingly at me. But his attitude changed; his eyes got serious and a sad sigh came from him. What was wrong now?

"I just hope you'll be alright to live with me forever… and won't come to regret the decision."

"Why would I do that Yami?!" I asked surprised.

"Well… maybe you will one day wish for something… different. You know, we've been together since High school, and I was your first significant other as you were for me. Maybe you wish to… experience something else someday."

I smiled lovingly at him and gave him a long kiss. "Silly you. I'm fairly sure that nothing like this will happen. Otherwise I wouldn't have accepted!" I said and showed him my ring. "You're everything I ever wanted and I'm so happy with you. In these five years I've never gotten the feeling that I was missing something, or wanted to experience anything else. I love my life, and I love you and I'm sure I'll love whatever will happen in the future – with you."

He leaned his forehead against mine and sighed happily. "You know how to comfort me the best way… thank you. I will do anything in my power to make you happy."

And he sealed his promise with a kiss.