Chapter One: The Proposals

Summary: It's the year 2012 and the group is now 25. The men have decided to start a family. What kind of trouble will ensue?

It was a balmy October evening. Most people were getting off work in Domino City at this time, which was the case for the owner of a white SUV.

The vehicle snaked through the streets, finally coming to a stop at an egg-shell white home.

The driver door opened and a tall, lanky male in his mid twenties stepped out. He had tall, spiky black hair that was trimmed with deep red and blond bangs. A loose white t-shirt donned his upper half, while a pair of blue jeans covered him from the waist down. He scanned the area quickly before reaching into his pockets. He pulled out a small black ring box. Tonight is the night, he thought.

Sighing, he put the ring box back in his pocket and headed up the walkway. He inserted the key and unlocked the door, letting himself in. "Hali?" He asked.

There was no answer and he headed for the kitchen. He stuck his head in the freezer and searched for the bag of chicken he had put in there.

A woman in her mid twenties with long brunette hair entered the kitchen. "Atem? Did I just hear you come home?" She asked.

Atem looked around the door. "Hey, honey. I was just getting ready to make dinner." He said. He set up a pan with butter melting under medium heat. He headed for the counter and began chopping up the frozen chicken.

"This is a pleasant change." Hali said, surprised.

"I just felt like making dinner for my favorite girl." Atem replied.

Hali shrugged and sat at the table, watching him. Once Atem had the chicken cut up into bite-sized pieces, he dropped them into the pan, which gave a sizzle as the chicken hit the hot butter.

"That's starting to smell really good." Hali said. She got up and went over to Atem, wrapping her arms around his middle.

Atem smirked. "You smell good as well."

Hali blushed. "This is a side I haven't seen in quite a while." She commented.

Once the chicken was almost done, Atem started water on to boil. "Are you making what I think you're making?" Hali asked.

Atem continued to smirk. "Maybe. Depends on what you think it is."

"Chicken Alfredo?" Hali asked, as he put the pasta in the bubbling water.

"Yes." Atem said, relenting. "I though that it would be nice if I made dinner."

"Well, you were right." Hali said, smiling. She suddenly frowned. "Is there another reason?"

"There might be." Atem answered, stirring alfredo sauce into the chicken. He stirred it before saying, "Get some bowls, I declare this done."

Hali handed a bowl to him and watched as he poured some pasta into it, along with the chicken alfredo sauce. "Here you go." He said to her. He filled up the other bowl, set it down on the table, and went to the fridge.

"What else is there to get?" Hali asked, confused.

Atem shut the fridge door and held up a corked bottle of wine. "Atem…" she breathed, standing up. "My favorite wine…"

"I know." Atem answered sweetly. He sat down across from her and uncorked the wine. He poured half a glass of blood-red wine for himself and held the bottle up. "Would you like some?"

"Please." Hali giggled. Atem poured her half a glass and then took a sip of his.

Atem waited for her to give her opinion. "It's good." She answered, after swallowing her first bite.

Atem smiled. "Glad you like it." He began eating, glancing at her every time he stopped to take a sip of wine. They were both a little drunk as they finished their food. Atem stood a little, withdrawing the ring box from his jeans. It was kind of hard to do, since there was a noticeable bulge in his pants. He set the ring on the table in front of her. "Hali?"

"Hm?" Hali asked, looking up. She spotted the black ring box. "Is this-?"

"Open it." Atem said, nervously.

Hali gave a gasp as she opened it. "Oh Atem!" she cried, jumping into his arms and kissing him.

Atem's eyes widened momentarily in surprise, but then kissed her back.

Hali pulled away. "Make love to me." She whispered in his ear.

Atem carried her upstairs to the room and set her gently on the bed. He dimmed the lights low and started to undress. He slowly removed his shirt, revealing bronze toned abs. As Hali watched with lust-filled eyes, he unzipped his jeans, standing only in boxers. The bulge visible at dinner was more pronounced as he removed his boxers. Now that he was naked, he climbed up onto the bed, kneeling over her. He removed her shirt, kissing each bit of skin as her stomach and chest were revealed. Hali arched her back slightly, unable to suppress a low moan.

"Lift your hips so I can take your pants off." Atem whispered.

Hali raised her hips and Atem removed her jeans and underwear. He made love to Hali and rolled off her. They were soon asleep, Hali's head resting on Atem's bronze chest.

Hailey was watching television in her room when she heard the doorbell rang. Who could that be? She thought.

She headed downstairs and answered the door. "Hey, Michael." She greeted the pimply-faced teenager Yugi had hired to help run the shop.

"Mr. Mutou requested me to give this to you, Miss Reynolds. At 8:00 p.m." Michael answered, handing her a Duel Monsters card in a protective sleeve.

"Um, thanks, Michael. You got it to me right on time then."

"Yes, ma'am. He was insistent upon it." Michael answered. "The instructions are on the cover."

Hailey shut the door and gave the card a wary glance. She noticed that Yugi had scribbled a note on it.

My Dearest Hailey-

I have a surprise for you. In order to get it, you must find and follow my instruction. Do you understand? Good. Here's your first:

Go into the kitchen. There is a bowl on the table. Eat the contents of it to find your next instructions.

Your love,

Yugi

Hailey smiled and headed down the hall to the kitchen. As the note said, there was a dark blue bowl of miso soup. However, she saw nothing at the bottom of the bowl. She picked up the spoon that was set beside the bowl and ate the soup.

As Hailey washed the bowl, a card fell into the sink. Hailey picked it up and saw that it matched the bottom of the bowl making it near impossible to have seen. She turned it over and saw another note, which read:

Hailey-

Congratulations, my lovely girlfriend. You have found clue number two. I hope you enjoyed your dinner. But this game is far from over.

Your next clue is this: There are three clues left and you need to go upstairs and take a hot soothing bubble bath.

Your next clue is there.

Love,

Yugi

Hailey smiled and headed upstairs to the bathroom. There were unlit candles all around the room, a box of matches and a box of bath salts on the vanity. On the closed toilet lid, a towel was already set. A card was lying on the edge of the tub. She picked it up and read:

Hailey-

Don't you love the smell of roses? I have set up everything you need to have a relaxing bath. I have burned a CD, with all of your favorite songs on it. I want you to listen through it all as you take your bath. It's an hour long CD, so feel free to make it last for the duration of the music. And wait for your next instructions when the songs are done.

Hailey smiled and quickly undressed. I wonder what he's planning. She thought. She turned on the CD player and slipped into the bathtub and took a bath. She listened to the CD as she soaked. The last song ended and Hailey got out of the tub and dried herself off.

"Hey Hailey," Yugi's voice said. Hailey searched the room for Yugi until she realized it was coming from the CD player. "This is clue number four, a prerecorded message. There's one instruction left, but first, put on the nightgown that was under the towel. Then come into the bedroom. Watch where you lay your head though, you might miss the clue."

Hailey finished dressing in a hurry and left the room without hearing the last message. "Hailey, don't worry, this is your CD player."

As Hailey went over to the bed, there was an identical card sleeve on her pillow. It read: Do my instructions in this exact order. Get into bed and roll over on your side. You'll see your surprise.

Hailey rolled over on her side and saw Yugi beside her, holding up a ring box, with a ruby and diamond ring in it. "Yugi, is this-?"

Yugi nodded. "Hailey Elizabeth Reynolds, will you marry me?" he asked.

"Of course, Yugi!" Hailey cried, throwing her arms around him.

They fell asleep side by side.

A tantalizing aroma wafted through the house and teased a sleeping Luna's nose. She awoke and followed it downstairs. Joey stood at the stove in a pair of jeans and an apron.

"Hey, babe," Joey said, stirring a bubbly red mixture in a pot.

"What are you making?" Luna asked.

"Your favorite; spaghetti and meatballs." Joey answered. "It's almost done."

Luna sat down at the table and watched him cook. Joey glanced over quickly and moved to lock her view of the pot. He took out a red velvet ring box and took out the diamond ring within. It had a purple stone in the center, surrounded by two diamonds. I hope she likes it. He thought, nervously, before smashing it into one of the meatballs. He stirred it some more before getting bowls.

"Uh oh." Joey said out loud, realizing the problem he had instantly. He could not figure out which meatball had the ring in it.

"What's wrong, Joey?" Luna asked, concerned.

"Nothing. Could you get us silverware?" Joey asked, distractedly.

"Sure." Luna replied and went to set the table.

Joey scooped some spaghetti into a bowl and then dumped all of the meatballs into it. He set it down and did the same for the other. "All right, Bon Appetit!" Joey said, setting the bowl with the meatballs in it in front of her.

"Joey, that's French, not Italian." Luna giggled.

"Whatever." Joey said, dismissively as he sat down. He tried to tolerate it, and it showed.

Luna looked up, realizing Joey gave her all of the meatballs. "Don't you want any meatballs?" she asked.

"Nah, I don't want any." Joey said, shaking his head.

Luna looked at Joey as if he had grown five extra heads. "Who are you and what have you done with my boyfriend?" She asked.

"I didn't do anything." Joey said, defensively. "Just eat. It's going to get cold and I know you don't like your meatballs cold."

Luna gave him one more strange glance before turning back to her food. Joey focused on his food instead of her. It was only minutes later when he heard a gasp from Luna. He jerked his head up and saw that Luna was holding the ring he had put in the meatball. "Is this what I think about this?" she asked, close to laughter.

"It's an engagement ring." Joey mumbled, looking at his feet.

Luna started laughing. "I know it's stupid, you don't have to laugh at me." Joey said and stood, turning away.

"No, no, no, Joey! That's not it. I'm laughing at the way you gave it to me! Of course I'll marry you!" Luna exclaimed.

Joey's ears perked up, almost doglike at her last statement. "Really?" He asked, turning to her. Luna nodded and hurried over, hugging him.

"You've just made me the happiest man alive." Joey whispered in her ear, as he hugged her.

Lena arrived at her home and dropped her duffle bag by the door. The house was dark. "Joshia?" She asked.

She followed a strange sound into the back of the house. Candles were lit all around the room and music was playing. The sound was a man singing and it was coming from the bathroom. "Joshia?" She repeated.

Joshia poked his head out of the bathroom. "Hey, babe. I'm just finishing up here. I want you to get undressed and get under the sheet I've left on the table."

Lena followed his instructions and tried to relax under the sheet. "What are you planning?" She asked, looking up as he entered.

"You'll see." Joshia said mysteriously. He rubbed body oils onto his hands and began massaging her shoulders.

"Mm…" Lena moaned. "Just what I needed."

Joshia took a deep breath and continued massaging her. As he did, he said, "Do you like the massage?"

"Yes, I love it." Lena moaned.

"And what about the music?" Joshia said, referring to the music floating in the air from the CD player above them. He continued to massage her, adding oil to his hands when it was needed.

"Yes, I love it." Lena moaned again, starting to relax.

"And how about the candles?" Joshia asked, working up the nerve to ask the question he wanted to ask.

"Yes, I love them." Lena murmured.

"Will you marry me?" Joshia asked, taking out a ring.

"Yes, I-" Lena started to say, but realized what he said. "You mean it?"

Joshia nodded, a knot in his throat constricting his speech. Lena tackled him and they made love right there on the floor.

Seth was typing a on his computer in his office when his secretary said on the intercom, "Mr. Kaiba, your girlfriend is here to see you. Should I send her in?"

"That is your job." Seth snapped, though his annoyance lasted only a little while as he glanced at his briefcase, which contained an engagement ring. He smiled a little and went back to typing the memo.

Kisara entered the office. She was wearing a midnight blue shirt and blue jeans, with her long white hair pulled back in a ponytail. She knocked twice on the door. "Seth?"

Seth looked up. "Hey, there's my girl. I'm just finishing up. You want to wait here until I'm done?"

"Sure." Kisara said, sitting down on the couch.

"If you want, you can use a piece of paper from my briefcase." Seth suggested.

"No thank you." Kisara said.

"Kisara, there's something I got for you in there. Open the briefcase and see." Seth said.

Kisara opened the briefcase and gasped. There was a ring blue ring box. Inside was a ring with a stone the same exact color as her eyes. "Is this-?"

Seth nodded and went over to her. "Will you marry me?"

"Of course I will!" Kisara tackled him and they made love on the couch.

Seto was just down the hall from Seth, on the phone. "I have sent you the sheet music, are you going to do it or do I have to fire you!"

Ishizu knocked on the door. "Seto? Is this a bad time?"

Seto slammed the phone down and rubbed his temples. "It's fine. I'm just annoyed at the restaurant for not being ready."

Ishizu went over and rubbed his shoulders. "Well, I'm ready to go when you are."

Seto stood and grabbed his dinner jacket. "Let's go then." He said, holding open the door.

Ishizu followed him out and they headed to a Japanese restaurant. "Ah, Mr. Kaiba." The greeter said, bowing. "Right this way, sir."'

The man led them to a secluded table near the window and handed them menus. "Can I get you anything else?"

"No." Seto said shortly.

The man left and was replaced by a waiter. "What would you like tonight?" he asked.

"California Sushi rolls, with a side of rice, please." Seto answered, handing him his menu.

"Same here." Ishizu answered, doing the same.

"Also bring a bottle of Bordeaux, please." Seto said.

The man took down the order and bowed before leaving. Seto sat back. I wonder when that violinist will be over.

Suddenly there was a beautiful melody floating in their direction. A violinist was playing the song he had sent to the restaurant. "Did you do this, Seto?" Ishizu asked, surprised.

Seto nodded. "I want to ask you something." He said quietly.

"What is it?" Ishizu asked.

Seto held out a ring box and opened it. It contained a ring with the biggest, most expensive diamonds she had ever seen. "Will you marry me?"

Ishizu went over to him and hugged him. "Of course I will!" She cried, hugging him. They waited until the food arrived and they began eating. They left after dinner.