Hey, guys. I'm really sorry that this is late - the time difference is still hitting me, and honestly I was reading Cold Like Snow  by Sita Bethel yesterday, and I crashed once I finished it (highly recommend it though! Please go buy it on Amazon!). But here you go! The chapter you've all been waiting for! Hope you enjoy!

CW: Mentions of robbery and transphobic/islamophobic attack on Mehi.

"Hey, asshat." Bakura dropped onto the couch beside Malik. He was wearing the t-shirt the other had gotten him for his birthday.

"Hey, honey." Malik glanced up from his laptop. "Are you saving me from deadlines or-?"

"We all actually wanted to talk to you about something," Ryou replied, sitting on the coffee table. Mehi took the armchair, and Mellie leapt up into Bakura's lap. He scratched behind her ears.

Malik nodded and saved the document, turning his laptop off. "What's up?"

Mehi's lips cringed away to the left side of her face. "You know how pride is coming up?" Malik slowly nodded. "Well my parents were going to be driving us there-"

"Wait you're still talking to your parents?" Malik stared at her.

She blinked a few times. "Yeah, of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" She shrugged. "They have us over for dinner every month."

Malik hesitated before shaking his head. "I just- they were good when you came out?"

Mehi grinned at him. "Got my name legally changed for my birthday one year and made sure everything I had done was covered by our insurance."

Malik shook his head. Fuck he had really gotten bad luck with his family. No, he shouldn't say that.

"Anyway." Ryou coughed. "Uh, they were going to drive us but Mehi's mom caught a bad fever so they need to stay home, and since they're not going, we were... maybe thinking about going... together."

"Okay..." Malik's eyes flickered between the partners.

Bakura stayed silent, leaning back into the couch. Ryou chewed his lip. "We were going to rent a room up there for the night so we're not travelling halfway across the city to get there."

"Oh." Malik nodded. "Oh. Yeah, that's fine. I'll come back here after the parade. You three have fun." He smiled.

Ryou blinked. "Are you sure?" He didn't sound happy, but maybe that was just Malik's emotions making him biased.

"Of course." He plastered his usual smile across his face. "I'm just going to run to the shop. Do you need anything?"

"Uh... no, I think we've got everything."

"Okay." Malik set aside his laptop and stood up. "See you in a few minutes."

Once the door closed behind him, Mehi sank back into the armchair. "Well that was a fucking disaster," Bakura muttered. "You okay?" Mehi grabbed a pillow, shoved her face into it, and half screamed.

"Me too." Ryou ran a hand through his hair. "God we're bad at this."

"I nearly told him I loved him at dinner – not all of this is on us," Bakura scoffed.

"You say you love everyone," Mehi pointed out, lowering the pillow and hugging it to her chest. "No offence."

Bakura shrugged and stretched his arms behind his back. Mellie mewled in protest and stretched her two front legs out before jumping out of his lap. "None taken." He dropped them onto the back of the couch. "But we need to talk to him. This is killing all of us."

"Okay, but we don't even know if he's up for a poly relationship," Ryou huffed.

"I know one way we can find out." Bakura grinned.

"How?"

Bakura just shook his head and stood up. "Just wait." He made his way to the middle of the room and began to stretch. He needed to stretch every day to keep his flexibility up, even on days that he wasn't rehearsing.

Ryou sighed and curled into Mehi as she picked up a book. He read it from his place against her side, and Mellie curled up between them a few minutes later.

None of them spoke for ten minutes until the door swung open again. Bakura looked up from his place on the floor, legs spread open in a splits. He had the decency to wait until Malik closed the door and set down the plastic bag, but not a second longer. "Hey, Malik," he called. "Are you polyam?"

"What?" Malik dropped his keys.

Bakura turned to look at him as the other bent down to grab the keys. "Are you polyamorous?"

Malik paused. "I've never been in a poly relationship, but yeah. I think so."

"Okay cool. Thanks." Bakura turned back to see Mehi rolling her eyes and Ryou frowning at him. "What?" Ryou made a chopping motion at his neck. "For heaven's sakes, Ry-"

"What's going on?" Malik asked, returning to the couch.

Bakura raised an eyebrow, but Ryou shook his head. "Nothing, Malik. It's fine."

"You sure?" Malik looked over at Mehi, who wouldn't meet his gaze. He finally looked at Bakura.

The latter huffed. "Fuck, I give up." He pushed himself to his feet and walked around to Malik. The journalist looked half frozen, mouth open to ask what was happening. Bakura moved slowly, hands reaching up to cup his cheeks and pull him down, giving him plenty of time to pull away.

Their lips brushed and Malik pressed them together, hands finding Bakura's waist. After a moment, he pulled back, eyes wide and scared. "I-"

Mehi growled and stood up. Malik's gaze flickered to her as she walked up and kissed him, faster than Bakura did, and more desperately – as scared as Malik looked.

Ryou was already beside him when he and Mehi pulled apart, and this time, Malik initiated the kiss, pulling Ryou closer to him. When they pulled apart, he was out of breath – more from the adrenaline than the actual kissing. "So, uh..." He swallowed. "Wha- What's happening?"

"We all like you, dumbass," Bakura mumbled, shaking his head. "And we want to date you. If you want. I don't know. Fuck."

Malik tried not to laugh. "Eloquent."

"Oh shut up and tell us what you want to do."

Malik hesitated. Mehi's eyebrows were furrowed, Bakura's nails were bitten almost into his fingers, and Ryou's skin was pink. His own hands were beginning to shake. "You really want me to-?"

"Join our relationship?" Ryou asked after a second of silence. Malik nodded. "Yeah. If you want to."

Malik shook his head, pushing his hair back out of his eyes. He was grinning from ear to ear, eyes bright. "Fuck, yes, I'd love to."

Bakura laughed and threw his arms around Malik, pulling the other two in with him. Ryou kissed his cheek with a giggle and Mehi buried her face into his shoulder. Malik squeezed his eyes shut. This was happening. This was actually happening.

"Want me to pinch you?" Bakura snickered.

"Damn it, Bakura, if you ruin this I will hit you," Ryou threatened and Malik laughed.

Dreams weren't clever enough to do this. This was real.

"So I can come to pride with you?" He asked. Mehi raised her head to stare at him. "Oh. Oh that- that was a hint wasn't it?" Ryou nodded, lips pursed to hide a laugh. "I'm a fucking idiot," Malik snorted.

Ryou squeezed him. "Don't use that word, but no you're not," he assured him, "and now we can properly plan this."

Bakura groaned. "Come on, we just did this. Don't scare him off with your plans and lists, Ryou."

"I'm just being organised!"

Malik let out a shaky breath and adjusted his sweater for what felt like the thousandth time. It wasn't what he would normally wear, but it wasn't exactly a normal occasion. Ryou had already had to talk him down from a shirt and tie. "They're not that fancy," he insisted. "A t-shirt and jeans is fine with them."

Malik had searched through his t-shirts and jeans, but wasn't quite happy with any. He hadn't been planning to end up dating and meeting his girlfriend's parents when he left home, so he hadn't packed many of his nice clothes. The shirt he had worn to Bakura's birthday dinner was the only one he had brought, and he had to borrow one of Ryou's suits for the ballet.

He had managed to talk Ryou into lending him a navy sweater though. He felt bad borrowing off him constantly, but Bakura was just far too small and he wasn't quite comfortable wearing women's clothes. Not that he believed there should be any distinction between men and women's clothes aside from the shaping, but still. Besides, Mehi didn't own sweaters. T-shirts, a few dresses, long-sleeved tops, blouses, sure. Sweaters? None.

Malik glanced in the mirror and tried tucking his shirt into his jeans again. He had been putting on weight. Maybe he should try the gym. Although exercise had never worked out well for him. He could try it though - maybe Mehi or Bakura could help. He pulled the sweater out again as someone knocked on the door.

"Are you ready?" Bakura called into the bathroom.

"Yeah." Malik ran a hand through his hair and took one more slow breath. He then turned and opened the door.

Bakura's eyes ran down to his chest and quickly back up again. "You look good."

Malik grinned. "I'd say the same for you but you haven't changed."

Bakura shot him with a finger. "You're the only one that did, asshat."

Malik's cheeks heated up and he glanced towards the door. Mehi and Ryou were both pulling on their trainers. "Sorry."

"Don't worry," Ryou assured him, looking up. "We don't mind waiting. Besides, we're not going too far." It was only a half hour run from the apartment with the buses, which - for a first - seemed to be running on time. The house ended up having a tanned wood exterior with a small white door that they had probably bought relatively cheaply in the seventies or eighties.

Mehi's father answered the door with a wide, toothy grin and hugged his daughter tightly, followed by all of her boyfriends. When he got to Malik, he hugged him just as fiercely as the others. "It's good to finally meet you. I heard you've been living with these nuts for a while now?"

"Papi," Mehi called, a warning tone in her voice.

"I'm not saying anything bad!" He protested, still smiling. His eyes were wide and dark, and his hair was grey and thinning. He was a small man, a little taller than Bakura - which he seemed to delight in - and his hair was still turning silver though he had a bald patch towards the back of his head.

"Hernan!" A voice called from further in the house. "Stop tormenting them!"

"Ay, díos mio, I'm not!" He shook his head and waved them inside. "Dinner's just done. You're vegan, right Malik?" Malik nodded and he turned to Mehi. "I told you not to date a vegan." Mehi rolled her eyes. He chuckled and looked back at Malik. "Don't worry, I'm messing. I hope you like picadillo."

"I can't say that I've tried it," Malik admitted.

Mehi's father gasped and turned to his daughter. "You never made him picadillo? How could you?"

"You know I can't cook for shit," she snorted. "The last time I tried, I burned a boiled egg."

"Right, but you should have given Bakura or Ryou the recipe." Hernan took Malik's arm. "You're going to have the meal of your life here tonight."

Inside the butter-walled kitchen, Mehi's mother looked up from the plates she was setting out on the table. "Hernan, I asked you to help."

"And I did - I let the kids in." Despite his protests, he hurried over to the pots to dish out the food.

Mehi rolled her eyes. "Mami, you're sick, you shouldn't be working." She took the plates from her and began to set them out.

"Ah, I'm fine." Mehi's mother looked up and smiled at Malik. He could see where Mehi's height had come from now - her mother was even taller than her, with a spool of black hair curling down her back. Her eyes were the same sparkling grey, and she even carried herself in the same way with her shoulders back and chin up. "Come here to me." She beckoned them over even as she walked to them and pulled Ryou into a hug. "Have you eaten anything since we last saw you? You're nothing but skin and bones."

"I'm fine," Ryou assured her with a laugh. "I've missed your cooking though. Kura's been doing most of the cooking because of my exams."

Mehi's mother turned to Bakura and wagged a finger at him. "I expected better of you than to let the poor boy starve."

"Oh trust me, he's far from starvation." Bakura grinned and she hugged him as well. "He's been hogging all of my namoura."

"Maybe you should be sticking to your diet," Ryou scoffed.

"Oh, hush. You'll both have plenty of food tonight." She turned to Malik next and cupped his face in her hands. She studied him for a moment before her face lit up. "Your articles are fantastic, sweetheart. Mehi's been sending me them as they've been published."

Malik's cheeks burned and he glanced at Mehi. "Really?"

"Really." Her mother nodded and patted his cheek. "You'll have to send me on some of your other work. I'm dying to read more." She patted his arm. "Although you didn't need to dress up so much. Mehi, didn't you tell him that he could be relaxed here?"

Malik's cheeks heated up again. He was the only one not wearing old jeans and a t-shirt. 'Told you,' Bakura mouthed at him. Malik flipped him off as subtly as he could.

"I did tell him; he just didn't listen." Mehi shrugged, smiling as she finished setting the table. "He'll learn."

Her mother released Malik and turned to her. "Ah, Luchita, te extrañe."

"I finally get attention after them?" Mehi laughed but she returned the hug her mother gave her and kissed her cheek. "I missed you too, mami."

"Oh, I know you did."

"Are we ready, Landa?" Hernan called.

Mehi's mother sighed and gave Mehi one last squeeze before pulling away. "Yes, yes, let's eat before the food gets cold." They all took their places around the table, Malik finding himself between Ryou and Bakura. Mehi sat opposite him beside Landa, and Hernan took the head of the table.

Malik was used to relatively silent meals when adults were involved - proper adults. He wasn't sure that he counted as one yet. Back with Isis and Rishid, they would turn on the news during meals but rarely talk. Any meal with Susan was pure silence. Atem's parents were rarely around, so they just ate up in his room. And Mehi, Ryou, and Bakura didn't count as adults yet either. So he wasn't quite prepared for the laughter and never-ending conversation that Landa and Hernan kept up around the table. It switched from music to Bakura's dancing to film to politics to religion to a holiday they were planning to take to Ryou's hormone treatment and Mehi's bottom surgery to someone down the road who was robbed. Towards the end of the meal, it turned to Mehi.

"I'm sorry, you were what?"

Bakura hadn't meant to bring it up. He had probably thought she had told them by the expression on his face. Mehi pushed the end of her food around her plate. "It wasn't a big deal, mami."

"It sure sounds like one." Landa leaned forward on the table. "I saw the article, but..." She nodded. "How many times?" Mehi shook her head, tongue flicking out over her lip. "Mehi, how many times?"

"Three or four."

They all started at that. "You told us it was only two!" Ryou protested.

"Nothing happened the other times!" She protested. "He was just being a dick and shouting at me. I would have told you if it was bigger."

"Well it got bigger, and you didn't tell us." Hernan frowned at her. "Which one was it? Did you know him from school?"

"Papi-"

"Was it that boy who threw your books off the bus? What was his name- Robert, I know his mother." He reached across the table to take Mehi's hand. "We can sort this out."

Mehi pulled away from him. "I don't want to sort it out. I want to leave it," she gritted out.

"Well it's not just up to you." Hernan pursed his lips. "He didn't just hurt you." Everyone's eyes fell on Malik, who shifted under their combined heat. "Malik?"

"I-" His eyes flickered to Mehi, but she looked down. "Look, it wasn't about me. I think we should do what Mehi wants." He took a slow breath. "I messed up last time and I don't want to do it again."

Ryou's hand slid over his and he squeezed. Landa nodded slowly. Mehi must have told them about the article. That or they saw it themselves. "You're right."

"Landa-"

"No." She reached for Mehi's hand she let her. "You're an adult now. And you're the one who needs to control your life. So if this is what you feel you need to do then..." She smiled tightly. "We'll support you. As always."

Mehi's eyes flickered to her father, who sighed and reached for her hand again. This time, she let him. "I still have my gun you know," he commented after a moment of silence. Mehi groaned, and Landa pulled her hand away to smack her husband's arm. "What? He wouldn't know it was me!"

"He hasn't seen me yet." Bakura grinned. "I could take him out."

"That's my boy!" Hernan laughed, throwing an arm around Bakura's shoulders. Mehi kicked him under the table.

The topic died down until they were leaving, each with a small portion of leftover picadillo and cake in a lunchbox. Landa hugged each of them in turn, mumbling something to Ryou and Bakura. When she got to Malik, she did the same. "I know this isn't your job," she whispered, "but please take care of her. You're dating them now, and you'll be going to prayer with her. Please."

Malik gave her a small squeeze. "I think she might be the one taking care of me if I got into a fight on her behalf," he chuckled, "but I'll do my best."

When she pulled back, Landa was smiling. "Thank you." Mehi was frowning, but none of them said anything about what her mother had told them or asked of them. Malik doubted he was the only person she asked, in any case. "I'll see you all soon, right? And you'll send me photos of pride?"

"Of course, mami." Mehi gave her one more hug, and then gave one to her father as well. "I'll send you loads."

"I was talking to Bakura," she laughed. "He's the only one of any of you who can take a decent photo."

Bakura winked. "Don't worry, I'll send them to Mehi so she can take all the credit." He leaned in and fake whispered, "But you'll know it's me, right?"

"Of course I will." Landa reached down and ruffled his hair. "Next time you come over, I'll make you some namoura if you send me some good ones."

"God, I love you. Have I ever told you that?" Bakura laughed and Mehi shoved him away playfully.

"We'll see you soon," she called as they left the house and walked out into the piercing silence of midnight in the enclosed estate.

Hope you guys enjoyed! I might end up posting another chapter tomorrow if I get good news RE: getting into college but idk. Let me know if you'd like that, or if you want to keep to schedule. Either way, see you next time!