Title: By The Hand
Ship: Michael x Yuuma
Chapters: 1-1||Words: 984
Genre: Romance||Rated: G
Challenges: Diversity Writing: YGO Zexal: B27, fluffy; Word Count Set Boot Camp, #5, 984; Zexal Non-Flash Bingo, #47, Aztecshipping; Advent 2017, day #13 (roll a die to determine which series to write for); Mini-fic Masterclass #1, Canon Goodness; Chapter Set Boot Camp, #21, 1 chapter
Summary: There isn't much Michael enjoys more than a visit to a museum. Except maybe going there with Yuuma. Or maybe holding Yuuma's hand while they're there.

Michael tried very hard not to squeal as they entered the museum. It wasn't easy, not when he could see so much that he wanted to squeal about. Suits of armor stood at attention, guarding valuable artwork and treasures that would make a dragon weep with envy. He knew that for a fact; his brother Chris told him about the trip he'd taken here with Mizael and Kaito.

Michael restrained himself. He'd had a great deal of practice doing that over the years. Arclights weren't supposed to run around at warp speed no matter how excited they were. No matter how much he really wanted to.

Yuuma, on the other hand, didn't appear to have ever learned what "restraint" was, nor did he seem to care all that much. With a high-pitched Yelp of delight he pelted up to the first statue he saw and started trying to lift the visor. When he couldn't do that, he darted at once to the statue on a small table next to it.

"Yuuma, don't do that!" Michael hurried over there before Yuuma could start trying to pick it up. The savior of three worlds put his hands behind his back the moment Michael opened his mouth.

"I wasn't going to do anything to it!" Yuuma insisted. "I just think my dad donated that one and I wanted to see if I was right."

Michael chuckled at that before he nodded towards the small placard next to the statue. "It generally tells you who provided it there."

Yuuma glanced at the placard and squealed a breath later. "Yup! I was right!"

Michael couldn't deny that he enjoyed seeing Yuuma this excited. "Haven't you been in a museum before?"

He was surprised to see Yuuma shake his head. "Big sis and grandma always thought I'd get too excited." He rubbed the back of his head. "Big sis always said I'd probably break something. Anyway, I never needed to. I always had everything I needed at home."

That was true enough. Michael had seen the enormous collection of artifacts there. Why go to a museum when you lived in one?

"This isn't going to be boring for you, is it?" Michael wanted to be sure before they moved on. Even with how excited Yuuma was, that could wear off if there wasn't anything here to catch his attention.

But that world-brightening smile of Yuuma's lit his face up and he caught Michael's hand in his. Michael hoped he could control his blushing as well as he could his desire to run around and stare at everything.

"Of course not! This is all stuff I've never seen before. Why would it be boring?"

Michael smiled and tightened his fingers on Yuuma's. "Come on. We're just getting started. There are four floors here and they change the exhibits around a lot."

Yuuma made a noise about three octaves higher than a squeal. Michael really wasn't sure of what to call it, aside from amazingly adorable. Granted, he had yet to figure out what wasn't adorable about Yuuma. Everything he could think of just made Yuuma that little bit better.

He did keep his hand twined about Yuuma's as they started to walk. There were multiple reasons for this. First, it kept Yuuma from wandering off. Second, it allowed him to carefully guide Yuuma to which exhibits he thought Yuuma would like the best.

But most of all, Michael simply enjoyed having Yuuma's hand in his. He found it warm and lively, full of sparkling energy. He'd heard about what Yuuma did in Astral World and he could easily believe it.

Yuuma didn't offer any protests over the handholding either. He cheerfully gestured twice as emphatically with his free hand and never made any attempts to free the one Michael held.

He did, however, make that noise again when Michael suggested getting lunch at the museum cafe. This time, Michael didn't even have a chance to hold him back. Instead, he found himself being dragged along at a speed that made him wonder why Yuuma just let him guide all this time.

Yuuma ran too fast for Michael to ask, pitching to a halt in front of me cafe's menu, and staring up at it intently.

"I can't decide! All of it looks great!" Yuuma declared, before he jumped to the kiosk and started rapidly punching in his order. Apparently he made his mind up very swiftly when he chose to. Michael added his own order, letting Yuuma's hand slide out of his so the other could claim seats for them.

He did miss that warmth. But he couldn't hold onto Yuuma forever, no matter how he enjoyed it. They couldn't eat with just one hand either. Sacrifices would be made for the greater good.

"I'm having a great time," Yuuma said - or so Michael believed. It was difficult to be sure since Yuuma still often talked and ate at the same time. "And we've barely finished the ground floor!"

Michael nodded as he nibbled his food. "We don't have to see it all today. We can save some for another time if you like."

Yuuma shook his head stubbornly. "I want to see it all! Today!'

If he'd learned nothing else in the last two years, Michael knew the set of Yuuma's jaw when he made up his mind to do something. He would soon declare "kattobingu" and hauling Michael up to the top floor so they would have to make their way down by every exhibit and they might as well check them out while they were there, right?

He could all but hear Yuuma asking that already. No need to push it and risk being pouted at into the bargain.

"All right, Yuuma," Michael agreed. It wasn't difficult, after all. Spending time with Yuuma would always be good.

As first dates went, Michael classified this as a win.

The End

Notes: Would you believe the original request for Yuuma/Michael at the museum was for a three-sentence fic? I think it grew a few extra sentences...