Welcome to PuzzleJune 2026: ...To Explore The World WIth You!
It's another PuzzleJune and another month to celebrate our favorite soulmates! As always, this month is all about finding that creative spark to celebrate the amazing relationship between Yugi Mutou and Pharaoh Atem from Yugioh DM. Creative freedom is welcome in any way you want to share your interpretation of their love with writing, art, or whatever art you feel like expressing yourself with!
We want everyone who wants to participate to express themselves freely. You don't need to do a prompt every day. You can do one prompt a week, one prompt for the whole month, or pick and choose which prompts you want to use for your creative works. You may want to use multiple prompts for one work. No matter how you go about it, we want to see it, whatever it is! However you want to celebrate is great! This month is all about coming together to celebrate our favorite puzzleboys. The theme may be about travel, but your work does not have to be. Write or draw about whatever comes to you with the prompts!
When you post to social media or Ao3, please use the following tags: #puzzlejune2026 #puzzlepassport so that others can find your work.
You may also post to the following collection on Ao3 so that we can easily find your amazing work: https://archiveofourown.org/collections/PuzzleJune_2026
Special thanks to Rat King for the amazing art to celebrate this month!
Journal Log 2:
Yuugi - Ok so the heat was a lot easier to manage once we pulled our hair back a bit. All of this was worth it to see Yami's face at the tidepools! He'll never admit he has his cute moments but this was for sure one of them!
Yami - It was just so tiny...
Prompt 2 from week one! Tide!
Im kinda sad it got covered in the text but if you look close you can see Yuugi's reflection but not Yami's in the water.
ALL of these have been such a fun exercise in painting backgrounds and I still have some issues with this one BUT this is better than any other beach attempt that wasn't actual watercolors lmao
Anyways I'm obsessed with the idea of Yami just enamored by aquatic life ;w;
I feel like he'd have his mind blown apart at an aquarium.
The Gods had granted Yugi with the greatest blessing.
Sacrifice after sacrifice after sacrifice left his heart more tender than before, but what truly had shredded it wasn’t the torture of the shadow games, it wasn’t even the loss of his very soul for those few days in the seal. No. It was the final sacrifice that had hung over him from the very moment he first contacted the spirit of the millennium puzzle. One where destiny couldn’t be rewritten. Wouldn’t be fair to rewrite.
Not even when he could see the matching pain in his other—Atem’s eyes.
But a year later, after putting another evil to rest, he got his blessing. Only to barely have enough time to bask in it with final exams and graduation on the horizon.
Such was the life of Yugi Mutou. Never quite able to reap his rewards.
He shivered as the wind whipped around him now that he was far from the shield of tall buildings. Maybe a trip to the beach in early spring wasn’t his greatest decision.
Glancing over to his companion however, he met a warmth that rivaled the sun. Atem’s wine-coloured eyes sparkled like Yugi had never seen before, his smile stretched wide as opposed to his usual subtle smirk. Pure, unhidden joy even as he trembled against the wind. Yugi’s heart rattled in his chest. Only made worse when Atem caught his gaze out of the corner of his eye.
“Shouldn’t I have been surprising you,” Atem asked, a little breathless.
Yugi gave a wobbly smile. “You were enough of a surprise.” He bit his lip. “It’s nothing fancy but…um…And I know we only came down here like once or twice…but I thought it would be nice to just…you know…visit places we’ve been now that you…”
“Quite the romantic choice.”
Red prickled across his cheeks in blotchy patches. He really hadn’t thought this through. Maybe he should have just gone with the arcade like his original plan. But Tea had said it was graduation, it should be special. And like a fool he ignored the mischievous spark in her eye.
“Sorry,” Atem chuckled, but it came out tight. He coughed awkwardly. “I shouldn’t tease like that. Though…it would make a good place to bring Tea.”
Yugi didn’t have to look over to know Atem was staring and smirking. A year ago, it would have only made his blush worse, but now, it drained all the colour from his face.
“Partner?”
Yugi had gotten good at brushing things off. Even before the puzzle, he picked up the habit. Once the memory gaps started, he began his mastery of this art of evasion. But there was always one person he couldn’t possibly hide from. He’d try though.
Ignoring his companion’s eyes, he leaned down, slipping off his shoes and socks. The sand felt damp and cool under his feet. He let the cold numb his buzzing nerves as he dipped his toes into the gentle waves.
“Did…Did I say something wrong?” Atem asked after a lapse of silent watching. He sounded almost…small. Yugi’s stomach twisted.
“No!” he said, all too loudly. “No. I just…” He meant the eyes of his reflection. Sharper now than they had been a year ago. “It’s been a year, Atem. A lot can…change. We’re getting older, reality is setting in…”
“Yugi…”
“A couple months after you left, I tried to confess to her. Because maybe…If I focused on my feelings for her instead of…” the confession still clogged up his throat, digging its nails into the wall. He swallowed thickly, washing it all away. “Anyway. It’s not like I didn’t notice before. It didn’t take me long to realize it was you she liked, but…still. I took a chance. We tried one date and…”
“And?”
“It didn’t work out. It was too soon for both of us and…It wouldn’t last anyway with her leaving for America.”
Atem’s eyes narrowed, but he kept any thought or protest to himself. He turned back to the waves instead. Those words could not stay completely hidden for long though, quickly leaking out into a heavy tension in the air.
Yugi swirled the water with his foot, eventually splashing his companion just slightly. A wordless invitation. Atem shivered but leaned down to slip off his sneakers. Well. Yugi’s sneakers. Because again, Yugi had been busy and shopping was still on the to-do list.
“It’s strange,” Atem admitted after a moment.
Yugi cocked his head.
“It’s so quiet.”
“Yeah…I’m still not used to it.”
“I miss it. The background buzz of your emotions. I…I could even hear your heartbeat if I listened carefully.”
“It sure was easier back then.”
Atem nodded. He mimicked Yugi from earlier, swirling the water with his foot. But his movement was more rapid, antsy. Yugi didn’t need a mental link to know the emotions running through Atem’s body.
Cautiously, with twitching fingers, he reached out, taking Atem’s hand in his. Atem tensed.
“S-Sorry,” Yugi stuttered. He went to pull his hand away only for Atem to tighten around it. Still stiff, still staring ahead with wide eyes, but grip tight as if Yugi would disappear. He stepped just a bit closer, letting their shoulders brush.
“There…There was another reason too…why Tea and I didn’t work out.”
“Is that so…”
“Hey,” Yugi whispered, tugging at their conjoined hands. “Look at me?”
Atem slowly turned towards him, revealing his slightly red cheeks. Yugi couldn’t help but smile. Here was the confident, cunning, former King of Games, all powerful Pharaoh looking at him like a schoolboy with his first crush. It would be adorable if he didn’t look like he was about to pass out.
“Is…Is it normal for my heart to be beating this fast?” Atem asked, breathless once more
It was Yugi’s turn to smirk. “Hmm…I better check.” As pleasant as it was to be the confident one for once, Yugi was still ever so gentle as he placed his hand on Atem’s chest. He could feel the heart just below the skin, the way it fluttered. Atem’s heart. Atem had a heart. And it was beating for him. A burning stabbed behind Yugi’s eyes.
“Partner?”
“I can feel it. It’s…It’s…”
“What?”
“It’s amazing. You’re alive.”
Atem chuckled. “I thought we already went over this.”
“But I can feel it. I can feel your heart. I…I can feel you.”
Yugi felt like he was going to burst as reality finally crashed into him like the waves against his lower legs. Atem’s arms found his waist before the swaying became too much. He was still a little stiff, but a small smile had started to worm its way onto his face. Instinctively, Yugi gripped at his shoulders.
Inches away from each other, it would be so easy to kiss him.
“I think the tide is coming in,” Atem whispered.
“Still, plenty of beach to watch the rest of the sunset. Unless you’d rather go home?”
Atem casted his gaze back to the horizon, and though that glow never quite left his eye, it shone brighter now. “Just a little longer.”
Though the urge to kiss Atem hadn’t left him, Yugi pulled away and collected their shoes. They had time now. There was no need to rush. Instead, he extended his hand. “How about a…romantic stroll along the beach?”
Atem’s breath hitched.
“Or just a regular stroll,” Yugi added quickly. “Whatever you want.”
Atem grasped his hand again, stopping the wall of rambling from building up. “Shall we?” Atem offered
Hand-in-hand, they made their way down the shore. While Atem looked at the sunset, Yugi found awe in something else. Two sets a footprints, trailing behind them.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 1/30
Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Mutou Yuugi/Yami Yuugi | Atem
Characters: Mutou Yuugi, Yami Yuugi | Atem, Jounouchi Katsuya | Joey Wheeler, Honda Hiroto | Tristan Taylor, Bakura Ryou, Mazaki Anzu | Tea Gardner
Additional Tags: World Travel, Puzzlejune 2026, PuzzlePassport, Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses
Series: Part 8 of Puzzle June
Summary:
When traveling, taking in the sights of different lands and having new experiences, never forget to keep your companions close... or to leave yourself open for love.
Journal Log 1
- Yami:
Thailand's climate was more challenging than either of us could have imagined. We did learn something new together which is that when food lands on the Puzzle it feels repulsive. Aibo was unaffected but I made sure the action was corrected immediately.
-Yuugi:
I said sorry! I even detailed it when we got back to the hotel!
It just.... took a few hours to get BACK to the hotel was all.
OH MAN I AM SOOO FAR BEHIIIIND!
I'll probably just draw these throughout the year honestly ahaa, I didn't expect a week long work trip in the middle of June, and then for the heat to be in the 30s all month ( ꒦ິヮ꒦ິ)
First prompt was sultry! Which I learned meant fuckin HOT in the non metaphorical use which I don't think I've seen used personally so that was cool!
I've wanted to draw a picture of something landing on the Puzzle while Yuugi was eating (originally I wanted to have it be katsup from a burger) and Yami's absolute vitriolic reaction because like... How else are you gonna respond if food gloops all up on your body?
I'm gonna try and really challenge myself to do more of a retro look for each of these so they look kinda like an old cell for the show back in the day
Which in turn means a LOT of ignoring parts that I think SHOULD be shaded when they in fact would not be lmao
I realize it's never gonna look exactly like the Toei animation because Im not particularly interested in matching them one to one BUT I wanna get like, close y'know?
Prompts: Neon, Shelter, Thrill, Hustle, and technically Cosmopolitan because this takes place in New York
Rating: T
Pairing: Puzzleshipping
Wordcount: 630
Read on AO3
Rom-Com
The rain wasn’t supposed to arrive until after midnight.
Yet here they were, at 11:00pm, cowering under an awning of some tourist trap store front. Not that Yugi would have minded such a turn of events. If anything, it was kind of romantic to be trapped under here with Atem, the perfect weather for kissing if rom-coms and romance novels were anything to go off of.
Atem, on the other hand, shivered miserably. His normally upright, proper posture crumbled under the cool breeze and overstimulated nerves. Something so human as opposed to the godlike being of games Yugi first met him as or the all powerful Pharaoh turned sacrificial lamb that sealed himself and his memories away thousands of years ago. But this was part of their blessing, wasn’t it? For the saviours of the world to share a human life together?
And a human life had its drawbacks.
“Here,” Yugi murmured. He draped the sweater he had bought earlier over Atem’s shoulders. “It’s not much but…”
Atem smiled softly, pressing his forehead against Yugi’s. “It’s perfect.”
“It’s not perfect.” Yugi cradled Atem’s upper arms. “You’re still trembling. I’m sorry, I should have brought the umbrella.”
“Neither of us thought we would be out this late.” Atem slipped his arms into the sleeves of the sweater before wrapping his arms around Yugi’s waist.
“The sweater will get soaked.”
“Can’t have you freezing on me either.”
Yugi sighed, thumping his cheek down on Atem’s shoulder. He knew better than to argue over little things like this. Instead, he lazily watched the rain. How the colours of the neon signs melted together in the blur of the raindrops. It would be almost peaceful if not for the continued hustle and bustle of New York that plagued them for the past few days. Not even the rain could put a stop to the city that never slept.
Perhaps all this was too soon. Atem was still getting used to his body. His body was still getting used to the world. A city was the last place he needed to be. But neither of them could ever say no to helping Tea.
“You're tense,” Atem whispered, fingers trailing along his lower back. “Just relax.”
“I should be telling you that—” A kiss swallowed up the last syllable. It was a tense little thing. Lips in a tight line pressed against his own. Kissing may have been just as new to Yugi but he knew the theory. And thanks to Atem, now had the confidence to part his lips ever so slightly. Roll nice and slow. He pulled Atem close, gently rubbing up and down his upper arms. The muscles under his finger tips curled tightly at first. He could almost feel the thrill pumping through his lover’s veins before he finally melted into the embrace, jaw going slack, letting Yugi guide him.
Yugi bit back a groan. “So, you’re saying you’re ready to brave the rain?”
“I have an idea.” Atem planted a short kiss on Yugi’s forehead before pulling away. Shucking off the sweater, he lifted it above them in a makeshift umbrella. “Ready?”
Yugi’s heart fluttered. “So you have been paying attention to those movies.”
Atem just rolled his eyes. “Come on. The sooner we’re back at the hotel, the sooner we can have a nice warm bath.”
“Together?” Yugi smirked watching the blush creep along the bridge of Atem’s nose, pooling in his cheeks.
“I-If you want…”
“Then lets go.”
And like any good couple in a rom-com, they ran through the rain, giggling all the way.
Prompts: Burn, Lonely, and a bit of Sacred if you squint
Rating: T
Pairing: Puzzleshipping/Blindshipping
Word Count: 765
Read on AO3
Dream
A human life meant suffering. A fact Atem surely knew better than anyone. No title or gold could have ever pulled him away from his fate of five-thousand years in darkness and isolation. His soul was too kind and noble to run away with lives at stake.
Sometimes Yugi wondered what ran through Atem’s head as he stared down death. When he first met Atem, then a nameless spirit, he would have said he took it head on, stone faced with a steady heart. Maybe he had been able to wear such a mask at the time with that poker face of his. But Yugi knew better now.
Didn’t make watching his lover writhe in agony as he slept any better though.
Six months had passed since Atem returned to the living, meaning six months of dealing with nightmares every couple of nights. Best case scenario, Atem would wake up himself. Shaken but otherwise clear headed, curling up against Yugi wordlessly until his breathing finally settled. Not that either of them ever got much more than a light doze after that.
Tonight wasn’t one of those best case scenarios.
After another five minutes of Atem whimpering and twitching, Yugi leaned in. “Atem,” he whispered, rubbing his shoulder. “Atem, it’s okay. Just wake, okay? You have to wake up.”
He jerked away as if burned.
“Atem?” Yugi murmured. Atem didn’t like being forced awake. Though he made strides in adjusting to his living body, in the foggy confusion that accompanied the edge of waking, any touch or sound still seared him. “Are you awake?”
Atem replied with a short hum.
Yugi bit his lip. “Well…I’m here. When you’re—”
Atem slammed into him, burying his nose in Yugi’s neck, clawing at the fabric of his night shirt. Yugi hesitated only for a moment before taking Atem into his arms, gently rubbing the bit of upper back left bare by his tank top. A wordless I got you. He listened to Atem’s breath. Sporadic, like he couldn’t get enough air.
“You need to breathe, Other me.”
There was a sharp gasp, fists clutching him tighter, before his chest finally heaved with deeper, more even breaths. His grip never did loosen though. One step at a time, Yugi reminded himself. His hand moved from Atem’s back to his hair, nails scraping ever so slightly against the scalp. Finally, those muscles started to unwind.
“That’s it,” Yugi praised softly. “Keep breathing just like that. Relax. You’re safe now.”
Atem rolled practically on top of him, melting into him, like he could re-enter under the skin. Sometimes Yugi wished he could. Maybe things would be easier for his lover that way. But now wasn’t the time to dwell on that.
“You want to talk about it?” Yugi asked. Atem grumbled. “It’s better to talk about it, you know? Is it about the puzzle again?”
A nod. A shiver. Yugi pulled the blanket higher around them, tucking it around Atem’s form.
“The loneliness…” Atem began. “It’s…I know it’s been…I know it’s over but…”
“Like I’ve been saying, you just need more time.”
Atem groaned, thumping his forehead against Yugi’s collarbone.
“But I get it,” Yugi added, guiding Atem by his chin to look up. At least if they had to be separated like this, Yugi could finally look him in the eyes. And such pretty eyes they were. In the lowlight they just looked brown but every now and then, the moonlight from the window above snuck over his shoulder, pulling out the red. “I…You fear it’s going to slip through your fingers in a second. Or…you’ll mess up in some way and…”
“You’ll be alone again.”
“Exactly.” He pressed a kiss to Atem’s nose. “But I’m not going anywhere. And I promise, if you get trapped in another ancient artifact, I’ll chase you down all over again.”
Atem gave a small smile. “I know you will.”
Mindlessly, Yugi’s hand found Atem’s jaw, thumb brushing softly against it. Other fingers joined in, caressing along the edges of Atem’s face much like he once did against the puzzle. He always wondered if Atem could feel such a touch when he was in there. But now, it really didn’t matter.
Atem scrunched up his nose. “What are you doing?”
“Mmm. Admiring you. My precious treasure.”
Atem rolled his eyes. Yet, he leaned into Yugi’s hands, rubbing against them ever so slightly. Like a cat Yugi thought with a silent laugh.
“I love you,” Atem whispered, lips brushing against Yugi’s palms in a kiss.
Yugi pulled him closer, noses touching. “I love you too.”
___
Author's Note: And so, my participation in PuzzleJune has come to an end. Had a lot of fun! Thank you all for the wonderful comments!
