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Post-Canon AU Yuuma; at 38 years old, he has a wife (Anna), and a 5 year old son ('Kuromu' or 'Chrome').

He also has a heart condition. ...though the reason is not as clear cut as it seems.

Going back to when he was 13, Yuuma followed all the steps of canon; he unlocked the door, he gathered numbers, and in a battle with the 'Door' itself, allowed Black Mist to go free. From there, they assumed things would be able to progress in 'peace'.

Black Mist had other ideas. Using his connections through the host he took, he had Yuuma kidnapped to his location and held hostage for a number of days, with imprisonment conditions worsening to the point where it seemed he had broken to the number's whims. The appearance of Vector however, proved him quite wrong--and after Vector subdued Yuuma again, the Barian and Black Mist thus decided to use the boy as a form of leverage against Astral. A wise decision, as Astral reached the ruin they traveled to not long after.

Unfortunately however, the plan to use Yuuma's wellbeing as a means to secure success failed, as Yuuma himself managed to convince Astral to duel without his fate in mind. At the last minute, Black Mist managed to use Barian's Force upon himself to bring the match into a draw...

And as it was a draw, the 'agreement' to return Yuuma would not be fulfilled. As the others vanished, so did he, awakening near Black Mist in the rift between worlds as the Number struggled against the force of chaos threatening to eradicate his very existence. Yuuma being who he was, became worried for what this meant, and drew near--

As such, Black Mist lashed out, making it a battle of three. Yuuma for the right to escape Black Mist's hold and the hold of the chaos coursing through the Number. The Chaos to control everything for whatever instinct it was meant to trigger, and whatever mechanization were locked in the card. And Black Mist, for complete and utter dominance...

Black Mist won. Yuuma's mind was completely and utterly overshadowed by his power, and to have the most fun with this great 'godly' power he'd come into, he set the boy on Heartland rather than attacking the Astral Realm first. The progression of this battle would lead to the illusion of a 'tag-duel'. Himself and his pawn against Astral and whoever so chose to stand with him. If Astral lost, so did all of them. If Yuuma lost, only Yuuma lost, and if Black Mist lost, well. For a time, it seemed that the duel would indeed end in his favor, but at the last moment Yuuma 'awoke'.

And after creating 'Zexal' to fight alongside Astral to face his former puppeteer, realized what Black Mist's back up plan would be.

Because of the foresight resulting from so much time spent alone with Black Mist, Yuuma was able to act even before Black Mist spoke. He separated Zexal before Astral and Black Mist could realize what was happening, and so as the Number continued his path of destruction toward where 'Zexal' had been, Black Mist would find himself locked in Yuuma's body, as opposed to slowly corrupting Astral as he'd hoped.

Yuuma however, was only human in the end.

The strain of holding back the chaotic force coupled with all injuries sustained over the past few weeks became too much for the body to handle, but he continued to hold firm. If Black Mist escaped after all, he knew his next target would be Astral--and this, he could not allow.

Not even in 'death'. For a moment, Yuuma's heart stopped. He was rushed to the hospital, and in the end left on a bed with as many monitors as Shark's sister had, a steady coma leaving him unaware of the outside world. Inside however, he had Black Mist locked in a representation of his mind, each staring the other down from behind a set of bars, and each one bringing their own arguments for their cause.

The barrier wasn't working--Yuuma knew this, Black Mist knew this. The number's power flowed through his veins bit by bit, tainting him and changing him, even on the skin. As 'curious red lesions' appeared on the face, as nurses reported seeing 'dark shadows' and 'ooze' seeping out from the boy's body. Black Mist tried everything to convince Yuuma to release him--but he did not.

Instead he asked what Black Mist even wanted. What he would do. It was a question which drove Black Mist from calm, calculated replies to screeching and agonized cries of self-declared existence. He was 'him', he was REAL, he was THERE!

This conversation led to Yuuma realizing just what it was that upset Black Mist so much about just about everything; and in that way, allowed him to start having better conversations with him.

While their relationship began to improve however, his body was failing. It was not the fault of Black Mist--while his power was making steady changes to 'cope', it did nothing to his vitals save keep the heart from giving out. In a sense, his power held Yuuma together.

But if Yuuma did not awaken soon, there would be a chance that he could never awaken. He held on for as long as he could, but in the end, was forced to make a decision. They could both die...or he could trust Black Mist to not go after Astral again.

He let him go. At the limit of his mind he let Black Mist go, preparing to lose the rest of his consciousness and in the sense of reality, enter brain-death. Black Mist, in turn, laughed--at the futile trust, at the pathetic weakness, at everything about the boy as he started to leave Yuuma's body, the body itself crashing and going into cardiac arrest in an immediate response to his absence. And while doctors pulled out defibrilator paddles in the hopes of bringing him back, Black Mist...stared.

He watched.

And as the doctor shouted to try one last time, returned to the body--all while knowing that this time, if he wanted to leave, he would not be able to from his own will. It was a great risk.

And as Yuuma's heart began again, the boy choked for air and opened his eyes for the first time in weeks.

As a result of the combination, a few added abilities became known, abilities which Astral frankly took time to adjust to. The largest offender of course was Black Mist--the two entered an agreement, Yuuma and he, for control of the body. And when there was control, it was clearly noted, his eyes taking the same hue as Black Mist's former self. Only one eye would change in a duel, thankfully, and as Yuuma was so used to his gazer and d-pad, he failed to realize that he even had access to another deck and set of dueling abilities.

That and the shadows, became things to practice with. And when Don Thousand was defeated and the duel between Yuuma and Astral settled, that became more important than ever. Don Thousand's power was defeated.

But Black Mist was only ever partially made of Don Thousand. And as he was now, he would be with Yuuma for a very long time.

Long enough to be with him through high school. To be with him as he started dating, as he eventually got involved with one person in particular. And of course, Black Mist himself had his own comments and wrenches to throw into things--it was like a permanent zexal, with all the pros and cons of roommates.

Eventually, when Anna's reaction to sudden shadow tendrils over her shoulder was one of positivity however, the somewhat malevolent 'other half' of Yuuma's current self opted to step aside. Eventually, treks through the wilderness of the great wide world were not just for them, but for her as well. Eventually, there was a wedding, attended by confused, but no less cheerful friends from the 'Numbers War' of old. Eventually...

He crashed.

'Their' power could only take so much, and Yuuma's escapades as an explorer could not handle it forever. While on a trip with his wife, his heart gave out, with paramedics arriving with barely enough time to keep him alive. It was clear--to Anna, to even Black Mist--Yuuma couldn't do this any more. In fact give it a number of years and even dueling could likely bring a risk, unless some new technology or treatment came into being. And for a few weeks they slogged through this revelation--with Yuuma turning to writing as he forced himself to adjust to a quieter life, with Anna focusing on her own work, and Black Mist watching it all from the back of Yuuma's mind, speaking every once in a while, and thinking quietly to himself in between the moments.

Eventually, Yuuma and Anna decided to have a baby while they could.

...Eventually, though they were successful, Black Mist said nothing. In fact Yuuma would realize that Black Mist was saying nothing at all. He was completely silent--the power was still there. The shadows, the markers (and likely the dueling aspects if he wanted), but...he was gone.

Eventually, when their son was born, he realized why.

'Kuromu' was an odd name choice as far as Anna could see, but not one that was too out of place. And Kuromu himself? Was normal. Human, young...a little boy with dreams of another existence. And Anna loves him, and Yuuma loves him, despite knowing exactly who it is he's raising.

Because he's his son.

What else should he feel, when a good friend finally has his chance to exist as 'himself'?