"You realize that the irony of this situation is palpable."
"What?"
A soft sigh. "I'm saying that you're never going to live this down."
"Eh? What's wrong with getting a puppy? Nothing that's what!"
It couldn't really be explained how ridiculous this all was. He'd been planning it for a little over a week now. It wasn't really the ideal time spent planning. A big endeavor like this should have taken him months. Somewhere, somehow, Jounouchi had been hit with the inane need to own a puppy. Not just any puppy, either. His little sister had sent him a picture of a golden labrador retriever down at the pound. The dog was small and loud with a golden coat and brown spots on its ears, side, tail and legs. It was almost too much.
Atem could almost see where his friend was coming from. It was probably because Shizuka had sent him that picture that he wanted the dog. A sort of big brother ordeal most likely. He wanted to get it because Shizuka liked it. Maybe he thought it would make her visit more, or she'd think of him more because he owned a puppy. It wasn't the best reason for getting one. It especially was a terrible reason for getting a dog that looked exactly like the costume Jounouchi had been forced to dress up in all that time ago.
The walk to the pound was fraught with more argument. Atem was trying to persuade him otherwise, talk him out of this decision before it haunted him. Not only was the dog reminiscent of a time that seemed to haunt the blond, but this was a puppy. Something that needed constant love and care and attention. While Jounouchi was quite doting and affectionate, he was a little absent minded. It wasn't that Atem didn't think a yapping puppy dog couldn't remind Jounouchi of his duties, he just thought the blond might get bored or have too much else to do. It was a sad situation.
No matter what he said, however, Jounouchi's mind remained firm. He wasn't listening to Atem.
The pound was full of cold air and an odd smell; lots of noise, as well. Dogs of every shape and size were bounding around in their cages, jumping at the doors and barking as loud as they could. They were all putting on a show, begging to be brought home, Atem grimly noted. He suddenly didn't want to be here at all. His eyes were drawn to the faces of every animal pleading to be taken as Jounouchi went up to the counter.
As his friend talked something over with the receptionist, Atem wandered down the aisle. There were dogs here, obviously, but it also seemed like cats dwelled here as well. Some of them were more refined, as usual when comparing cats to dogs. They stayed in their spot, cleaning or eating or just resting. But their eyes followed him everywhere. The cats came in all shapes and sizes, same with the dogs. All different colors and breeds, he imagined. The kittens must have been the easiest to take home. They were bursting with energy, some even climbing their cages.
He stopped at a rather large looking cat with sad green eyes. This cat was sitting in the middle of his cage, unusual really. Most of the other cats that didn't have something to distract them were propped along the walls or in the corners. This one was just sitting, proudly almost, peering upwards at Atem now. His coat was brown with thick black stripes (almost making it appear black with brown stripes instead) and a white chin. The King of Games knelt, reaching a hand within the cage.
The cat moved, stepping forward to sniff and then rub affectionately against the hand. Immediately a loud and content purr was heard.
"Doesn't take much, mm?" Atem murmured with a smile. Cats had always been attracted to him, even when he was young. He'd been raised on a culture that worshipped them; he still did. He loved them. They were magnificent and wildly intelligent creatures; always so beautiful no matter the form.
"You like that one?" A small, shy voice asked from behind him.
Atem's head turned back, though he didn't raise back up, instead choosing to continue petting the cat. "Ah." An affirmative noise with a nod of his head.
The girl stepped forward. "His owners dumped him here last week." The wording was harsh. Atem immediately labeled her as a jaded worker- but who wouldn't be in this environment? "Had some better place to be and didn't want him. He sits there waiting for them to come back."
He believed it. The cat wasn't exactly young, though he couldn't gauge that he was too old either. He must have lived with his owners since being a kitten. To just be thrown away... he definitely was waiting. Atem's eyes turned back. "Spent all your life making bonds. Now they're gone..." The cat unleashed a meow, though it didn't sound exactly sad.
"Bad news," Jounouchi's voice filtered in as he walked over. His hands were shoved in his pockets and he was wearing a glum look. "They gave the puppy to some kid five minutes before I came in." His head nodded back towards the front- the kid was still there, laughing and being licked all over.
Atem smiled, standing up. "Take this one."
Jounouchi looked around, obviously looking for a canine pup. That's what he came in here for, that's what Atem should have been showing him. But he followed the man's finger point down to a fat cat. "What? That? No way!"
"You wanted an animal to take home. Cats are much more self sufficient than dogs, and this one is middle aged. He already is house trained no doubt." Atem tried stating plain facts, but his friend did not look interested at all. Jounouchi had gone to making faces at the cat. Atem sighed. "His owners abandoned him." A soft add-on as he leaned against the other.
Jounouchi ceased making faces, taking a more critical eye. Abandoned? "But..." It was a cat. A stupid fat cat.
"Please?"
Atem rarely asked for anything. That meant this was important. It wasn't above the blond to just walk out on someone in need, especially his friend- especially one of his best friends- ...especially his boyfriend. And while Atem didn't quite have the puppy-eyed look of his younger partner, the look he was sporting was one of extreme and timeless sadness. He was relating with the cat. And now Jounouchi was with the both of them.
He groaned. "Aaah... allriiiight." He held on to the syllables as long as he could.
Atem smiled, no words exchanged as he nodded to the girl. Suddenly the blond felt like he'd walked right into a trap. That wasn't the most odd feeling in the world when dealing with the King of Games. That didn't mean he had to like it.
Papers were drawn up, Jounouchi having to place his signature on, what felt like, several thousand of. Atem seemed at least helpful, spotting the cost of everything. It made Jounouchi feel worse though, indebted. The more that cat stared at him the more he felt unnerved. Cats were so weird. It didn't help either of them that the first name that popped into his head when buying the cat was "Pharaoh". Atem had not looked amused.
The three went back to Jounouchi's apartment. For once it was clean, Atem having done most of the work. He'd said it was because they were bringing an animal home, and that meant it should be clean. His real intention was just that... added on that he really wanted Jounouchi's apartment to be clean for once. No harm done, though. The cage was set down on the middle of the living room floor and opened. The cat peeked out before lurking quietly, slowly.
"This is boring!" He'd wanted a puppy that was going to run around the house and knock things over. The cat was just sniffing at everything and walking around.
Atem patted his upper arm. "Don't rush so much. He has to get used to everything."
He made a sound of disapproval. "Let's go do something else then."
There were many options here. They could play Duel Monsters, an old time favorite. They could play any other game that Jounouchi had lying around as well. The two loved to play games with each other. They could sit and watch TV. That was good too, though most of the time Atem drifted off. They could make dinner, it was getting late. They could call some of their other friends and hang out.
What they found themselves doing was not any of that.
Jounouchi was sitting on the couch, hands on Atem's hips as the King of Games sat in his lap, around the blond's neck. His head tilted to the side slightly as he pressed deeper into the kiss that had started quite some time ago. Their tongues met, twining as Atem pushed against him harder with a soft moan. Jounouchi's hips shifted up to meet it, groaning. Atem was the first to break back, panting harshly.
He wasn't down for long, not giving Jounouchi enough time to recover. His lips attached to the blond's jaw, kissing and nipping a trail to his neck. Jounouchi's hands went up inside the back of Atem's shirt, fingers trailing along every inch of skin he could find. Atem shuddered against him, biting harshly at the man's pulse before soothing over it with a soft lap of his tongue.
Another shift of both their hips had the two moaning while sparks of pleasure played in their system.
A paw reached up to swat at Jounouchi's arm. His eyes blinked open, looking over. Atem was distracted by the odd movement.
The cat had jumped up on the couch, sitting right beside the two and was now pawing at Jounouchi for attention. A loud meow came from him.
"Wh-what's the matter Pharaoh?" Jounouchi was a bit breathless but managed to ask. Atem grimaced. That name... The cat only meowed again. "What is it? You ... you want to play?"
"Jounouchi not now." Atem groaned, leaning back in to try and entice him with another nip to his neck.
The cat meowed again, pawing. "Move for a second."
Atem got up with quite a huff, sitting on the arm of the couch with his arms crossed. What the hell. Had he just been shoved aside for a cat?
A plastic stick with a small string and fluffy object tied to the end was produced from a plastic bag. Jounouchi held it over the cat's head. Immediately play had begun. Eventually he was leading the cat all over the apartment, running around and essentially playing keep away. Once the cat had swiped the object, even pulling the entire stick away from Jounouchi's hands, the blond laughed, going to the carpet to give the cat a cuddle.
Atem watched the entire time. Half of him felt a severe sense of displeasure and annoyance at being shirked for an animal. Half of him felt good that Jounouchi and his new pet were bonding. In the end he huffed to himself before getting off the couch and going into the bedroom to sleep. It was a difficult task, his body aching with the unfinished earlier activities. Eventually he managed to drop off into a light doze, ignoring the laughter and purring from the living room.
It was nearly an hour before the cat lost interest in playing, waddling off into the bedroom. "Done, huh?" But Jounouchi was happy. Maybe the cat wasn't as stupid after all.
He stood, stretching his muscles, looking around. Atem should have been on the couch. He suddenly remembered just how easily he'd abandoned the other. A pang of panic hit his chest. He'd been so caught up in the antics of the cat that he'd forgotten all about Atem. The man hadn't left, that much he was sure of. He would have remembered Atem going passed him and through the front door.
Slowly he walked in the bedroom, expecting Atem to be sitting there with quite an angry glare.
"Heh..."
Atem was curled on his side, sleeping. The fat cat had jumped up on the bed it seemed, burrowing himself into the man's and fell asleep. The two looked natural together. For just a second Jounouchi wondered if this was what Atem's life was like in Egypt. Sleeping with a bunch of cats.
Did cats roam free in the palace? Were there millions of them? Was his room full of them? Did they climb all over the throne?
He shook his head, clearing the useless wandering thoughts. Instead he moved to the other side of the bed, getting carefully in and curling up to Atem's back, resting an arm over him. His hand went to the cat's fur, petting lightly for a moment before dozing off himself. The sound of deep breathing and purring hung lightly in the air.