Hate Me
By: Hitokiri Musei
Rated: M
Summary: Atem and Yugi are lead singers for the band The Sons of Egypt, and have known each other since childhood. But when love blossoms, Atem doesn't know what to make of it, and begins to take the wrong road. Can Yugi admit his love and pull Atem back?
Contains alcohol, minor drug abuse, language, violence, and yaoi. The songs sung by The Sons of Egypt are property of Blue October.
This is going to be a rather difficult story for me, as I know little about bands, but my muse has threatened to eat out my brain if I don't write it. As such, most chapters will probably be far in between. I promise I'll be working on it!
I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! the show, though the band The Sons of Egypt was my idea. Nor do I own any of the songs, those belong to Blue October.
Chapter 1
Humming softly, Atem Takahashi scrawled a few more words on the paper. Humming the tune he was creating, Atem smiled, shifting his notebook in his lap.
Ah, the process of writing a song. Atem really loved it, he lived for the joy of listening to the words he created. The current song he was writing was more rock, with more guitar and louder vocals.
He grinned, tapping his pen against his teeth. He and Yugi would have a lot of fun with this one, and Bakura and Malik would as well. Those two had always been fond of louder music.
There was a tapping at his door, and he looked up to see Yugi poking his head inside. The 22 year old grinned. "Hey Yugi."
Yugi, who was 20, smiled back. "Hey Atem." He started inside, but spotted the notebook in his friend's lap. "Oh, was I interrupting?"
Atem shook his head, setting the pad aside. "No, I was about done anyway. Come on in." He shifted to the side to allow Yugi room on the couch. "So what's going on?"
Yugi took the offered seat, leaning his head back. "Nothing, and that's the problem! Malik went out with Marik, and Bakura's out with Ryou! I'm dying of boredom!"
Atem chuckled, playfully ruffling Yugi's hair. "It can't be that bad. Want to try out my new song?"
Yugi nodded, excitement brimming in his eyes. "That would be cool!"
The light of happiness in Yugi's eyes just made Atem happy, and he smiled as he sang the song softly for his partner.
After a while Yugi bit his lip, and Atem titled his head in questioning. "Is something wrong, Yugi?"
Yugi looked down. "Well, I know you are the main song writer, but I've got a couple that I've written, I was just wondering if you would look at them…"
Atem blinked, and then smiled happily. "Really Yugi? That's great! Could I hear them?"
Yugi blushed, but nodded. "I'll let you hear the tune, and then I want you to sing the first verse with me. That's how I wrote it, for you and I, mostly."
Atem nodded, smiling encouragingly. He had had no idea that Yugi had written songs, he couldn't help feeling very proud.
Yugi came back in with his notebook and guitar, sitting down again. He handed the paper to Atem, pointing. "Stop there, okay?" He then began to play the first verse, humming softly. Though Yugi didn't play in the band, he, like Atem, knew how.
Atem smiled as he listened, and then Yugi looked up at him, nodding as he started over. Atem joined him, singing softly.
"I'm just a normal boy
That sank when I fell overboard"
"Higher, Atem." Yugi murmured.
Atem moved up an octave, and Yugi nodded in approval as they continued. Without a life that's sadly stuck again
"My ship would leave the country
But I'd rather swim ashore
Wish I was much more masculine
Maybe then I could learn to swim
Like…"
Here Atem dropped off as Yugi had told him to, and Yugi sang the last line by himself. "Fourteen miles away."
Atem stared, holding the notebook with the lyrics in a shaking hand. "Yugi… Yugi, that's beautiful! Where did you get the inspiration for that?"
The boy blushed deeply. "I don't know… I just sat down and wrote."
Atem looked down at the paper. "What a message. It's beautiful, it really is, Yugi."
Yugi blushed darker. "Thank you."
"Have you gotten it finished yet?" Atem asked with a tilt of his head.
Yugi nodded. "This one and one other."
"May I hear the other?"
Yugi nodded, blushing, and then started singing softly, plucking at the strings of his guitar.
"Is that seat taken My mind it kind of goes fast
Congratulations
Would you like to take a walk with me
I'll try to slow it down for you
I think I'd like to take a drive
I want to give you something
I've been wanting to give to you for years
My heart"
Yugi faded off, his violet eyes moving up to Atem's face. The singer was smiling widely, his crimson eyes sparkling. "That's wonderful! I want to use them; I think we should show them to the guys!"
Yugi's eyes widened. "You really think so?"
Atem nodded. "Yes! I think they're great!" The singer tackled the smaller, hugging him. "I'm really proud of you, Yugi, you're a great song writer!"
Yugi blushed, stiffening a little in Atem's grasp. "T-Thank you…"
The 20 year old's stomach was fluttering, his heart pounding. He could feel Atem's heartbeat against his chest; feel the other's strong body pressing against his own. He swallowed thickly, trying to quell the heat in his lower belly.
Atem suddenly released the smaller, taking a step back, coughing slightly as his cheeks warmed. "Well, um… Good job, Yugi."
Yugi took a step towards the door. "Um, I… need to go… Thanks Atem."
He darted from the room, leaning against the door as he shut it. He breathed deeply, trying to calm himself. 'Now is not a good time to have a crush! We're just getting noticed, and Atem's my childhood friend!' Yugi shook himself. 'Just hormones. It's just cause I've never had a relationship.'
Yugi nodded, walking away from the door.
Inside the room, Atem stared at the door silently, thinking. 'That felt so right… He was so tiny; he fit right in my arms…' He looked down at his hands, his crimson eyes thoughtful.
'Could I…. like Yugi?'
Atem awoke early in the morning, laying on his bed unable to sleep. With a sigh he looked at the clock, groaning when he saw the glowing '2:37.'
He rolled onto his right side, away from the clock. He longed to be back in the home he shared with the other members of The Sons of Egypt, but tomorrow they had one of their first big concerts. 'I should say today…'
So tonight they were in a hotel. They had gotten two rooms, each with two beds. Bakura Kaitou, the band's guitarist and local nutcase, was sharing a bed with Ryou Hikari, who was their manager. The other bed in that room was occupied by Marik and Malik, the blond Ishtar twins, who had slept in the same bed all their lives anyway. Marik was the band's all around player, he played the keyboard, violin, viola, and pretty much anything else they needed, while Malik was the drummer.
That left Atem and Yugi, who were the vocals. Yugi had claimed one of the beds, so Atem had crashed in the other. But he could hear the smaller breathing, as well as shifting in his sleep, and it was driving him crazy.
Sighing yet again, Atem rolled over, throwing back the covers and standing. He went to the closet, rifling through his bag and retrieving a bottle of sleeping pills.
He had always had some insomnia, so he constantly kept the bottle with him. He twisted open the seal dumping two into his hand. After replacing the bottle in his bag he swallowed the pills dry, standing and going back to the bed.
"Atem?"
The sound of Yugi's voice was soft and quiet, but Atem flinched nonetheless. He blinked, and then looked over to see the shadowy outline of his partner and friend. "What is it, Yugi?"
"Are you okay? Why are you taking pills?" The younger's voice was slightly worried, as though he thought Atem was taking drugs.
"They're just sleeping pills, Yugi, I'm fine." Atem said softly. He nibbled on his lip. He hadn't wanted Yugi to notice…
"Oh… Okay, I hope you get to sleep." Yugi replied, settling back on the bed.
Atem yawned; the pills were beginning to take effect. "I will, don't worry…"
And then the darkness finally claimed him, dragging him into sleep.
Yugi waited a while before climbing out of the bed. After making sure that Atem was asleep, he went over to the closet and pulled the bottle from the bag, examining it.
The sticker on the bottle proclaimed that it had been bought about six days ago. Shaking it, Yugi found that it was nearly empty.
Worry shot through him. He knew Atem had problems sleeping, but usually it was only one pill when he needed it. He had only bought a bottle about every six months. Lately he had been buying more, and apparently taking more.
It had all started two months ago, when Yugi had gone to Atem with his songs. That incident with the embrace had done something, what, Yugi didn't know. Since then Atem had done his best to spend as little time as possible around Yugi.
And that not only confused Yugi, but also broke his heart.
With a sigh the young singer replaced the bottle, lying back down. He would confront Atem tomorrow night, after the concert, if he tried to take more.
Well, there it is, my attempt at this story. Please review for me!