This is a Dragonshipping Roleplay between me and ofspiritsandpuzzles. I played Joey and she played Atem, and everyone else XD. Posted with her permission.
...
Atem frowned as he slipped away from Siamun's watchful eyes, making his way into a secret passageway that led down to the dungeons before anyone could notice that he was gone. Though everyone seemed to think him naive due to him only recently ascending the throne in place of his late father, Atem was no fool: he noticed the commotion a few weeks prior, though the guards (as well as his priests, irritatingly enough) seemed keen on keeping the matter from him, and he noticed the periodic trips to the dungeon that Seth accompanied by a few guards would take—yet he had yet to feel the slightest bit of danger.
It just didn't make sense... and so Atem figured if no one would give him the answers he wanted, then he would just have to find the answers himself. With that in mind, he cautiously made his way through the dimly lit dungeon, peeking into the cells before coming to a stop as he caught sight of a man who looked to be his own age, his arms chained to the wall and his body littered with countless injuries.
It was only when the boy's eyes opened and met his own that he snapped out of his horrified daze—he knew he had to grow accustomed to such sights now that he was pharaoh, but this person... he couldn't say what it was, but there was something that told him that this person wasn't someone dangerous—yet if he really wasn't dangerous, then why was he in the dungeons, and in such bad shape at that? Unsure of what to say (or if he should even attempt conversing with this oddly-dressed prisoner), Atem remained silent for the moment—if this person was any danger, then having the pharaoh standing so close by would surely prompt some sort of violent reaction.
Joey stirred slowly from his fitful sleep and blinked up at the figure standing in front of the cell. "Huh, what, who are you? I haven't seen you in here before. You here to torture me more, you damn little bastard?" He pulled at the chains that bond him, but it was futile, they wouldn't budge an inch.
Atem frowned, feeling the slightest bit affronted by the boy's harsh tone (though he reasoned that it was fully justified, judging from his state and the mention of torture). "No, I am not," he began slowly, unsure of how much to say—apparently this person didn't realize who he was speaking to. "I had merely wondered what my guards were hiding from me, and it seems I have my answer." Atem stepped a bit closer to the cell so he could get a better look at the prisoner, inadvertently offering him a better view of himself at the same time.
Joey glared at the shorter boy, trying to gauge if he was like the others, a threat, or not. "If they are your guards, can't you tell them to let me out of here? And you still didn't tell me who you are," he added with a bit of a sneer in his voice.
"I have the authority to, yes, but if all prisoners were released on their word alone, the streets would be flooded with the blood of the innocent. How can I know that you aren't a threat?" At the boy's second comment, Atem couldn't help but frown. "I realize that I was only recently coronated, but I believed all of my people knew the face of their pharaoh by now—it seems I was mistaken, however."
"What the hell, Pharaoh?" Joey was now more awake and started to notice something strange about the young man. "Yeah, wait a minute," he stared closer at Atem. "Yugi? What are you doing down here? And in that get up? And so tan? I didn't even know you could tan, man." He was all around very confused. How could his best friend be here in this crazy place? On the same thought, how could he be here in the first place? It didn't make any sense to the poor confused blond.
Atem blinked, his expression faltering into one of genuine confusion. "I apologize, but I believe you're mistaken... I do not know of any people by the name of 'Yugi'—my name is Atem." His curiosity was now piqued—none of his people would fail to recognize him, let alone confuse him for someone else... Just who is this person...?
"Dude, is this some crazy cosplay thing? If it is you really need some help. You don't lock people in dungeons and torture them." Joey was getting more and more confused with each second that passed.
Atem sighed, shaking his head. "It seems as if my guards have done a bit too much damage, if you're speaking of such nonsensical things. "Unless, of course, this man was already insane before being locked up, in which case it would be in everyone's best interest to leave him where he could do no harm—though Atem found this highly unlikely; after all, the boy seemed to be genuinely confused, rather than insane. "Tell me, what is your name, and how did you enter my palace?"
"My name is Joey Wheeler. I was walking home from school and suddenly I was in some big open courtyard. Your goons attacked me and locked me up in here. I did nothing to deserve this treatment!" His confusion was slowly turning into a boiling rage that was hard to contain.
Atem frowned. "You appeared within the palace without going past the front gates—it's only natural that my guards would assume that you were a thief or assassin of some sort. However, I do agree that this treatment is unjust, especially since you were kept here without my knowledge." His frown deepened as he added, "I will be having a word with my guards—and with my priests—later, rest assured."
Atem's expression returned to one of curiosity as he asked, "If I may, however... you said you were 'walking home from school'? What manner of nobility are you, to be receiving education at an institution?" After all, only the rich were able to receive education, yet the boy's clothes (tattered as they were) did not seem to reflect any sort of noble status whatsoever.
Joey raised his eyebrows. That was the first time anyone had compared him to nobility. "Dude, it's the 20th century, most people can go to school. I ain't any kind of "nobility." Far from it..." he laughed humorlessly.
"... 20th century?" Now it was Atem's turn to raise an eyebrow, wondering just how badly his guards had damaged this poor boy's brain. "I'm afraid you're mistaken—the year is 985, and only those with noble status have access to education."
"Dude, you are taking this whole cosplay role playing thing waaay too seriously. I can't possibly be in the past, right? Time travel isn't possible, right?" Joey continued staring at Atem. Suddenly, his stomach growled, very loudly.
"... Time travel...," Atem repeated, mulling the thought over. "It is unheard of, but not entirely impossible. Perhaps—" His train of thought was cut off by Joey's stomach loudly growling, and he couldn't help the amused smile that tugged at the corners of his lips. "I suppose this is no place for conversation—I will release you, on the condition that you do not leave my side while on the palace grounds." After all, he may be able to get him out once, but there was only so much he could do if Joey wandered off and got himself imprisoned again.
"Really? You think I could have a bath? I'm totally wrecked." Joey also needed new clothes, but he didn't want to impose too much after the guy finally agreed to let him out. His stomach growled again. "...and some food?" He tried to hide his blush at sounding so pathetic and needy.
Atem chuckled quietly. "Yes, a bath and food can be arranged, and perhaps a new set of clothing would be wise as well—the state of your attire aside, it is far too... foreign; you will only end up bringing more attention to yourself dressed in such odd clothing." Now, as for the matter of actually getting Joey out... he could leave to go and find a guard, but even as pharaoh he doubted he would be able to convince any of the guards to let out a prisoner (especially one that the priests were keeping from him, meaning that the guards would probably only take orders from the priest or priests that were in charge of this boy's imprisonment).
So I suppose I'll have to go with my second option, he thought to himself with a slightly impish smile as he held his millennium puzzle in his hands, already able to picture the lecture he would be receiving from Mahaad for doing this (as well as the not-so-quiet, mischievous approval he would get from Mana). The puzzle's glow illuminated the darkness of the dungeon, which in turn allowed the shadows to take form and slip into the keyhole, resulting in the tell-tale 'click' of a lock being opened moments later.
With that, Atem opened the cell door and stepped inside, eyeing the chains around Joey's wrists with a frown. "Give me one moment and I will have those removed." The shadows moved once more, making their way up to the keyholes on the shackles binding Joey's wrists, and a few seconds later the boy was a prisoner no longer. "Come," Atem instructed, turning and beginning to walk out of the cell. "And stay close—this dungeon is a maze designed to trap any prisoner who attempts to escape, so if you get lost I cannot guarantee your safety."
Joey stared, dumbfounded, at what Atem had just done. "I didn't know the Puzzle could do that..." It was both cool and a little creepy at the same time. "So why is Kaiba here too? He was the jackass doing most of the torturing..." Joey clenched his fists at the memory of tan, oddly dressed, Kaiba's smug expression as he had beaten him. The bastard had obviously enjoyed what he was doing and Joey wanted to make him pay for it.
"You know of the puzzle, yet you claim to be from the future... interesting," Atem murmured, keeping his pace slow so Joey could keep up without aggravating his injuries too badly. "My apologies, but I'm afraid I don't know who this 'Kaiba' you speak of is—what did he look like?" He assumed that Joey was speaking of one of the guards who had given his name at some point, since he had no knowledge of anyone in his palace that went by the name 'Kaiba'.
"You know...Kaiba, the tall asshole who likes tormenting people. He was wearing a stupid pointy blue hat and for some odd reason had the Millennium Rod. I thought that was Marik's, what's he doing with it?" Joey muttered the last part to himself.
Atem frowned at the mention of the Millennium Rod, making a mental note of the fact that this boy seemed to have at least some knowledge of the Millennium items despite them having only just been created during his father's reign. "The one you refer to as 'Kaiba' is one of my high priests, Seth—I do not know who this 'Marik' is, but Seth is the rightful owner of the Millennium Rod. As for the matter of him torturing you... I will be sure to have a long talk with him. I have repeatedly expressed to him that I do not condone such behavior, but apparently he is too prideful to listen," the last part came out as more of an annoyed grumble than a statement.
"How the hell did Kaiba become a priest?" Joey also found it very hard to picture the stiff boy actually owning a Millennium item. He didn't even believe in magic or that they could do anything.
Atem frowned. "Seth became a priest like anyone else-he took the exams, and his scores were the highest that the courts had ever seen." After a moment, he added, "What is this 'Kaiba' like? Because I can assure you that he and Seth are different people."
"He's a huge asshole who runs a game company and has an unhealthy obsession with Duel Monsters, and the Blue-Eyes White Dragon in particular." He grimaced just at the thought of the guy who was always insulting him and would barely even acknowledge him as a duelist.
Atem glanced over at Joey curiously. "'Duel Monsters?'" he echoed in confusion, before turning his attention back to their surroundings as he led Joey down a pathway that was tucked away, one that anyone would walk past had they not known it was there. "We're almost out, just a bit further."
Joey stumbled and almost fell over. "I think all this blood loss is getting to me," he said sheepishly, trying to make a joke out of his weak state.
Atem quickly reached out and caught Joey before he could fall. "Just hold on a little longer," he encouraged, slinging Joey's arm around his shoulders to help him walk the rest of the way.
Joey tried to hold back a blush at the close contact. It was very strange to have the tiny boy be the one to hold him up. "So you're really not Yugi, huh." The concept was finally starting to sink in for Joey.
"I believe that's what I told you from the first time you referred to me with that name," the pharaoh responded wryly, keeping his pace slow as he walked the injured boy towards the exit of the secret passage. It took a few more minutes, but they finally reached the stone wall that served as the cover for the entrance, and Atem struggled for a moment to open it while keeping Joey upright before finally getting it to move, glancing around warily to make sure no one saw them before helping Joey out and closing the passage behind them. "I'll take you to my room, and we can tend to your injuries while a bath is drawn and a meal is prepared," he said, leading Joey through the extravagant palace halls towards his bedroom.
Joey flopped down on the nearest pillow once they entered the room. "God, I could eat a whole horse." He was starving; they had barely fed him the entire time he was in the dungeon.
Atem chuckled—not many people had the audacity to throw themselves on the pharaoh's bed without permission, but Atem was more amused than insulted. "I will be sure to have a large meal prepared for you, don't worry—in the meantime, we should take care of those injuries and get you bathed and dressed."
Taking a moment to leave his room and pull aside a servant, he arranged for a meal to be brought to his room (with no questions asked—one of the perks of being a pharaoh was that there were very few people who would question his orders, no matter how odd they could be) before reentering the room and helping Joey over to his private bathing area. "Alright, now strip and I will clean your wounds, and after your bath I will wrap them to make sure they heal properly." Thankfully he'd had plenty of experience giving first-aid despite being a prince (being around someone as klutzy as Mana required such skills to be second-nature), so this was nothing new to him.
"What? You want me to strip? In front of you? I can take a bath by myself you know, I'm not three years old." Joey was a little taken aback by Atem's command.
Atem gave Joey a flat look. "I cannot treat injuries that I don't have access to, and unless I'm mistaken, we are both male—I fail to see the problem."
"It's just kinda weird, you know. I don't even know you and you're going to see me naked." He really didn't know why he was getting so nervous; people took baths together in public baths all the time. It really wasn't that strange, was it?
"Again, I fail to see the problem—or is it uncommon in your time for people to take baths with other people around?" Frowning, Atem added, "And that aside, you aren't in any state to be taking a bath on your own; you might lose consciousness from all of your blood loss."
"Well, yes and no; depends on the country really." Joey sat up from the bed, got a sudden dizzy spell, and fell back down. "And I can to stay awake," he said weakly. The argument didn't hold much weight after his last action.
Atem rolled his eyes. "Yes, I can clearly see that," he responded dryly. "Now please remove your clothing so I can take care of your injuries and so you can bathe." Though his words were fairly light, his eyes and tone both clearly showed that he would not be taking no for an answer—his words were an order, not a request.
"Well, gosh, your highness," Joey said sarcastically. Even so he started to remove his clothes, starting with his tattered and bloody shirt. Joey winced as the removal of his shirt reopened old wounds.
"I have to wonder if you even realize who you're speaking to," Atem grumbled, completely unused to such brazen disregard of status—it had been amusing at first, but now it was starting to grate on his nerves the slightest bit. When Joey finally obeyed him, he began taking out what he would need to clean out the wounds, kneeling by Joey's side and putting some antiseptic onto a small cloth. "This will probably sting," he warned before running it over the largest of the wounds, frowning in concentration and making a mental note to bring this up with Seth as well—prisoner or not, leaving a person's wounds in such a state was unforgivable.
"What, you someone important or somethin'?" His back arched and he let out a small gasp as the antiseptic did far more than sting. "Hey! That hurts.."
Atem raised an eyebrow. "For you not to know... do pharaohs not exist in your time?" He winced sympathetically. "My apologies—please try and bear with it for a little longer." He did his best to be as gentle and careful as possible as he meticulously cleaned out each and every injury.
"What's a pharaoh? Is that like a businessman?" Joey honestly had no idea what one was. It vaguely reminded him of something he had heard in history class, but he couldn't remember. It wasn't like he paid attention in any class but PE anyway.
Atem smiled in amusement. "A pharaoh is the person who rules over a country—I believe other countries refer to their leaders by different names, like 'king' or 'emperor' if either of those are more familiar terms to you."
Joey stared at him in amazement for a second before shrugging. He immediately regretted the action, cursing under his breath at the pain. "But you're still a human being, same as me."
Atem shook his head slightly, caught between being annoyed and amused. "I don't know how it works in your time or other countries, but here in Egypt the Pharaoh is seen as a god—in other words," he continued, an amused glint in his eyes, "were anyone to hear you say such a thing, it would be grounds for execution, among all the other things you've done and said so far."
"If that's so then why aren't you ordering me executed? You must not think the same way." Unless he was just toying with Joey and was planning all along to kill him; but what was the point of taking care of him if that was what he was planning?
"Just because I could, doesn't mean I will," he responded with a slight smile, setting down the bloodied rag and picking up a clean one before continuing his work. "As you said, I'm not the type to play god with people's lives—even if my people see me as a god, I only see myself as a regular human being just like anyone else." With a more genuine smile, he glanced up from his work to meet Joey's eyes. "You're the first to say such a thing to me—even Mana and Mahaad see me as a prince rather than a person, and they have been with me since we were young... it's a nice change."
Joey really didn't know how to respond to that. He didn't know why, but it was making him blush. What was it about this guy that could do that to him? "Um, you're welcome?" he responded awkwardly.
Atem chuckled, taking note of the boy's blush but not saying anything on the matter. He finished cleaning up all of the wounds on Joey's chest, arms, and back before putting the rag aside and rising to his feet, holding out a hand to help the other boy to his feet. "Come, now let's get you bathed, and your meal should arrive by the time you get dried and dressed."
Joey was still very self-conscious about being naked in front of the spiky-haired boy and was attempting to cover himself the entire time. Still using one hand to hide his privates, he reached out the other to take Atem's hand. Not saying anything, and still blushing, he followed the young pharaoh to the bath.
Atem bit his lip to stop himself from laughing at the boy's attempt to cover himself up, finding his modesty both amusing and oddly endearing. He led Joey over to the bath, which was filled with warm water and organic soap, and helped him into the large tub before picking up a lump of a paste-like substance from a small basin. Working the paste into a lather, Atem began rubbing it into Joey's skin, taking care to be gentle with all of the injured areas as he began washing all of the grime off of the boy.
Having his lower half covered by the soapy water made Joey slightly less embarrassed about the whole situation. "So do you have a girlfriend or something?" he asked, completely out of the blue.
Atem blinked, caught off-guard by the sudden question, before shaking his head with a rueful smile as he continued washing the other boy off. "I suppose I should be taking a wife soon, now that I've ascended the throne, but I'm afraid I have little interest in such things."
"Wife? What are you, 15? That's kinda young. Come to think of it, you're kinda young to be on the throne too." After he said it Joey began to regret it. There had to be a reason why he was a pharaoh at such a young age, and it probably wasn't a pleasant one.
Atem glanced away as Joey spoke, his hands stopping their movement as he fell into thought. "... It was my duty to take the throne in my father's... absence," he responded after a moment, the death of his father still weighing heavily on him despite how he appeared composed for his people. "And as pharaoh, producing an heir is essential—fifteen years of age is old enough to take a wife and produce an heir to take my place should something happen." It wasn't something Atem wanted to think about, but the safety of his country and his people was more important than his own desires and preferences.
"Dude, that's rough. I've never even been on a date. I can't imagine having that much pressure and responsibility placed on me." Joey played with the water absentmindedly, trying to picture himself in the same situation and failing.
Atem chuckled wryly, moving his hands to pick up more of the paste and lather it up before working on washing Joey's hair. "Not many people can-it's a large burden to carry, but I will do what I must for my people." After a moment's silence, he asked curiously, "Are things... different, in your time? Is it really that odd to speak of marriage at this age?"
Joey's head got pulled back as Atem washed his hair, causing him to look at the other boy upside down. "Yeah, most people don't get married until their 20's or even later."
Atem looked at him in genuine surprise. "Really? Even women? Most daughters are married off for dowry by at least fourteen... how different the future must be," he murmured. "It must be nice to not feel pressured to get married, though." He massaged the soap into Joey's hair, secretly enjoying the feeling of running his fingers through the boy's hair, as he continued speaking. "If people aren't required to get married at a young age, then what other options are available for them? Do they live on their own?"
"Well, when they are still teenagers they generally live with their parents and go to school." Joey leaned back further, getting dangerously close to placing his wet head on Atem's chest.
Atem forcibly ignored the slight blush on his cheeks at the close proximity, finding that he didn't mind it in the least, and he instead focused on continuing to wash Joey's hair as he spoke. "You mentioned school before, too... is education really available to all people regardless of status in the future?" Such a concept was pretty much unheard of, or at least as far as Atem knew, so he couldn't help but be surprised by this. "What is the schooling of the future like?"
"Well, this doesn't apply to everyone, but for me, school is... Well, I'm not very good at it, I only really enjoy playing sports and getting to hang out with my friends." Joey was hit with a pang of homesickness at the thought of his friends. He was really beginning to miss them.
"Sports? So what they teach you at school isn't purely educational?" Atem frowned sympathetically, taking note of Joey's homesick expression at the mention of his friends. "This 'Yugi' that you mistook me for—is he one of your friends? What is he like? And what of your other friends, what are they like?"
Joey looked wistful. "Yugi is my friend, I really miss the little guy. And Tristan, and Tea, and Bakura too." He didn't say it, but his expression said that all he wanted was to go home. He quickly hid a single tea that threatened to fall.
Atem remained quiet for a moment, picking and choosing his words carefully before speaking. "... I don't know how you came to be in this time, nor can I guarantee that I can send you home—however, you have my word that I will do everything within my power to find a way to return you to your proper time."
Joey looked up, surprised. "Really? I barely know you. You really do remind me of Yugi, and it's more than just the hair." He had to chuckle a little to himself at that.
Atem smiled slightly. "I am not the type of person to ignore someone in need—and that aside, it's the least I can do after the terrible treatment you received from Seth and my palace guards." He couldn't help but chuckle as well at the hair comment. "If his hair is similar to mine, then it's good to know that the people of the future still have good taste in hair styles," he responded jokingly, moving his hands down to wash Joey's back (while being sure to be mindful of his injuries).
Joey let out a little gasp as Atem's hands got a little too close to his rear. "Hey, watch where you're touching!" He blushed furiously.
Atem rolled his eyes, oblivious to just how far down Joey's back his hands had slipped. "I was merely washing your back; I fail to see what the problem is." Pulling his hands away, he turned to pick up a water basin, rising to his feet with it in his arms. "Now please stand so I may rinse you off."
Joey stood up, water dripping down his nude body. Only now did he notice the height difference between the two. Before he had been partly hunched over and been in too much pain to notice. "You're even short like Yugi."
Atem flushed slightly, his expression indignant. "I am not short," he immediately objected-but such an assertion was empty at best when even standing on his tip-toes wasn't enough to help him lift the basin of water above Joey's head.
Joey laughed, ruffling Atem's hair. "Shorty." He also just now realized that he was standing butt-naked in front of the other boy. There was nothing in reach to cover himself with though so he just stood there, slowly beginning to not care about his unclothed state.
Atem huffed, his blush darkening slightly in embarrassment. "I am not short! You're just... absurdly tall! Now lower yourself so I can finish washing you off!" he commanded, seeming much more like a petulant child than a powerful pharaoh.
"You order me up, and then you order me back down. What's next, sideways?" Despite saying this he did obey and leaned down to make himself shorter.
Atem frowned. "Well I didn't tell you to stand up higher than I could reach," he grumbled, lifting the bucket above Joey's head and carefully pouring the water on him, making sure all of the soap was washed away before setting the basin aside and helping Joey out of the bath. "Wait here, and I will go get you some clean clothing to put on."
Joey shook himself like a dog to shake off most of the water, then rung his hair out, it was getting a little long, he should probably cut it soon. The blond hadn't had a haircut in quite a while. He found a towel sitting near the bath and he wrapped it around his waist.
Now that he was alone, Joey took the time to look around the room. It was huge, to say the least, with lots of expensive looking furnishings. A tiny black kitten suddenly peeked out from one of these furnishings, a beautifully painted vase, and meowed at him. "Hello there, little fellow," Joey said, stooping down to pet the little creature.
Atem left to go and speak with a servant, returning a little while later carrying a bundle of clean clothing that would (hopefully) be long enough for the ridiculously tall boy. He couldn't help but smile as he returned to the bathing area to see Joey petting a black kitten, and he crouched down by Joey's side. "These little ones find their way into the palace all the time," he spoke quietly, scratching the kitten behind its ears and chuckling as it began to purr. "I don't know if the same remains true in your time, but here they are regarded as creatures closest to the gods, and are treated with the utmost respect." Remembering why he'd left the room to begin with, he handed Joey the clothes. "Here, you can get dressed; your meal will arrive at my room in just a few minutes."
"Thanks," Joey said, taking the clothes. He unfolded them and stared at them for a bit, trying to figure out how to put the foreign thing on. "Is this a dress? And what is this?" he asked, holding up the loincloth.
Atem shook his head in a mixture of amusement and bewilderment. "That is a Jellabiya-a common article of clothing for those who reside in the palace to wear." Atem avoided the word "servants" for the time being, getting the feeling that Joey would put up a fight and quite possibly outright refuse the clothing if he brought up such a thing at the moment. "And that is what is worn... to cover your nether area," Atem replied awkwardly, uncertain if the future had a term for the article of clothing and figuring that the blunt explanation would probably get the point across better than using words that Joey wouldn't understand.
Joey blinked. "Oh, so it's underwear. How the heck is it put on?" He turned it in all directions, puzzled. "And this still looks like girl's clothes," he said, referring to the Jellabiya.
Atem, after a bit of awkward hesitation, helped Joey put on the 'underwear', slipping it around him and tying it for him so it stayed in place before helping him into the clothing, slipping a set of gold bands onto his arms to complete the outfit. "It may look like 'girl's clothes,' but I assure you that this is what men in this time wear."
"Still looks like a dress to me," Joey grumbled. Even so, it felt good to finally have clothes on and he was slowly relaxing. His stomach growled very loudly to remind him that he hadn't yet eaten.
Atem chuckled. "Come, your meal should have arrived by now." The pharaoh led Joey back to his bedroom, where a large spread of fresh food was laid out on a table, waiting for them. "Eat as much as you like, and if you are still hungry let me know; I'll have more food called up for you."
Joey couldn't stop himself from drooling and set into the food with gusto. He ate like a starving animal, which wasn't far from the truth; they had only given him enough food to keep him alive down in the dungeon. "Diest goof," he tried to say through a mouthful of food.
Atem watched him, slightly awed by how much he was able to eat in such a short amount of time. When Joey spoke-or tried to around a mouth full of food, anyway-Atem chuckled and gave him a smile. "I'm glad you're enjoying it. Would you like something to drink?" he asked, gesturing to the pitcher of fresh wine.
"What's this?" Joey wondered aloud, sniffing the pitcher. "Smells like grape juice." He then proceeded to drink the entire thing in only a few gulps. "Oof, stuffed," he said before flopping down on the floor, his arms and legs stretched out wildly.
Atem raised an eyebrow, his lips tugging upward in amusement. "I'm glad you've eaten your fill," he said after a moment, crouching down by Joey's side. "Would you like to take a rest first, or would you care to take a walk with me around the palace?"
Joey didn't hear him; he had fallen asleep right then and there and was softly snoring.
Atem smiled slightly. "I suppose I have my answer, then," he said quietly, rising to his feet. He took a blanket and pillow off of his bed, draping the blanket over Joey's sleeping figure and carefully slipping the pillow under his head before taking his leave-this would be as good of an opportunity as any to have a word with Seth.