Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh nor will I ever.
A/N: this pairing is Vaseshipping which is Atemu/Mana
Upon the birth of the crown prince Atemu, rulers of neighboring countries put the thought into their heads to offer their daughters to the prince when he became of marriageable age. It was rumored that this prince was destined for greatness and power and the neighboring rulers wanted in on it. In Egypt, however, Atemu's destiny was far from anyone's minds. Two boys, roughly the ages four and five, waited eagerly to see the new crowned prince.
Once the boys were ushered into the royal bedroom, they were both helped up onto the large bed where the queen was reclined, holding the baby. "Seth, Mahaado, meet Atemu," the queen introduced.
Seth looked down into the baby's sleeping face, taking in the still slightly wrinkled appearance. "…he looks ugly," the five year old said after a length, earning a small laugh from Mahaado.
"Now Seth, that's not something you should say about your cousin," Akunumkanon chuckled, ruffling the boy's hair, "After all you two will be helping to look after him."
"Yes uncle," Seth replied.
"What do you think, Mahaado?" the queen asked, shifting Atemu in her arms. Mahaado looked up at the queen before returning his gray eyes to the crown prince. Reaching out a finger, Mahaado smiled as Atemu opened his eyes and after staring at the finger for a moment, reflexively curled his own fingers around it.
"We'll be friends," he said softly.
7 years later…
"Atemu! Get back here!" Seth shouted, dashing down the hall. The priest in training was so occupied with catching up to his cousin that he didn't see Mahaado come into the hall and promptly crashed into the eleven year old mage.
"Oof, what's the big idea, Seth?" Mahaado demanded, getting back to his feet and brushing his outfit off.
Seth brushed himself off as well, cold sapphire meeting stormy gray in a heated glare. Thanks to him not watching where he was going and thus colliding with Mahaado, though he'd never admit that it was his fault, he lost sight and sound of his cousin. "My cousin bailed on his lessons again and took your little apprentice with him."
Mahaado frowned. "He took Mana away from her lessons?" he repeated before sighing. "Don't worry Seth, I'll find them."
Seth sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Why does he always do this when I'm keeping an eye on him and never you?" he wondered.
Mahaado turned to leave but looked back over his shoulder at Seth with a smirk. He was not about to tell Seth that Atemu had pulled this stunt on him before, but usually Mahaado could bribe him into behaving. "He likes me better," he replied, speeding down the hall with a laugh at Seth's rage-filled shout of dismay, also dodging a curse that Seth had sent flying after him.
Meanwhile seven year old Atemu and six year old Mana were crouched in one of the large vases in the garden, giggling softly at having given Seth the slip. "We got lucky at Mahaado coming out when he did. Knowing those two, they're still bickering," Atemu laughed.
Mana giggled as well. "Master does have all the best timing for these things," she replied. "Atemu, can I ask you something?"
"Of course, Mana, what's up?" Atemu asked curiously, tipping his head.
Mana shifted, "I…I know you gotta marry later in life, Mahaado told me so. Will you make me a promise?"
"It depends on the promise…" Atemu said warily, his friend's mind worked in weird ways sometimes.
"I want you to promise me that you won't marry some snooty princess if you don't fall in love with her," Mana told him, her little face sobering up, "Mama and daddy didn't like each other and daddy left her."
Atemu smiled and hooked his little finger with the little finger that Mana had outstretched. "I promise," he assured with a small laugh, "it sounds reasonable enough."
Mahaado had come up at Atemu's last statement and leaning over to look down into the vase, he smirked at seeing the two not noticing the shadow that just blocked most of the sunlight. "What doesn't sound reasonable is the fact that you bailed on lessons again," he stated, chuckling at seeing his two charges jump and scream in surprise.
"Mahaado!" Atemu whined, "don't do that!"
"It's not my fault that you made it easy to sneak up on you," Mahaado chuckled and reached into the vase. He helped Mana out first before reaching in again and helping Atemu out.
"Are we in trouble?" Mana asked meekly, clinging to her teacher's robes.
Mahaado looked between the two and sighed. "No, you're not if you go to your lessons. I'll take care of Seth and your father, Atemu, I'll see what I can do to lessen any punishment that might go your way."
Atemu beamed and hugged Mahaado around the middle before looking up at the startled older boy. "Thanks Mahaado, you're my best friend!" he exclaimed before letting go and grabbing Mana's hand. "Come on Mana! Let's go back to lessons."
Mahaado shook his head as the two sped off. He rather enjoyed looking after the two. Atemu and Mana were closer friends for a year's age difference than he and Seth would ever be…too much competition and bad blood between himself and Seth. With a content sigh, Mahaado headed off to go inform the pharaoh of his son's renegade actions.
9 years later…
"Atemu!"
The now sixteen year old crown prince sighed and turned to face his most trusted friend and advisor. "Yes Mahaado?" he asked, already anticipating the lecture, mentally groaning at the sight of both Mahaado and Seth coming towards him.
"Cousin, why did you reject this latest suitor?" Seth demanded, hand clenched tightly around the Millennium Rod. Atemu could tell by his high priest's body language that Seth was beyond annoyed.
"Because I didn't like her," came Atemu's nonchalant reply. His observant crimson eyes caught the muscles around Mahaado's mouth tightening, almost as if the head mage of Egypt was fighting off a smile.
Seth spluttered for a moment before regaining his composure. "It doesn't matter if you like her or not, a marriage between you and a princess from another country could form a strong political bond. For Ra's sake, take more than one wife if you insist on having a queen that you like."
"Seth, be reasonable, you should know your cousin by now," Mahaado scolded, "Atemu doesn't care about political ties. He's a brilliant enough of a strategist to succeed on his own."
"Thank you, Mahaado, walk with me? Seth I'll talk to you later." Without another word, Atemu turned and walked off, Mahaado falling in to step slightly behind him yet next to him.
"Did you really reject this latest one because you didn't like her?" Mahaado asked, finally letting his smile show.
Atemu grinned back. "Well yeah, but the reasons I didn't like her were the main reasons. She treated those around her like dirt and looked down on everyone. She even said rude things about you and Seth, which I will not tolerate."
"I can understand that," Mahaado replied softly, "but you've rejected everyone who has been presented to you… surely there's an alternative reason."
Atemu fidgeted slightly. His best friend knew him too well. "I…I want to marry out of love, and I don't love any of these girls that have been sent my way."
"And what brought about this revelation?" Mahaado wondered.
Atemu smiled at remembering the promise to Mana years before. If anything their bond had grown even stronger since then. "Oh, just a promise between friends," he replied happily. Mahaado decided for his own sanity, because he knew he'd be thinking about it enough later as it was, to just let it go and enjoy his walk with Atemu.