Chapter 1: Chance Meeting
It was the first day of Atem's freshman year, one afternoon in early September. As he headed into the high school from the bus, he spotted a shaggy blond teen approaching from another way. Their eyes met and something passed between them that Atem didn't quite understand. The teen came up to him. "Hey, I'm Joey Wheeler." He introduced himself, holding out his hand.
"Atem. Are you a duelist?" Atem asked, giving him a little smile. He shook his hand.
"Best duelist of my middle school. You?" Joey asked.
"You could say I'm going pro next year." Atem bragged, shrugging like it was no big deal.
Joey's eyes widened, impressed. "Wow, that's cool."
Atem checked his watch. "Well, I better go. Class starts soon. See you around school."
"Yeah, you, too." They went into the school and Joey waved as they parted.
Atem headed home after school where Yugi was waiting. "Hey, what's up, bro?" Yugi asked. He was still in middle school.
"I just met a guy. His name's Joey. Have you heard of him at your tournaments between schools?" Atem asked. He never had participated in school tournaments, just in city ones, so he'd never met Joey. "He says he's a duelist."
"Joey Wheeler? Yeah, of course? He's an okay duelist. I beat him almost every time. Why, do you like him?" Yugi joked, laughing.
Atem laughed along with him. "Of course not. That's crazy. I'm straight."
"I know, it's a joke." Yugi stopped laughing with a sigh. "I'd still love you, bro. Promise."
"I know." Atem hugged him. "Thanks. Let's get to work."
They went into the Game Shop and started their shift. An hour later, a baby's cry pierced the air. "Arianna must be wet." Atem sighed.
"Want me to check on her?" Yugi asked.
"No, she's my responsibility." Atem shook his head. He headed upstairs to tend to his two month old daughter. He went to the crib and picked up the crying baby. "Daddy's here." He murmured soothingly. The baby quieted down as he checked her diaper. He rocked her until she fell asleep, sighing with relief. "Good. Now don't make me come up here again little missy." He teased lightly, placing the baby back down in the crib again.
He headed downstairs to the Game Shop. "False alarm. She just wanted me."
"That's good." Yugi smiled. "You're a great father."
Joey ran into Atem at the Game Shop while he was getting some cards a few days later. "I didn't know you owned this shop!" He exclaimed, spotting Atem. "I didn't know this place even existed and I saw this on the Internet so I decided to check this out."
"I set up the website. Look around and if you need help, let me know. This is Yugi, my brother." Atem introduced, pointing to Yugi.
"I know him. Hey." Joey nodded, smiling at Yugi.
"Hi." Yugi nodded.
"Thanks, I'll look around." Joey wandered the store, absentmindedly looking at the cards and action figures the store offered. Occasionally, he glanced over the shelves at Atem when he thought the teen wasn't looking. Once or twice he was caught by Atem, who was sneaking glances as well, but both ducked their heads as soon as the other noticed.
Joey found what he was looking for and went to the register. "Thanks. I'll see you at school then. You want to hang out sometime?"
"Yeah, sure." Atem nodded. "Come on over anytime, we're usually working here most days."
"That's okay, I don't mind watching you work." Joey grinned, picking his sack off the counter. With a slight nod of his head to Yugi he jogged out the door.
"Interesting guy, huh?" Yugi asked, amused by the look on Atem's face.
"Yeah." Atem busied himself with the register, putting the money Joey gave in the drawer.
"I'll go take a quick peek at Arianna, make sure she's okay." Yugi headed upstairs as Grandpa came down. "Hey, Grandpa." He greeted on the way up.
"Hey, Yugi." Grandpa greeted. "Hey, Atem. How's the shop going?"
"Just fine. We just made a sale." Atem answered.
"That's great. Who?" Grandpa asked.
"Joey Wheeler." Atem answered, expecting him not to know who he was.
"Ah, Joey. I've seen him at Yugi's tournaments. Not bad for a beginner." Grandpa declared, stroking his chin. "I could teach him a thing or two."
"I'm sure you could, Grandpa." Atem replied, chuckling.
"Don't you sass me, Atem." Grandpa shook his finger at him, pretending to be stern.
"I'm just teasing." Atem laughed this time. "You're a card, Grandpa." He said, chuckling again at his own pun.
"I know." Grandpa chuckled.
Yugi came down with Arianna. "She wants her daddy." He said, handing the baby over to Atem.
Atem took the baby from Yugi, holding her carefully. "Hey, pretty girl. What do you want?" he asked.
The baby looked up at Atem with a sleepy smile. "She was fussy when I went up there." Yugi complained.
"You just don't have the touch." Atem smirked. "Get her baby seat and we'll set her out here. That way she can be with her daddy and I can still work."
Yugi brought the baby seat over and Atem placed Arianna in it. He set it on the counter. "She is so cute. She looks like you, Atem."
"I think she resembles her mom more." Atem replied sadly.
"I'm sorry I brought it up. I know it's a painful subject." Yugi apologized, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"It's okay." Atem murmured, his thoughts drifting to the day that changed his life more than the day he found out he was going to be a father.
Atem rushed to Domino Medical Center to find out word on his girlfriend. She'd been rushed there after a car accident. "How's Emily?" he asked her mom and dad. "And the baby?" It was obvious the mother had been crying.
"Sh-she's brain dead!" The mother cried. "They took her up to surgery to deliver the baby and-and-" she couldn't finish the sentence.
"It's your fault!" the father shouted at Atem. "She would be still alive if you had driven her home from school!"
Atem was too shocked for words, tears forming in his own eyes. "I know." He whispered. "What will happen to the baby?" he asked.
"Just take her!" the woman shrieked, leaning against her husband.
Atem headed to the nursery, guilt ripping at his heart. A nurse stopped him at the door. "Are you the father of one of the babies?" she asked.
"Yes, I don't know her name though. The mother is Emily Jordan." Atem answered.
"There's no baby born to a mother in here yet. You'll have to wait. Congratulations." The nurse smiled at him.
"There's nothing happy about this birth." Atem said miserably. He explained the situation.
"That's awful!" the nurse exclaimed. "I'm so sorry."
"Thanks." Atem nodded mechanically.
An hour later, a nurse wheeled a baby warmer to the nursery. "Here's your baby." The nurse told him, letting him in.
"She's beautiful, like her mother. Name her Arianna." Atem smiled sadly down at his daughter.
Later at a court hearing, Atem was given full custody when the parents refused to raise the baby.
"Atem, are you still there?" Yugi asked, jarring Atem out of his memories.
"Sorry, just thinking of something." Atem shook his head to dispel the upsetting memories.
"I miss her too. All the time. She was the best girlfriend you ever had." Yugi sighed.
"Yeah, she was. I would have married her someday. Especially after Arianna came along." Atem sighed.
Atem began hanging out with Joey. The more time they spent together, the more he began to notice things about Joey, that he normally didn't notice in guys. He noticed how his biceps bulged when he was playing video games and Joey was losing badly to him. He noticed how Joey's eyes were the color of chocolate and shone brightly when he talked about his little sister, Serenity.
"Hey, what's up?" Joey greeted one afternoon after school. They were at the Game Shop and Atem and Yugi were on a break. Joey had just arrived with his little sister Serenity, who was two years younger. "This is Serenity."
"Nice to meet you. I'm visiting from Tokyo where I live with our mom." Serenity explained. "Joey talks a lot about you."
"Nice to meet you, too." Atem smiled warmly.
"So you dating anyone lately? The head cheerleader?" Joey asked casually, plopping down on the couch next to Atem.
A shadow passed across Atem's face. "One." He mumbled.
"Just one? What happened? She dump ya?" Joey asked insensitively, not realizing his mistake.
Atem jumped up and stormed upstairs. "That was rude, Joey!" Serenity scolded.
"What?" Joey asked cluelessly.
"His last girlfriend died." Yugi said quietly.
"Oh damn, I guess I should go apologize." Joey got up and headed upstairs. He knocked on the door and entered. Atem was sitting on his bed, knees drawn to his chest. "Atem, I'm sorry. I didn't know."
"How could you know?" Atem asked on a shaky breath. Tears poured from his eyes. "Her name was Emily, she was my best friend. I loved her. She died in a car accident." He explained. "It was my fault."
Joey sat on the bed. "I know sorry won't fix it, but that's all I can say. I am sure it wasn't your fault." Joey assured.
"It was my fault. I didn't drive her home that day. If I had, she would still be alive." Atem squeezed his eyes shut.
Joey put his hand on Atem's knee and leaned in. "Look at me, Atem." He ordered.
Atem opened his eyes. They were inches apart. "What?" he barely whispered.
"It's not your fault. Things happen. My father beats me on a regular basis. But I know it's not my fault." Joey reasoned. "I know how guilt can eat you alive. I feel guilt for not standing up for myself to my dad and escaping." Joey and Atem stared at each other for several minutes, something they didn't understand crackling between them. Finally Joey leaned in closer so they were almost nose to nose, hesitating. "It's not your fault." He whispered. Then he pressed his lips to Atem's.
Atem's eyes widened briefly before putting his hand on the back of Joey's neck, kissing him back. They pulled away after a few moments. "Wow." Atem murmured. He wiped his cheeks with a hand.
"Wow's right." Joey agreed with a small smile.
"I thought you were straight." Atem seemed confused. "Yugi said you had had a girlfriend for six months."
Joey shrugged. "Seems you're making me change my mind. I am starting to like you in a romantic way."
"I feel the same way. I like your eye color. Reminds me of chocolate. I always thought I was straight too. But then I started thinking of you a different way." Atem gave a watery smile. "What do we do now?"
"Well, do you want to go out sometime?" Joey asked, grinning.
"I don't know…I suppose. But there's one thing you should know, though." Atem hesitated. Suddenly, there was a cry from the baby's room.
"Do you have a baby brother or sister?" Joey asked, confused. "I don't remember seeing a baby."
"Not exactly. Emily was pregnant when she died. She delivered the baby before they let her go. The baby is my daughter." Atem explained. "Is that a problem?"
"No, not at all. That's amazing. But why didn't you tell me?" Joey asked.
"I didn't know how to tell you. She'd always been with a friend when you were over. Do you want to meet her?" Atem asked, a little anxious.
"Of course. What's her name?" Joey asked.
"Arianna. Follow me." Atem got off the bed and led him down the hall to Arianna's room. He picked up the baby and handed her to Joey. "Ari, this is a good friend of mine, Joey. Joey, this is Arianna."
"Hey, little girl. You are so pretty. I bet you look just like your momma." Joey smiled, rocking Arianna a little.
"She looks almost exactly like her." Atem agreed. "Do you want to see a picture of her?"
"Of course." Joey nodded. Atem brought out a picture from his wallet and showed Joey. "See?"
"Yeah, she was beautiful. Hey, look, Arianna. That's your mommy." Joey told the baby. "We better go downstairs. The others are probably worried about us."
"Yeah, I did storm off." Atem took the baby back and put her in her crib. They headed downstairs together. "Sorry guys. I got upset because my I lost my girlfriend Emily."
"It's okay. We understand." Serenity nodded. So did Yugi.
After Joey and Serenity left, Atem took Yugi aside. "I have something to tell you. I'm having feelings for Joey."
"What?! I thought you were straight." Yugi exclaimed, surprised.
"I thought I was too. But I've been having feelings for a while. We're going to start dating." Atem explained.
"Does he know about the baby?" Yugi asked.
"I just told him." Atem answered.
"Good. I'm happy for you." Yugi hugged him.