How to Get Atem Out of the Closet
By: Heba and Atem
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. I only play it and watch the anime and cosplay as characters from it.
Warning: Flaming is not tolerated. Constructive criticism only. This was another Facebook chat role play between Heba, myself, and minight51. It is the sequel to How to Get Yami Out of the Bathroom. There will be a third one called Getting Yami Out of the Attic.
Heba was talking with Malik, Marik, and Bakura about torture and off handedly remarks that sometimes he would like to torture Atem. Atem hearing this takes the comment seriously and runs away and locks himself in a linen closet.
"Atem!" Heba called.
Silence greeted him from the other side of the closet door.
"Atem, please!" Heba tried again.
Once again silence greeted him as Atem suppressed a whimper before finally responding in a shaky voice, "W-what?"
Mentally slapping himself Heba asks, "Atem, why?"
"W-why w-hat?" stammers Atem shakily.
Sighing heavily Heba replies, "I don't know"
After saying this Atem curls up on the other side of the closet door and Heba whispers, "Why do I always put my foot in my mouth?"
Heba then sits down and leans against the door. Atem mumbles something unintelligible from the other side of the door and Heba sighs again.
"Atem," Heba calls again.
Shakily he mumbles, "What?"
"Are you mad at me?" Heba asks.
"... Wha- ... Why... H-How could you even ask that!? I'm never able to be mad at you any more than Yami can get mad at Yuugi..." Splutters Atem before sighing heavily.
"Then... why did you lock yourself in a closet?" asks Heba in confusion.
At this question Atem starts crying.
"Please don't cry...," Heba pleads.
Atem keeps crying.
"If this is about the torture comment, I didn't mean it.
Look, I'm sorry," says Heba in a panic.
After several moments of silence he hesitantly queries, "...You didn't?"
"No. I was just angry and took it out on someone that didn't deserve it," responds Heba quietly.
In a small voice Atem says, "I'm sorry."
Confused, Heba asks, "...What are you sorry for?"
Quietly, Atem responds, "I tend to make you mad a lot and I was an idiot."
"What are you talking about?" asks Heba.
Atem remains silent on the other side of the door.
"How have you made me mad at you?" asks Heba again.
Once again Atem remains silent.
"Atem, I don't know if you don't answer me," states Heba gently.
"I…I….," Atem never gets the chance to finish his sentence because Ryou and Jou tired of Heba and Atem refusing to talk about what is bothering them to each other show up. Ryou quickly picks the lock on the closet door and Jou shoves Heba into the closet with Atem before locking them both in the closet
Atem inches away from Heba and says, "Please tell me they didn't lock the door."
Sighing Heba replies, "I think they did."
"H-Heba?" Atem finally stammers.
"Atem?" he queries.
Burying his face in his knees Atem says, "I'm sorry."
Sitting down Heba asks, "What are you sorry for?"
Taking a deep breath Atem says quickly,"Imsorryforleavingaftertheceremonialuielanadhurtingyouishouldnthavegonetotheafterlifeishouldhavestayedandimsorrypleasedonthateme."
"WHAT!" cries Heba who barely managed to keep up with that.
Atem cringes and scoots further away from Heba thinking he is mad at him.
"WHY ON EARTH DO YOU THINK THAT?!" exclaims Heba before taking a deep breath.
Atem whimpers and starts crying again.
"I'm sorry for yelling. Atem," Heba says.
Atem keeps crying cured up in a ball away from Heba.
Heba crawls over to Atem and says, "Atem."
Whimpering he keeps his face in his knees. Seeing this Heba hugs him causing him to jump in surprise and look at him.
With tears in his eyes Heba says softly, "You think that I'm mad at you, that I hate you. I could never ever hate you."
Still crying he asks, "Y-you d-don't?"
His tears fall as he says, "No. What made you think that?"
Atem cries while hugging Heba as he says, "B-Because I left. I promised I would always be by your side and I left. H-how could you not hate me for that? I broke m-my promise."
"I admit that I was mad, and an emotional wreck after it, but I wasn't mad at you directly," replies Heba sadly.
"B-But Why? I left!" cries Atem in confusion.
Sighing, Heba replies, "I could never be mad or hate you. No matter what happened."
Sniffling he hugs Heba tighter and says, "I'm still sorry for leaving. I've felt so guilty. I can't believe I was stupid enough to go to the afterlife. I've had nightmare every night since where you tell me you hate me and never want me to come back because I broke my promise."
Having said this Atem breaks down and starts sobbing.
Heba hugs him tighter as well as Atem says, "I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry. I'm sorry."
Heba starts crying and Atem cries, "Please don't cry! I'm so sorry, Heba!"
When Heba doesn't stop crying he starts panicking saying, "I'm sorry, Heba Please stop crying! I hate it when you cry! I'm soo sorry. Heba? Heba Please talk to me... I'm so sorry. Please don't cry!"
"Please..." Heba finally says.
"Heba? Please what?" asks Atem in confusion.
"Don't leave me," Heba sobs.
Pulling Heba against his chest and stroking his hair he says, "I'm not going anywhere, Heba. I wouldn't be able to bring myself to leave again. I regretted it the first time I would never be able to do so a second time. I will never leave again. I'm so sorry."
Slowly Heba's crying stops and he sniffs.
Atem nuzzles Heba's hair affectionately and says, "Heba?"
"hm?" Heba mumbles.
"I'm sorry," he says again.
"What are you sorry for?" whispers Heba.
Atem softly responds, "For leaving you, for making you cry, for not keeping my promise, for choosing to go to the afterlife when I should have stayed here for you, for hurting you. I never meant to make you cry."
Heba sniffs and says, "If it makes you feel better, even though I say you have nothing to be sorry for, you're forgiven."
Atem smiles and the two slowly drift off to sleep curled up together on the closet floor.
The following day Ryou, Yuugi, Jou, Seto, Bakura, Malik, Marik, and Yami all remember that Atem and Heba were still locked in the closet and unlock the door. Heba and Atem sleep most of the day before Atem wakes up to find Heba curled up on his chest asleep and remembers that they were locked in the closet. Not long after while Atem panics Heba wakes up.
Noticing that Heba is waking up Atem asks, "H-Heba, How much do you remember from yesterday?"
Blinking sleepily Heba says, "Hmmm…?"
Atem sighs wearily and says, "Do you remember what happened yesterday and where we are, Heba?"
Heba looks around in confusion before remembering that they got locked in a closet yesterday after Ryou and Jou got tired of them dancing around what was bothering them and Atem had locked himself in before that.
"Oh….." says Heba.
Atem grimaces as Heba sits up and says, "I can't feel my legs. I think they are asleep, Heba."
Heba stands carefully and holds out his hand to Atem. He takes Heba's hand and he helps him stand before placing an arm around Atem's waist and one of Atem's arms over his shoulder and saying, "Let's go. I want to sleep in a proper bed. I'm still tired."
Heba helps Atem out of the door only to hear Seto snicker and say, "About time you came out of the closet, cousin"
Atem rolls his eyes and says, "Shut up, priest."
Heba shakes his head and the two disappear down the hall to Atem's room where they curl up in his bed and promptly go back to sleep.