He appears so suddenly and abruptly that it takes a moment for you to focus on him, to realize his outline against the previously empty game shop. When your eyes meet you imagine pieces clicking into alignment and sliding together until there's no line between them and that bright, bright light. Your heart swells, it feels too full, like it's about to burst inside your chest.
You open your mouth but you are silent, as if the words are being swept away in the rushing by of the past years. How. How long. I missed you. I love you. Stay. Please stay.
"Yugi," he says, finally, and you startle just a bit. It's strange to think about someone so much, then suddenly see him. Then, suddenly hear him. Then, suddenly feel him.
His right hand comes to rest on your shoulder, careful and steady, and he gives the slightest squeeze as if to make sure you are solid, as if to assure him that you are the one who won't dissipate into the air. In the low grey dusk light his arm's still this lovely golden color.
"You have grown."
A little under four inches, three in this past year alone. Your shoulders, your eyes are at the same level now. Atem's still slightly taller but if you tilt your heads upwards just a bit, just so—
He notices this. "I didn't just mean taller." He's looking at you with those extraordinary eyes and a smile that settles into the strangest expression around the mouth.
Atem is coming into his inheritance as pharaoh, ancient power kindled and burning inside him like oil inside a lamp. You are standing very close, and his skin's so much warmer than everything else. Atem is realer than real and you feel so happy that you are scared, so scared. He moves his hand to touch the side of your face and then, as suddenly and abruptly as he appeared, he is gone.
It isn't until after the second time you realize the promise behind it, his way of saying I will return to you.