Tima and Atem
By: Tima, Yami's wife
I don't own YuGiOh. I just own the new characters.
Chapter 4: Reunion!
Four years passed since they last saw each other and Atem and Tima grew up miserable. They missed each other very much, but knew they couldn't see each other for their own good reasons. Atem believed that Tima was dead and Tima just wasn't allowed to go anywhere near the palace. But what kept them going were their memories of each other.
Even without seeing each other, both of them grew up successfully, in their own way. Atem helped get the country out of a number of different messes with his wisdom, the Shadow Games, and all the lessons Tima gave him on never giving up. Tima lost her mocking attitude, became a very depressed robot that never smiled, and also a slave to her mother. What made it even worse was that now her sister wouldn't comfort her anymore. In fact, all she had to cheer herself up were her dreams she had about her and Atem. But little did either of them know what was about to happen to them.
Atem was walking along the edge of the Nile one day thinking about Tima. "Why did she have to die? It's just…not fair," he said aloud.
Surprisingly, he saw someone just a little ways away from him. From the bright appearance of the sun's reflection off the river, it appeared to be a young woman about his age. She was sitting on the sand, looking out at the water with a very sad look on her face. What struck him as odd was the fact that there was something familiar about her.
Getting a little closer, he tried not to be seen but failed, for the girl looked right at him. When he got a close look at her, he gasped, for the girl was a grown up Tima! They stayed where they were for a minute or more, too stunned to move. Then Tima stood up and ran to him. Atem ran to her too and they met in a hug that lasted for many minutes. Neither moved, for both of them were in heaven.
After a while, they broke off the hug and sat down together. Atem, smiling for the first time in a while, said, "Hi."
Tima smiled for the first time in all those years and said hi back. Atem, feeling a little awkward, asked what she was doing here. Sighing, Tima said, "This is my favorite place to be. I come here everyday after I complete my chores."
Atem just stared at her for a while, wondering why he was lied to all those years ago. Studying her, he noticed something about Tima that was very different then before. Being very bold, he asked her, "Are your arms skinny than before?"
Hearing, Tima said quickly, "Excuse me. I have to get home," and started to stand up. But she couldn't and collapsed in Atem's arms. Panicking, he asked if she was alright. "Yes," she whispered, "but I haven't eaten in a couple weeks." With that, she fell unconscious.
Atem started to panic, for he lost her for four years and he wasn't about to lose her again. Setting her down gently on the sand, he took out his water pouch and poured some of the water in her mouth to try to revive her. Her eyes flittered open and she gave him a weak smile. Relieved that she was conscious again, he took out his lunch and handed it to her. "It may not be much but you can have it."
Tima was shocked. "I can have it?" Seeing him nod, she thanked him and started to eat. After she was done, he asked her why she hadn't eaten for that long. Tima sighed, laid down on the sand, and said quite calmly, "That woman is trying to kill me."
"How do you know?"
"She told me when all this started. She told me herself that she curses the day I was born. Well, I curse the day she was conceived."
Atem grinned. "Now there's the Tima I know, following your second motto, 'always speak your mind, even if it gets you in trouble.'"
Tima smiled and sat back up again. "True…but thanks to that woman, I've lost even that side of me. Once when I did mouth off to her just to see her reaction, she cut me. See?" She moved her hair to reveal an old scar on her neck.
"Why haven't you run away to any other family or friends during those four years?"
Tima looked at him with a sad look on her face. "What other family? They're all I have. What friends? You're the only friend I ever had that's ever stayed my friend for so many years. All the others were scared off by her for some reason or another. But I did once try to run away to you a couple years ago. She found me and…well…"
She pulled up her sleeve to reveal many scars. "She gave me the biggest punishment I've ever gotten. But it didn't really bother me. Want to know why? It's because I had you in my mind. When I think of you, I don't feel any of the pain."
After saying this, she blushed a little, placed her hand on his knee, and got close to his face. He grew bright red but she ignored it. "You were my first and only guy friend and also the first friend I've ever held close to my heart. It was because of you that I made it this far. Thank you." After saying this, she removed her hand and looked out at the water.
Atem continued to stare at Tima for the longest period of time. 'Why does her family torture her like this? No person should go though this kind of pain. Well, since I'm Pharaoh and now that I know that she's alive, I can do something about it. And, this time, everyone will actually listen to me. But what can I do? But…more importantly…why am I so nervous? I just have a crush on her…right?'
As Tima watched the river, she was thinking about how to confess her feelings to him when she saw Atem staring at her. "Is there something on my face?" she asked calmly.
Atem blushed deeply and said in a shaky voice, "N-no. I wa-was just wondering why such a beautiful girl like you should go though that kind of torture."
Hearing this, Tima turned bright red herself. "You really think I'm beautiful?" Seeing him nod, she gasped and smiled. "Wow. No one's ever told me that before. Thank you."
Taking a deep breath now fully knowing his feelings, he blurted out, "There's something else I want to tell you."
"Yes, what is it?"
"Well, it's……………no, never mind."
"No, what is it? Come on, you can tell me."
"All right." Taking a few deep breathes, he said, "I…uh…love…you."
Tima's eyes grew wide. "You do?"
With his nod, she just sat there, stunned. As he got up and started to leave thinking that she didn't feel the same way toward him anymore, she grabbed his cape and said, "Wait. Don't go." After he sat down again, she said, "I…I love you, too."
He was surprised to hear this. He asked again to make sure. When she nodded, he couldn't contain himself. He hugged her, but she cried in pain. When he let go, she was clutching her arm and breathing painfully. "What's wrong?" he asked.
Tima, ashamed at herself for screaming, left up her sleeve to reveal another cut on her arm. "Who did this to you?"
"That woman, this morning."
"Why?"
She looked away and whispered, "Because I didn't give her enough fruit for her breakfast."
After hearing this, Atem had heard enough. "That's it! I've had it! You're coming with me!"
With that, he lifted her up in his arms and started to walk back to the palace. Tima was stunned and said, "You don't have to do this."
Atem just smiled and said, "Anything for the love of my life."
Tima smiled back and fell asleep in his arms. When he arrived back at the palace, he handed Tima over to his servants. "When she wakes up, have a meal ready for her. When she's done, fix her up with the best dress and best makeup we have to offer." To himself he thought, 'That woman used to give the best things they could afford and sometimes things they couldn't afford. After all these years, she deserves to remember what that lifestyle was like again.'
They nodded and left with Tima. When they were gone, Atem called for his close friend and priest Mahado and asked for a favor. "When they're done with Tima, can you use a little of your magic on her?"
Seeing his confused face, he tried to explain. "You see, she has a lot of scars from her Mother's beatings and is deathly thin. So can you fix her up a bit into the woman she used to be?"
Mahado nodded, bowed, and left to tend to Tima. Atem went into his room and waited for hours. By the time they were done, the sun was starting to set. He was about to fall asleep when he heard the door open and Tima's voice outside. "I'm done. Close your eyes."
Atem got a little excited but obeyed her until he heard the door close and Tima said it was alright for him to open them. When he opened them, he gasped, for before him was Tima, but not the Tima he was expecting. He did expect her to turn out beautiful, but his servants and friend transformed her into a goddess.
She was absolutely breathtaking. She had a strapless silk shirt that went halfway down her chest and a long silk skirt on. The servants gave her an emerald necklace in place of her ruby necklace, a couple of bracelets on each arm, and a clip in the shape of a wing in her hair. All of her scars, both new and old, were gone, as if she never had one in her life. Also, she wasn't deathly thin anymore; she was just…perfect, with a hourglass figure. She even had on a little lipstick and blush to add to her beauty. Atem just sat there utterly speechless until he finally found his voice again. "You…you look gorgeous!"
Tima blushed and smiled. "Thank you. This is the kindest thing anyone has ever done to me. Nothing my family has ever done for me can even come close to this. I'll have to treasure this moment…since I'll never have another one again when I go back."
Atem smiled, walked up to her, and said, "Not if you live here."
Tima raised her eyebrow and said in her usual tone, "What do you mean by that?"
He kept smiling and said, "I want you to live here. That way, I can protect you and you'll never get beaten again."
Tima was dazed. "Do you mean that? I can really live here?" With his nod, she hugged him with all her might, knocking him down. "Thank you!"
He was glad that she was happy again after many years of torture. He hugged her back and stayed there for quite a while. But he remembered something and stood up. seeing her confused face, he said, "Sorry, but I want to get something done before anything else."
With that, he opened his door and called for Shimon. He came over and asked, "What can I do for you, my Pharaoh?"
The young Pharaoh said in a stern voice, "I want you to got arrest her family. Gather a couple of guards, go to Tima's home, and arrest everyone there."
Shimon looked surprised and slightly disgusted. "Forgive me, my Lord, but why are you still holding on to those lies?"
"I was never lying. Tima can vouch for that."
As he said that, he looked at Tima, eyes asking her to say something. She called out, "Atem is telling to truth! Please go arrest them…for my sake."
Atem turned back to Shimon, eyes narrow. "Now do you believe me? Now do you see that I wasn't lying all those years ago?"
As Shimon struggled to say something, Atem just barked, "Just get it done!"
Shimon, a little taken back by Atem's stern tone, bowed and quickly left. Closing the door, Atem went over to Tima, pulled her to her feet and hugged her tightly, as if he was afraid that she would disappear if he didn't hold her. Smiling warmly, she returned the hug. After a while, she spoke in a very excited voice. "You know, you're very warm and soft."
Atem was surprised to hear her say that since he didn't expect it from her so soon, but decided to make it a little more enjoyable for her. He grinned and asked slyly, "Want more warmth?"
Tima's eyes grew wide and nodded quickly. With that, he took off his cape and shirt, revealing his chest. she turned bright red and got stars in her eyes, so he asked her softly, "Would you like to dance?"
Tima, still bright red, nodded. He took her hand and they started to dance a simple, little dance but they held each other close. After a few minutes, Tima whispered, "Let's not dance anymore. Let's just hold each other."
After she said this, they stood extremely still and held each other tightly as if they were afraid the other would disappear. They stood there for a very long time until Tima pulled her head back, looked her love in the eyes, and said, "Can you do something for me? It's very important." Seeing his nod, she whispered, "Kiss me."
He was absolutely amazed by she said. She had turned from a very depressed little girl to a young woman in a matter of hours. "Are you sure? This is not too much, too fast?" But, as he was saying this, he was moving in very slowly.
Tima moved in close to his face little by little while whispering, "I don't mind…anything that happens…as long as it's you…doing it." They kissed the most passionate kiss any of them have ever experienced.
What will happen between Atem and Tima now? Find out next time!
