One of a Kind

Hallo just a few things

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"Italics" Mind Speech

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Vanya; Here you go! I had some unforeseen work to do in my life so this took a bit longer. Chapter 9 has been started!

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BLURB; After project Atem went sour the government tried to shut the program down but something went wrong…YYY, BR, MM, SJ (The Regulars)

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Chapter 8- Growth Spurt

Joey cringed visibly as he turned the car around a corner.

Bakura, Marik and Ryou were in the back seat of the four-wheel drive, Atem was in the front seat and Yugi was sitting on his lap while they indulged in casual conversation.

Joey tried to comprehend how he'd found himself in a car with five aliens on his way to kidnap an ex-government worker when he should be safely on his way home to his fiancé by now.

The blonde tried his best to ignore it as Bakura lay back in his seat, resting his ankles on either side of Joey's headrest keeping his legs straight and waving his smelly booted feet from side to side in boredom.

Atem noticed this, with amusement, smirking at Joey's annoyed expression.

"I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship, don't you Joseph?" declared the red-eyed male

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Around sunset as the group neared their destination- the home town of one Malik Ishtar- they agreed to spend the night in a hotel outside the city borders.

Marik jumped out of the car to pay for the rooms with Joey's credit card, much to the human's distress, while the other's waited somewhat impatiently.

Yugi fell asleep in Atem's arms as the older carried him to their room and didn't stir as Atem removed his shoes and tucked him in for the night.

For the next hour or so Atem, Marik and Bakura discussed the kidnapping while Joey slept on the couch and Ryou eventually dozed off in Bakura's lap.

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Atem sighed, glancing at the clock blazing 4.30 in bright green letters before rolling onto his back and pulling the sheets tighter. He grunted in frustration when he found that position even less comfortable. Turning onto his side he reached out to Yugi's side of the bed…

The red eyed Alien lunged forward, flipping the bed-side light on and turning to search through the sheets.

Where the hell was Yugi?

"Kiddo?" called Atem softly, keen eyes looking around the room.

The door to the car park was still locked and even Joey was still sound asleep on the other bed.

"Yugi?" hissed the Alien a little louder, throwing back the sheets and getting up.

The male breathed a sigh of relief noticing the bright light coming from under the door of the bathroom.

Throwing the door open he strode inside

"Yugi you scared me" he explained closing the door behind and turning to face the child.

He frowned when he saw Yugi in the bath, still fully clothed, shaking slightly clutching his knees to his chest and soaking wet.

Atem sat down next to the tub pressing his palm to Yugi's forehead.

"You feel hot…" muttered the older distantly running his fingers through the boy's hair, dripping with sweat.

Pulling himself up onto his knees he looked over the smaller. Tears streamed down Yugi's face slipping into the water and slowly dying it a vibrant unnatural blue while the child took deep breaths.

"It'll be over soon Yugi, just relax" instructed Atem recognizing his condition.

"But everything aches…" moaned the child lifting his arms to help Atem pull off the thin shirt that was plastered to his skin from the mixture of sweat and water.

"I know little one, but it's okay, this is perfectly normal for us" explained Atem throwing the shirt aside and turning the taps to run some more hot water.

"What's…What's happening…?" asked Yugi panting softly

Atem rubbed Yugi's back soothingly. Leaning into a more comfortable position he wrapped an arm around Yugi's shoulders and used the other hand to message his scalp.

"You're just growing up"

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Joey groaned messaging the small of his back as he sat up. The hotel mattress had been terribly uncomfortable during the night.

The human sighed as Bakura knocked on the door yelling loudly for someone to let him in. Throwing back the cover Joey grunted unlocking and opening the door for the rude snow-haired Halfling.

"Where's Atem?"

"I don't know," yawned Joey, too tired to be polite he swore under his breath as Bakura, Marik and Ryou barged their way past him into the small room.

"Where is that ass-hole?" repeated Bakura, more to himself, sitting on one of the beds.

"He might have already gone!" muttered Joey tossing himself in a chair "How am I to know? I mean it's not like I'm his keeper!"

"Someone's cranky" commented Atem emerging from the bathroom

"What took you?" snapped Marik "We gotta leave soon"

"You have to go without me" replied the other grabbing on of the complimentary towels distantly.

"What!" shouted Bakura standing up "Why?"

"I'm needed here" explained Atem shrugging his shoulders

"Guys, just relax," ordered Ryou raising his hands in a calming gesture to the pair of fuming half-breeds

"You said you'd help us!" snapped Bakura ignoring his partner.

"What? Can't the little half-breed do it on his own?" challenged Atem smirking as Bakura gritted his teeth tensing his shoulders in anger.

"Atem, can you at least give me a reason?" sighed Ryou

"I would give you-" Atem paused gazing at Marik and Bakura "Gentlemen a hand but Yugi isn't well right now and he needs me at the moment so I'm sorry but you're going to have to go on your own"

"Fine" shrugged Marik giving up grabbing Bakura's arm and dragging the other out the door while Ryou trailed behind.

Joey flinched as Marik slammed the door behind the trio.

"Atem?" whispered the Human sheepishly as the red-eyed male turned to return to the small hotel bathroom "Is Yugi alright?"

"It's an Alien thing" grunted Atem, before softening his stance and tone a little "He'll be alright soon, you shouldn't worry"

Joey nodded.

"Is there anything I can do?"

"No, not really, thank you though" replied the other visibly trying to be polite

"Kind of an 'Aliens only' thing isn't it?"

"Yeah… plus you'd throw up if I let you come in" explained Atem bluntly "Most people would"

Joey raised an eyebrow slightly as Atem disappeared back into the bathroom.

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Malik Ishtar sighed quietly as he struggled to unlock his apartment door with one hand while holding his groceries in the other arm.

Turning the lock and kicking the door open he dropped the bags on the floor tossing of his coat and shutting the door distantly before bundling the shopping back into his arms.

Grunting he walked into the seemingly lonely living room.

"Honey, I'm home"

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Vanya- MWHAHAHHAHAHAH!

Deyja- the more you review the quicker she'll update her semi-cliffy

Vanya- Yugi's condition and Malik's fate both await you next time on "One of a Kind"!

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