-(Bold - Dialogue)
-(Italic - Thought)
-(Normal - Narrated)
Chapter 8: Life has a way of changing things
(HOSPITAL)
A few days went by while Yugi was in the hospital, everybody would come and visit him leaving him a gift or two such as flowers or get-well cards and chocolates, Rebecca stood by him as she said she would and Atem would sometimes be annoyed by this but did not mind as much, he was worried about other things so his visits would be short, he´d come by and maybe left a balloon or something but most of the time he wouldn´t leave anything, he wouldn´t even get near Yugi, he´d only stand behind the window with a closed fists and anger in his eyes. The process of healing was taking long and Atem was growing impatient.
- Hi Rebecca, how´s Yugi doing? - Anzu asked her with flowers in her arms.
- He´s doing great but he still hasn´t woken up - Rebecca said with a frown.
- Don´t worry, he will eventually, it´s Yugi after all! remember? - Anzu tried to cheer Rebbeca up.
- Yeah, guess you´re right. My Darling is stronger than this - she said with a big smile.
- That´s the spirit! - Anzu cheered.
- Anyway, are those for Darling? they´re beautiful - Rebecca ponited at the flowers.
- Yeah, I hope he´ll like all the gifts in his room once he wakes up - Anzu said.
- I bet he will, come on, let´s find somewhere to put them - Rebecca added.
The both of them walked into Yugi´s room and found the flowers a place, the room looked so filled with love thanks to all the gifts, it was actually pleasant to walk into such a colorful room. As Anzu and Rebecca were inside they caught a glance of what seemed a person behind the glass window.
- That´s him again, right? - Anzu asked.
- Yeah, he never comes in or stays for too long - Rebecca said.
- I´ve never seen him like this before - Anzu said.
- I guess this affected him the most - Rebecca added.
- Guess so... - Anzu sighed.
...
(wake up, aibou... I need to apologize for breaking my promise and I need you so that we can defeat this new evil..) - Atem thought to himself as he looked through that glass window, he was angry because he felt impotent upon the previous events.
- Atem - faint voice.
Atem was plunged in his thoughts and startled at the sound of his name, causing him to abruptly turn around.
- Are you okay? Why don´t you come in? - Anzu asked.
- I´m okay here but thank you for worrying - Atem answered.
- What´s wrong Atem, I´m your friend, you can tell me anything - Anzu insisted.
- It´s nothing Anzu, I just wanna stay here - Atem replied.
- Rebecca told me about the promise you made to Yugi - Anzu said.
Atem´s eyes widened.
- Is it because you feel it´s your fault? - Anzu asked him trying to be understanding.
- I couldn´t protect him.. - Atem said with a frustrated look in his eyes.
- But he´s okay, he´ll eventually wake up and everything will be fine - Anzu tried to comfort him.
- Yeah but none of this would´ve happened if I hadn´t left his side - Atem insisted.
- How can you be so sure? Yugi has grown to be very strong and he can take care on his own now, he protected Rebecca - Anzu opened Atem´s eyes to the reality he unconsciously did not wish to see.
(She´s right... Aibou, You are not in this state because you were weak and needed protection, you are like this because you were strong enough to protect someone you care about all by your own despite the risks. I was blind to see that, why do I still picture you as this shy boy who needs of me when in reality you aren´t and you don´t, not anymore.) - Atem´s thoughts struck him like lightning.
- Are you okay? - Anzu asked after Atem would not answer her.
-...Yes, you´re right I´m sorry, I will go in - Atem said.
- That´s the spirit! - Anzu said.
Suddenly Atem´s stomach starts to growl.
- But I guess we should have lunch first, don´t you think? - Anzu asked kindly.
- Yes, that would be nice - Atem said a little embarrassed.
They then walked to the cafeteria to grab something to eat, meanwhile.
(YUGI´S ROOM)
Everything was calm and Rebecca was sitting right next to Yugi waiting for him to wake up, it had been a little while since Anzu and Atem went to have lunch, until.
(mmm.. what´s this, I´m so tired, what happened? where..?) - Yugi started to wake up and suddenly a pair of amethyst eyes opened up with a bit of confussion.
- Huh..? - Yugi says as he sits up and groans a bit.
- DARLING! - Rebecca says with so much joy.
- Rebecca! Now I remember, are you okay? - Yugi asked worried.
- I´m fine Darling, I should be the one asking you that question, you saved me - Rebecca said while holding Yugi´s hand.
- I´m fine, what happened? - Yugi asked very intrigued.
Then Rebecca filled Yugi in what he had missed, explaining everything.
- Wow, so all that happened while I was out.. - Yugi said a bit worried.
- But the good thing is that now you´re here - Rebecca said so happy even a couple of tears escaped her eyes.
Yugi smiled bright and wiped her tears away.
- Don´t cry, I´m okay now - Yugi said with a very comfortable voice.
Rebecca was amazed by the light Yugi was displaying and Yugi was actually quite into her eyes at the moment too, so they both leaned into what was seemingly to be their first kiss and just as their lips were about to brush against each other Anzu and Atem walked in.
(what?!) - Atem unexpectedly thought to himself a bit in surprise.
- Oh my! I´m so sorry, did we interrupt you? - Anzu asked a bit embarrassed.
- NO NO NO! NOTHING HAPPENED - Yugi said while extremely blushing that he had been caught in such a scene.
- You should´ve waited 10 more seconds before coming in, then maybe - Rebecca said a little irritated, nothing really did happen because they pulled apart before their lips could even touch.
- Anyway! you´re awake Yugi! that´s so great! how are you feeling? - Anzu asked quite excited.
- I´m great, a little tired but great - He said.
Rebecca tried to shake off what had just happened and instead joined Anzu in the excitement of Yugi waking up. Both of them were so happy for Yugi and Yugi was also glad to see his friends happy but his attention was suddenly focused on a pair of lost crimson eyes that were looking straight at him.
- Anzu, Rebecca, would you mind leaving me alone with Atem for a bit? - Yugi asked with a bit of a serious look.
Both of them just looked at each other before turning to Yugi again and nodded, then leaving the room for them to talk.
There was a brief silence in the room at first so Yugi decided to break the ice.
- So.. Why did you leave when we were at the movies? What happened? - He asked being calm about it.
Atem shook the scene of Yugi and Rebecca nearly kissing and then continued.
- Aibou... I didn´t mean to break my promise but I felt the presence of the millenium puzzle and had to go - Atem answered with a frown, he still felt bad about all that had happened.
- Really? then why didn´t you tell me? - Yugi asked him again.
- I didn´t want you to get involve.. I thought you´d be safer staying out of it - Atem said.
- But why did you think that? Atem, like it or not I am involved in this just as much as you and I´m not okay with you thinking that I still can´t stand up for myself - Yugi snapped at Atem.
Atem was left speechless, his eyes widened but then after digesting what Yugi had just said to him, his frown came back.
- I know and I´m sorry for all of that aibou, I really am, I should let you in on these things because we´re a team and I know you can stand up for yourself.. I don´t think you are weak at all, on the contraty I think you are the strongest of them all, including me - Atem said being very honest.
Yugi slighly blushed at the praise Atem was telling him.
- Then why? If you really think so, why didn´t you let me in on it since the beginning? - Yugi asked still a little confused about Atem´s reasons.
- Because.. I was afraid myself, that´s why. I don´t want anything to happen to you aibou, because if something ever did I´d never forgive myself, ever. I know you can handle anything perfectly well but still whenever I think about exposing you to this unknown enemy, I panic.. when all of this happened and I found you half dead in Rebecca´s arms it all brought me back to that one day when I first lost you, the day they stole your soul because of my fault, I don´t want to relive that ever again, aibou - Atem said with tears building up in his eyes.
(Mou Hitori No Boku, I have never seen you cry before nor I´ve seen you this sad...) - Yugi thought heart broken about seeing his closest friend breaking down right infront of him and all the guilt he was secretly carrying on his back all this time.
- Mou Hitori No Boku... - Yugi said with a very soft voice and then pulled him into a hug.
Atem´s watery crimson eyes bacame fully opened as Yugi wrapped his arms around him. he had never done that before.
- Don´t cry and please don´t blame yourself for all those things, I´m fine. I get you don´t want anything to happen to me because I don´t want anything to happen to you either but that is why we are a team and more than that we are friends, you can always count on me and as long as we work together as one nothing will ever happen - Yugi said while holding Atem tight.
Atem was actually speechless.. he didn´t even have the enough strenght to hug Yugi back, he just felt calm and rather happy, also he was slightly blushing.
- Thank you, aibou - Atem said smiling big and wide before they pulled apart.
They both were just smiling at each other, until.
- Hey Yugi! Anzu called saying you were awake! - Jonouchi barged in without even nocking on the door.
Both of them turned around quite surprised, the whole gang walked in the room with balloons and a smile, Yugi had woken up.
- Yeah, thank you guys, you´re the best - Yugi said.
- You got us worried for a minute there - Honda said.
- Yeah! don´t scare us like that again, Yug - Jonouchi added.
Everybody was laughing, they were happy about the news, they all gathered round to be with Yugi, enjoying their time together as Atem was just chillin in the back, listening at what everybody was saying and somehow he could not for the life of it take his eyes off Yugi.
(...This is weird, is it me or aibou seems brighter than ever, he shines so much I can´t help looking at him, I´m so so happy you´re okay!) - Atem thought to himself as Yugi noticed him looking straight at him and just smiled so purely in return, it was a warm-hearted smile.
**BADUM**
Atem´s eyes widened and his whole body shivered, Yugi went back to talking and laughing with the gang but something had clicked in Atem, he had no idea what it was but he was about to find out.
(wha.. my heart is, it´s going so fast, is something wrong with me? but somehow seeing aibou smile that way made me weird, I must be so overwhelmed about him waking up, that's all) - Atem thought as he smirked to his own reaction.
And as everything was well, Sugoroku spoke up.
- Kids, I know you are very happy about Yugi finally waking up but we can´t forget that the enemy is still out there, planning his next move - Sugoroku reminded them.
Everybody stayed in silence for what he had said was true.
- You´re right grandpa, we need to focus on that - Yugi said
- There will be plenty of time for that Yug, for now just focus on recover your strenght and let us deal with the rest - Jonouchi said.
- Yeah, remember Pegasus will get back at us at some point with more intel - Honda added.
- And we´ll be ready for that but this time Yugi will join us too, because he is an important member of our team and we are not doing this without him - Atem said with a smile.
Yugi was surprised but quite glad of hearing Atem say that.
- I really can´t do this without you, Aibou - Atem said softly.
- That´s why we´ll do it together, Mou Hitori No Boku - Yugi replied with a kind smile on his face.
- Yeah! The gang is ready to kick some ass at any time - Jonouchi said very enthusiastic.
- Then it´s settled, mystery guy is going down - Anzu said.
The gang was determined and very energetic, it felt like old times and they were prepared for anything that could come, including Atem who had recovered from his downfall and was ready for whatever the enemy would throw at him next.. but is he ready for what his heart has in store for him? It´s funny how life slowly but surely has a way of changing things without us noticing.
Calligan: That´s it for now folks and I´m so sorry I didn´t post earlier, I had my physical exam at MEPS (which ended up lasting 3 whole days) so I got a little delayed at my writing, hope you liked and I´m gonna start working on next chapter so I can post it ASAP. I got 4 months to finish this story before I get shipped for boot camp, so hope you follow the story until then, if you like my story in any way please let me know, it means so much and I get really happy reading DM´s or comments. See ya next time :) .
