Disclaimer: This show, these characters, are not mine—never will be. Never. Except, you know, the ones that I do own.

Author's note: let's see… nothing interesting to say today. Let's get on to the thanks/responses/all that great stuff!

Reviewing: Nick-Arach, princess atemma, Angel's Riot, me, & Aqua girl 007!

Princess atemma: yep, you guessed my age, girly.

Me: you guessed it to! You both got my age right on the first try.

Angel's Riot: haha thanks for reviewing despite your exhaustion ;)

Aqua girl 007: It was my intention to end it like that ^o^ I like Joey and Tristan—so many people take them for granted!

Well, that's it.

Tsuki: 'Bout time.

Anevay: Why are you even here?

Tsuki: 'Cause I come in to this eventually!

Anevay: Uh, yeah, eventually. Anyway, here we go.

Tsuki: but I still have so—

Anevay: Enjoy the chap!

Making up

Atem tried to talk to Mana. He tried to apologize and get her to listen. In their free time he would follow her around, trying to get her to talk to him.

She was either playing with him or she was really, really angry.

He was trying to talk to her now, walking backwards while she continued walking, staring through him imperviously. "Mana, how am I supposed to apologize if you won't talk to me?"

Mana tried to go around him. That was too much for Atem. He stepped closer, grabbed her waist and hauled her over his shoulder. He was fed up with her attitude.

She screeched. "Atem, let me go!"

"Never!"

She squirmed, but Atem was too strong. He held on to her with an iron grip.

They passed Yugi, who blinked and smiled. "Um, hey guys."

"Hi, Yugi," Atem replied with a smile, "I'll be back in a bit."

Mana pounded his shoulder. "Put me down!"

"That, my dear Mana, would defeat the purpose. If I did that, you would run away, and I can't have that if I'm to apologize."

Mana continued to squirm. Yugi watched them walk away, hoping Mana would listen to Atem. "Uh, good luck," he said.

Atem continued to carry Mana across the Palace. She increased her protests, and finally Atem pulled her down in one of the less visited gardens.

However, she had no chance to escape.

Atem set her down by a wall, which he pinned her to. He didn't just have his arms on either side of her so she was trapped—oh no, he had his body flat against hers from torso to feet, his face centimeters away.

Automatically, Mana's face colored and her heart sped. He was dead serious.

"Mana," Atem said, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about it in the first place. But you were wrong in assuming I don't think you can protect yourself," his amethyst eyes bore into her aquamarine-green ones. "You are one of the most capable Magicians, second only to Mahad. I will never underestimate you."

He paused to make sure had had Mana's attention. Her gaze was riveted on him. "You are my wife. We are in this together. I'm sorry."

Mana was silent. Atem waited anxiously for her to say something, anything at all.

Mana's eyes softened and she let out a breath. After a moment, she touched their foreheads together and smiled, kissing him.

Atem relaxed and the kiss deepened.

Yugi quickly ducked back behind the wall, his cheeks red. He knew eavesdropping was a bad idea!

He jumped to his feet and—against his better judgment—peeked around the corner. As he was pulling back, he saw someone else on the other side of Atem and Mana duck back too. Yugi ran down the hall, around to the other side.

Checking around the corner, Mahad smiled sheepishly at him and shrugged helplessly. Yugi shook his head.

"You're the last person I was expecting, Mahad," Yugi said.

Mahad's eyes smiled. "Well, if they are both going to be distracted, someone has got to keep an eye on the Pharaoh."

Yugi nodded at the reasoning. "They okay?"

Mahad did a fast check. "Yes. More than okay, I would say." Yugi laughed quietly, and Mahad eyed him suspiciously. "Why are you here, Yugi?"

Yugi blinked and assured him quickly: "Oh, I just wanted to see how things would go! I wanted to make sure they made up. Make sure the Pharaoh didn't need my help," he added with a grin and slight laugh. "Well, I'll leave you to it, Mahad."

Mahad nodded and Yugi turned away, just thinking about everything.

What would happen in the next few days? Atem had plans to talk to the man they had caught yesterday, and that would reveal several things to them. While two weeks ago there had been little to no activity from the Soul Collectors, it had increased so much that they had guards patrolling each province, every king on the look out.

Yugi could feel it. Something big was coming.

But what?

Another shorty, yeah. I'll update again soon!

Wheat bread is surprisingly good.

-Anevay