Cheese: I haven't been writing as frequently! I must be flayed!
Malik: Cheese, I highly doubt that that's necessary-
Cheese: FLAAAAYED!
Malik:…
Cheese: Well, oodles of people wanted the minor characters (*cough*YugiandYami*cough*) to have their own little chapter, so TA-DA!
Now enjoy this chapter while I get myself flayed for not updating faster. Ready, 'Kura?
Bakura: (*cracks whip*) I'm ready.
Malik: (*twitch*)
"Yami, you seem down."
Atemu looked up when he heard Yugi mention his nickname, though he had to squint his eyes in the dark. They had a personal joke where Atemu was Yugi's darkness and Yugi was Atemu's lightness, earning the nurse the nickname 'hikari'. Atemu also would call Yugi 'aibou', yet these two would only call each other these nicknames in private.
The Pharaoh sighed a little, "I'm sorry, my hikari. I just have a lot on my mind."
Yugi rubbed Atemu's shoulder softly, which the Pharaoh was grateful for, "Yami, you are doing a wonderful job."
Atemu muttered darkly, "If I were doing a good job, then I'd be in battle, despite these scars that will not leave, and we'd be winning once again!"
The nurse was surprised at this. The Pharaoh quickly said, "I apologize, aibou. It's not your fault."
"It's not your fault either."
Atemu looked at the ceiling, not responding to Yugi's words.
There was a long, comfortable silence, until Yugi asked, "You must remember Ryou's situation."
Atemu rolled his eyes and said, "Oh yes, the human who was raped by Mariku, another situation that I could've prevented!"
He let out a sigh, irritated with himself, but his expression suddenly softened when he saw Yugi wince as his tone.
The Pharaoh placed his hand gently on Yugi's chin, "I'm sorry, aibou. I just don't feel like myself. I'll understand if you don't want to deal with me."
To his surprise, the nurse wrapped his arms around his stomach, giving him a hug.
Yugi said gently, "You have no need to apologize, Yami."
When he pulled back, he told the Pharaoh, "Do you want to know what Isis told us nurses when she was going to choose who was going to have to cure you?"
When Atemu's eyebrow rose in curiosity, Yugi wagged his finger and said in a feminine voice that resembled Isis's voice, "'Listen up, boys and girls, I need one of you to heal the Pharaoh's wounds. You will not only tend to his scars, but you must also deal with his bickering. Remember; he's as stubborn as a mule and as spoiled as Earth's pollution, so you better be willing to deal with him! FYI, he'll whine until he gets his way'."
Yugi snickered at Atemu's face, "She said that about me?" He crossed his arms and pouted childishly, "Isis is mean."
The nurse shook his head with a smile, "Anyway, the point is that when I was chosen to take care of you, I knew that you wouldn't be easy."
"Oh, now you sound like Isis…"
"So if you need to talk about anything, just tell me, 'kay?"
Atemu looked up and the smaller male. He truly was a gift from Ra. That's why the Pharaoh…
He muttered something, but from Yugi's confused look, he could tell that the smaller male hadn't heard.
Atemu said a tad louder, but still quite quietly, "I kind of like someone."
Yugi inquired, "Like someone? As in…like them as a friend?"
The Pharaoh said, "More like…love them."
The smaller male's eyes widened in surprise, "Really? Who?"
Atemu shook his head, "I can't tell you."
Yugi pleaded, "I'll tell you who I like if you tell me."
The Pharaoh looked at Yugi in mild surprise, "You like someone too?"
The nurse looked at the ground, his cheeks pink, "I-I…a little."
Atemu was silent for a moment, but then agreed, "Alright, but only if you tell me first."
Yugi was silent for a moment, his mouth gaping, but he quickly looked at the floor, embarrassed.
The Pharaoh put a hand on Yugi's shoulder, "Aibou, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
The nurse looked up, his eyes wide with disbelief, and Atemu continued, "I'll tell you what; we don't tell each other, but we do tell the ones that we love."
If Yugi's eyes could've possibly widen anymore than already possible, then they would've.
Atemu chuckled and asked, "Deal?"
Yugi crossed his arms, "I want to see you confess to the person you love first."
The Pharaoh poked Yugi's nose, "You're nosey."
Yugi softly smacked Atemu's hand away playfully, "You suggested it!"
Atemu's smile was just growing even more at Yugi's adorable expressions.
The nurse noticed this and asked, "Yami, why are you smiling?"
The Pharaoh tried to calm his smile down, "I'm not smiling."
Yugi protested childishly, "You were! Just now!"
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Fine, then I'll just force it out of you!"
Yugi poked Atemu's ribs, making the Pharaoh squeak. He gave Yugi his best 'I'm serious' face, though it was really hard to do, "Yugi, don't you da…"
He ended his sentence with high-pitched giggles as Yugi began to tickle the bigger man vigorously. In order to do this, Yugi had to sit on top of Atemu, legs on both sides of the man.
The Pharaoh eventually went limp, panting heavily, "Okay, I give, I give."
Yugi giggled, "Now you have to tell me why you were smiling."
Atemu looked up at the nurse with big doe eyes of innocence, "What smile are you talking about?"
"Yami!"
The Pharaoh sighed (though he never stopped smiling) and decided that it was time to just say it. Maybe, if all went well, Yugi would forgive him.
Atemu answered, "You see, aibou, I was thinking about this." Before Yugi could inquire further, the Pharaoh's lips were on his.
Yugi let out a little squeak, but in what was barely a second, he began to kiss back, letting his body touch Atemu's.
They were absorbed into the kiss for a couple of long, breathtaking minutes when they both had to pull apart for air.
Atemu let Yugi snuggle beside him so that they were both in a comfortable position while in the other's embrace.
Atemu whispered into Yugi's ear, "I love you, aibou."
Yugi whispered back weakly, as if overwhelmed, "I love you too, Yami."
In a couple of moments, Yugi asked, "When are you going to confess to the person you love?"
"I already did."
"So did I."
They both fell asleep, absorbing each other's warmth.
A couple beds near them, honey-brown and clear blue eyes were sparkling in knowing.
The brown-eyed one who lay on the hospital bed whispered, "It's about time those two got together."
The blue-eyed one who only had his head on the bed, the rest of his body on a chair, smirked, "It was worth the wait to hear the all mighty Pharaoh giggle like that."
The first voice smiled in agreement, "Something tells me your never going to let him forget that, Seto."
Seto was a little surprised, yet didn't show it. Since when did Joey call him Seto?
He shook it off and noticing that the blond was still waiting for an answer, he answered, "You can read me like a book, Wheeler."
Joey had a goofy grin on his face, which made Seto's knees shake a little. The brunette mentally growled as himself. Even if he were developing a little crush on Wheeler, he wasn't going to act like the Pharaoh and Yugi were, being soft and fluffy as they were.
No, if Seto Kaiba were to fall in love, he was going to do it his way.
Joey interrupted his thoughts, "Wouldn't it be strange if Yugi ended up loving someone else?"
Seto scoffed, "That would be interesting. 'Thanks for the kiss, Yami, but I actually love Seto Kaiba, because of his gorgeous blue eyes and excellent figure…'"
His little performance earned him a playful flick on the nose by the blond.
Joey hissed teasingly, "What makes you think he'd love you, money-bags?"
Seto smirked at his expression. Resorting to nicknames, where we? Two could play at that game. The brunette smirked as he said, "Jealous, Wheeler? Here, let me rephrase that for you; 'Oh, I'm sorry, Yami, but turns out that I love that dopey, good-for-nothing slob of a mutt'…"
Joey deepened his frown, though Seto could see that his eyes were dancing with amusement, "Shut up, pretty boy! As a matter of fact, back on Earth, I had ladies all over me!"
Too late, Joey remembered that Seto had been watching over him his entire life. The brunette's smirk deepened, "Oh, you mean the Otagi fangirls who were kicking you for offending the rich kid himself? Yes, they were all over you."
Joey let out a little growl. Seto let out a small laugh, "They are stupid though."
When the blonde's face softened in confusion, Seto clarified, "You're much prettier than dice boy."
The blonde's cheeks turned a soft pink. The brunette just couldn't stop smirking, "Aw, the mutt has a crush on his master."
"Sh-Shut up!"
"I couldn't help but notice that you didn't disagree."
"I-I…!"
Seto grabbed the stuttering blonde's chin and told him seductively, "Goodnight, puppy."
He laid his head back on the bed while Joey faced his entire body away from the brunette.
Seto didn't mind the fact that he didn't get Joey quite yet, though he easily could've if he wanted to. No, he would just do that tomorrow night.
Isis put her hand on the tan angel's shoulder, "Mana."
Mana looked at the head of the nursing angels, "Yes?"
"I have a job for you to do. A job that has to do with the human that saw you all those years ago."
Cheese: ARE YOU HAPPY, YOU UNGRATEFUL LITTLE BASTARDS?
N'aw, I kid you guys. You know I love you. Besides, I actually enjoyed writing this chapter.
Ow, being flayed hurts. Especially when the flayer decides to SET THE END OF THE WHIP ON FIRE!
Bakura: (*shrug*) It did make you want to update faster, right?
Malik: I don't think that-
Bakura: (*tightens grips on whip*) (*glares at Malik*)
Malik: Shutting up.
Cheese: Is it wrong that I begin to crack up every time I imagine Yugi waggling his finger and saying in a feminine voice "Now girls…"
Anyway, the next chapter's going to revolve around Thiefshipping, and maybe Apprenticeshipping and Atticshipping, if you look at it like that.
And I just realized that while you guys were gasping over the cliffhanger, I continued to leave you completely hanging with this fluffy little filler. Yeah, sorry about that…
Until next time, folks!