Hey, everyone!
I was on the fence for a while on whether I should put romantic things into this story since I really wanted to focus and develop Atem and Yugi's friendship, but I think I am going to eventually put them together romantically. It's definitely going to be a slow burn, so buckle up! But those are the best anyway x)
Thanks for the kudos and feel free to comment too. I love hearing what people have to say, especially if it's about a favorite part or what you're looking forward to or something you hope will happen.
Thanks again!
Atem sat on top of a small pillar much like a cat, lounging so his legs hung off the side slightly. Yugi was off getting the donkey from a stable. He insisted that Atem stay put to give his leg some rest since it was a bit of a walk. Atem found himself rather bored without Yugi there as he gazed around the road in front of him. People bustled about with various kinds of carts, goods, and animals. Sometimes his gaze would catch someone else's that was staring at him which made them quickly look somewhere else. That seemed to happen a lot whenever Atem caught someone in his stare. He wasn't sure if it was his scarlet tinged eyes or if he had an intensity to his gaze, though he didn't do it on purpose. In Egypt, his eyes were seen as beautiful and fearsome. Of course, the fact that he was looked on as a god probably had an influence on that. Here, it was something people feared, something unknown and alien. He wouldn't be surprised if he was confronted like that strange cloaked man who had a creepy interest in him. Stares of scorn were a common one too. Perhaps it was because some recognized him as Egyptian. Egypt did have a hold of these lands in a way. He couldn't imagine everyone being happy with that. No matter, that was none of his concern right now. For now, he was a stranger in this land that could blend in with all the others despite his hair. Keeping it in a bun constantly didn't bother him anyway. He liked having it out of his way ,and it worked out better for hand to hand combat.
Out of nowhere, a small but sharp stone grazed his cheek, causing a small streak of red across it. The twinge of stinging pain came soon after. Atem's gaze turned deadly as he looked down to find the man he had defeated in Senet accompanied by a small group. Atem gave them an amused smile, knowing they couldn't possibly reach him unless they climbed the pillar he was on or onto the roof of one of the nearby block of houses. It seemed he didn't know when to call it quits, and he brought some buddies with him as well, the creep.
"Your aim's pretty good. Don't tell me you're a sore loser. You know I won fair and square. If anything, you were the one who cheated," Atem jeered, swinging his dangling legs around playfully like a cat swishing its tail around.
"How about you come down here, Egyptian brat? I'll show you what happens to those that insult me. You won't be wearing that ridiculous smile once I'm done with you. I'll beat that defiant attitude right out of you, and then you can be a proper servant."
"You keep saying 'servant,' but I think what you really mean is slave, right? I bet you'd get quite the thrill having someone as wild as me as a slave. For you, I suppose it'd be a lot like breaking a wild stallion." Atem didn't move from his spot, staying in the place where he couldn't be reached. He had his sword, but he had strength in numbers. They'd rush him right when he hit the ground.
"Ah yes, an Egyptian stallion," the man snickered which made Atem's blood practically boil in rage.
"Trading around people as if they were tokens and making breaking someone's will into a game. You're disgusting," Atem said in a low growl. Part of him wanted to jump down there and teach him another lesson, but he knew better than to just throw himself into a group that could easily overpower him by their numbers.
Atem squinted at a cloud of dust being kicked up not far from where he was. In fact, it was getting closer and closer, gaining speed as it went. People in the road had to quickly duck and cover as a lone horse raced past. Atem realized what was going on as the horse drew closer. There was no mistaking that it was Yugi riding that horse. The group of men had no choice but to scatter as the horse slowed but still threatened to trample them if they stayed in that spot. Once they were temporarily dazed, Atem quickly slid down the pillar with grace, landing cleanly on his feet and booking it to the waiting horse.
"What happened with the donkey?" Atem asked once he was securely on the saddle behind Yugi. Without a second thought, he wrapped his arms around Yugi's torso to keep from slipping off.
"Let's just say I found something better to get us to Gaza. Now, hold on!"
The horse took off towards the far end of the city before anybody could get back up. He had the horse going at a break neck speed, and Atem had to cling tightly to Yugi to stay on. He didn't slow the horse down until the city was well into the distance behind them. Atem was finally able to relax his body and cleared his throat as he let go of Yugi.
"I didn't expect you to come back with a horse, but I'm glad you did. If they had tried to attack you when you approached, I don't think I'd be able to hold myself back," Atem said with a slight chuckle.
"Oh, sure. From what I could see, you were the one they were after. I think a thank you is in order, don't you?" It was Yugi now who wore a smirk, glancing back at Atem.
"Uh, r-right..thank you..for rescuing me. I suppose I was the pharaoh in distress."
"You're welcome. Remember, I won that game of Senet. You know how daring I can be."
"It is true. The game doesn't lie." Atem felt a twinge of annoyance, but it was hard to let it grow more than that around Yugi. He seemed to just exude positive energy.
Patches of green here and there interrupted the arid environment around them. The mountains loomed in the distance as the land ahead of them began to flatten out bit by bit. The spots of green were like little paradises of their own, little worlds within the arid landscape. Atem felt beads of sweat beginning to form around his forehead and the back of his neck. A few of them trickled down, tickling the soft hairs on his neck and back. Though this land was plentiful and fertile, the sun was still unforgiving in the heat of the day. Every so often, he took huge gulps from the water sacks hanging off the saddle. When he found himself getting bored and tired of the heat, he took the opportunity to study Yugi since he was behind him and able to do so without getting weird looks from him. It was still hard to believe how similar their hair was in color. It made Atem wonder if the gods had them meet for a reason. It was too much to just be a coincidence.
"But I wonder why.." Atem thought to himself.
At first, Atem had taken Yugi to be a village boy who would cower or run when danger approached, but he found that to be not true in the slightest. He made a bold move in getting Atem away from Seto as well as doing most of the planning for where they would go next. He even jumped one of his attackers in that alley even though that guy was so much bigger than him. It made Atem chuckle thinking back on how he hugged that guy to take him by surprise. He was certainly full of surprises, and, he had to admit, a bit cute, especially when he got flustered. Feeling his own cheeks heat up at the thought, Atem tried to focus on something else. Until they stopped for a break, he kept his eyes on the distant mountains moving along with them.
