ELEVEN
Just to be expected José was waiting for the Muto brothers the following morning. Like the usual, José dropped Yugi off at the school where Téa was waiting by the gates. Atem quietly waved hello to her and soon was taken to Kaiba Corporation where he robotically went to the elevator and took the right level up. As he waited, he glanced over Kaiba's refreshed scheduled and arched a brow. During Atem's lunch hour Kaiba had a scheduled appointment with the ophthalmologist. Was Kaiba getting an appointment as well? He remained quiet for a moment but soon looked up from his phone's screen when a ding signaled that he was at his destination.
Atem quietly walked out, half-expecting for Kaiba to be around, but surprisingly he wasn't. He decided to go to his desk and start getting ready for the day, but was a bit short of doing so when he heard Kaiba's voice from the other side of the doubled doors across from his desk. Atem blinked and froze on spot as he heard Kaiba's ruthless tone shredding someone's dignity. It surprised him, because he wasn't used to hearing it. It sounded vicious, a snake's venom sinking into every word. Kaiba was loud, Atem could hear clearly, even though it was a bit muffled, but he felt bad for eavesdropping. So he ignored the cruel words and settled at his desk and took a head start in his work. He put his Bluetooth in his ear and channeled out the malicious conversation on the other side of the door. He didn't want to intrude, so he figured it'd be better to wait it out…until he heard his name being said.
"So this is about Atem, is it?!"
Kaiba's voice was clear and that made the man stop from what he was doing to listen, despite it being rude and violating Kaiba's privacy, but Atem was being mentioned, so he deserved to know what for, right? He couldn't make out the other voice, it only came out in muffles that were hard to understand, so he only got Kaiba's end of the conversation.
"Listen, you wannabe, whoever I hire is my call, understand? This is my company and I'll do whatever the hell I want and hire whoever the hell I want! You just can't accept the fact that you couldn't do your job and my rival can. That's not my fault; if you want your job back then you're even more of an idiot than I thought when I first hired you!"
Hearing that, it sounded like he was talking to his old assistant. What was his name again? Atem tried to wrack his brain over it, but he couldn't think of that guy's name for the life of him! Whatever his name was, clearly he doesn't approve of who Kaiba hired to fill his shoes. Not like there were much to fill in according to Kaiba, but still, it probably stung a bit to the former employee. Atem couldn't help but to feel pity for him. Not only did he lose his job but now he was facing Kaiba's wrath. Kaiba's wrath alone could make anyone pity someone, because when it came to his company, his choices or anything involving Kaiba, he wasn't shy to speak his mind or put someone in their place when he feels the need.
"I've heard enough of your whining, Richard," Kaiba soon said and the light bulb went off for Atem.
Ah! Richard was his name!
"Atem has earned his place as my assistant, in a damn day he did more and beyond than you could have done in a week. If you think I'm letting him go just to rehire you then you're a fool who should have stayed in Chicago as a secretary. This is my company, and I hire only the best fit for the job positions! You had your chance and you failed me! I could never relay on you even on the littlest of things, at least with Atem, I can trust him."
More muffling was heard and then Kaiba's laugh came about. Atem didn't realize he froze on spot listening to half of the conversation. Kaiba was defending him? Or was this something Atem shouldn't take entirely to heart? It was hard to understand, especially with their current relationship that was still kept from the public safe for Yugi.
"You've wasted enough time as is, Richard! I would suggest getting out of my damn office before you really make me mad!"
That wasn't being mad?! Holy crap, then what's Kaiba at his worst?! Atem really didn't want to find out, but he quickly snapped out of it when he heard the door click. Swallowing hard, he quickly darted his eyes to the screen and began to quietly work. He kept his gaze fixated on the screen while Richard walked past him and to the elevators. Atem continued to work, acting like he didn't hear anything, but Kaiba soon called his attention when Richard was in the elevator. Atem looked up to see Kaiba looking at Atem with fired-up blue eyes, but it was evident he was trying to calm down. He remained leaned against the closed doors with his arms crossed over his torso.
"So how much of that did you hear?" Kaiba soon asked and Atem didn't know whether to lie or not. So he looked back at the computer and began to work again.
"Not a lot," he admitted, "I could mostly hear you."
"Of course, and you're not the least bit curious why my former assistant was here?"
Atem wanted to, but was it really his place to know? He honestly didn't know how to answer that, so he remained quiet until Kaiba walked over and settled himself at the edge of Atem's desk, he was able to keep his eyes on Atem even with his back mostly to him.
"No answer?"
"I am curious because I was brought up, but it's still none of my business, Kaiba. So whether you choose to tell me or not is completely up to you."
Kaiba was quiet then, which made Atem a bit unsettled. So he quickly grabbed his phone and read Kaiba his schedule off to him.
"The appointment is for you, remember? I'll be taking you to it and make sure everything is done right. This doctor is out of town, so no one will see us and I paid him enough to keep his damn mouth quiet. I have it in my name to avoid suspicions."
Atem frowned, "Why do you go through all this trouble, Kaiba? You don't have to come either—"
"You won't understand a lick of what they ask or tell you. So it will be better if I go along."
"I'm not an idiot, I am very intell—"
"I'm aware," Kaiba said and smirked to Atem then, "But, that doesn't mean I'm going to let you go alone. As for your first question, I'll give you one guess. You're the King of Games, I'm sure you can figure this one out on your own."
He stood up then and retreated to his doubled doors. He opened one side and spoke, "I'll see you close to eleven forty-five, since we'll have to be going a bit early to make time," and he vanished inside. The door closed and Atem was left staring at it dumbfounded.
You're the King of Games, I'm sure you can figure this one out on your own…
Atem had one guess, but he wasn't entirely certain it was the right one. Granted, Kaiba admitted to having feelings for Atem, but honestly, Atem isn't expecting for this to last. This was Kaiba after all. Even still, the thought itself of losing Kaiba this way hurt, and Atem couldn't fully describe that pain or the true reason on why it hurt like this. Was Atem falling too hard for him and that may be the case or was it something else? He wish he knew, he wish he understood these human feelings more than he does, but being a spirit for centuries has clouded that part of him when he was human back in Egypt.
Come eleven thirty, Kaiba returned from a meeting from a toy company and decided to go on ahead and head out for Atem's appointment. Atem wordlessly complied and stood up to follow Kaiba out once he was back in his denim jacket. The ride down was quiet and awkward, but Atem wasn't sure if it was just him or not. He followed Kaiba out of the elevator and Kaiba announced he'd return momentarily and headed out the electronic glass doors. José was waiting for them at the end of the stairs and he greeted them both as he held the door open for them. Kaiba slipped in first and Atem soon followed. José closed the door and soon went to his position as the driver and began to drive off. Atem still was quiet as he stared out his window. If it wasn't for Kaiba's voice, he wouldn't have realized Kaiba had been watching him.
"Are you still thinking on what I said earlier? Look, it's not hard to figure out, especially since I've admitted it once already."
Kaiba's voice alone was irritated, but Atem was used to this tone. "No, I know the answer, Kaiba; I've known it since you told me it wouldn't be hard to figure out."
"Then why the weird silent treatment..?"
Honestly, he didn't rightfully know. Right now, his own body was unclear, his feelings and everything seemed so foreign right now, he didn't fully understand why. Was he having doubts about them? Was it because of Richard wanting his job back and the guilt of knowing that Kaiba did fire him to give Atem the job influencing this whole thing?
"I don't really know, sometimes this happens," he explained and finally looked up to Kaiba. Their eyes connected and Atem felt that fire blazing inside his stomach.
"Sometimes my mind becomes a foreign place to where even my own body doesn't feel like myself. I suppose it's from where I am experiencing human emotions again and since it's not through Yugi it's harder to connect or understand."
Kaiba scoffed and broke the eye contact. He stared ahead and Atem finally realized that the tinted glass that separated them from the driver was up rather down like it used to be. It didn't surprise Atem of that, to be honest.
"I think you're trying too hard to make sense of things when they can't be explained easily." Kaiba finally said and Atem's eyes widened a bit and returned back to Kaiba, "What exactly do you mean by that?"
Kaiba smirked and soon looked back to Atem, "It's exactly how I said it," he started off.
"You're trying to find an explanation, but you're realizing that not every single response or feeling is explained easily. You look for an exact answer, one to hit you right in your face to understand it, but not everything can be explained, especially things you can't even see. It's almost like the air we breathe; do you know why we as humans need to breathe, or, how the world came to be and if we really did evolve from primates? There are theories, but that's all they ever are. Theories aren't facts, they're ideas some get from researching and even then, it's their opinion. An opinion is biased. The point I'm trying to make here is that there are things you can't understand, because they're not meant to be understood, just accepted and understanding enough to know a vague enough answer to where it is a settling enough answer. The same goes for human emotions or the human body itself. The more you try to understand then the more frustrated you'll get. It's best to not over analyze and just accept the vague truth."
Atem understood what Kaiba meant, and honestly it made him feel better. He felt a smile on his lips at the end of Kaiba's response.
"I suppose you're right, Kaiba. There are things I can't explain as thoroughly as I would like to. I will just have to accept the vague truth of it all."
"About time you started to, but if your reason for being so quiet is because you began to wonder on Richard, he was jealous I gave his job away to someone he feels I should never trust. He went off on a little tantrum and that was it. He swore when I fired him I'd never find someone better than him. I told him I would in three days or less, and I did."
Kaiba smiled genuinely at Atem then, it actually touched his eyes and Atem couldn't help but to smile brightly. "I will not let you down, Kaiba. I can assure you."
"I'll keep you to that, Motu."
After the conversation the two men in the back of the black vehicle carried out on casual conversations. Kaiba brought up when Atem would be allowed to get out of his boot, which Atem grumbled out a few more weeks. It soon followed into their harmless bantering until they finally stopped and Kaiba took Atem inside the doctor's office. Atem was rendered quiet as he looked around at all the shelves with numerous styles of glasses frames to a small waiting area. Kaiba had signed Atem in and watched Atem explore quietly of the office. Secretly, Kaiba thought it was adorable.
"I'm more than sure you'll have to get glasses," Kaiba said as he went to Atem's side.
"So we may as well find a pair for you. I suggest plastic frames, because yeah, they're a bit easier to break, but less work for them. Plus they won't hurt the back of your ears or nose too much."
Atem frowned but looked ahead. He questioned why people would get these designs or colors. They were glasses, after all.
"Then, if I am to get one I would get these," he said as he plucked from a display a pair of plain, black frames.
He made sure they were plastic and Kaiba soon took them from his hands to look at them. "At least you're going for simple and to the point, but let's make sure they fit okay first."
So Kaiba took them carefully and put them on Atem. He adjusted the glasses and soon blinked once he got a full sight of Atem with the glasses. He looked amazing with them on. Kaiba didn't know someone could look so attractive with a pair of damn glasses! If people weren't around to consciously make him behave who knew what would have happened. But Kaiba was Kaiba and he quickly recovered and cleared his throat as he took them off.
"Yeah, they'll do," he said simply and put them back just as Atem's name was called.
Kaiba patted Atem's back and led him to the waiting nurse, who made Atem fill out some paperwork and turn it back in. Shortly after, he was taken in the back to a room and was forced to sit in a large, leather chair. It carried the same style as a dentist's chair, but less sharper objects on a table nearby. Kaiba comfortably settled in the swivel stool and watched Atem with bemused eyes.
Atem was looking around the place, exploring it with his eyes, and finally began to mess a bit with the phoropter. He couldn't help but to chuckle at his curiosity and looking through the overgrown binocular-like device. Atem pulled from the device to look at Kaiba with an arched brow, clearly missing the joke.
"Can you be any more of a child?" He soon joked and Atem huffed and pushed the phoropter upward and situated himself in the chair.
"What exactly is that, anyways?"
"Oh, you mean the overgrown binoculars?" He teased and Atem nodded and finally looked over to Kaiba.
"Is that what we refer to it as?"
"No, well…unless you're five, so I guess you can get away with it."
That earned Kaiba a little glare and he couldn't help but to grin and soon went serious. He reached up and pulled it back down gently to better explain, "No, it's called a phoropter."
He noticed the curiosity in Atem's violet eyes and further explained:
"It's a very comment technology that eye doctors use to determine your refractor error. Basically it can be called either a refractor or a phoropter, I think refractor is the most used term, but I may be wrong. Anyways, it has different types of lenses inside. You'll undergo the usual testing through each lens so they will know what kind of lenses you need. Normally they'll do them in sets, like is 'lens A better or is lens B better?' kind of thing. You'll see through this eye chart as well, which if I'm not mistake is normally on a projector. Along with it checking your refractor error, it also can measure your eyes' natural resting position, which they call it phorias."
Atem listened to every little detail Kaiba said, taking appreciation in Kaiba actually explaining this to him. He smiled, "So this is the main device they use, I assume?"
Kaiba shrugged, "I guess you can say that, but they'll do light checks and all that fun stuff too. It's all pretty straight forward and there's no right or wrong answer. You just do what they ask and that's pretty much it."
He nodded in response, "I figured that as much already, I'm not too worried on getting my eyes examined."
Kaiba smirked, "Are you ever worried?"
Atem gave that a thought, but chose to keep that quiet and answer in a vague way, "Maybe, it depends on the situation, I suppose."
Kaiba knew Atem was worried about something, but he still couldn't understand what he was worried about. What was so horrible right now to where it made Atem worry?
"Is Yugi going to his therapist I gave him? I know he probably only just started, but has he?"
Atem nodded his head, "He goes each time he has an appointment, he seems to be doing okay, but I am not thoroughly convinced he is completely better. He did this once before and well…you know what happened."
Kaiba nodded; "Yeah…"
It was a night Kaiba never wanted to repeat. It was almost as bad if it where Mokuba who got hit by their car and not Atem. Kaiba was scared for that moment in time and he honestly thinks only Mokuba truly knew that. Atem was a bit out of it to really take notice. Luckily, the doctor, Dr. Peters, had entered right then with a soft smile and greeted Atem with a shake of the hand and then Kaiba.
Kaiba remained silent as he watched the exam. He took in everything the doctor told Atem, figuring Kaiba needed to know as well. It worried him a bit on how attached he's gotten to his rival. He's lived by keeping your enemies closer, but this wasn't entirely what he meant. Plus, he couldn't help but to see Atem as nothing more than Atem. Sure, in Duel Monsters he was still his biggest rival, but it was a card game. Outside of that they're average humans and Atem always seemed to mesh well with Kaiba. He felt that he was getting too far in, too used to Atem that it made him want to pull away somehow.
However, he couldn't pull away, because he was already possessive of Atem. Not possessive as an obsessive partner way, but possessive as in, he honestly could never stomach Atem being with anyone else but him. It took that night, that one night, to open Kaiba's eyes that Atem could be gone and out of his life at any given moment. That probably should have made Kaiba steer even farther away from Atem, but instead, it made him want to be closer.
The littlest things, like watching Atem exploring a new environment and actually wanting Kaiba to explain things to him, it made Atem more special to him. Yet, though it was true, Kaiba feared it'll eventually end sooner or later. It was an unwelcomed feeling and definitely one that Kaiba couldn't shake off. But until that day, Kaiba would secretly enjoy and treasure these little moments. Maybe, just maybe he can find a way in assuring that it wouldn't happen. He could only hope. Honestly, finally having Atem in his life like this, it felt right and it made Kaiba a bit more like the old Seto that Mokuba had long known back in the orphanage.
After the exam, Atem slid out of the chair and back to his feet. Kaiba soon stood as well and Dr. Peters explained that Atem had a stigmatism. He then explained what a stigmatism was and then further explained he'll have to wear glasses when he's on the computer, reading or driving. He also said Atem can choose to wear them daily if he wishes to. Kaiba thanked the doctor and led Atem out and back to the main room. Atem had his prescription in his hand and Kaiba went for the black framed glasses Atem picked out earlier.
"Are these still the ones you want?"
"Yes, I don't want something over the top."
"Probably a smart move, alright, then let's go and order them."
They returned to Kaiba Corporation in no time and Atem and Kaiba quickly went back to their floor.
"If we are keeping our relationship a secret, then shouldn't we make it less obvious we are going places—?"
"Atem, you're my assistant. Richard had to follow me to places and even attend meetings with me. They don't assume anything other than you doing your job. I put the appointment in my name so it'd be less obvious, even though that the appointment was for you. Trust me, I'm not being reckless."
Atem had to admit, Kaiba was smart and always thought outside the box when it counted. He nodded his head in understanding, "Very well, but thank you for coming with me," he said with a smile.
"You were right; there were some things I wouldn't exactly know how to explain."
Kaiba huffed a bit, "Of course, because I know how to lie and have a backup story to cover it."
"Are you sure that's why you wanted to come?"
"Why else would I?"
"Let's just say…I saw how you looked at me when I had those glasses on. That was far from being professional," Atem teased and left the elevator when it dinged. Kaiba blinked and for once, he was the one turning red in the cheeks. Shit, Atem saw!
Atem was putting his jacket on and about to head out when Kaiba came out as well. He smirked a bit to Atem, "Do you have plans tonight?" He asked softly and Atem arched a brow as he thought and shrugged, "Not really, why?"
"I was thinking…why not break the news to our little brothers finally? You and Yugi come over tonight, I'm sure him and Mokuba can find things to do together while we have some time together outside of work."
The idea really threw Atem off as he looked surprised by this. "Really? You want to break the news to them?"
"I've already told Mokuba, I told him last night—"
"I told Yugi last night too…"
Kaiba blinked and soon laughed, which made Atem laugh in response, even though he really didn't see the reason with laughing about this other than they're pretty much on the same wavelength.
"Then it won't come off as weird me inviting you and Yugi to dinner, will it?" Kaiba finally said and Atem shook his head, "Not really, no, but are you sure you—"
"Atem, if we're to work out then as much as I don't enjoy it, I have to get along with your brother."
It's been a month since they've been together. Of course, most of that time was spent with Atem healing at home, but still, this relieved any doubts Atem had earlier. He couldn't help but to smile up at Kaiba.
"You really are serious about me, aren't you?"
Kaiba's cheeks turned a bit red and he scoffed and looked away, "Maybe…so how about it?"
"I don't see a problem with it. I'll go home and get Yugi and we'll be there."
"José will take you; I doubt you even remember the way."
Atem didn't, honestly, so he nodded. "Then I'll see you shortly?"
Kaiba nodded and looked around to make sure no one was around and leaned down to kiss Atem firmly, "You will, and just as I promised…later on tonight, we're continuing what started yesterday."
He gave a smirk and winked to Atem and soon left for his office to finish a few things up. Atem had a goofy grin on his face and soon went to the waiting driver outside of the corporation building.
