A/N: Guys! Guys! Guys!
I cannot wait for your responses to this. Some of you are gonna FLIP!
As always thank you for your amazing responses and now I will keep this short so I can read MORE amazing responses! I love you!
That night, after having spent all day with a sleeping Yugi he finally gave himself a break to pray at his temple. He'd been praying all day for Yugi to wake and every other chance he got but tonight he took his pleas directly to the gods in the hopes they might answer.
He left Rajah with him in case his position changed but he did not expect it to. Yugi hadn't given much sign of life save for his soft, unwavering breathing.
The Palace was quiet as the souls of his city slept. His guards strolled the walls, guarding the gardens and patrolling the long, tall corridors of gold. His guardians slept, no doubt exhausted from having to pick up their Kings slack of the past few days. But Atem prayed just as hard as he had since returning to his City. He was tired, emotionally drained but still he fought. Yugi needed him now more than ever, he couldn't risk resting and letting him go.
The Gods were silent as they had been for days. None dared weigh on Osiris's domain and Osiris himself did not answer his calls either. In life Atem might have thought that Yugis eventual death and his silence might mean some greater plan, that it was intentional but in death… why could he not give him some kind of answer? It was frustrating to say the least. He was the son of God's and in this realm he was closer to them than he's ever been… so why do they ignore him?
"My Pharaoh."
He jumped, his heart racing at the familiar sound. His voice was like a chorus, smooth and soothing and for a moment he feared he wished it.
Upon turning to see the familiar white drapes of his robes, the gold chains falling from him, the half rotted bandages gracing his green, dead skin. He was both beautiful and horrifying at once, but such was the guise of life and death.
He bowed low to him, nose to marble floor in utmost respect. He had been thinking negatively on the Gods actions or rather inaction that some would consider it blasphemy; he only hoped the God of Death did not detect this.
"Osiris. Thank you for coming." Atem said humbly.
"Rise my child. There is much to discuss." Osiris sang in his beautifully strong voice that strangely did not echo off the walls as it normally did.
Upon looking at his face though, spying through the hollow, milky eye's he saw trouble. Even the God of Death could have a heavy heart then?
"Is it Yugi?" Atem asked.
Osiris didn't answer, he merely floated to gaze upon his alabaster likeness behind Atem.
"He does not have much time. Alone, he is unable to wake from his slumber. His body is failing. This realm has taken too much from him. This is his last and only chance to return to the living." Osiris said in a tired, sombre voice Atem understood only too well.
Still, his words cut deep. He knew it was only a matter of time but to hear it spoken… It felt worse than he imagined.
"Yugi has made his decision." Osiris continued, confusing Atem for a moment. He thought he was seeking Atems decision… was he not? He remained quiet, waiting for him to finish.
"Yugi does not wish to leave you. There is a chance after his judgement that he will find his way to you, but alone it may take weeks to a Millennia. He may not even reach you. This is the risk he is willing to take."
"If it will take that long he might as well live the remainder of his life first." Atem said bitterly but his irritation was towards himself for being the reason Yugi refused to listen to reason.
Osiris chuckled. Actually chuckled and it threw Atem off for the longest moment. He never thought he would hear the God of Death actually laugh.
"Yugi is a stubborn soul. I remember one who refused to pass on until such a day that the evil of his time could be destroyed forever and if it could not then he would remain the guard of its cell for eternity if it took that long." He said and Atem blushed. It was true that he was stubborn too, and selfless to a fault… but as much as he wanted to say that it was different he could not commit to such a claim.
"Have you come to prepare me for what is to come soon?" Atem asked, wanting now to shift the focus off him.
"Somewhat. I have come to prepare you but not for the reasons you think. Yugi and I have been talking for the past few of your days. I have been sustaining his life energy so that we may talk. He has but one chance to return but after having watched all of you his mind has still not changed. A contract has been struck but I need your cooperation in order to fulfil my end of the bargain."
"Contract, bargain? What do you mean?"
"Without my aid Yugi may never reach this realm. In order to ensure he does he needs to perform a Soul Binding. In life this is referred to as -"
"Marriage… but a Soul Binding is stronger, permanent. To bind your soul to someone else's is big. As King I have bound many a soul together but Yugi… I did not think it could be done for the living."
"That is because until recently no living mortal has made it to the Afterlife. Your Yugi is a surprise even to us." Osiris mused.
"Yugi knows what a Soul Binding means right?"
"I have explained in great detail what it means and ensured he understands the weight of this decision."
"And he still wants to do this?"
"Yes. He wishes to Bind his soul to yours. Doing this will ensure his journey back to you and he should arrive here within days this way if not sooner. I will be the one to Bind you however we require your agreement to proceed."
Atem was stunned to say the least. A Soul Binding was a big deal in the Spirit World. It was one thing to marry, but another entirely to bind your soul to that of another. That Yugi wished to go this far to ensure his place beside him was beyond humbling. Why Atem hadn't thought of it sooner was beyond him but if it was possible then of course he would take it.
"I accept. If this will ensure Yugi's place here then yes, I agree. But Yugi is unable to wake and this must be done before he passes. How do we proceed?"
"I will lend him my strength but he has 24 hours upon waking to complete the Binding. There is one other matter that must be discussed. My end of the bargain is to lend him my strength and perform the Binding. Yugi's end however will require no shortage of support from you."
"What do you ask of us?" Atem asked, ready to accept any terms laid before him. "Thomas is still protected by the fragmented remains of the Jewel. The Jewel is a volatile remnant of a time long before your kind learned to walk. It belongs under the custody of the Gods. Yugi is to retrieve it and return it to me along with what remains of his Millennium Items."
"What of Thomas?"
"Thomas lives on borrowed time. He will be judged once the Jewel is removed from him, however is growing stronger by the day. I cannot find him but the unstable nature of the Jewel is consuming the souls of the Afterlife. There is growing imbalance and it must be stopped. Yugi is to retrieve the Jewel, return it to us and those he has consumed will be returned. Yugi will need your aid to accomplish this."
"What if Thomas is too strong for us? What is the risk?"
"If Yugi cannot accomplish this task then his soul will belong to me instead. He knows the risks and the price."
Atem nodded, chewing his lip nervously. This wasn't going to be easy but Yugi has already agreed. They NEEDED to succeed.
"For what it is worth, there is only one other soul I have come across as strong as Yugi's. He saved the living time and time again, has brought prosperity to his people and has earned the trust, faith and support of the Gods. We believe Yugi is as capable as this soul."
Atem smiled and let himself feel the reassurance. Knowing the Gods had faith in him did fill him with a confidence he feared he lacked and a new determination burned in his heart.
"Then I shall do all I can to ensure his success. What must be done first?" Atem asked.
"Yugi is about to wake. I suggest you speak to him. He has 24 hours from now to complete this Binding. You may choose when you wish to perform it but sooner the better. After the Binding is complete he will have what remains of the day to spend as he wishes."
Atem nodded, bowed deeply and in a sudden burst of excitement he felt compelled to sprint out of the temple, down the corridors. For the first time in days he felt happy. Yugi was waking and now they had a guarantee he would make it back to him.
He cared not for the pots he almost knocked over, or the servants he almost ran into. His cloak billowed behind him and the rush of wind pushed back his hair as he leaped up stairs and slid along the marble until he came to Yugis room, panting and out of breath.
He straightened himself out briefly, petting down his hair to his usual style and pulling his skirt back down to wear it was supposed to be. He took a deep breath, trying to calm down but he couldn't wait any longer.
He opened the door quickly but without a bang and immediately spied Yugi sitting in his bed, examining his hands until he looked up to see him.
His lavender eyes were wide, his brimming smile turned the moon to sun and Atem felt the fear, dread and stress of the past week melt him. His legs dared to collapse, his heart barely contained itself and he found himself crying, shaking slightly in the door.
"Come here." Yugi breathed, reaching for him desperately with both hands. It struck Atem for a second to see him stretch even his broken hand but in this moment he cared not. Yugi was awake; wide awake even and asking for him. He obeyed obediently, his heart bowing to his every command. He was not his King but his willing slave. Completely his.
He raced to him, somehow gliding over to his bed and for half a second he thought to slow down in case he hurt him but once close enough Yugi closed the distance for him, grabbing him by the jaw to bring him into a hasty, desperate kiss.
Yugi pulled Atem on top of him and even though he wanted to not put pressure onto him Atem found his arms giving way as his hands explored Yugi's body, touching anywhere he could and feeling him move beneath him. Actually move. That was what was most incredible about this. Yugi was moving! He's alive and moving and breathing and his tongue … oh Gods his tongue.
It's been so long since he tasted Yugi and felt how passionate he could be, since he heard his tiny moans of delight. His mind was quickly becoming numb under the pounding realisation of how desperate Yugi was for him too. Yugi's hands combed through Atem's hair, pulling at the nape of his neck. His hips bucked into him and his legs parted to let him rest between them, squeezing him tight against him.
When they needed to breathe they barely stopped there. Atem let him catch his breath and in the meantime kissed, sucked and nipped at his neck, biting his skin to make him hiss only to then kiss him better to make him moan, loving every sound he elicited from him..
Yugi's chest was heaving with every heavy breath and gasp but his hands never stopped roaming. Atem listened to every silent command his body made. If he wanted him to bite him he did. If he wanted him to kiss him in a certain spot he did. If he wanted him to lift himself so he could reach the rest of his body then he listened. He obeyed everything and took just as much. While he paid attention to his neck and shoulders his hands wondered too. One though his hair and the other stroking his arm, caressing his ribs, massaging his chest to play with his puckering nipples. What was most exhilarating though was feeling his heart beating rapidly and how hot his skin was to his touch. Just a moment ago he was dying, but now he burns with such intense life.
Desperately he felt Yugi's hands trying to rip the blanket out from between them and he was quick to help him be rid of the fabric and get back into his position between his thighs only before he could get comfortable Yugi took control, pushing against him to swap places with him. As his own personal slave Atem obeyed despite the momentary confusion but he was quick to get lost in the hungry look of his exasperated eyes as he towered over him, straddling his lap and panting with a cheeky, satisfied smirk.
He looked godly up there and his heart bubbled upon seeing the flushed pink in his cheeks, the wet saliva slowly trailing down his lips and the red marks Atem had left on his skin. His chest heaving, his nipples puckered and red from his attention. He had a sort of white glow around him from the moonlight peeking into the room and it only added to accentuate his muscles. His skin, curiously, was unmarked by previous scars and wounds. Not a single bruise marked him save for what Atem has just done. He was beautifully pristine, as he was before he came here. No evidence of torture or injuries from battle stained his body and as he gazed up at this beauty on top of him he saw Yugi allowing him to take him in, waiting patiently for his daze to cease as he caught his breath.
He touched his chest with light fingers, feeling the tight muscles of his sternum, his abs and down to his hips and the lower his fingers caressed him the more Yugi enjoyed it. His eyes closed and with such pleasure he sighed, rolling his hips just enough to push against his erection under him.
The feeling made Atem roll his eyes back, gasping and squeezing Yugi's thighs as he did it again. He felt him bend over then and they started aggressively kissing again but this time Atem was hungrily sucking at his tongue, biting his lip, exploring his mouth with his own tongue all the while aiding Yugi's rolling of his hips with his own to match his rhythm.
Yugi was moaning with every movement until he abruptly stopped kissing him to spend some time with his ear.
"Make love to me." He whispered hungrily and Atem melted under him. He could have finished right then but that would not do, not when they were both so eager for this.
"Are you sure?" Atem asked him, his voice hoarse with lust. His hands never asked, they went straight to massaging his ass with burning anticipation. "You just woke up."
"I've waited long enough." Yugi whispered almost harshly, nipping at his ear to enforce his point.
Atem felt his nerves catching up with him but he was much too eager to pay attention to them now. Gently he slid Yugi off him, kissed his nose and raced to the bath where he knew they kept body safe oils to use for the glow of their skin. If they were to do this, he'd make sure Yugi was as comfortable as he could be.
At first Yugi watched him confusion but when he saw the small ceramic pot he smiled and chewed his lip, fingering his skirt to slip it off.
Atem stole his kisses from him, aiding him in removing both their clothes before laying back down on his back again for Yugi straddle him. He knew Yugi was eager as he reached for the pot but Atem kept it away, dipping his own fingers to collect the oil himself. Yugi chewed his lips again, leaning forward to give Atem room to tease his entrance with his fingers. Atem was concentrating hard on making sure he'd be comfortable that Yugi took this opportunity to kiss his neck, sucking and biting as well as soft little urges to hurry up.
Slowly he inserted his index and the deeper Yugi pushed back on him the more he moaned. Atem loved it, watching his expression with such keen interest, wanting so much to watch every sensation he felt.
Yugi pulled back out and slowly drove himself back down onto him again and again and slowly as he became more comfortable with it Atem used his middle finger too and moved on his own, aiding Yugi to relax and get comfortable. Only when he was confident in how ready he was did Yugi push himself back up to a sit, lifting himself to adjust Atem's eager, throbbing and primed cock in position.
"Wait, Yugi." Atem breathed. Yugi almost pouted but did as he was told, waiting for Atem to give him the pot of oil. "Use this first."
Back to being mischievous Yugi coated his own fingers in the oil and stroked Atem's cock slowly, sensually until he was well and truly oiled up. Atem closed his eyes with every stroke, every roll of his head, trying his hardest to concentrate on not releasing before they were done but by the gods was it hard. He found it easier to concentrate though when he felt Yugi position him. Atem slowly removed his fingers and held his cheeks apart so Yugi could ease himself onto him. It took a few tries and with constant support of his hand but eventually he broke the surface and exceptionally slowly Yugi lowered onto him. Inch by impossible inch Atem spread him with his cock and each exasperated moan served to help them reach where they wanted to be.
Atem was now completely inside him, feeling his hot insides squeeze and contract. He moaned each time Yugi flexed and after a while of remaining in place, looking into one another as they shared this moment they both began to rock. Atem pushed into him and Yugi rolled back. Atem slid out and Yugi arched his hips. They came back down slowly, moaning and panting and each time they increased their speed.
They took turns with who was in control of the speed, finding one another's rhythm intoxicating. Yugi preferred to bounce faster where Atem preferred to take it slow but deep. When Yugi bent over to kiss him Atem felt so much intense pleasure from his new position that he needed more of it. Quickly he increased his usual tender pace to rapid thrusts and Yugi had to bite down on his shoulder to stop from screaming his pleasures for the Palace to hear.
After a short while of this burst of excitement Atem rolled him over onto his back and held himself up over him as he thrust slowly, deeply into him, holding his legs up to his chest to delve deeper.
Yugi held his waist, helping to pull him in and soon Atem was desperate for that rush again. Leaning in low to his neck he positioned himself for quicker thrusts and as he increased again Yugi was practically singing. He loved each song but if anyone heard him they'd catch them in the act; so he kissed him, muffling his moans with wet, hungry kisses.
He felt Yugis nails on his back, felt his thighs tense and squeeze and as they got rougher with one another and eventually he felt Yugi pause in his breathing, making those familiar sounds of orgasm as he climaxed over their stomachs. The sensation of his muscles tightening coupled with how much ecstasy his partner was in gave Atem permission to release as well, filling him up before he could pull out and drip the rest of it onto his stomach.
They breathed hard, fast and in sync, panting like they had run marathons. Atem felt so heavy now but he carefully lowered himself beside him, snuggling into his chest lazily as they caught their breath and letting their minds recover from the mush they had become.
They did this.
They actually just did this.
Finally.
Atem started to laugh but not even he knew why; he was just so happy.
Yugi laughed with him though and adjusted so they'd face each other, nose to nose, caressing each other's cheek with such love and tenderness. They're eyes peered into one another, singing their love in silent harmony.
"I love you." They said together and together they laughed and kissed sweet promises of love and adoration.
Yugi caressed his cheek with the hand that should have been too injured to move. Curiously it didn't appear to bother him at all. Just like the rest of his body his hand must have been miraculously healed too.
"Your injuries…" Atem whispered, gently moving his hand to his lips.
"Osiris. A gift in good faith for what ive agreed to do for him. Thought it might make my last day easier." Yugi said softly. Atem searched his eyes, looking for insecurities or regret about his decision but found only peace. He was so sure there would be some part of him that would not want this, so sure he would regret not living a full life but now … He was sure Yugi was 100% committed to this and his resolve and strength comforted him.
"He told me the details of your bargain with him." Atem said.
"And?" Yugi asked, chewing his lip with wide, half nervous eyes that made Atem dare to be cheeky.
"I don't know. Soul Bindings a pretty big commitment Yugi. I don't think I have it in me to make such a big decision." He said coyly.
For the briefest moment Yugi looked at him with disbelief, following that up with tickles to his ribs, forcing the King into childlike hysterics.
"You're the King of an entire country, you are making this commitment with me!" Yugi laughed.
"Okay, okay, okay!" Atem laughed, lightly smacking his hands away. Yugi giggled and crawled up to him for a kiss.
"In all seriousness though, yes. I will gladly bind my soul to yours. Now and for the rest of eternity I am yours completely."
The smile Yugi wore lit up his world and the blush that followed made him swoon. As much as he didn't enjoy the idea of Yugi dying, he couldn't wait to be bound to him and to start spending the rest of their existences together.
"I love you Yugi." He whispered.
"I love you too." Yugi giggled.
"So … what do you want to do?" Atem asked him. "My Guardians are sleeping right now but when the sun rises we can begin the Binding, or we can do it this afternoon if you wish. This day is yours Yugi. "
"Hmmm… well I haven't eaten in like 4 days so I'm actually really hungry. And Id like to talk to the guys first. I should tell them whats going on. I understand you and Tristan got into a bit of a disagreement."
Atem blinked, shocked that he knew that when he had been asleep.
"I was here, watching. My body was too weak but Osiris kept me alive. You couldn't see me but I was here the whole time. I heard your prayers."
"You saw our argument." Atem stated uneasily.
"Yes. Thank you for standing up for me. I understand how hard this is for you but you and I both know this is the best option for us."
"I do. I just wish it didn't need to be." Atem said sadly. Yugi gave him a warm smile and cupped his cheek lovingly, gazing at him with such lively, sensitive eyes. Eyes that made Atem momentarily dismiss his sadness for relief that he was alive and awake again. "I missed you." He whispered.
"I missed you too." Yugi said, smiling wide.
"Lets get you something to eat. The guys won't be awake for several hours yet. Is there anything you'd like to do before that?" Atem asked him coyly.
Yugi chewed his lip and shuffled closer to him to nuzzle his neck, letting his hands teasingly explore Atem's waist.
"I'm not sure your stores will be able to satisfy this intense hunger I have. I might need to resort to eating something else if you want to help me with that." Yugi whispered, nibbling on his neck lightly and making him shiver.
"I can definitely help you with that." He purred.
