Atem sighed as his alarm blared loudly. He groaned and rolled over on his back, gazing up at the ceiling.
It's been a week.
A whole week since he started his new job at Sephora.
A whole week since he and Yugi had laid together.
A whole week since Salem told him about her dinner with Kaiba.
He was glad the she told him. Kaiba's behavior was unacceptable and Atem knew he had to settle things. He definitely didn't want any more "favors" from Kaiba, marketing or otherwise.
Atem moved onto his side and grabbed his phone, swiping the screen to shut off his alarm. He got up and smelled something wonderful and savory in the air.
Mmm. Bacon.
He quickly got dressed in his work tunic with a pair of black leggings and all black sneakers. He put on a thick line of eyeliner and looked at himself in the mirror.
He saw that he was using more concealer than normal due to his schedule at work being so random.
He was exhausted. Working was exhausting.
Atem realized why Yugi looked so drained. Working at a store in itself was exhausting but Atem couldn't imagine running one alone.
He finished his makeup and and styled his curls, enjoying their soft texture. He appreciated the fact that Salem knew so much about hair, but he was beginning to miss his maroon spikes.
After he completed his morning routine, he grabbed his purse and ran out his bedroom and down into the living room. He checked his phone and sighed loudly, he had more than enough time to eat with Salem but he was dreading going to work.
"Marhaba, Salem." Atem groaned, joining her at the kitchen bar. He smiled down at his plate, happy that Salem already fixed it for him.
His mouth watered as he picked up his fork, stabbing into the fluffy yellow scrambled eggs. He shimmied his shoulders in enjoyment as the taste of dill and onion invaded his taste buds.
Salem laughed and sipped her coffee.
"Good morning, Atem. How was your evening?"
Atem rolled his eyes as he took another bite of his food, this time opting for a piece of bacon.
"Shitty." He answered flatly. He didn't want to spend his morning before work, talking about work.
Salem raised an eyebrow and finished her breakfast. She got up and rinsed her plate before placing it in the dishwasher.
She leaned against the kitchen island and cupped her mug in her hands, watching Atem eat.
Atem felt her eyes on him as he swallowed his last bite.
"What." He said moodily.
"Why are you working this job, habibi? You don't even get to do makeup, they put you in the back like an animal, stacking boxes all day." She blabbered, the subject was obviously weighing heavily on her. She didn't like seeing Atem's talent waisted.
Atem sighed and stood up, examining his uniform for any stains. When he found none, he checked his phone.
No messages.
He finally made eye contact with Salem as he grabbed his bag off the counter.
"I have to pay Kaiba back, Salem. I told you everything about what happened between him and I-"
"You don't need to take a shitty stock job at a cosmetics store. I have a position available at one of my spas-"
"Salem. I need to learn to do things on my own. I can't keep accepting handouts from my successful friends. I'm going to pay you rent, pay Kaiba back, and get control over my own life." Atem snapped at her.
He marched out of the apartment and took the elevator to the lobby. He ignored the friendly concierge and walked out of the building in a huff.
He was sick of everyone around him not believing that he could do things on his own. That's the main reason he left domino in the first place.
He slowed his pace as he calmed down. He breathed in and out slowly as he approached the employee entrance of the store.
Atem walked into the the stock room and put his bag in his locker, recently decorated with pictures of his favorite makeup brands. He shut his locker and yelped when his manager was standing right next to him.
"Atem-kun! You're early! Such a model employee!" The small woman said, flipping her short black hair.
Atem faked his best smile and bowed respectfully. He hated his manager even though he's barely worked a full week.
She was obviously a fan of Salem's videos and heard about him going into business with her. He knew that was the only reason why he was hired.
Unfortunately, it was the only place that called him back.
He straightened up and looked down at her.
"Thank you. I will not clock in until my scheduled time, per the conversation we had yesterday. Was there something you needed from me that wasn't work related?" Atem asked, hoping to scare her away with her own stupid regulations.
He was almost written up yesterday for clocking in five minutes early. He had lied about waiting on Salem to get out of the shower and that was what made him late. What his manager didn't know was that he had his own bathroom.
Atem figured any work related topics must be done on the clock, so he would use that to his advantage when he could.
She smiled brightly and twirled a strand of her pin straight hair.
"Well, actually...I was wondering if you were free this evening? There's a really great bar a block away. I was thinking you and I could get a drink after work." She said shyly.
Atem blinked at her, trying to figure out if she was joking or not.
He was a man in makeup.
With a female roommate.
Did this woman not realize he…
Hmm.
What was he?
Atem realized that yes, he had only been with men, but he found women to be beautiful creatures.
But that was all. He found cats to be beautiful creatures but he didn't want to have sex with a cat.
In any case, he'd only been with men. He didn't think that women were interested in him romantically.
He brought his attention back to his manager, kicking himself for encouraging the conversation in the first place.
"Um, I'm sorry. I'm putting myself on a budget and I don't feel comfortable spending money on alcohol at this time." He said honestly.
His manager smiled wider and stepped closer to Atem. She tilted her head to the side and put her hand on his chest.
"I'll pay, you're new, I would never make you pay for your own drinks." She purred seductively, sliding her hand down his chest.
Atem backed away quickly and fell backward when the back of his leg was abruptly stopped by a box on the floor. He stood up just as quickly and brushed himself off.
"What the hell was that?" He thought to himself as his manager started to walk to the door to the retail area.
She turned around and gave Atem another sweet smile.
"Drinks tonight, and I'll promote you to the sales floor. It's such a shame that no one can see that beautiful face. Clock in as soon as you touch up your highlight. It looks like you forgot to set it!" She said slamming the door.
Atem was frozen in shock. He didn't know what to do. He knew he couldn't quit, especially not after the huge fit he threw this morning.
He could call Yugi?
No, Yugi was still trying to work things out with Te'a. He needed to give his aibou more time to work through his issues.
He could call Salem, but he didn't know if that was a good idea considering how he snapped at her.
Kaiba?
Hell no.
Atem sighed and went into his locker. He took out a small compact and a brush to apply his highlight. He looked into his eyes in the compact mirror, trying to reason with himself.
If it was just drinks, he could do it. The money from becoming a sales associate would help him and he'd get commission on top of his paycheck.
Yes.
Just drinks. He could do this.
He sprayed his face with setting mist and put the compact in his purse, shutting his locker once more.
He could do this.
When the end of his shift came, his manager was lingering near Atem's locker, ready with her bag.
He managed his best smile and turned toward her, trying to be the perfect gentleman.
"Lead the way." He said in his low voice, half hoping no other employees came into the stock room.
She giggled and lead them out the door. She wrapped her arm in Atem's, and smiled up at him.
Atem noticed that in the short walk to the bar, she bumped her hip into his multiple times.
He groaned internally as they entered the bar. It was full of his coworkers, and they all glared at him as soon as they saw who was on his arm.
She lead him to a booth away from the gathering of black and red tunics in the middle of the bar. He sat down across from her, hoping to make this look like a friendly meeting and not…
Atem thought for a moment. If he's trading a date for a promotion at work, what was the difference between Salem giving him a job that wasn't completely demeaning?
It wasn't as if Salem offered to pay Atem's debt for him. She offered him a real job at one of her many businesses. She was a smart investor and if he had just listened to her from the start, he wouldn't be here.
"Atem? Did you hear my question?" He heard his manager say in a sickeningly sweet voice.
He blinked at her and cleared his throat.
"Uh, um, no, sorry. What was your question?" He asked, needing any reason to leave.
He had made a mistake in coming here.
His manager smiled and flipped her hair, twirling a piece of the short black hair.
"I said it's pretty crowded here, we should head to my place and get more comfortable."
Atem froze.
Nope.
Nopenopenopenopenope.
He stood up and snatched his purse out of the seat. He ran out of the booth and stormed out of the bar. He was practically in a sprint when he finally reached the lobby of Salem's apartment tower.
Atem couldn't even bring himself to go up to the penthouse yet. He needed to calm down.
He walked over to a couched area near a wall of floor to ceiling windows in the corner of the lobby.
He sat down in the first available seat and put his head between his legs. He let out long shuddering breaths.
He couldn't believe what his manager was asking of him. He had a feeling she wanted more than drinks, but he didn't think she would want it immediately.
Atem sat up and leaned back into the couch, feeling his eyes grow hot and watery. He tried to blink back tears but they continued to stream down his face. He quickly wiped away the tears, realizing he smudged his eyeliner.
He must have looked insane.
He didn't care. He was sick of feeling like everyone around him wanted to use him.
He swiftly stood up and walked to the elevator, pressing the button multiple times. Once it opened he tapped the fob against the reader and pushed the button for the top floor.
He needed to take that job from Salem. She was the only person who was helpful for the sake of being helpful, not because she wanted something in return. He knew that she wanted to see him grow and flourish, not keep him hidden or use him for sex.
Atem walked into the private lobby and tentatively entered the apartment. He saw Salem curled up on the couch with a pink blanket, her fluffy white cat sitting on her lap. Dead asleep.
He noticed that she was in her work clothes as he approached the white couches. He sat next to her and moved a piece of curly hair out of her face.
Her fluffy cat meowed loudly at him and jumped off of Salem's lap, waking her up.
She looked at Atem sleepily and smiled. She sat up and stretched with a loud yawn.
Atem gazed at her through watery eyes and said,
"Is that job still open?"
Salem chuckled and palmed around for her phone.
"For you, habibi, yes." She said texting with purpose.
Atem let out a shuddering breath as his emotions became too much to keep bottled. His tears streamed down his face as laid his head on Salem's lap.
"Thank, Ra."
—
Yugi yawned loudly as he flipped the game shop sign from open to closed. He looked over at Joey who was still dusting the shelves.
Joey put on his light jacket and walked up to Yugi ready to stay longer if needed.
"Go home, Jou. We took a half day today. Enjoy your afternoon!" Yugi chirped, almost pushing Joey out the door.
"Are you sure? I can come with you, ya know?" Joey questioned, still lingering in the doorway.
Yugi smiled and gently pushed Joey outside, following closely behind.
"I'll be fine Joey. Really. Mokuba and I have been texting and we've resolved, I think. Spending some time together will just solidify that we can be cordial." Yugi reasoned, hoping to God he was right.
It had been two weeks since that fateful night between him and Atem. He had promised himself to make things right with Mokuba that night and he would hold himself to that promise. Even if that meant being alone with that little gremlin.
The sound of a car honking pulled Yugi out of his thoughts.
A Kaiba Corp town car.
Well. Here it goes.
Joey quickly said his goodbye to Yugi and hurried away before Mokuba could get out of the car.
Yugi turned toward the vehicle, watching the back passenger door open. He took a deep breath and got inside.
Mokuba threw his arms around Yugi, yelling in excitement.
"I'm so glad to see you! Ah! I have a great time planned for us! It'll give us tons of time to talk and relax. I'm really happy you reached out, I thought things would never get better between us!" Mokuba blabbered, shaking Yugi in his grip.
Yugi smiled lightly and pride himself out of Mokuba's vice like grip, not feeling even half of Mokuba's excitement.
"Yeah, um, me too." Yugi stated, not exactly knowing if he was ready to be as friendly as the younger Kaiba brother.
The car ride was filled with Mokuba talking about his dreams of going to school in America, running the US branch of Kaiba Corp, and hoping to start his own fashion line.
When Mokuba finally asked what Yugi was up to, the spiky haired adult had nothing to say but,
"I don't know, just running the game shop."
Yugi sighed and looked out the window, realizing they were in an American neighborhood.
What were they doing here?
"Hey Mokuba, um, where are we going?" Yugi asked, regretting not asking sooner.
Mokuba smiled, happy that Yugi was finally initiating conversation.
"There's this really great American owned spa and I've been dying to go. Seto doesn't want a stranger touching him, he's such a grumpy prick sometimes-"
Yugi let out a loud laugh. It was refreshing to hear Mokuba talk about his own brother that way. It was good too see that as Mokuba's aged, he didn't put his brother on as much of a pedestal.
Mokuba joined in on Yugi's laughter and smiled.
"I'm serious! And I see you as a brother, so I thought we could go together. You're much more fun anyway." Mokuba stated matter of factly.
Yugi felt a flutter in his chest. He had no idea Mokuba thought of him that way.
It made sense why he took it so hard when Yugi stopped being friendly.
"You see me as a brother?" Yugi finally said.
Mokuba looked at Yugi with sad eyes as the car rolled to a stop.
"Well, yeah. You, Joey, Atem. Fuck, even Te'a. I look up to all of you. I consider you all family. I love Seto, I do, but you guys...I don't know. Atem leaving domino was difficult. Seto wouldn't come out of his room for weeks. I didn't take it very well when you guys stopped talking me either..."
Yugi raised an eyebrow at Mokuba. He was sure Kaiba only wanted to have Atem around for sex.
"Can I ask something?" Yugi whispered as they got out of the car.
Mokuba nodded. He was happy that Yugi was comfortable confiding in him again. It made him feel like redeeming himself wasn't going to be such an uphill journey.
Yugi sighed as they walked into the luxury spa. He took in the large lobby, seething quietly when the color scheme reminded him of Atem's new home. He wasn't exactly jealous of how easily Atem attracted wealthy people, but it must make life at lot easier.
He was jolted from his thoughts when Mokuba nudged him.
"Hey, the receptionist said they recently hired an esthetician who speaks Japanese and English!" He said in a hushed voice as they were led to the waiting area.
In a private room, Atem was laying out his tools for an upcoming appointment. He had been working at Salem's spa for a week and he was definitely in a better head space.
His clients were mainly people of color from all parts of the world. He already had a booked schedule for the next month.
He usually tried to look at that day's clients to learn their names beforehand, but he had a last minute addition due to another client's cancellation. He was originally getting ready to do a full face of makeup for one person, but now he was prepping for a double facial.
Shit.
He can't do two facials at once but the clients specified they wanted to be done at the same time. He sent Salem a frantic text message letting her know that he had no one to help him.
Atem sighed and pocketed his phone. He was glad that he was learning how to problem solve but a double facial normally requires two estheticians. If he had known he was going to have to do this earlier, he could have looked them up in the system to see if they had been to the spa before. It's easier to upsell people when they're regulars.
He would have been able to extend the appointment, then get a coworker to help him out. He didn't mind splitting his commission. The regular paycheck in itself was more than enough for him to be able to support himself. He was lucky Salem was teaching him so much.
Salem even took a portion of Atem's savings and invested it. He trusted her and knew that the only reason why she was so wealthy was because she was an incredibly smart investor.
Atem jumped when he felt his phone buzz.
Salem: Local celebrities. I'll be in to help you. Distract them with our complimentary wine and your charm. 3
Atem chuckled and set up two chairs with electric blankets. He went into the employee kitchen and grabbed two bottles of wine, one red and one champagne. When he reached for the glasses, he felt a sharp pain in his lower back.
He inhaled sharply as he set the glasses on the counter. He tried to slow his breathing as the pain slowly became a dull throbbing. He felt himself shake slightly as he walked back to his room.
Atem immediately felt relieved when he saw Salem setting up the face lights and the steamers. He set the glasses on each station and delicately stretched, hoping the pain would fade.
NO.
No that's worse.
He groaned and walked up to Salem, wrapping his arms around her in a sloppy hug.
She let out a light chuckle and looked into Atem's eyes.
"Come on, habibi, one more appointment . And then we can go home and have dinner." She said, gently pushing Atem off of her.
Atem threw his arms around Salem again, and pulled her close. He loved that she smelled like roses. It calmed him down.
Roses.
Egypt.
His Egypt.
"I don't think I'll be hungry." Atem said pushing Salem away. He finished the presentation of fine wine and sighed.
Salem gave Atem a sad smile and wrapped a pink utility apron around her slim waist.
"Celebrity client, Atem. Only use my skin care products. I know you hate upselling but if they purchase, you get all the commission." She said opening the door.
Atem rolled his eyes when her back was turned. He didn't care about local celebrities. If anything this proved that most celebrities were just as privileged and entitled as he thought the were.
He didn't like having last minute appointments.
He followed Salem out into the waiting area and felt himself grow weak in the knees.
Mokuba and Yugi turned to look at who had just entered the room.
Yugi's eyes went wide as Salem's big brown eyes locked with his. He saw her immediately put on a smile and walk over to Mokuba.
He almost fainted when Atem entered the room.
No.
No it's too soon.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Kaiba. Thank you for choosing my spa. I am the owner Sala Wahab but you may address me as Salem. I will be doing your facial today, while my best esthetician does Mr. Mutou's." Salem said with a bow.
Atem's mouth dropped. He had forgotten that she could speak Japanese fluently but more importantly, he realized Salem knew who was coming in and purposely didn't tell him.
He smiled at Yugi as Mokuba stood up to shake Salem's hand.
"Thank you for taking us in so last minute, Salem." Mokuba said in a business like manner, all the while grinning at Atem.
Shit.
Atem knew Mokuba would tell Kaiba that he found a new job, and working under a friend nonetheless.
Yugi stayed silent and crossed his arms. Did Mokuba know about Atem's position here?
Atem began to speak,
"Aibou-"
"Stay professional." Salem interrupted sternly in Arabic.
She lead everyone into the private room, gesturing for Mokuba and Yugi to sit in the lush chairs.
Yugi sat at Atem's station, furthest away from the door, and Mokuba sat at Salem's station which was closest to the door.
Atem barely heard Salem offer drinks as he moved the heated blanket out of Yugi's way. Yugi sat down and let Atem cover him with the blanket.
Mokuba graciously accepted a glass of wine, making a joke to Salem about not telling his older brother.
Yugi silently denied the wine but was pleasantly surprised when Atem read his mind and placed a tall glass of sparkling water next to him.
Yugi smiled and took a sip.
Oh.
It's peach flavored.
His favorite.
Yugi suddenly felt awful for ignoring Atem for the past two weeks. He was still working on things with Te'a and was grateful he was given a second chance.
The only problem was that he knew his feelings for Atem weren't going to go away. He was so attracted to his ex twin, it made it difficult for Yugi to think straight.
Yugi held his breath as Atem ran his fingers across his face. The feeling of Atem's fingers lingered on Yugi's skin as he lost contact.
Atem already knew what Yugi's skin felt like and knew exactly which products to use. He didn't like pretending in front of Salem and Mokuba, but it was the only way to keep things professional.
He turned the concentrated steam on and moved it far enough away that Yugi wouldn't overheat. He knew his is Aibou didn't like to be too hot.
Yugi's cheeks were flushed a light pink from the steam. He gulped as Atem began the facial, gently massaging a fruity smelling soap into his skin.
He noticed Atem's skin was flawless and he was only wearing a thin line of dark eyeliner on his top lid. Yugi's eyes wandered to Atem's lips.
He couldn't help but imagine Atem straddling his lap and kissing him with those soft, full lips.
Yugi imagined running his hands along Atem's smooth yet toned arms and grinding their hips together.
Oh Gods yes...
No!
No.
Yugi tried to bring his thoughts to his relationship with Te'a. He had begged for her forgiveness and had gotten a second chance, he had no intention of repeating his mistake.
Atem winced and he reached for a wet cloth. His back stung when ever he lifted his arms. He tried his best to mask his pained expression as he gently wiped the soap off of Yugi's face.
He examined Yugi's skin, trying to distract himself from the pain in his lower back.
"Hmm. No need for any extractions, I'll go ahead with Aibou's face mask…" he thought as he took a small paint brush from his black apron.
Atem wordlessly held up two identical pots of mud in front of Yugi. He let Yugi smell each of them, knowing that he would pick the fruity scent and not the floral scent.
Yugi tentatively sniffed each pot and pointed to the one he wanted. He personally didn't like the smell of flowers but loved the smell of fresh fruit.
He saw a hint of a smirk cross Atem's lips and he couldn't help but smile.
He missed having their mind link. It was obvious they were still in tune with each other but he wished he knew what Atem was thinking.
Yugi winced as Atem applied the cold mud to his skin.
Atem gave Yugi an apologetic smile and continued to liberally apply the mask. He looked next to him and saw that Salem was almost finished with Mokuba's mask.
He made sure Yugi's face was completely saturated with product and moved the steam closer. He heard Salem ask Mokuba if the steam was too hot and he made sure to check in with Yugi.
"It's fine. Thank you, Atem." Yugi said sweetly.
Atem smiled and pulled the heated blanket over Yugi's shoulders. He turned the heat down, earning him another sweet smile from Yugi.
"Please, relax while the mask does it's job. You may speak to each other, but try not to move your face too much." Salem said.
She bowed and left the room. Atem bowed as well and followed close behind, making sure to shut the door to give Yugi and Mokuba privacy.
Mokuba looked over at Yugi and smiled.
"This must be so good for you too! I had no idea Atem worked on top of making those videos! And Salem? She's even prettier in person. No wonder Atem moved in so quickly." He took a sip of his wine and sighed happily, leaning further back into his chair.
Yugi thought he had gotten over his jealousy but hearing that Mokuba also thinks Atem is dating that woman sparks rage inside of him.
"They aren't dating, they're just friends." Yugi said evenly, trying to hide his frustration.
Mokuba scoffed.
"Well, didn't you and Te'a start of as just friends? Oh yeah, what did you want to ask me?" Mokuba said.
Yugi seethed quietly as he wondered if he should confide in Mokuba. Kaiba said the same thing weeks ago and he was beginning to think that maybe it was true.
What if there was something between Atem and Salem?
He sighed and decided to ask his question.
"Why did your brother tell Atem that they weren't together? Did he really just want to use Atem for sex?"
Yugi knew that he was prying but he needed to know why Kaiba was so obsessed with Atem if he was the one who ended things.
Mokuba let out a laugh. He straightened out his face, remembering that he wasn't supposed to over exaggerate his features.
"What? Seto was in love with Atem. I'm pretty sure he still is. I think when Atem asked about it, it made things real and Seto panicked and said something stupid. I remember when Seto tried to tell Atem that he didn't mean what he said, but...you know. The damage was done." Mokuba explained.
Yugi's heart sunk. The whole break up was a misunderstanding?
"Then what about the money?" Yugi asked without thinking.
Mokuba gave Yugi a blank stare.
"Money? What are you talking about?"
Yugi was confused. Mokuba would know if Atem took a large sum of money and ran, right?
"Did Kaiba put money in Atem's bank account? Isn't that why he's mad? Because Atem took the money and ran?"
Mokuba thought back. There was only one time his brother mentioned Atem's bank account.
"The only money I can think of is money that Seto put aside for Atem when he helped Isono around the house." Mokuba said thinking out loud.
Yugi raised an eyebrow, feeling the mask stretch and pull on his skin.
"Why was he helping around the house? That makes no sense." Yugi responded leaning back in his chair. He gazed up at the ceiling, feeling guilty and confused.
"Isono had surgery and couldn't work for like a month. Atem started to make us breakfast, clean the mansion, he even helped my with my math homework. Did you know Atem is like a math genius? Anyway, Seto was secretly paying Atem for his work and he put all the money into an account for him."
Yugi turned to look at Mokuba.
This meant that the money Kaiba kept saying Atem stole was actually rightfully Atem's!
"Why does your brother keep saying he took it and ran then?" Yugi said, feeling uncomfortable from the mask drying completely.
Mokuba shrugged his shoulders.
"Well, because technically he did. He didn't know it was his money and he didn't question it when he suddenly had a bank card in his name appear in his wallet. Seto did tell me that he planted that there, but he expected Atem to come to him and try and work things out. Not take it and go into hiding."
Yugi sighed. It was true. Even though the money belonged to Atem, he didn't give it a second thought before leaving domino.
Atem was in the employee kitchen with Salem, waiting for the masks to dry. He didn't think about it while he was working on Yugi's face, but now that Salem was in front of him he was angry.
Very angry.
"Did you approve this last minute without asking me?" He asked in Arabic. He knew the other employees had gone home by this point, but he was still careful to speak in only the language him and Salem could understand.
Salem crosses her arms and raised her brow.
"Excuse me but last I checked, you are an employee here. You had a cancellation, I was able to fill your slot. I'm the owner, I don't have to ask an employee for approval." She said narrowing her eyes.
Atem felt his chest turn with rage.
How dare she?!
"I didn't realize the owner also worked at the spa. Are you here out of guilt or did you come in because you thought you had another chance with Seto Kaiba? News flash, you're wayyyy too old for his baby brother." Atem snapped back, putting his hands on his hips.
Salem glared at Atem and walked up to the ex pharaoh. Her face was inches from his and she planted her feet in front of his. He stood his ground, determined to not feel intimidated.
Atem stared into her eyes as he glared back. He wasn't about to be used again. He didn't like that Salem took the opportunity to try and make a sale off of Mokuba. And he especially didn't appreciate not being notified of the change sooner.
As he looked into her eyes, he saw sadness come across her face. She backed off and turned away from Atem, cleaning her paintbrush of the mud from the facial.
He raised eyebrow and narrowed his eyes even further.
"What? Suddenly speechless?" Atem antagonized. He watched her dry her brush and put it her apron.
Silence.
"I won't let you ignore me, Sala." Atem growled.
Salem sighed and looked at Atem.
"It's been twenty minutes. Their masks are dry. You may leave if you like. I've obviously overstepped by asking you to do your job and nothing more. I will finish the facials and help reception close." She said, leaving the kitchen without another word.
Atem's anger bubbled inside him and he stormed out of the kitchen and in front of her, blocking her path. He grabbed her by her shoulders to stop her in her tracks.
"Atem. Enough. Either go home or do your job. I'm not going to argue with you." She said flatly, trying to pry herself free.
"You aren't going to guilt trip me, Sala. You know I'm right. You shouldn't have added those two to the schedule."
"Atem. This is my livelihood. I'm not going to turn down major influencers just because of your teenage drama. Put your personal issues aside, and do your job. Or don't, and go home." She said, wriggling herself out of Atem's grip.
"I told you what happened between Yugi and I in confidence and you still put him in my schedule. You're supposed to be my friend-"
"Atem! This is a business, I need to do what's best for-"
"You're worse than Kaiba." Atem spat.
Salem froze.
"You pretend to want to help and to be my friend but you're just as greedy and deceitful as him." He finished, turning on his heel and walking toward the private room without Salem.
Atem was fuming as he got to the door. He heard Salem behind him and he quickly put on a smile as he opened the door. Seeing Yugi and Mokuba sitting in their chairs innocently.
Yugi looked up and saw anger in Atem's face before it quickly changed. He furrowed his brow, wondering what was wrong.
Atem smiled at Yugi and shook his head slightly, letting his aibou know he was fine. He began to take of the dried mud with a warm wet washcloth, smiling at Yugi's blissful expression.
He looked over at Salem and felt his heart sink. She was going through the motions of removing Mokuba's mask and toning his face. Atem saw that she was smiling, but the look in her eyes was pure heartbreak.
Oh.
He realized he might have been too harsh.
No. No he was right about this. She had used him and his friends to make a sale.
Didn't she?
After he toned Yugi's face, he slowly massaged coconut moisturizer into Yugi's skin. He watched Salem finish up quickly, and bow to Mokuba. She thanked him for his patronage in English and then excused herself from the room.
No.
"Don't fall for it. She's just trying to get me to feel bad. She isn't hurt, she's just acting." He thought as he finished Yugi's facial.
Mokuba was glad Salem left the three of them alone. He wanted to invite Atem to dinner that evening and he would have felt awkward inviting only him and not Salem.
"Atem are you off now? Yugi and I are going grab some dinner, you should come!" Mokuba said standing up and lifting his arms above his head in a long stretch.
Yugi's eyes widened. He wasn't there yet with Atem. He opened his mouth to protest but was interrupted by Atem.
"Thank you, Mokuba. But, I have to help Salem close." Atem said removing his apron and turning off his station's steamer.
Yugi was relieved.
"Thank goodness." He thought.
Wait. Why was Salem even at the spa? If she was the owner, she wouldn't be doing facials right?
"Did she come in specifically because Mokuba is a VIP? It seems strange that the owner is helping pick up slack." Yugi asked.
Atem sighed and rolled his eyes.
"Well I had a cancellation and she, I guess, can see the schedule. Reception must have called her to ask if they could fit both of you in. And said yes, since both of you are local celebrities." He said in annoyance.
"Wow. She fit us in and then came in herself to help? She could have easily made you stay late and help us one by one." Mokuba said, shocked.
Yugi nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, I have to admit that it's good customer service. I would never do anything like that at the game shop if it meant having to go above and beyond." Yugi added.
Atem set his lips in a tight line. Of course. Of course these two think what she did was admirable. They got what they wanted. They weren't inconvenienced.
He silently lead them out to reception and saw Salem at the front desk instead of the regular employee.
He watched her lift her head and smile at Mokuba and Yugi. On the desk, there was a tray full of the products that were used during the facial.
Atem rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. He couldn't believe she was still trying to upsell his friends.
Yugi looked back at Atem and saw the anger on his face. He mouthed "are you okay" and turned back around when Atem shrugged.
Mokuba was already touching the glass bottles full of oils and serums. He looked at the label and gasped.
"You have your own skin care products? That's amazing!" He was practically yelled, seeing Salem's full legal name on the bottle.
"Yes, all of our products with the exception of our hair care, are mixed in the spa. At every location, there is a special room where specific employees fill our inventory. Everything is vegan and gluten free. Also ethically sourced." Salem said. Her sales pitch flowed naturally and seemed unrehearsed.
Yugi walked up to the desk and started looking at the oils. He noticed one that was in a tiny vial with a pink label.
"What's that one?" Yugi asked. He wanted to get something for when Te'a came to visit. He just didn't know what.
Salem smiled brightly and picked up the vial.
"This is one of my favorites. It's a mix of jasmine, patchouli, and bergamot. Passion and sex in a bottle." She said in her low velvety voice.
Yugi blushed and took the vial from her. This was perfect.
Mokuba chuckled and took a bottle of under eye serum from off the tray.
"Can I get another bottle of this? I want to get one for Seto too." He asked politely.
Salem nodded happily and handed Mokuba the bottle. She placed her hands back on the counter and smiled as Yugi handed her a bank card.
Atem's chest was burning with rage. They fell for her upsell? Those products are expensive!
Salem happily accepted payment from both boys and handed them their respective receipts.
"Thank you so much for your patronage. I hope we'll be seeing you again soon." She said happily.
Yugi and Mokuba thanked Salem and Atem and walked out of the door, feeling the tension leave as soon as they were out of the spa.
Yugi couldn't help but feel like there was something strange going on between Salem and Atem. He hoped it wasn't that they were together. He couldn't handle any more drama.
Atem was tapping his foot angrily as Salem locked the front doors. He watched her go back to the reception desk and start counting the cash in the drawer.
"You don't have to stay, Atem. You had somewhere to be, mish kida? It looks like your shift ended ten minutes earlier than normal and the spa closed early today as well. You've done your job, you are free to leave. I will clean the facial room since you're in a hurry." She said, putting the money earned in a bank envelope and locking it in a drawer.
Atem breathed out through his nose. Unbelievable!
"You know that's not what the issue know it's because of what happened between Yugi and I-"
"That's right, Atem. Yugi and you. No one else. Am I to deny Yugi service at my spa just because you made a bad decision and so did he? I had that strange dinner with Seto Kaiba and did I let it affect my work? No. Mokuba is a paying customer who is willing to support a small business." She said, turning toward Atem and pushing her curly hair out of her face.
Atem laughed and threw his arms in the air.
"Right! You're always right, Sala, ever the adult! That's bullshit and you know it is. How dare you use your sleazy sales tactics on my friends!" He yelled, walking away from her and into the facial room.
Salem grunted and followed him.
"You're friends have free will and could have said no! They wanted to buy those products! If they didn't want them, they wouldn't have bought them." She explained, cleaning her station angrily.
Atem slammed his fists on the chair and glared at Salem.
"You have no shame! Did you sell your soul to Kaiba during that dinner or did you just open your legs for him?!"
Salem stopped cleaning her station and looked at Atem.
Atem was breathing heavily and glaring at Salem. He knew he was right and he wasn't going to back down. He couldn't and wouldn't have her using his friends to…
He saw the first tear trail down Salem's face, and then a steady stream started. She hiccuped and covered her mouth.
He was immediately sobered by her tears.
He had gone too far.
"Salem, I-"
"Khalass. Meshie, fine. You're right, I'm wrong." She said wiping her tears.
Atem stared at her questioningly as they finished cleaning in silence. The air was incredibly tense. After they closed the spa completely, he quietly followed her to her car and got in the passenger seat.
He studied her carefully as they drove towards the penthouse.
What should he say?
He knew she was just trying to end the argument.
It's over right?
He was the one in the right. She said it herself.
But, if that was true then why did he feel so guilty.
The ride in the elevator was just as quiet as the car. He lingered behind her as they got into the apartment. He set his bag down on the counter and leaned against the kitchen island.
Salem's cat came up to her and rubbed against her legs, begging for food. She walked into the kitchen, ignoring Atem, and fed the white feline.
She strode past Atem and up the stairs to her bedroom, quietly shutting her door.
Atem sighed and rubbed at his eyes. He'd never seen Salem cry before.
It was hard to watch her process his words and then see her break down.
He heard his stomach growl.
Dinner.
He rounded the kitchen island and looked in the fridge, he realized he had never made a hot meal in Salem's kitchen before.
...Because she had been making all of Atem's meals since the day he moved in.
He closed the door to the fridge and looked in the pantry. There were tons of healthy snacks that he could make some finger foods with but that wouldn't be enough to fill him up.
It had been so long since he had cooked, he'd forgotten which kind of pans to use for which dishes. Salem had so many, stainless steel, non stick, a cast iron skillet.
He didn't even know what to make. Back when he lived at the Kaiba mansion, dinner was easy. Isono had pre packaged and measured all of the ingredients before his surgery, so all Atem had to do was heat it up.
Shit.
Maybe he didn't know how to cook. Maybe he just knew how to reheat and unfreeze someone else's hard work.
Work.
Atem felt his eyes heat up and start to water. He kept seeing the way Salem looked at him before she cried.
He slipped his phone out of his pocket and wondered who he could call to ask for help.
Te'a?
No, definitely not. If Yugi wasn't ready to talk to him then Te'a definitely wasn't.
Hmmm.
Mokuba and Yugi were resolving their own issues. He didn't want to interrupt with his own drama.
Kaiba?
Fuck no no no.
"Why do I still want to talk to him?" Atem thought.
Well. Actually.
Kaiba is a businessman and could shed some light on why Salem thought it was okay to pull those tricks on his friends.
But, at the same time Kaiba is the worst.
Oh.
He realized that with everything Salem has done for him, he spat in her face and stomped on her charity by saying she was just like the monster that was stalking him.
Or did you just open your legs for him!
Atem groaned. Kaiba could have really hurt Salem that night, and he devalued her experience...by basically calling her a slut.
"She was just doing her job…"
Atem knew that if he wanted to purchase something from the game shop, Yugi would still make him pay for it. Atem would want to pay for it to support his aibou.
"Goddammit." Atem sighed.
He was wrong.
And he just made the one person who's never judged him for his mistakes, cry in her own place of business.
Shit.
"I'm no better than Kaiba." Atem thought as he dialed Kaiba's phone number.
It was time to settle things.
—
Kaiba was finishing his last report when his phone began buzzing in his pocket.
He sighed and picked it up without looking at the number. Too tired to bother screening the call.
"This is Kaiba." He said in his deep monotone.
"I didn't think you'd still be answering your personal cell the same way…"
Kaiba's heart did backflips in his chest at the sound of Atem's rich voice.
"I didn't think you still had my number." Kaiba replied, trying to contain his excitement. Atem was finally reaching out to him. Maybe they can finally fix their issues.
"I've had it memorized for a long time now."
Kaiba felt the weight of everything he had done to Atem crush him. He had lied about his feelings, lied about the money, and he even assaulted the ex pharaoh. He wanted to make things right but he didn't know how. He had messed up terribly.
"Atem...I-"
"Salem told me you tried to get her in bed with you. Why would you do such a thing?"
Shit. That's right. He had forgotten he preyed on that woman just to try and get to Atem.
"I wanted a way to get to you. She was close to you." Kaiba explained, internally smacking himself for the awful excuse.
"You assaulted me, Kaiba. It wasn't fun and safe. Why do you hate me?"
"I don't hate you. It was hard. When you left. I was depressed for so long and then when I saw those pictures of you with Yugi…" Kaiba became angry just thinking about it. He didn't want anyone else touching Atem.
"You don't own me, Kaiba. You told me we weren't together-"
"I panicked. Of course I wanted to be committed to you, you're-"
"I'm what?"
Kaiba sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger. He had to say what he felt. Not doing so is what made Atem leave in the first place.
"You're...You're all I've ever wanted. I was wrong to lie to you about my feelings."
There was silence for a long while before he heard a chuckle on the other line.
"What was all of this for then? I have a job to try and pay you back, but what was the reason for any of this? Why were you so scared to tell me the truth?"
Kaiba held in a laugh.
Atem?
Working?
That's ridiculous.
Kaiba knew that Atem was as lazy as he was bossy. The only time he ever worked was in dire circumstances.
Oh.
That's right.
Kaiba forgot that Atem still thinks he stole that money. He wanted to tell the pharaoh the truth but, if Atem was working and learning knew life skills…
He would wait.
He would wait to tell Atem about the money. Kaiba thought that Atem needed to learn what the real world was like. He needed to learn how to budget, save, and spend responsibly.
This would be good for Atem.
"I wasn't scared… I just didn't think I was ready. I didn't realize I was ready until you left...You said you're working? Where?" Kaiba asked pretending to not find the situation hilarious.
"I'll tell you everything. But I need some help. I may have hurt Salem's feelings."
Kaiba rolled his eyes and sighed.
"And why do you need my help dealing with your little girlfriend?" Kaiba groaned.
"She isn't my girlfriend. Kaiba please, you owe me after the bruise you left on my neck. Just come over. I'll text you the address."
Kaiba wanted to see where Atem lived but he wanted nothing to do with his strange relationship with Salem.
"Fine."
"Any funny business and we're done for good."
"I get it."
"See you soon."
The line clicked and went silent.
This was it. He was on the road to forgiveness.
—
Kaiba walked into the large lobby and went up to the concierge.
"Seto Kaiba for Atem Aknadin." Kaiba said, barely looking the woman in the eye.
She lifted the desk phone off of the receiver and spoke in Arabic. She nodded and pressed a button.
She gestured to the elevator and spoke in Japanese.
"The elevator is unlocked for your use for 1 minute, press P for Mr. Akanadin's floor."
Kaiba walked away from the desk without thanking the young woman and got in the elevator. He pressed the button and suddenly felt nervous as the doors closed.
As the doors opened, he saw Atem waiting for him in the private lobby.
"What does this woman do to live on the top floor with her own lobby?" Kaiba said out loud as he walked up to Atem.
Atem crossed his arms and scoffed.
"Good to see you too, asshole."
Kaiba breathed out through his nose and mimicked Atem's stance.
"You said you needed my help, I can leave." Kaiba bluffed. That was the last thing he wanted to do.
Atem rolled his eyes and led Kaiba into the apartment. He gestured for Kaiba to sit on the couches but the brunette stayed standing, judging the large two level apartment.
"Why do you need me here? It looks like you have everything you need." Kaiba said spitefully.
He knew he needed to be more open considering Atem was letting him back into his life but he couldn't contain his resentment. What did this woman have that Kaiba couldn't offer Atem?
Atem explained the argument he had with Salem, including Mokuba and Yugi coming in to his place of work. He remained honest about the situation, with the exception of what happened between him and Yugi two weeks ago.
"Good to know you think I'm a monster." Kaiba said, finally seated on one of the white couches.
Atem sighed.
"Can you blame me? After our last encounter?"
Kaiba cleared his throat and looked around.
"Where is she now?" He asked.
"In her room. She didn't say a word to me. I can't believe I made her cry." Atem replied shaking his head.
"Yeah, you were an ass. And, very wrong. There's just one thing that has me confused." Kaiba mentioned.
Atem titled his head and shrugged his shoulders.
"Why was it such an issue that she knew your client was Yugi, and you didn't? Wouldn't you be excited with how close you two are?" Kaiba continued.
"Yugi and I decided that we need to spend some time apart." Atem said plainly.
Kaiba raised an eyebrow and leaned back. He crossed his arms and looked into Atem's eyes. He could tell the ex pharaoh was keeping something from him.
"I'll let it slide" Kaiba thought to himself.
"Fine. So what do you need me for?" Kaiba asked.
Atem sighed and sat in front on Kaiba.
"Salem has done a lot for me. Just an hour ago I realized she had been cooking all of my meals. I wanted to try and make her dinner-"
"But you don't know the first thing about cooking." Kaiba interrupted, completely unsurprised.
Atem nodded, feeling incredibly embarrassed.
Kaiba chuckled to himself and stood up. He walked into the kitchen and looked in the fridge.
He began putting different kinds of vegetables on the counter along with a thawed out pork shoulder.
Atem watched and listened as Kaiba explained how to prep and cook the veggies with themeat. He started chopping the vegetables as Kaiba prepped the meat.
Kaiba mixed together several spices and with clean hands, generously rubbed the spice mixture on the pork shoulder.
Atem stared at Kaiba's elegant fingers work the meat expertly. He couldn't help but get a little flustered and almost slice his finger.
"Oh!" Atem yelped, realizing his almost fatal mistake.
"Careful!" Kaiba yelled, taking Atem's hand in his, examining it to make sure Atem didn't cut himself.
Atem felt his skin burn and tingle as Kaiba ran his long fingers over his knuckles, not caring about the brunette's spice covered digits. He stepped closer to the taller male, entranced by the familiar scent of Kaiba's natural musk.
He had forgotten much he loved that smell.
Kaiba traced his fingers along Atem's and held back a shiver. He has missed the way Atem's smooth skin felt against his. Even with his own fingers dirty, he could still feel Atem's uniquely soft skin.
He pried his eyes away from the silky chocolate hands in front of him to look into deep pools of crimson.
Atem gazed back into Kaiba's cerulean eyes and lost himself.
How?
How was this man so beautiful but such an inconsiderate-
"Mhm.."
Kaiba and Atem pulled there hands away and looked into the living room to see Salem standing there, her fluffy white cat in her arms.
Atem was the first to speak.
"Salem, I'm sorry. Really-"
"What's he doing here, Atem?" She asked, her eyes not leaving Kaiba's.
Atem looked between Kaiba and Salem, realizing the mistake he just made. He saw that Salem was still upset, and bringing the man that scared both of them so much into her home wasn't helping.
"He came over to help me cook. I wanted to make you dinner and couldn't so-"
"Atem. Is everything fine? He didn't magically find his way in?" She put the growling cat on the counter and smirked as Kaiba backed away.
"Sala. Can we talk privately?" Atem asked walked up to her.
Kaiba avoided the angry cat and washed his hands. He cleared his throat and looked back at Salem challengingly.
"He's told me what he's done. I told him you were right." Kaiba said flatly, turning around to the put the meat and vegetables in the oven.
Atem didn't want Kaiba and Salem in the same room. He didn't tell Kaiba about Yugi, and at this point Salem could tell him out of spite and she wouldn't be wrong for doing so.
"Atem can speak for himself." Salem sat down on the couch and crossed her legs. She had changed from her work clothes to a short blue kaftan. The fabric was flowing and hung delicately around her body.
Atem quickly sat next to her and started to speak quickly in Arabic. Trying to apologize and also keep detail of the argument as secret as possible from Kaiba.
Kaiba tried to follow along with what few words he knew. He only caught a few words that set off red flags.
Sex.
Cheated.
Kaiba was reeling. What happened? He then heard the next phrase as if it were spoken in Japanese.
I know you feel guilty about Yugi.
Did Yugi cheat on Te'a...with Atem?
Kaiba couldn't take not being included in the conversation and finally yelled,
"You had sex with Yugi?!"
Salem chuckled and switched her legs.
"Look who understands Arabic…"
Atem's heart dropped into his stomach. He didn't know why, but he didn't want Kaiba to know anything about that.
Kaiba walked out from the kitchen and grabbed his jacket off of one of the barstools. He couldn't believe he thought that Atem actually might want him back.
"Kaiba, please wait." Atem ran up to Kaiba and stood in his path.
Kaiba looked into Atem's eyes and felt his chest flutter. The ex pharaoh looked...desperate. He sighed and looked over at Salem who looked amused.
Bitch.
"Mr. Kaiba. Atem is an adult. He made a mistake and he's trying to be better. Haven't you ever made a mistake that seemed impossible to fix?" She asked, obviously knowing the only reason why Kaiba came to Atem's aid, was in hopes of fixing his past mistakes.
Kaiba's eyebrow twitched as she held his gaze, her lips turned up at the corners in a smirk.
He could kill this woman. She has too much control in Atem's life. That needed to change. And the only way that was going to change, is if he played nice...for now.
Atem smiled when Kaiba put his jacket down and sat across from Salem.
"I owe you an apology for my behavior Ms. Wolf. And I...thank you, for allowing me in your home." Kaiba stated through gritted teeth.
"I will accept your bad apology." Salem replied, flipping her curly hair and leaning back against the cushions.
Atem sighed. This wasn't the best situation but at least everything is somewhat resolved.
Somewhat.
Dinner was awkward and silent until Salem said goodnight, leaving Kaiba and Atem alone once more.
Atem began to clear the kitchen island and start washing dishes. Cleaning came naturally to him so he didn't mind doing it. He was rinsing a glass when he felt strong arms wrap around him.
He was flipped around and found himself looking at Kaiba's chest. He moved his gaze upward toward Kaiba's lips.
Atem flinched back as Kaiba tried to move closer.
"Wait."
"What?" Kaiba sighed.
Atem gently pushed Kaiba away and breathed out through his nose, trying to calm himself. He ran his fingers through his curls and looked in the eyes of the taller male.
"I can't. I mean, I'm not ready to be with you in that way again..." Atem explained.
Kaiba backed away from Atem, hurt. This was going to take longer than expected.
"Please understand, Kaiba. You really hurt me. I'm happy that we can be in the same room together, truly. But, I need more time before I can think about you...about us...in that way again." Atem continued, crossing his arms over his chest.
Kaiba bit the inside of his cheek. He had hoped him and Atem would be able to talk about their future together. Especially considering the ex pharaoh had slept with Yugi almost immediately upon his return to domino.
"Atem said he needs time but…" Kaiba didn't know what to think.
"When can I see you again?" Kaiba asked. He didn't want to lose Atem again, but he didn't want to ruin the progress they had just made either.
Atem shook his head slightly and shrugged his shoulders.
"I don't know Kaiba. I need to work through some things. I need to give Salem a proper apology and reconnect with Yugi. I'm going through a lot and I think I just need...a friend?"
"A friend." Kaiba repeated flatly.
Kaiba wasn't looking for a friend in Atem. He wanted his Atem back. But, if this was the only way he could be in Atem's life, he would take it. It would give him more pull when it came to being an active part of Atem's life.
"Okay." Kaiba said, hating that he had to start over.
Atem smiled and threw his arms around Kaiba in a crushing hug.
"Thank you for understanding, habibi." Atem whispered.
Atem's low voice sent shivers up Kaiba's spine. The brunette knew that being "just friends" was going to be a difficult mantra to maintain.
Unless.
Kaiba suddenly remembered that Atem and Salem need marketing for their cosmetics launch. He could offer Kaiba Corp marketing and make sure to be personally involved in the process.
Yes. This could work. It takes months to develop product and considering Atem doesn't know a lot about business, he could "help" Atem understand.
"Of course, Atem. Anything for you." Kaiba said.
His plan was far fetched, but he would be able to "discuss ideas" with Atem in private. He just had to find a way around Salem.
"That fucking watchdog. She'll be impossible to deal with."
"Actually, I know you and Salem are still looking for a special guest for your upcoming video. Might I make a suggestion?" Kaiba asked.
It would be difficult to convince all parties involved in his plan, but Kaiba knew that all of the friendship brigade would come through for Atem.
Atem pulled away and smiled brightly.
"Who?! We're desperate at this point!"
Kaiba smirked evilly, hiding it immediately and replacing it with a smile.
"Who better to help you announce your cosmetics line and Duel Monsters themed eyeshadow palette, than The King of Games himself."
Sorry for the wait! This chapter is a lot longer than normal so I needed more time to work on it! Plus I have a full time day job as well as rehearsal in the evening so some weeks I may not have a full chapter posted.
I'm noticing A LOT of hits on my one shot THE HONEYMOON. Leave a comment or Kudo if you would like me to turn this into a full blown story!
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Thank you so much to you all for reading and commenting!