Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh
Update schedule: Part five on 26th, part six on 6th
So, dragons don't believe in hell. They believe in Paradise, which is their equation of heaven, and Purgatory, which is meant more to be a kind of limbo that will eventually allow them to be reborn and thus learn from their former mistakes which caused them to be rejected from Paradise. That's why Timaeus mentions it. Originally I meant to have Tmaeus say "heaven or hell" and have Atem question the terms so that Timaeus would explain it was a human term. But I didn't really like the idea after I thought it through and decided I'd go with Paradise or Purgatory for the sake of their beliefs as dragons.
So I haven't decided yet, but I'm debating that the dragons might have four sets of teeth regularly. They'd have their egg teeth (which is basically just blunt teeth that help them break through their eggs), hatchling teeth, primary and then secondary/adult. I haven't decided yet if I want to go that route or simply have the primary teeth be considered the same as their hatchling teeth and secondary as adult, giving them only three sets. Regardless, most dragons do lose their teeth in a rush, meaning that they essentially lose them all at the same time and may be toothless for a little while. This is usually when they are still with their mother and father, as being toothless when they are older would be a pretty big problem.
So, just to explain a little, because I realized I backtracked slightly with this in the story at one point. Dragons don't generally have much of a scent at all outside of what's excreted in fluids and droppings. As hatchlings they don't possess a smell at all and when they begin to develop one, it's usually when their first set of armor scales grow in. The scales naturally suppress much of the smell they possess and that helps to keep them from being detectable as necessary to hide from any other dragons or predators that might be a threat. As juvenile dragons they have a spike of pheromones that make them more detectable. They naturally exude the smell and their markings are extremely powerful.
Yugi came to Atem's territory during his first year of being sexually mature as a juvenile. That's why he covered himself in the mud and berry paste in order to hide himself as well as lingering around the humans so often that he covered his scent with theirs. That's also why Atem never understood who marked his river until Yugi admitted to it in Sky Dance.
Part IV: Understandings
"I have to admit, I'm surprised you've decided to attend, Atem. I had assumed that you would not wish to do so." Timaeus tilted his head, single amber eye glowing for all of a brief moment. Atem ignored him for a minute, watching him from his peripheral but keeping his main focus caught on the sight in front of them.
Yugi was chasing Critias across the grass. The hatchling was clearly delighted to have a partner to do so with. He was faster than his siblings. Atem had seen that several times already. The other hatchlings had turned and raced after and in front of and beside him. But they'd all eventually stopped when Critias either overtook them or he dashed back in the opposite direction in an attempt to make them go faster.
Yugi had taken to chasing him around soon after Hermos had settled for pouting out his frustration. Kris had gone to comfort him and Timaeus had given him some mild encouragement before coming back to Atem. And so Yugi and Critias had been running for little over an hour now, he supposed.
"Yugi convinced me to," he answered in a dry tone, annoyed by the confession. If it were not for the fact that he trusted Timaeus, he would have lied. He would have said that somehow he'd wound up interested in doing so. The problem of it was that he did not want anyone to know that Yugi had such power over him. It was dangerous to admit such a thing… "I could not care less as to what happens to the disgusting beasts spawned before his death. And I care little for the neighboring dragons that might have been involved in the fight. I have done my part. So I hardly need to remain involved with such things."
"Then how is it that he managed to convince you?"
Atem was silent for a long handful of moments. "He was incensed that the other God Dragons have never come to meet me," he muttered quietly.
The Sky Dragon watched as his mate sprinted with Critias hot on his paws. Yugi was only a few feet ahead of him. The hatchling was panting, pushing himself to keep up with the larger male. But he slowed after a few seconds, panting heavily and peering up at him with huge, shaky eyes.
He was barely able to stay standing for more than a few seconds and finally the dragonet gave up. He took a seat and shook, panting and groaning softly.
Yugi stopped a couple of yards away. His eyes grew wide, then softened, as he turned to face him once more. He trotted over and paused in front of him. Atem could not hear what he was saying, but Yugi licked his forehead and lay down after a moment or two.
"He said that I should go, if only to show them that I survived without their interference at any point."
Timaeus tilted his head curiously, watching him for a moment. The Sky Dragon could feel his stare even as he continued watching Yugi groom the hatchling as if he were his own. "Yugi must be extremely protective of you then," he commented. The God Dragon blinked, glancing at Timaeus in surprise. "I mean, first he went after Keith in order to slow him down for when you got there. Then, from what you're telling me, he attacked Jesse simply because of the fact that he called you bitter. And now he's saying that you should show up at this meeting just to make sure the other God Dragons know that you're there. I'd say he's a lot more protective of you than you might have initially assumed."
Atem returned the amused look and turned away again to glance over at his mate. He did quite enjoy the fact that Yugi was so selfless in his desire to help and protect him. But it only made him want to bury his face in some river sand or beneath the pebbles in the den. He'd never lift his head away again.
Because he might have loved the way Yugi reacted to threats to him, but he did not know that he might be able to love the little Gandora himself.
And Atem had to wonder at this. He couldn't stop the cold fear which crashed through him. Was it possible that he'd never learn to love him? Because he could not help but acknowledge that his affection towards Yugi's attention and his wonderful temperament did not spread much further.
"Why do you suddenly look so troubled?"
Atem blinked and glanced sideways at his friend. He could feel the anxiety rising and falling rapidly through his nerves for a moment. His eyes flickered and focused on Yugi again, but his voice was low and almost inaudible as he spoke.
"He cares deeply for me. I know this about him. And he tells me very often that he loves me. And I do not doubt this." He fell silent for another handful of minutes, then bristled and shook himself out. "But I cannot claim the same, Timaeus. It makes me wonder if I am even capable of saying I should love him in turn."
The Wind Dragon blinked once, long and slow, clearly startled but trying not to gape at him. His lips curled and he huffed out a breath as if petulant before tilting his head and staring at him for a minute. "Do you truly believe that you're incapable of loving him?" he asked in growing bewilderment. But Atem thought he sensed an undercurrent of anger there as well. "Are you honestly saying this to me right now?"
Atem flicked his tail, ignoring his eyes on his face. "Clearly I am."
The teal male leaned slightly closer to him, eye narrowed, and shook his head as he bore his teeth viciously. "You are telling me that you fear you cannot grow to love him."
The Sky Dragon growled low in his throat. "Yes."
"I've never heard such a foolish thing from your jaws before," Timaeus sneered, shaking his head roughly and glaring at him. He scowled, peeling his lips back further to show his teeth. "You don't honestly believe that! Just because you're a little wary and more than slightly concerned about it all doesn't mean you are unable to love him. It just means you're going to need more time to get used to having a mate to begin with! It means only that you are still learning to be with another dragon in any sense. You were only with me long enough for your side to heal before you decided to stake out a territory and hide away. That was perhaps a year at the absolute most. You came to trust me enough to feel some kind of affection, did you not?"
Atem was silent for a long time, watching as Yugi chased Critias now. The hatchling had a yard of space between them and Yugi was keeping his pace carefully slow to maintain that distance. Atem felt sick.
He truly had ruined that for Yugi, hadn't he?
"I did," he answered Timaeus, looking away and to the Wind Dragon. "I thought of you much as the brother I never quite got."
"So why would you think that you can't love now?"
The Sky Dragon watched him, then glanced at Yugi and back before bristling faintly. "Because I was a lot younger when that happened, Timaeus. And now I'm grown and I'm different from the hatchling I was before."
Timaeus blinked. "I'd be willing to pledge Critias on the fact that you are not so far removed from who you were then. You're much more tired and far more wary but it is not as if you've turned into some terrible monster looking to kill any and every other dragon that comes across you."
Atem tilted his head, then narrowed his eyes into slits. "That's a bold statement to make," he commented wryly, though he fell silent again moments later. "And I am not sure how I should respond to this…"
The Wind Dragon huffed. "You're always so skeptical. But you should realize that while you do not see a reason for him to adore you as he does, others might. And I do not think for even a moment that you will not learn to love him in turn, Atem. He's just different from what you are used to and I understand that you're scared of that. I know that you don't properly understand why he adores you or why it is that he might be so kind towards you when your other suitors were so terrible. But you're fearful for a reason you needn't be. He'd move Paradise or Purgatory for you. You can see it just as well as I. You need to relax and wait for this to happen. Don't rush it, don't doubt it, and simply wait for it to happen that you fall in love with him."
The Slifer turned away with a snarl on his face, but it melted away immediately as he turned to face Yugi once more. The Gandora and Critias had taken to resting. The black hybrid had his tail curled to the side and his eyes were focused on the other hatchlings. Mahado was chasing the female and Hermos was rolling around with his paws in the air, using his wings to continue spinning himself.
Atem nearly burst out laughing at the sight. The little dragonet looked incredibly happy and proud of himself. Kris was smiling at him indulgently and the others were laughing with delight.
When he did not respond, Timaeus sighed loudly and turned to look at the sky pointedly. "He is not wrong in saying that it would be a great display of strength for you to show up at this meeting." He watched the Sky Dragon as he slowly turned his head towards the male in front of him. "If you should do that, it would be more akin a declaration of your independence regarding whatever choices they might ever have made to begin with."
Atem blinked and nodded slowly, watching Timaeus for a few heartbeats. Then he turned to Yugi again as the Gandora began to chase Critias across the clearing again.
The Gandora was going at a trotting pace, slower than ever. Critias had slowed down drastically as well, but Yugi attempting to keep such a pace with him made him look awkward and clumsy. The Sky Dragon smirked and shook his head slowly, fond as he watched Yugi crouch and pounce at the hatchling.
Critias squeaked when Yugi caught him by the tail. Mahado and Hermos both looked up and Ishizu paused in grooming herself. All three of them considered the picture, then seemed to size Yugi up. Hermos crouched down, wiggling his rump, and sprang at him.
He landed on Yugi's back between his wings and the Gandora immediately sat up. His eyes were huge when he spun around. Hermos rolled down from the sudden action, landing in a heap sprawled on his belly with his paws splayed out. He blinked huge eyes at Yugi who stared at him in shock.
"Besides, their lack of interaction with you will make that even more of a statement than anything else."
"I suppose." Atem tilted his head. Yugi had helped Hermos to his paws. Critias had sprung on him. Mahado and Ishizu were both coming to attack him as well. "I do not know if I quite care to make such a statement, however."
"No, you might not. It's not a big deal to do such a thing, I suppose. But he's not wrong in that it might make them reconsider your importance should they have ever overlooked it before."
Atem tilted his head, curious. Had they ever overlooked him? Was that why none of them had ever come to meet him before?
"I never desired for them to cross paths with me after we met."
The teal dragon remained silent for a handful of minutes. Then he nodded slowly and closed his eye tightly. "You wanted them to come to you before we met because of the rumors that Jaden could heal wounds and emotions, yes?"
The Sky Dragon ignored him for a long moment. "Yes."
"But you still recovered on your own, when you doubted that would be possible, right?"
Atem looked sideways at him for a long moment. "Yes, I suppose so," he said quietly, breathlessly, feeling extremely winded for a split second. He almost thought he could not remember how to breathe for a long moment. Then he blinked and turned to face him entirely, the pain subsiding as he considered his friend. "I recovered without their help but a random Wind Dragon's."
Timaeus smirked, butting him affectionately in the shoulder. The little bit of fear that had encompassed the red dragon was gone in an instant, he noticed with relief. He'd seen it, even if Atem was a master at hiding it from unsuspecting eyes. But he'd known the moment he'd spoken that it would bring back memories that would rattle the Sky Dragon. But watching his words and hiding behind fabrications had never been something Timaeus had been able to do, regardless of who it was involved. "I'd like to say that it happened for a reason. But I do not know any longer. Maybe one of the dragons in Paradise decided it was necessary the two of us should meet."
The God Dragon snorted. "Maybe I decided I was lonely and needed a friend," he scoffed. But he did not sound scornful and rather seemed amused and perhaps even grateful. He was not sure. Atem often shielded his emotional state when he was nervous and Timaeus could tell just by looking at him now that he was in such a state. He was clearly nervous and upset and did not seem happy in the slightest. But he was not snapping at him. He was not snarling or glaring at him in any manner.
He was not turning away from him entirely and attempting to ignore his existence altogether.
Had Timaeus been anyone else, he was sure Atem would have implemented these behaviors. He would have lost his temper by then and snapped at him fiercely. And Timaeus knew this because he'd done such a thing when he was younger. When he'd first come across him, Atem had been too terrified to interact with him for over a moon. He'd panicked and snarled and tried to flee on several occasions. And when Timaeus had offered to let him eat from his kill, he'd been forced to let him try to steal it.
Atem had gotten only a few feet away, his side had ached, and then he'd tripped over his own paws and landed in a pathetic heap on his belly. When he'd gone to help him to his paws and reclaim his meal, Atem had bitten at him in a rage, drawing blood even as he tried to claw him open. But he'd tired out immediately after the first few attacks and lay there exhausted. He'd laid there, prepared for Timaeus to end him then and there, curling up to protect his side but leaving his throat vulnerable in his pathetic position.
He'd sat with him for a few minutes, teasing him gently about his state. He'd said he was the cutest little thief he'd ever met, that Atem had a lot to learn if he wanted to make a living out of scavenging. And then he'd convinced the little Sky Dragon, by some miracle, to join him in eating. Atem had stared at him, refusing to open both eyes and lift his head, as if he was afraid it was a trick of some kind. And then, when Timaeus had dragged the kill over to him and taken a seat on the other side and told him to eat from the one nearest him, Atem had finally gotten up. He'd been incredibly skittish at first.
When Timaeus had so much as lifted his head to glance at him, Atem would flee as fast as he could. He'd crouch behind a bush for a few minutes, then creep out again when Timaeus was only watching him from his peripheral. When he'd eaten his fill, however, the Sky Dragon had been too exhausted to keep running. And so the Wind Dragon had gone about lying next to him and grooming him until he'd relaxed completely. And, from there, Atem had been all but glued to his side. He'd let him clean his wound later that night, allowed him to apply a poultice made from some leaves he'd watched humans use for battle wounds. And he'd let him do it every night that they'd remained together.
And Timaeus had never told him, but he'd loved his antics before he'd even officially made friends with him. Atem had been something of a curiosity to him before they'd even spoken and he'd spotted him trying to hunt before failing twice as many times. He'd mortally wounded some prey and left it for him to finish off, snickering when he'd see how delighted Atem would appear when he'd catch it.
Atem had always been rather childish in that manner, prideful but somehow humble as well, even as a hatchling. He'd been vicious but so terrified he'd quaked when he'd lashed out. And it had only served to make him more adorable than ever to Timaeus. The Wind Dragon had tried more than once to win his favor. And he still thought he was the most adorable little Sky Dragon from then on. He still found some of his antics hilarious and more adorable than any other dragon could ever hope to be.
But, on the opposing side of this, he worried about him. Atem was damaged, regardless of how well he'd healed from much of it. And he knew that Atem utilized that as a weapon as well. He'd fought with him verbally more than once, and the red dragon may have gone quiet during the worst of it. But Timaeus had always felt it. He'd felt that hollow, icy stare, the one of the God Dragon Atem could have become.
He'd seen the glacial expression, the way his eyes had become frigid, his gem abruptly clear and glimmering blue. He'd seen the way his thoughts had seemed to circulate, his jaws clenching fiercely, his head angling towards the ground.
And he'd known those few times that Atem was more dangerous than he'd taken into account. He'd acknowledged then that while Atem was his friend, he was not helpless. And Timaeus' own life could very easily be snuffed in his rage. When he'd taken his eye out, it had been but a reminder how fragile the control was that Atem possessed. And it had hurt him more to see the devastation that Atem had worn that day than it did to physically experience that excruciating pain.
Now he studied him frequently. It was not out of fear, but respect and acknowledgment. He knew Atem had never forgiven himself for his lapse of control. And he knew he was more afraid of that destructive instinct than he was anything else. He knew that, buried in the deepest part of him, there was another God Dragon that put power before everything else. One that desired nothing more than to be left alone by any means possible. And he knew this was what Atem struggled with the most.
Because it was that part of him that convinced him he could not love Yugi.
It was that part of him which convinced him that he was not meant to have a mate, to experience any true happiness. It was that part of him, the one that was still haunted by his brothers and the large shadows they'd cast over him, that had stopped him so long ago.
Atem would never admit it, but Timaeus knew it to be true.
The reason Atem had not found Jaden had not been because of the fact that he'd found Timaeus instead. It'd been because he had given up. It had been because of the pain in his soul, the burden in his heart, the thought that he was as worthless as his brothers had claimed. And that little bit of resentment and hatred of himself had buried its claws in him and grown, becoming something of an instinct he hid behind when he was at his most afraid.
Timaeus sighed softly, wondering for a moment if Atem might react negatively should he try to comfort him now. He wished more than ever to groom him, to help him relax and settle even if it only lasted a minute. But the Sky Dragon would merely distance himself, he knew; he wasn't that small hatchling anymore. He'd grown, even if sometimes Timaeus wondered if he'd done it in the wrong way.
Perhaps he should have stayed with him longer. Maybe he should have tried harder to help him. If he had not been so stubborn in his views, optimistic where Atem's had been cynical, would it have helped? Would it have been beneficial of him to have tried to show him the better side of the various things he'd feared? Allowing him to live on his own, despite it being his wish after so long together, had damaged Atem more than anything, he knew. Because the suitors had come in waves and Atem had adapted as necessary, burying his more innocent side beneath a creature that showed only blood on its claws and bit through scales with teeth too terrible to be described.
If he had remained with him longer, perhaps another year or even maybe two, would Atem be better? Would he not be so closed off? Would he not be so scared all of the time like this? Would he believe then that he was not meant to be all-powerful and dangerous like he'd forced himself to be?
He looked away from the Sky Dragon, attention wandering to his hatchlings. Critias was lying on his stomach, biting at the air in front of him. Hermos was pawing at his beak eagerly, wiggling his rump and growling playfully. He would tap his brother and the other would crawl a step, bite at the air, and the two of them would laugh and start again. Ishizu and Mahado were curled up together, fast asleep a few feet away.
Yugi was running over to them, panting. His wings were tucked into his sides and his eyes were brilliant, shining with laughter. "I love your son," he declared. He plopped down into a seated position in front of them. And then he looked at Atem, came closer, and ran his tongue from his beak to his forehead. "He's so full of energy!"
"Most hatchlings are," Timaeus snorted affectionately, watching them in amusement. Yugi had licked Atem again and the God Dragon seemed incredibly confused by his show of affection. He looked as if he could not understand in the slightest why Yugi was licking him like this. "Although Critias does seem to have a lot more than most. His siblings can barely keep up with him as it is."
Yugi smiled, looking away from Atem for the first time since he'd gotten to their side. He sat up straighter, eyes bright. "I could hardly keep up with him either. One second we'd be running around playing tag and the next he'd be chewing on my tail when we were supposed to be resting!"
Atem snickered, smiling and tilting his head. "He sounds like me when I was teething."
The Wind Dragon snorted. "He likes to chew on things. Not so much just someone's tail. He'll bite you on the beak if it seems satisfying to him."
Yugi glanced at Atem warmly, searching his face with affection. "You chewed on your parents' tails when you were teething?"
The Sky Dragon smirked. "It was twice as bad with two mouths," he murmured, eyes half-closed as Yugi licked him once more. Timaeus nearly snickered at the contentment in the God Dragon's stance at the moment. And he thought he couldn't come to love him? Atem looked as if he were melting beneath his very touch now that the surprise had faded. "I think they probably wanted to box me upside the head a few times. I was chewing on them constantly."
The Gandora smiled a little wider. "I can't imagine you toothless."
"No, I had a more traumatizing experience than being toothless. My teeth fell out two at a time at the most. My jaws were incredibly lopsided for a long time with such a slow rate. My secondary teeth came in on one side and my hatchling teeth remained on the other. It was horrifying." He huffed when Timaeus snorted and then cast him a glare. But Yugi simply smiled at him and he felt weak for a moment, somewhere between pleased and flustered with his attention. He wanted for a moment to duck his head and bury his muzzle beneath his paws, shame flaring through him for a split second at the thought of sharing such vulnerability. "And my secondary teeth were twice as large as any primary. So I couldn't even shut my mouths properly. My parents were having so much fun with my teething process. It was terrible."
Yugi laughed in delight. He had only ever seen Atem's teeth when they had already fallen and replaced themselves. But imagining the beautiful little Slifer from his memories at six moons old, with a lean body so incredibly small and snake-like in his Origin Form and immense teeth too large for his face, was more adorable than Yugi could ever put into words. He almost trembled, laughter and happiness sweeping through him. But he could imagine even more a small red dragon with a head and paws and wings too immense for his serpentine frame.
His eyes were huge, beautiful glittering golden gems. The sapphire-blue gem on his forehead was gleaming and clear. His teeth were larger on one side and on the other they were like needles and thorns, thin and small but tall and sharp. The effect of it was an awkward gaping smile that made him all the more gorgeous to the Gandora.
"But then the tusks came in," the Sky Dragon continued. He groaned and reached up to cover his face with his paws, making a noise that sounded almost strangled with remorse. "And, by the gods, it was the most excruciating pain I have ever suffered through. My gods, they just… Ooh, I shudder to remember it."
Yugi laughed softly and tilted his head, eyes soft and warm and full of such extreme adoration it nearly threatened to knock the air from his lungs. "That bad?" he teased, searching his face and smiling when Atem looked up again. And Atem could almost see the question behind his eyes, guess as to what he was wondering.
He wanted to know if it was still the most terrible pain he'd ever known. He was wondering if he'd weighed it against the ache of their mating as well.
"I didn't even know they were going to grow in!" he huffed indignantly. But he doubted even then the experience would have been any less painful. He hadn't had a spot for them to grow in and they'd dug through flesh and bone. They'd tunneled through his skin and scales and it'd been so painful he almost sobbed simply thinking about it. "And they came in about a moon after the rest of my teeth! One day I woke up to this terrible burning pain on either side of my jaw and I spent another moon and a half just rubbing my face against anything I possibly could. I brought branches home and into the den so that I could rub against them all night because I couldn't sleep with them growing in like that."
Timaeus snorted. "How happy I am that I was not related to you. You could have whipped me in the face with a branch while I was sleeping."
Atem glared at him, bristling slightly and growling as he flexed his claws in feigned threat. "I can whip you with my tail now if you would like. I promise it will only knock you unconscious."
Yugi burst out laughing. The sound startled Atem so violently that he jumped, spinning on him in surprise. Timaeus blinked his widened eye, peering at Yugi in surprise. His head tilted and Atem found himself mimicking him in bewilderment. But the youngest of their little trio shook his head and looked down, laughing harder than ever. "'I promise it'll only knock you unconscious'," he muttered, shaking his head again. "That's the best thing I've ever heard."
Timaeus snorted, turning to Atem and butting him in the shoulder. The red dragon turned to him with a tilted head, confused. "He told me one time he was going to poop on my head when I tried to make him lay down and go to sleep."
Atem snickered, delighted. Oh yes, he remembered that. "In my defense, you deserved it."
The Gandora gaped for a moment, then laughed harder. "You monster!" he teased. He looked up with sparkling eyes, mischievous with his delight. He leaned forward, licking his forehead, and snickered happily. "You're terrible!"
"He was trying to act like my dad. So I reminded him he wasn't my father and told him I would poop on his head if he kept telling me what to do." The Sky Dragon smirked wider than ever. "It's not my fault he was trying to parent me like that."
"What did you do when he said that?"
"Oh, I sat on him until he tired himself out from struggling and finally settled down for the night." Timaeus looked smug and Atem shot him a dirty, flustered glance. He shouldn't have been so happy about that. "I wasn't having a tiny red Sky Dragon run away in the middle of the night and possibly get himself killed because he was so happy about his wound healing."
Yugi lost his affectionate look. His scales rose and fell in a shuddering bristle, clearly startled and unhappy with the very thought. He shifted his weight, stiff in his position, and narrowed his eyes. "Well, thank you for that," the Gandora muttered finally, for a moment seeming flustered before he turned back to Atem. "You're still mean for threatening to poop on him though."
Atem tilted his head towards him, nearly laughing, and snorted loudly. "Well, I'll have you know, Yugi, if I hadn't done so, he most likely wouldn't have sat on me. And then where would we be?" But now Yugi noticed that the Sky Dragon looked somewhat unsure of himself, almost as if he didn't quite know if he truly believed he'd have been okay without Timaeus there. "I wouldn't have given him a reason to if I had not said that."
"No, I think I would have sat on you regardless," Timaeus said with a brilliant smirk. He shook his head, butting him in the shoulder again. And Yugi realized with surprise that the Wind Dragon meant to cover for the uncertainty Atem had displayed seconds before. "You were just too cute when you were trying to dig your way out from under me."
The Sky Dragon bristled and snorted, glaring at his friend in frustration. But Yugi wondered if he seemed mildly upset now, if his words had reminded him somewhat of his suitors. "You would not!" he protested, scowling at the Wind Dragon.
"No, I most likely would have just knocked you away from the den entrance if you'd have tried to escape. You tired out far more easily those days." The teal male flicked his wings, beaming at Atem. "Although now I'm sure you could take me on and an army afterwards."
Atem huffed. "You're not aggressive enough for me to fight. You suck at combat."
Timaeus stared at him for a long moment or so. Then he huffed, turning immediately to Yugi now. "You should beat him up for me," he announced as the Gandora sat up with wide eyes. Yugi tilted his head curiously and considered him for a long moment. "He has the idea that you're super aggressive. He even called you Yogi. Bite his wing. Cripple him."
Yugi burst out laughing, delighted by the idea. He turned his head, unable to stop himself from guffawing harder. Atem was so shocked both mouths had fallen open, eyes wide with shock at the suggestion. "He's way too cute and sweet for that. I'm not laying a claw on him," the Gandora protested, snickering.
"Whipped him with your tail, huh?" Timaeus snorted to Atem.
The Sky Dragon abruptly shook off his surprise and narrowed his eyes into a furious but playful glare. He shook his head, growling and bristling faintly. "You need to be boxed in the ear," he grunted, flustered and annoyed as he flexed his paws. "Trying to make my mate turn traitor!"
"Oh, please. He didn't even think before he answered, Atem. He didn't even let me try to tell him what I would give him in return."
"There's a reward for beating him up?" Yugi asked, tilting his head with feigned interest.
"Don't look at me like that," Timaeus snapped, voice full of laughter as he glared at him. "You're just pretending now!"
Atem was snickering as he moved to lick Yugi on the forehead, butting him in the shoulder seconds later with his beak. "You should beat him up for suggesting you beat me up. How about that? Knock him around a few times for me?"
The Gandora looked at him and then slowly to Timaeus. He made a point of studying him for a moment, clearly sizing him up. Atem burst out laughing, delighted by his mate's eagerness. The Wind Dragon stiffened slightly, then growled playfully and clawed at the air lazily.
Yugi eyed him a moment longer, growled in a manner that could have been perceived as aggressive from an onlooker, and sprang at him. Yugi knocked him in the side. Timaeus tottered, startled. Then he growled in turn. Yugi wiggled his rump. He lifted his paw, hit him in the shoulder, and sprang away.
Atem snorted. "What is this play fight? I want blood!" he snickered. But he sprang at Yugi in turn. Timaeus laughed, pawing at him. He hit the Sky Dragon's wing lightly. The Gandora was laughing in delight. Then he swatted at Atem's shoulder.
The three of them rolled about in a mass of colorful scales. Timaeus had tangled with Yugi. And Atem leaped away. He was winded. His hindquarters stung and burned. His legs felt weak for a split second.
He knew it was only from their earlier mating, however. But it was uncomfortable enough that it hindered him. And he did not want to move any further. He took a seat. And, had he been home, he probably would have groomed himself. He would have tried to dull the ache at least slightly.
He looked over his shoulder now. The Gandora and Timaeus continued rolling about. The Wind Dragon had managed to knock him away. He was breathing harder than Yugi. And he crouched with a growl. Yugi flexed his claws, low to the ground as well.
Atem watched them when they rolled about again. Timaeus had managed to land atop him. And Yugi was growling and writhing. Atem turned away when Yugi used his wings to flip them. He heard Timaeus grunt. But it was not enough to make him turn back.
His embarrassment made his belly ache. And so he raised his wing and folded it in front of his face. His tongue ran over it, grooming it. It was not as if the appendage hurt in any manner, but it did well for his embarrassment. He did not like having such obvious weakness. And he almost wished he had not pulled away.
It took Timaeus and Yugi a few more minutes to settle down. Atem had long since stopped grooming himself. He was instead sitting with his tail curled around his paws. He was watching Hermos and Critias wrestle instead. They were trying to duplicate the play fight Timaeus and Yugi were in the midst of.
Critias was even barking at his brother that he was Yugi. And Hermos was barking that he wanted to be Yugi instead.
"I got him, Atem!" Yugi crowed. He came bounding over to him immediately. There was only the smallest, slightest hint of concern in his eyes. But the rest was all laughter. He got to his side, pouncing forward to tap his shoulder gently with his beak.
"Oh?"
Timaeus huffed as he wandered over as well. He shook himself out and took a seat. "He boxed me right upside the head. No warning, no notice," he grumbled, shaking his head in annoyance. "No anything. I was about to pounce and then ow."
Atem burst out laughing, butting Yugi in the shoulder. "That's my brilliant little gem," he purred, laughing harder. The Gandora seemed to melt upon hearing his nickname, cuddling into his side and shuddering with happiness.
"I'm insulted. Not only did a bastard dragon beat me only two moons ago, now my best friend's mate has gone and done it as well."
Yugi used Atem's shoulder as a way of peaking over the God Dragon's wings to look at him. "Well, Atem did say that you're a terrible fighter," he muttered softly. The Sky Dragon burst out laughing once more, moving to thump him gently with his tail. Yugi grinned at Atem and turned back to Timaeus. "Sorry, but you were asking for it when you tried to talk me into fighting Atem. All threats must be eliminated."
"See? I told you he could be violent."
Timaeus smirked and stared at Yugi pointedly now. The Gandora tilted his head in bemused curiosity after a moment. "Violent?" the Wind Dragon scoffed loudly, peering at Yugi with his amber eye.
Yugi could see clear fondness and laughter there. And it was enough to absolutely wind the Gandora. His hearts raced in his chest and his claws flexed as they dug into the grass and loose dirt beneath his paws. Did he like him so much because of what he meant to Atem? Or did he truly like him so much because of him himself?
"He's about as violent as a leaf! Even when he was fighting at the cliffs, he wasn't too terribly aggressive until he ran into Keith, I'll bet."
Yugi bristled faintly at the mention of the bastard's name. He shivered and Atem turned his head to look at him in concern but the Gandora ignored him. He forced himself to feign stretching his neck, laying his chin on the Sky Dragon's crown comfortably.
"That's not entirely true. It's not entirely wrong either though," Yugi admitted after a long moment. He flicked his tongue and Atem remained relatively still beneath him to let him remain in this position. "I mean, Atem went to help you and I went to help his brothers. And when I got there I had to fight Jonouchi and I knocked him aside instead of killing him when I recognized him. If I'd been so angry then as I was when Atem's brothers were around him, I don't think I ever would have realized it was him and would have killed him."
Timaeus looked at Atem with something knowing glinting in his bright eye. Yugi puzzled over this for a long moment. He risked a glance at his mate. Atem looked mildly troubled for a split second before blinking it away. The Gandora wasn't sure he liked the way Atem seemed to be closing himself off…
"Well, I will say once more that I was surprised to see you taking on Keith by yourself," Timaeus said abruptly, turning to him with a small smile. He watched him and tilted his head, searching his face. "I was pretty amazed. And I'm sure all of the others that were at the cliffs were too. I don't think half of them even knew what kind of dragon you were."
Yugi frowned, mildly puzzled by the statement. He knew that Timaeus had not meant it in any way beyond friendliness. But he still felt mildly dizzy for a moment.
And a new thought occurred to him as he looked at Timaeus.
Because the Wind Dragon was not wrong.
Most of those dragons at the cliffs had not known him in the slightest, from his species to his name.
"Keith knew exactly what I was."
Atem bristled beneath him. The scales along his back rose into an elongated state, much like those of a porcupine. Yugi pulled away immediately, startled but frantic as well. He did not wish to risk an accidental spearing. He had no doubt that Atem could shear through his scales and flesh and bones with little difficulty if he were to only try.
He had seen how easily some Sky Dragons could dislodge the scales along their back and tail in combat. The barbs would sink through armor and flesh and the impact alone was often enough to break bone. And then, when they made contact with blood, from what Yugi understood, they seemed to expand. They would swell slightly and hook into the muscle violently, tearing and ripping through flesh when one tried to remove them.
Timaeus seemed to notice Atem's response but made no remark about it. Instead he turned to Yugi again, watching the Gandora as he took a seat a couple of inches from the Sky Dragon. He was studying Yugi now, amber eye caught on his face for a long moment. "Yes, well, Keith was a special case," the teal male murmured dismissively. But, as he began to turn away, Atem's tail lashed and the Sky Dragon moved to sit up. Timaeus turned his head to face him curiously.
"Atem?" the Gandora mumbled in a confused tone, shifting his weight uncomfortably. But the Slifer turned to him, staring as Yugi stiffened and blinked wide eyes. His golden eyes flashed as if with fire and the gem on his forehead was cloudy and dark with something akin hatred. He looked furious, far beyond anything Yugi had ever seen before. And the realization horrified him. "What? What's wrong?"
Had he done something?
Yugi bristled faintly.
Had he hurt him more than he'd thought with the mating? Was that a possibility? He felt sick as he considered. Had Yugi harmed him more than he'd thought initially? He trembled.
Atem was silent for so long that Yugi almost thought he would fail to answer. But the Sky Dragon got to his paws, stretching himself out fully. He flexed his claws and dug a little into the dirt by his toes, more or less annoyed. And then he turned his head again.
Critias and Hermos had given up their reenactment of the fight between Timaeus and Yugi from moments before. Mahado and Ishizu were playing and grooming each other around swatting one another. Kris was lying nearby still, studying them with lazy brown eyes. No doubt if Atem made a move towards them she'd have leaped to her paws and watched. He knew she was still on the edge about him. He knew she was still considering the rumors surrounding him.
"I guess it might do me well to tell you now," the God Dragon mumbled softly, "so that you are not surprised should it be mentioned at the meeting."
Yugi stiffened in confusion, glancing to Timaeus in bewilderment. But the Wind Dragon was steadily ignoring him and had instead stared at the ground as if the grass were his salvation. Instantly Yugi turned back to Atem, watching him with darkened blue-violet eyes. "Atem…"
"The way a dragon gains another breath is a rather…disgusting ordeal." Atem remained silent for a long moment. Then he too turned to look at Timaeus as if for help. But the teal dragon was staring at the grass more pointedly than ever. He refused to so much as look over at him. The red male huffed and turned back with a slightly flustered gleam to his eyes, the gem on his forehead cloudy. He looked distressed now, Yugi realized. "Keith was one of the only dragons truly…delusional enough to do it. But… Hmm…"
Yugi tilted his head, studying him more pointedly. "I'm kind of lost," he admitted in a soft and uncertain voice. "You're not quite making sense, Atem."
Timaeus snickered softly, shaking his head and studying Atem with a small smile of amusement. "Atem is having trouble saying it," he laughed in a singing tone.
"Clearly," Yugi quipped viciously. He did not know how to mind his tone any further. And he nearly snarled at the thought that someone else might witness Atem struggling to find words. He hated the idea of someone else seeing it, if only because he knew many would take advantage of this perceived weakness. And he grew furious at that thought alone.
But then he remembered that Timaeus was also his very best friend. He had to know that sometimes Atem struggled for words. No doubt he'd watched him do such often when he was younger. But he'd also had to have seen that sometimes Atem was awkward and unsure and mildly immature as a dragon.
And Timaeus had to have known this far longer than Yugi himself had come to…
"Sharing hearts to revive another dragon gives them the ability to mend whatever wounds formerly killed them, yes?" Atem continued abruptly.
The words startled Yugi out of his thoughts, eyes growing wide as his head snapped back towards him. The God Dragon had wrapped his tail around his paws again. And he was staring at the hatchlings once more. The Gandora was more confused than ever now.
What did this have to do with anything?
"And sometimes they are said to share every ache and pain from sickness to mortal wounds, yes? And should the dragon to offer their heart die it would bring on the death of the other, yes?"
"Yes," Yugi said uncertainly, nodding slowly and tilting his head in confusion. It was legend to most, but a truth for the ones who had done it. Sharing one's heart was a messy ordeal. It tended to bring out the truest nature of a dragon, depending on what purpose the heart was given.
He'd heard of it going terribly wrong before, of a dragon being forced to ask a human to kill him in order to stop their friend's rampage. It could be violent, or it could be wonderful from what he understood. When mates shared their hearts, it was usually in order to save the other from a mortal wound and from what he understood of it, it usually only brought them joy later.
And, as he considered it, he wondered what would have happened had Keith managed to kill Atem and bring him back. Would Atem have truly become the dragon that was spoken about in rumors? The "Red Death" as Kris had referred to him earlier? Keith's desire had been to overpower and conquer; if he had used Atem as his vehicle in order to do so…
Yugi fought away a tremor.
It hadn't happened.
Keith was dead.
Atem was alive and well beside him, anxious but not vicious beyond reason or some kind of great and terrible monster.
He was Yugi's mate. He was…hopefully happy.
"That's what I know of it…"
"And, sometimes, when the dragon is strong enough, it allows the one they share their heart with to possess a portion of their strength, right?"
"Yeah, but…"
And then Yugi blinked. His head snapped towards Timaeus. The Wind Dragon refused to look at him. Slowly he turned back to Atem. The Sky Dragon was staring at him now. He felt winded as he locked eyes with him. The grim truth of it shone back to him and Yugi nearly stumbled. He struggled to remember how to sit down before his legs collapsed beneath his weight. His tongue was numb for a moment. His saliva glued his jaw shut. His eyes stretched wide, burning with horror. And then he quivered violently.
Yugi locked eyes with him again. He felt dizzy and sick. His hearts ached within his chest. Atem peered back at the Gandora with blank eyes. It was a horrifying sensation to be beneath such a simple and cold gaze as what the God Dragon projected to him.
He couldn't truly be telling him what he thought he was, right? Surely there was no way that he could possibly insinuate…
"He… He…ate…them…?"
Atem was silent for a long moment. Then he looked to Timaeus and back, bristling faintly. "It is the only way I know of that one is able to acquire a series of breaths and abilities outside of their original species. And Keith was a Fire Dragon. The Barrel Dragon might appear to be more akin a Lightning Dragon but they are solely Fire Dragons. He shouldn't have been able to mate outside of that species either. And yet he somehow managed it. The only thing that I can think of is he ate multiple hearts and it mutated him to the point of giving him mastery of those breaths and the ability to mate with those outside of his species."
Timaeus had turned his attention to Yugi now as well. And Atem swore he saw the faintest gleam of pity in his single glittering amber eye. "And, in order to mutate as far as he did, with so many evolutionary gaps filled as they were…"
"He would have had to kill and eat the hearts from other hybrid dragons." Yugi was staring at the ground now. Atem wished he could reach out and draw him to his side. But another part of him was too unsure.
He didn't know how Yugi might react. After hearing such news, in his place he would hardly wish for comfort. He'd likely lash out, clawing and biting in his rage. And he did not know how much comfort he might be able to offer him as it was.
So he stayed as he was, watching his mate. He could not stop the relief which surged through him, as spiteful and selfish as it was. Yugi had not been found by Keith as the others had. He was still alive only because of his own cunning and ability to hide in plain sight.
But with this relief came disappointment as well.
If he could not even stand to comfort Yugi, then what kind of mate was he truly?
"Including Gandora…"
Timaeus nodded beside him. Atem ignored the glance he cast in his direction and instead moved to wrap his tail around his paws loosely. He didn't want to tell him that Keith had most likely planned to do the same to him when he'd cornered him on the battlefield as he had. From what Yugi had told him of his fight with the Barrel Dragon, Keith had even hinted at it. He'd asked Yugi if he knew what he had done to his species, if he'd like to experience it himself…
Atem blinked, forcing himself not to snarl. The hatchlings were so close nearby and Kris was still watching them. He wouldn't have lashed out, but why cause unnecessary fear for any of them? He flexed his claws repeatedly, then forced himself to calm some. But the thoughts kept coming and he couldn't help it when he bristled…
Keith would have harvested Yugi's teeth and claws immediately after. But he would have eaten his heart for sure, Atem felt. And that was especially so if he had realized Yugi was his mate. Atem knew the pride Keith so clearly harbored would have been enough to make him furious. He would have forgotten the rest of the fight if only to attempt to destroy Atem in every way he possibly could. It didn't matter if Yugi was truly an innocent in this mess; it was only of significance that he'd somehow managed to take what Keith had felt belonged to him.
But killing and cannibalizing other dragons had led to various issues as well. While Keith might have grown stronger and been able to breed with more females, it had also caused more problems.
His hearts had all morphed together, becoming a singular unit within his chest. He had not been able to move as quickly. His armor had become uneven, with softer flesh in some areas and harder and plates in others. He had no longer possessed true wings. Only the upper bones had formed the length of them and the Lightning magic had expanded from them in order to form their replacements enough to fly.
He had lost much of what had made him a Barrel Dragon. He had taken on much of the characteristics of the dragons he'd eaten. That was why he had become primarily Lightning by the time he'd been killed. He'd become more akin the breed the Barrel Dragons were often mistaken for…
Atem shook the thought off, breathing heavily for a split second. Timaeus cast him a worried glance from the corner of his eye, but he ignored it. "From what I remember of the situation, there was talk of another dragon killing Gandora dragons for a while," he finally admitted quietly. He flicked his tail, thumping it against the ground.
Yugi looked up at the sound, locking eyes with him once more. He was mournful, Atem noticed, but he seemed relieved as well. No doubt the Gandora had come upon the same line of thought as Atem.
"I assumed someone had waged a personal war of some kind. It is not too terribly uncommon. After all, there was that Ice Dragon that turned on Fire Dragons for a little while. They'd tried to kill some Red-Eyes for whatever reason and gotten knocked around for their troubles so it is not entirely unheard of. And I doubted that they were going to come after a God Dragon that's been killing suitors so it was something I dismissed."
Had he come to know of Yugi sooner, he was not entirely sure how much the situation might have mattered to him regardless. When it came down to it, the only reason Atem had ever come to allow Yugi to get close to him in any manner was because he had challenged him and won. Had it not been for that, he would never have cared to do such a thing.
And he did not think Yugi had been wounded for any long while as he had formerly, so he doubted he would have felt a desire for mercy should he have entered the territory as the others had. The fear alone would have driven him to chase Yugi out if nothing else. He was so young. For that alone Atem could not picture himself killing him. But he could definitely see himself chasing him angrily and trying to make him leave the territory in a fit of rage.
It might have worked, it might not have. Yugi might have been brave enough to simply live on the outskirts. Or he might have pleaded with him until Atem felt he was too exhausted to fight him any longer. He didn't know that he would have raised a claw against him, if only because he did not like to lash out without being provoked. And he may have been territorial at times, but it was over food and not truly land as so many other dragons acted.
He was extremely thankful now that Yugi had been as tactful as he had. The Gandora had hidden with humans, covering his juvenile scent with a berry and mud paste, and shadowed them until he'd been able to use a net. That alone had to be the only thing that had saved Yugi from his wrath altogether. Otherwise Atem was sure he would have simply killed him then and there if he was older. But then, as he had told Yugi formerly, he could not be sure what he might have done.
True first generation Gandora dragons were extremely rare. He could not imagine killing Yugi when he was so young and his species so incredibly unique. Not that he was sure he could have killed him in the first place had Yugi turned that destructive fire attack on him as he had Keith.
That alone might have been enough to save him.
Atem had trained himself to be resistant to all of the magic and physical blows that other dragons could throw at him. But it had not helped him as fully as he'd been hoping. It had done nothing to prepare for something that a Gandora possessed. They were called the Dragons of Destruction for the sole purpose that their fire and wind attacks were almost always three times as strong as natural. And when they set themselves on fire, it was one of the most violent and powerful and dangerous attacks they had, which made it all the more deadly.
How Keith had survived it with such minimal damage was only more an indication that Keith had done these things, killing and eating them and enjoying every moment that it happened. But it also only reinforced the fact that Yugi was so incredibly young. It was something equally weighted between a burden and simply a lack of experience. And Atem could not be sure he knew which one to better consider it when it came to the fight he'd narrowly interrupted that day.
Keith could have killed him.
Atem hadn't let himself think about it for longer than a few minutes before now, but he couldn't stop it now.
Yugi could have been killed.
And for what?
Atem would have gladly thrown his brothers to deal with Keith and get eaten alive if it would have saved him. That fight was not even one he had cared for. It may have been his fault that he had not killed Keith before he'd found such strength but it was never something that he'd wanted to risk Yugi's life over.
And, to think, Yugi had never known of Keith going about and killing Gandora dragons. If that was the case, then he would never have known to hide himself had it not been for the fact that he had been evading Atem…
"Do you know anymore about the meeting than I?" the Sky Dragon asked abruptly, turning to Timaeus pointedly. The Wind Dragon blinked, startled, and then glanced between Yugi and Atem for a brief moment.
"The Ice Dragon mentioned that it has to do with every dragon involved in that fight as well as Clan leaders nearby. I assume that means that they'll have foregone bringing the clutches he fathered and they will simply discuss them instead. I should hope that is what happens. I do not know how it is they might deal with this in any other way."
Yugi was staring at him now, blue-violet eyes wide. "Do you think they'll end up killing them immediately if that's what we all vote on? Or do you think it'll be more drawn out than that?"
"I think it would take longer than that, Yugi." Atem shook himself out beside Timaeus and the Wind Dragon was amazed by how easily the God Dragon got up to move closer to the Gandora. Yugi was watching him when he brushed flanks with him before plopping down at his side. Timaeus smiled faintly. "We'd still have to locate them, after all. And I'm not sure any of them are quite brave enough to show their faces or announce their heritage."
Timaeus tilted his head, curious as he considered the two of them. "What will you do when you cross paths with your brothers?"
Atem scoffed and lowered his head to his paws as his eyes closed. "Pretend there is no family relation to them."
Yugi laughed softly. "Good choice." He paused. "I don't promise not to knock them around if they get too close though."
Timaeus snickered. "You're an aggressive little thing."
"I don't care for them," the Gandora growled. "They can rot for all I care."
Atem snorted and sighed softly and Timaeus wondered at the relaxed yet frustrated expression marring his face. It was possible mentioning his brothers had done this, but something about his sigh seemed to dispute this. The Wind Dragon considered him for a long handful of seconds.
Then he shifted his weight and shook his head slightly. If Atem wanted to speak to him about whatever was going on with him, then they would do so later. For now, they'd discuss what the God Dragon had asked about. "The meeting is west of here, in the Badlands." He shrugged when Atem's eyes snapped open to regard him in bewilderment. The Sky Dragon blinked at him, clearly startled, and tilted his head the smallest degree. "I guess it's the focal point between territories?"
Atem scoffed loudly. "It's amazing how that works. They chose somewhere no better than the cliffs themselves."
Yugi was bristling, but Timaeus could tell it was not with unease. His eyes were too bright for that. "That's where I grew up the second time my parents moved the nest!" he exclaimed, excitement making him tremble. Atem turned his head to look at him, his eyes blank and unreadable. Timaeus shivered; he hated when his friend wore that expression. There was also something cold and untouchable whenever he looked at someone with it. "Oh! That means Jonouchi will be there too!"
Timaeus looked away when he saw the way Atem blinked twice and his expression became clearly lost as he lowered his chin to his paws again and refused to face his mate.