Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh
XIX: Surprise
Atem looked up as Yugi came forward. A bright golden-brown animal was held between his teeth as the black male raced toward him. Atem shifted his weight and sat up, tilting his head and frowning in bewilderment. He had not expected Yugi to have gone hunting. It made little sense. They'd eaten the day prior and still had meat cached. Yugi had hidden it. He knew where it was stored. Why would he have gone hunting again? Fire Dragons could be prone to surplus kills during the mating season but it was not close enough and Yugi had not exhibited such tendencies before. Atem shifted his weight and frowned, tilting his head as he studied him. Was Yugi ruled so easily by instincts? He was still juvenile. It was possible he'd done it because the instinct had come over him and he was so young. A lot of younger dragons were not capable of suppression at that age.
Yugi came over and held his prize in his mouth, chin tipped up. Atem frowned and tilted his head, then startled as he sat up. It was still alive. Yugi had not killed it yet. The fawn in his jaws blinked at Atem, brows furrowing as if in rage.
Atem almost snorted at it but found himself unable. He looked to Yugi and shook his head slowly. "It's not dead."
Yugi nodded slightly.
The God Dragon frowned and shook his head again. Yugi was aware then. It wasn't like when he'd brought him the fish from the river, so excited by how beautiful it was that he'd carried it to him without realizing it was still alive.
"So, you're aware of that." He tilted his head further and leaned forward to stare uneasily at the fawn. The deer had not moved in the slightest, staring at him rather than trembling or kicking its legs. Its eyes were dilated and nearly ink black but for his reflection cast there. He shivered, disturbed by the distortion of his own face there, and almost backed away had it not been for the impulse to appear strong. Yugi would not have taken advantage had he shown weakness, but he could not shake the need to retain his powerful appearance. "Why have you brought me a fawn if it is not dead?"
The Gandora lowered his mouth, dropping it to the ground and pressing a paw to his catch's back to force it to remain there. He was shaking, grinning, as he looked to him again. "It was a tradition my mom and dad had. On the day of the year they'd met, they would bring each other something alive so that they could hunt it together. Usually it was something faster and smaller that they could chase. Sometimes they'd let it go and others they'd eat it after a few days of fasting." Yugi looked him over and faltered. "U-unless you wouldn't want to? I don't want to…make you feel like you have to."
Atem shook his head and frowned. "We have known each other for a moon."
"Exactly! It's been a moon!" Yugi searched his face, smiling brilliantly once more. His eyes sparkled like the night sky laced with stars and Atem felt as if he were burning beneath his stunning stare. "It's been a moon! I wanted to celebrate!"
It was so small an amount of time, even if Atem realized it had felt differently. He almost felt Yugi had been there with him for so much longer, though his belly ached even considering. It was terrifying to think Yugi was so warm and easy to be around that he'd almost…forgotten.
He wondered if he owed his mother an apology for doubting her little story about every dragon having a mate created specifically for them.
"Uh, okay," he said finally, tilting his head. "If that is what you'd like to do, I'll…I'll celebrate with you."
Yugi looked fit to burst with happiness. He glanced down at the fawn and turned back with a huge smile. "So, I… I was going to bring a rabbit but they're just so fast and every time I got close they'd go the other way and I'd just miss. So I found this one when his mom tried to lead me away." He paused and then looked down again. "I brought it here and… Okay, so, usually, what my parents would do when they weren't hungry, they'd give it a head-start of about five minutes then chase. And then they'd chase it to each other and then let it go when they got tired."
Atem considered him curiously. He'd have energy far after Yugi, and likely even the fawn. He tilted his head and looked down. "So, they'd play tag with it—almost?"
Yugi nodded. "Something to that effect, yeah." His voice was warm, bubbling with pride. "I-if you want to. I won't be upset if you decide you don't. You know that…right?"
"I just… I've always had a lot more energy than everyone else."
"Oh! You can stop whenever you want." Yugi paused. "O-or once I get tired you can stop, too."
Atem nodded. "Okay."
The Gandora trembled with happiness, then jumped away. The fawn lay, dazed and confused, and then scrambled for its feet before it took off running. Atem saw Yugi barely stop himself leaping to his paws to give chase. He looked so excited. Atem couldn't help but wonder.
How could he be so happy and exuberant with something so simple? It'd been a moon since their consummation. How could Yugi possibly be so excited about it? It seemed like a blink in their lifespans. It was almost nothing.
But Yugi was so excitable about such small things…
It was amazing what sent him into a trembling mess of happiness. Atem wondered if it would ever cease to amaze him and hoped not. He thought Yugi too amazing when he was so soft and sweet.
Atem smiled, chuckling. "Has it been long enough?"
"Oh, I hope so!" Yugi blurted, eyes still focused on where the fawn had disappeared. "I don't want to wait any longer!"
"Then let's go."