Rising from the Ash

by Junko the Lost

After the events of Yu-Gi-Oh! have come to pass, Atem finds himself sinking into depression. Who can save him from his self-enforced despair?

3. Without hope

Author: Junko the Lost

Title: Rising From the Ash

Chapter Title: Without hope . . .

Summary: After the events of Yu-Gi-Oh! have come to pass, Atem finds himself sinking into depression. Who can save him from his self-enforced despair?

Warnings: Shounen-Ai

AN: Welcome again, my, how this group has grown. Yes, the chandelier is new, do you like it? Oh, those noises upstairs? They're just ghosts. They become particularly noisy when I wish for them to be silent. What, you thought this place's name was the Mad House and it wasn't haunted? Oh, pardon my oversight. Well, with that taken care of, do have a seat, and enjoy Chapter 3.

Review Responses:

i-love-bakura1489: Don't worry, I'll be aware laughs

shadows of chaos: yes, let us pity the poor game king sticks out tongue HAHAHAHA!

Aisha with Issues: Thanks for reviewing, Aisha-chan, talk to u at school

Atem stood up, stretching luxuriously. He walked into the kitchen, coming to stand beside Seto, who was cooking what appeared to be scrambled eggs and pancakes. The news was blaring weather reports, damage done from flooding and hail, and the small amount of other news.

"Good morning," Seto said, glancing over at Atem's grinning demeanor and smiling before returning his eyes to his eggs. "You look happy," he commented and Atem blushed.

"Well, Kaiba-san-," but he was cut off by Seto.

"Please, call me Seto," the taller boy said, and before Atem could reply added, "I'm allowed to call you Atem."

Atem's grin widened. "Well, Seto, I just feel happy today. I don't know why." Atem shrugged.

At that moment, Mokuba ran back into the kitchen. "Seto! Is Atem going to be staying the day with us?" He asked, a tiny bit of pleading added to his overwhelming excitement.

"Only if he wants to, Mokuba," Seto replied, smiling fondly down at his brother before looking inquisitively at Atem.

"Sure," Atem said, blushing, "I'd love to, if it's okay."

"Of course it's okay," Mokuba insisted, giving Atem a quick hug before hurrying into the living room and switching his PlayStation 2 on, effectively ending the stream of news forecasts.

"Is it okay, Seto?" Atem asked, looking worriedly at the once stubborn CEO.

"Of course," Seto responded, smiling at the former Pharaoh. He leaned over towards Atem, pressing their bodies together for a brief second. "Both of us are happy that you're here." Before Atem could respond, Seto was once again tending his eggs, humming some tune under his breath that Atem couldn't discern.

Atem, confused, went into the living room to watch Mokuba kick animated creature's butts on his video game. Atem watched with slight confusion as to the actual plot of the game. Mokuba briefly tried to explain it before giving up and returning to his game.

Seto came in with eggs and pancakes, handing both Mokuba and Atem a plate. Atem momentarily marveled at Seto's ability to cook before digging in to the delicious breakfast.

"So, what did you think?" Seto questioned after they had finished. Both Mokuba and Atem voiced their praise of his cooking, Mokuba much more vocally.

Mokuba once again continued his game and Seto, after fixing himself and Atem some coffee, picked up his laptop and sat next to Atem on the couch while working. Atem, without having anything else to do, began to braid Mokuba's hair in a long plait going down his back.

A knock on the door rung out to interrupt the annoyingly repetitive music of Mokuba's game. Mokuba jumped up to answer it. A young boy Mokuba's age, who Atem could only assumed lived in one of the other apartments, was standing there.

"Hey, Mokuba, I was wondering if you would like to come over, since we have a day off," the boy said.

"Of course!" Mokuba responded, turning to Seto, "Can I?" he asked. Seto nodded, smiling as Mokuba turned off his game and headed out with the other boy.

Without Mokuba's hyper personality and near-constant chatter, the room felt too quiet. Atem quickly stood up and switched on the radio. The surround-sound speakers blared Crawling in the Dark by Hoobastank. Atem smiled and began to sing. Seto looked up and smiled as Atem sang.

"You have a really good voice," he commented. Atem blushed. "No, really, you do," he insisted, as Atem sat back down on the couch. Another song came on, this one was one that Atem didn't recognize.

"Why do you compliment me so much?" Atem asked, confusion written all over his face.

"Because you are good at things," Seto replied, switching off his laptop and setting it on the table. "Why do you think you're not?"

"Because I'm not," Atem maintained.

"Atem, you have every bit as much talent as the next person, probably more," Seto informed him, a soft smile on his face. He stretched, his arm coming around Atem to pull the lithe figure towards him. He grinned, laying a soft kiss on his forehead. "You just need to harness that talent, and stop trying to convince yourself that you don't have talent."

Atem beamed in response. Where Seto's lips had touched his forehead burned at the sensation. He longed to feel those lips on other parts of his body as he wormed closer to Seto.

He leaned up, laying a soft kiss along Seto's jaw. His lips curved in a smirk against Seto's skin as he felt the taller boy's breath issue out in a sigh. He trailed warm kisses alternating with tender licks along Seto's jaw line, stopping just under his mouth.

Seto leaned down, catching those lips with his own, finally succumbing to the temptation. His tongue parted Atem's lips with ease, rubbing along the soft muscle of Atem's mouth as the smaller boy's hands came up to grip Seto's bare arms, pulling them closer.

Atem's hands found their way to Seto chest, running nimble fingers down the sides of his stomach, barely touching the sensitive skin. He was rewarded by a low moan into his mouth. He smiled against Seto's mouth.

Seto pushed Atem back onto the couch, his knees now straddling Atem's waist. Without breaking lip contact, his hands found the hem of Atem's shirt and traced delicate patterns along the soft skin. He drew his mouth away, taking in a breath of life-giving oxygen as he drew Atem's shirt up and over his head, tossing it away. He reattached his mouth onto one dusky nipple, teasing it with teeth and tongue.

Atem moaned as Seto's mouth sucked on his nipple, while his other hand teased his other nipple, mimicking the motions of his mouth. Atem's hands tangled Seto's hair, crying out as Seto bit down--hard.

Seto's mouth moved down Atem's chest, leaving a burning hot trail of saliva where he marked his territory with his mouth. He reached Atem's bellybutton, tongue dipping into the cavern. He nibbled along its edges, teasing Atem as his hands stroked the line of skin where his pants started.

Atem was more than willing to let the obviously more talented Seto take control. His groans grew more labored as Seto's fingers and mouth drew closer to where his blood was rushing to.

Finally, Seto's fingers ducked under the fabric of Atem's pants, running along the strip of skin just under the band of his pants. While his mouth continued to torture Atem's bellybutton, his fingers came to unzip Atem's fly. His mouth drew away as his hands pulled pants and boxers down Atem's legs.

Atem bucked at how very slow Seto was moving. Seto chuckled, laying himself on top of Atem so they could once again kiss. Their tongues danced in a heated waltz of ecstasy. Seto's tongue massaged all that it could reach as Atem moaned beneath his gentle tortures.

Seto at last had to pull away; not only for oxygen, but that he realized that he could not make love to Atem on his couch. Atem, still caught in throws of ecstasy, whimpered at the loss of touch. His glorious scarlet eyes opened, accusing Seto of purposely tormenting him. Seto merely smirked and wrapped one hand under Atem's knees, the other supporting his back, carrying him bridal style into his bedroom.

Atem gasped at the magnificent interior of the room. The walls were painted ice-blue, and the covers of the bed were rich, dark blue silks. A canopy hung over the bed and a four-poster curtain hung around it. Seto gently set Atem onto the bed, reaching into the bed-side drawer and pulling out a tube of lubrication.

Gently, he laid down beside Atem and pulled the curtain closed, surrounding them in a romantic light tinged blue from the slightly translucent material of the curtains.

Slowly, he removed his own pants, tossing them to the side before situating himself between Atem's legs. He spread them gently, lubricating his fingers and sliding one gently into Atem's opening. Atem moaned, and Seto's other hand came up to reassuringly stroke Atem's stomach.

Slowly, he inserted another finger, scissoring them both around to make sure Atem would receive the least amount of pain. Finally, he added his third finger, and it hit something inside Atem that made the former Pharaoh cry out.

EDIT: Adult version taken out due NC-17 rating, skip to after sex

Atem mumbled something in Egyptian and cuddled around Seto, falling asleep almost instantly.

A few hours later, Seto awoke to the sound of a door clicking closed. He sat up, his hand reaching out for the reassuring closeness of Atem. All it found was a slip of paper, inscribed with the words, 'Good Bye.'

He instantly got out of bed, pulling on some clothes. Quickly, he checked all the rooms of his apartment for any sign of Atem, only to find none. Even Atem's clothes had disappeared. The only signs that Atem had ever inhabited the apartment were crushed in Seto's hand and staining his sheets.

But no, sitting on the coffee table was Atem's notebook. Seto opened to the last page. A note to Seto sat upon the page. In tidy, neat writing, Atem had written,

'Dear Seto,

I know it may seem odd that I have left, but it is something that I have to do. Please do not come looking for me, and if you do, know that I cannot be found. I do love you, which is why I have to leave. You deserve so much better than I can ever give you no matter how I could try.

I barely can speak and write Japanese well, and I know nothing of the modern times that have dawned while I slept within the puzzle. I am the Pharaoh of a fallen nation, and every leader knows that as his empire fades, so shall he. I bear a crown that no longer holds any significance in the world of today, and there is nothing I can do to reverse that.

Please understand my position. I can never comfortably live in this world where your success is measured by your job and status in society. I have no knowledge to earn a job in these advanced times, and I have no status of my own that is not taken from Yuugi.

Please tell Yuugi that I am sorry. I am sorry to you as well. You obviously had delusions that I could be something more than what I was destined for. I have fulfilled my destiny, and there is nothing left for me to do, so I am going home.

Atem.'

Seto grabbed his cell phone, and pulled on his coat. Swiftly, he dialed the number of his security officer.

"Find Atem," he ordered into the phone.

"Who?" the voice crackled over the other end.

"Find mou hitori no Mouto-san. He has spiky, tri-colored hair and is wearing all black, probably wandering the streets without a coat on." Seto left his apartment, heading out to his car. His security officer promised him that he would do his best before hanging up.

Seto quickly called Mokuba, telling him Atem and he were going out for a short time. He got into his car, pulling out of the parking lot and into the streets.

As he drove with the top down on his convertible, the wind whipped around his face, and it was impossible to tell he was crying, as the wind blew away his tears.

End Chapter 3

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