Disclaimer: I. Do. Not. OWN YUGIOH!
Atemu ran, not caring where he ended up. He ran from emotion. He ran from sickness. He ran from tears. He ran from feelings he couldn't control, power greater than him, and changes out of his hands. He ended up... somewhere.
"Where am I?"
He had come to a passageway, dark and solemn in its existence. Cobwebs framed dreary, grimy walls, and fear crawled up and down Atemu's back as he inched further into the haunted Hallway of Yami.
"I didn't see this before... I'm pretty sure I'm on the second floor... I think..."
Something scuttled about in back of him, and he startled, grabbing the wall for support.
"Gah!"
"Atemu... Atemu Mutou..."
"Who's there?"
"Your worst nightmare."
Beads of petrified sweat trickled down his face as he squinted, trying to discern a figure that stalked barely inches from himself, though he didn't know it.
"That line's been used before," he croaked out.
"Wise guy, are we? Maybe I's better teach you a little... RESPECT!"
Atemu screamed as spidery hands reached out of the dark and grabbed him around the waist, dragging him forward. His captor's face seemed to produce its own light, and through the looming darkness he saw a face, old and wrinkled in the center of which gleamed eyes of sharpest midnight horror that contrasted horrifyingly with snarls of stark-white hair.
It was Etsu.
"E-Etsu? What do you want with me!"
"I want to teach you a lesson! You wormed your way out of punishment, but you can't get away from me now, no matter how hard you squirm!"
Atemu struggled, but she was right. His strength had been completely stolen by tears and illness, and the woman was a hard, wiry kind of strong that was not to be messed with.
"That's right. Now, would you mind telling me why you're so scared? Have something to hide, do we?"
"I'm scared because we are in the dark, in a place I have never seen, and the way you're holding me is making me extremely uncomfortable."
"Don't play Mister Smart with me! Stuttup!"
He obeyed, choking in fear.
"Now then, how to punish you... this should be fun..." She trailed off as Atemu couldn't help but sneeze from a combination of the freezing temperature and dust in the hall.
"Oh, I know. This should be interesting." She slipped a hand down the back of her dress, bringing it back up. A rapier, silent, deadly silver with a gold hilt rested contentedly in her hand, its terrible blade thirsty for blood and ready to strike.
"How about we play a little game, eh? You are the Game King, after all." She laughed at her own joke, her dry chuckles obnoxiously high pitched and nauseating to Atemu.
"Do I have a choice?"
"Haha! NO! That's the beauty of this game!"
"Release me!" Atemu shouted, wriggling about in the woman's arms.
"Nope. Sorry, but we're in my world now. You play by my rules."
Atemu growled at her words, his head reeling with thought and remaining emotion.
"Here are the rules. You see this sword? I hold it up to your neck like this, and you pray to Dear Kami that it doesn't pierce your neck. I try to force you forward into it. Any questions?"
What? I'll be dead in seconds! There's got to be another way around this... Ah! No! I'm too weak to use shadow magic, and I don't have enough strength to fight her...! I'm trapped!
"Any last words?"
Atemu was taking a gamble, and he knew it.
"Actually, yes."
"Oh? And what would they be?"
"Go to coughheckcough (A/N: He said a different version.)!" He broke one arm free of her grasp and jammed his elbow into her stomach. Freeing his other arm, he dashed off as fast as he could in the direction he'd come from and reeled around at the end of the hall, hearing her panting come closer... and closer... and closer...
He kept running, throwing himself at a set of steps and cursing the noise they made under his rushing feet.
He listened closely. She was creeping up the stairs, one... by... one. He tried to contain his desperate gasps for air, diving into a nearby linen closet and praying to Ra she hadn't heard him.
She drew closer to his hiding place, not making a sound. He sensed her very aura as she approached him, taking a deep breath in through his nose- a BIG mistake. The inside of his nose burned and he cursed colorfully to himself. He bit his lip and slowly drew a hand up to cover his nose and mouth, holding his nose for all he was worth. Etsu came to stand right outside the linen closet.
I'm going to sneeze... I can't sneeze! She'll kill me! Literally! No! Gh... No! Gh... gh... gh...
Etsu listened hard, not knowing she was inches from snapping up her prey. Oh, I know. He's probably hiding in the boys' dorm bathroom, because I supposedly can't go there. Hah! I control everything here! Does he really think he's able to thwart me this easily?
Where did she go? In the dorm? Ack! No! Atemu held his nose tighter, gulping down rushes of itching air that kept rising despite his pleas to Ra for them to stop. "Gh... gh... ah..." Ah! NO!
"Achoo!"
Etsu came bursting out of the dorm, hurling herself at the linen closet door. Atemu bolted out, ducking between her knees and dashing full-speed down the hall.
"Come back! Oh, I've got you now!"
Atemu's legs disagreed with the speed he was forcing them to operate at and he fell to the ground, gasping as all the air left his system.
"HAHA! Can't run now, can you? You think you can get away with flirting with a girl in THIS orphanage? Think again!"
"I... wasn't... flirting... with... her...!" he gasped out, clutching his side as Etsu raised the long sword over his back, preparing to plunge it between his shoulder blades.
"STOP!" a voice roared from down the hall. Both Atemu and Etsu turned to see the speaker. Fran.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"
Etsu licked her lips. "I'm killing him!"
"WHAT? WHY? DID HE TRY TO MURDER SOMEONE?"
"Oh no. THAT'S ME! He won't get away with flirting HERE, no sir! Isn't that right, 'King of Games?'"
He coughed, chest throbbing and head floating in an ooze of dizzy clouds.
"ETSU, I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU'RE DOING THIS, BUT I WON'T ALLOW IT ANY LONGER! I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU DO THE THINGS YOU DO, BUT I'M FED UP WITH IT! HE'S SICK, AND YOU TELL HIM HE CAN'T SNEEZE! THEY'RE TEENAGERS, AND YOU TELL THEM THEY CAN'T FLIRT! IT'S NATURAL! IT'S NOT LIKE THEY CAN HELP SNEEZING OR FLIRTING!"
"They certainly can! Illness, hormones... HAH! You think that's an excuse?"
"It IS an excuse. I'm not taking any of this anymore, Etsu. Get out."
"What? But we had a bargain! You said-"
"Even though you may have more INFLUENCE here, this is MY orphanage, and I can throw you out at any second! I've had it! Go!"
Etsu's face paled horribly. She froze, mouth slightly open and eyes watering, as Fran inched closer and snapped the rapier from her colleague's hands.
"Go."
Etsu screamed and ran. No one ever saw her again.
As Etsu left, Fran dashed forward to Atemu.
"Are you all right?" she asked, turning him over. His face was ghostly and haunted, his eyes red through both irises and whites, chest heaving as he tried unsuccessfully to breathe.
"Oh Kami, no. Atemu! TALK TO ME! WHAT'S WRONG?"
"Ch-Chest... hurts... can't breathe..." He sneezed away the last bits of air left in his lungs and Fran screamed as his form became cold and motionless. She picked him up, thanking every god in the world that he proved to be even lighter than he looked.
"Come on! Hold on!" she near-shouted, rushing him into the teen boys' dorm and laying him down on the nearest bed. The boys looked up, and Masakazu gasped.
"What happened to him?"
Fran shook her head. "Masakazu! Do you know how to help him?"
Masakazu jumped off his bed and walked over, looking the shivering Atemu up and down.
"Holy crap."
"Masakazu..."
"Sorry." Masakazu put his hand to Atemu's forehead and winced, moving his hand down to Atemu's heaving chest.
"That's not good."
"I know that! How can we get him better?"
"I... I don't know... hold on..." He knelt next to the Game King and screamed in the shorter's ear, "ATEMU!"
Atemu stirred and moaned, uttering a few soft coughs. Masakazu bit his lip. "Keiji!"
"Yeah?" the older asked, standing up. His eyes glistened, his brow knitted in worry.
"Remember what we did last night?"
"Yes."
"Do it. Quick."
Keiji dashed off to the bathroom, rushing back with two paper cups of water, the thermometer, and two fever tablets.
"Have him take the tablets now. We can find out his actual temperature after he takes them. We can't waste any time."
Keiji nodded, kneeling next to Masazaku. "Atemu."
Atemu's eyes fluttered open. "W... Where..."
"Don't talk. Sit up and take these."
Atemu tried to follow Keiji's orders, but fell back, coughing. Keiji held his back and Masazazu and Fran each supported one of his flanks, helping him into a relatively comfortable sitting position. The ex-pharaoh moaned.
"Take these." Masakazu stuffed the fever tablets and the water into his hands. Atemu lifted the water and medicine to his lips, but found he was too weak to swallow.
Masakazu swore colorfully under his breath, and Fran overheard.
"Masakazu! I heard that!"
"Sorry, Fran. We need to get him to swallow these, though. This brand doesn't work if you chew them."
"How?"
Masakazu was silent for a minute, then stood over Atemu.
"Hand me one of the pills, and open your mouth." Atemu obeyed, head spinning. Without any notice, Masakazu grabbed the other pill and stuffed both in Atemu's mouth, then forced water down his throat, clamping his hand over the other's mouth until Atemu had managed to swallow the lot.
"There."
Suddenly the door opened and the teenage girls entered.
"Why was there so much yelling just a second ago?" Kaede asked.
"I'll explain later," Fran replied. Hitomi gasped, seeing Atemu.
"What's wrong with him?" Akako asked, eyes horrified.
"He's sick," Masakazu muttered, pacing quickly in a paranoid manner.
Anzu froze upon seeing him. "Oh my gosh..." She ran back into the hall, tears falling freely down her cheeks. Kaede followed her, motioning for the other two girls to stay back.
"Anzu!"
"K-Kaede..."
Kaede wrapped her arms around the crying brunette. "It's okay."
Anzu sobbed into Kaede's shoulder for a minute before finally lifting her head. "He's so sick, and Etsu hurt him..."
"What? Etsu?"
"I... I saw it. Etsu... she tried to kill him!"
"She what?"
"Never mind... Oh my gosh... WHAT IF HE DIES?"
"He won't die," Kaede said firmly. "But... you can help him. But you have to go back in there."
Anzu perked up. "How can I help him?"
"Well... Anzu, don't get mad at me for saying this, but I think he likes you. If he saw you, maybe he'll... you know."
"Atemu? L-Likes me?"
"Look, that's just what it seems like."
Anzu rushed back into the room, pushing roughly past Masakazu to Atemu's bedside.
"ATEMU MUTOU!"
His eyes were a blur. He couldn't see. He was stranded. "W-Who's there?" he asked through the confusion in front of his face.
"It's me! It's Anzu!"
"Anzu?"
"Yes!" Tears fell from her eyes as she took his hand and set his arm around her waist. He blushed, realizing that she was doing it because he knew the feeling so well.
"Anzu..." His vision refocused and he looked up at her.
"Oh my gosh, are you all right?"
He was silent, fighting for breath as a huge bout of coughing took over his lungs, burning them to a crisp.
"Atemu! No!" Anzu hugged him tightly as he hacked, rubbing his back with a shaking hand. Oh please, please, please be all right...
The fifteen teens and Fran stayed in the same exact positions for hours, until Atemu finally breathed deeply, and one by one, they fell asleep.
The next morning Kaede, Anzu, Hitomi, and Akako found themselves in their own beds. Either they had walked up half-asleep, or Fran and the boys had somehow gotten them upstairs. Anzu woke first and, remembering Atemu, began to cry softly. Akako woke a few minutes later.
"Anzu?"
"Oh... I'm sorry..."
"What's wrong? Worried about Atemu?"
"Who wouldn't be?" asked Hitomi, sitting up in bed.
"W-What do you mean?" Anzu asked, wiping at her eyes.
"I mean, if he died, the world would be down one of the cutest boys of all time."
Anzu blushed furiously, hiding her face.
"You think so?"
The three others answered together, "Oh yeah."
"W-Why do you say that?"
"Because, it's true."
Anzu's blush deepened, and this time she wasn't able to hide it. Kaede smiled slyly.
"I see that you agree with us?"
"W-What?"
"You totally like him. Not that it's a bad thing, but you totally are crushing on him."
"WHAT? NO I'M NOT... WAIT! SO ARE YOU!"
"Whoa. You're right about me, but wrong about you. You definitely like him."
"I don't! He's a friend!"
"That's how all relationships start," Akako said calmly.
"But I don't-"
"Yes, you do. It's written all over your face. And that was no 'calm denial,' either."
"Leave me alone," Anzu mumbled. Hitomi looked taken aback.
"We're not trying to embarrass you, we're just encouraging you to get it together with him. Don't take it so personally."
"But I DON'T like him."
"Girl, you are lying."
"I... maybe I am, but then... What difference would it make?"
"A lot. Just accept it, and you two could really go somewhere," Akako pressed.
"I thought you liked him too... Why are you helping me?"
"Oh, he's top on all our lists. The only problem is, we're stuck here. No chance. So you get him, and we help you."
"Listen... I appreciate your wanting to help, but... If this is going to happen... I need for it to happen at my own pace."
"Would you say 'yes' right now if he asked you out?"
Anzu blushed, but answered truthfully. "Yes."
"Then your pace is pretty fast."
"Guys... could you just let me have space on this?"
"All right. But if you need help, just ask us."
"Thanks, guys."
A knock came at the attic door, and Fran's voice shouted, "Girls! Be at breakfast in fifteen minutes!"
Fran led the teen boys and girls down to breakfast in a large group, and there was an unusual amount of whispering going on within it. Atemu was being helped to walk by Keiji and Masakazu, both of which were smirking.
"Guys... what's funny?"
"Oh, Nothing. Just Keiji's face."
"Then why is Keiji smiling as well?"
"It's a smile of defeat."
Atemu didn't believe a word of what they said, but kept walking, as he wasn't going to get any answers. Then, suddenly, all was black.
"What the-"
"Ack!"
Keiji and Masakazu pushed Atemu into a storage closet as Akako and Kaede did the same with Anzu, and a key turned in the lock. Haru's face appeared in the minute keyhole.
"The key's somewhere in the closet, you two." He left.
"WHAT?" Anzu yelled, pounding on the door. Her hand was stopped by Atemu.
"Th-They locked us in! WHY DID THEY LOCK US IN?"
Atemu shook his head. He had a good idea why, but he wasn't about to tell Anzu. His cheeks burned against his wishes as he turned to Anzu.
"Let's look for the key."
"How? Half of this place is pitch-black, and there's barely room to move. You can only see where the light comes in from the keyhole."
As if on cue, the light in the hall turned off, leaving them in complete blackness. Atemu swore, not bothering to keep it quiet.
"Whoa. I didn't know the almighty King of Games dared utter profanity."
"Oh, you should hear Yuugi and me when we're going on about homework and teachers and school... It isn't exactly easy on the ears. And you knew I cussed."
"I knew you could be quite the potty mouth sometimes, but I didn't know you'd swear so... imaginatively... in front of a girl."
"You're not like most girls." He realized what he'd said a moment too soon, and mentally slapped himself.
"What?"
"I mean... you're more intelligent than most people, and... more strong-willed... You've got a stronger stomach, a stronger mind, and you're just overall more sensible. I know you won't mind. It's girls like... Shizuka... that I tone down the cussing in front of, though I daresay she's used to it, having Jou as an older brother." He bowed down to the darkness that hid his fierce, uncontrollable blush, and tried to calm his racing heart.
"Oh... I didn't know you... thought so... highly of me."
"Anzu, it's hard not to."
Now it was Anzu's turn to bow to the darkness. "Wow... thanks. I think... I think you're a lot like that, too."
Both now feared the possibility that the lights would turn on and their blushes would be revealed, but Atemu pushed the worry out of his mind. "How do we find the key?"
"I have no idea. I can't see a thing."
They sat in silence for a minute, then,
"A-Atemu...?"
"Yes?"
"I'm... I'm a little scared."
"Reach your hand forward."
She did so, and their hands connected in the dark, strengthening them both.
"Is that a little better?"
"Yeah, thanks... I'm sorry, I must sound like a four-year-old, being scared of the dark..."
"No. Everyone had fears, Anzu."
"You don't."
"I most certainly do."
"You do?"
"Oh yes."
"What are YOU afraid of?"
"What am I afraid of? I don't know where to begin, honestly. I'm afraid of failure, death, depression, emotion, changes, the future, opponents... I'm afraid that one day I'll wake up, bound back to Yuugi, I'm afraid that Yuugi... will reject me, though I don't know why, I'm afraid of losing what I love, and yes, I too am afraid of the dark. And that's just half the list, I can assure you."
"Whoa. I had no idea that you..."
"Could feel the same things other human beings could?"
Anzu didn't answer, but Atemu knew what she would have said.
"Anzu, people... people view me as perfection. Yuugi even said that he wished he was more like me, because he thought I was perfect... and I can see how he would think so... I mean, I think I'm everything Yuugi wants to be... has he told you what he thinks of me?"
"Yes. He loves you, but a lot of the time he's really jealous of you. You're the Game King, you get all the fame, all the attention, all the girls, and you're... well... Yuugi's jealous because on top of all that, he... thinks you're more... physically attractive than him... because of his height... and he's jealous of your height, and your... looks... and your voice, and your skill in gaming..."
She heard Atemu sigh, and his hand that was holding hers shook.
"Atemu?"
"I'm sorry, Anzu... I'm going to cry... again... I'm sorry... I-I c-can't help it..."
"Atemu..." she inched closer to him, holding a hand out in front of her until it hit his chest, and pulled him to her as he began to whimper.
"Why have you been so upset?" she asked him.
"Do you really want to know? I can't answer that in one or two words, and... I sound like an idiot."
"No you don't. Just tell me what's wrong."
"It's... for a few weeks, I've just been... depressed. Yuugi and I have had a few fights, Jii-chan hasn't been in the best health, and then Yuugi got sick, and now I'm sick, and lately... I've just been feeling these huge waves of emotion, and I don't know why, and everything's just confusing, and I've just wanted to shout, or run, or punch someone out, crush an opponent in gaming... but I... I never let any of it show, because... I was scared of it, and Yuugi and I just kept fighting, because he was jealous of me, and then after our fights he would run up to our room and cry, and I'd usually end up talking with Jii-chan, and... I would have cried, but I couldn't... and now... I can't keep it inside anymore." He sniffed.
"Oh, Atemu. You should have said something. To me, to your grandfather, to Yuugi even. Yuugi loves you, Atemu. His jealousy could never affect how much he loves you."
"I know... I'm just... I've been an idiot."
"No you haven't. You're just confused, and sad."
"I'm sorry, Anzu."
"For what?"
"For acting like this."
"Don't be."
"But... I just cried all over you."
"Don't worry about it."
"But-"
"It's okay. It's fine with me. If I were you, I'd be crying harder."
He sniffed again. "Thank you so much, Anzu."
Suddenly, the closet became flooded with light.
Sorry if I lost you with all the crying, Lloyd (Irving) Aurion. But... I am a total sap. So gomen nasai. I couldn't resist... again. What? Burn out his cold? ARE YOU NUTS? He couldn't cry in Anzu's arms! Well, he could, but the sneezing and sniffling all make for a nice sappy effect, methinks... I told you, I'm a sap... ah well... life goes on. Sorry I bored you there.
Yup, miz greenleaf, this is the next chapter! Glad you like it!
Are you kidding, Shining Charizard? AtemuAnzu is like... practically all I DO! I have ONE AtemuMana, because it's an ancient Egypt one that that one's in, but everything else is AtemuAnzu, the best anime couple EVER! Whoa... I sound like I'm... on crack or something. Ah... heh heh... I'm glad you like Masakazu and Keiji. I was thinking maybe someone would write them off as like, Gary-Stu's or something... -wipes sweat from forehead- Phew.
Thanks, norestar-angel!
Ah yes, Black-Caracal. Love hath turned our fave bishie soft...
Wow! I'm flattered, BradyBunch4529! Thanks... though I don't really think it deserves it. But... don't question logic that works to your advantage, ne? Thanks!
See y'all next update!