Disclaimer: Hah. You must be blind to get me confused with Kazuki Takahashi, who owns Yu-Gi-Oh.
Atemu Mutou trudged home through the two-feet-high December snow one freezing day sfter school, shivering fiercely. He'd gotten detention for something he didn't do, and now he had to walk all the way home through the quickly worstening storm. Great. Just great.
A car sped by sending a soaking storm of snowflakes, water and slush his way. Atemu sneezed and pressed on, hands deep in his coat pockets. But he was surprised to see the car, a long black limo, slow down and even up with him. A brunette head stuck out of a back passenger seat window.
"Atemu?"
"I won't duel you today, Kaiba."
Darn that pharaoh, but a good CEO always has a come-back. "I just wanted to see if you needed a ride home, Pharaoh. You really shouldn't be out without a hat or anything. You'll catch a cold, you know," he sneered.
"I'm fine, Mother." Atemu shot back, sneezing again.
The sky had darkened ominously, and the wind was blowing harder by the second. Anyone who went out in that weather in just the school uniform was either crazy or Malik, who WAS crazy. The roads and sidewalks were slick with ice and it was another mile at least to the Mutou residence. At the turtle speed Atemu was going at, it would literally take him an hour to get home. Seto knew it would not be good publicity if local security cameras caught his limo practically plowing over another duelist, particularly a certain three thousand-year-old spiky-haired one. Not good for his reputation.
In all honesty, Atemu looked horrible. His eyes were tired, droopy and bloodshot and his shoulders sagged. His nose and cheeks were fierce red, but his hands were pale as ice.
Seto opened the door to the back of the limo, got out, and dragged the shorter boy into the car. "You're coming with me, and you don't have a choice."
"Kaiba-"
"Sorry pal." Kaiba pushed Atemu into the seat next to him and forcefully buckled him in. "To the Kame game shop, Roland."
The driver looked stunned for a second, then regained his composure. "Yes Mister Kaiba."
Seto watched the other boy's reflection in the limo's window as the snow-covered buildings fled past. Atemu was sniffling, and his eyes had become completely different. They were no longer home to the raw wrath and power Seto had faced in their duels. Instead they appeared cold, thirsting, and helpless, crimson water thrashing about in glazed pits. Atemu coughed hoarsely, and the CEO noticed how small the ex-pharaoh really was compared to himself.
"Here we are, sir," stated Roland, stopping the limo and opening the door for his teenage employer. Seto slid out, briefcase in hand, and Atemu stepped out after him.
"Thank you, Kaiba."
"Just be prepared for the next time we meet. It'll be in the dueling arena."
"Fine then. Good-bye." Seto watched Atemu walk to the back of the game shop and let himself in before again stepping into the back seat of his limo. Roland shut the door, got back behind the wheel and drove off to the Kaiba mansion.
With Atemu:
Atemu stepped inside the warm house, coughing. He hung up his soaked school jacket and set his shoes by the radiator to dry.
"Atemu, is that you?" came Sogoroku Mutou's voice.
"It's me," he replied. He tiredly ascended the stairs to the room he shared with Yugi.
"Hi- Whoa, you don't look good!" said Yugi, who was lounging on his bed with his homework.
"Who would, after walking through that?" the former pharaoh asked, his voice scratchy. He motioned upwards toward the two feet of snow piled on the skylight in their room.
"Good point." Yugi turned to face the wall while the older boy changed out of his snow-covered uniform and into normal jeans and a blood-colored sweater. Leather really was Yugi's thing. He also got out his homework and plopped down on his own bed, opposite Yugi's. After about fifteen minutes, Yugi finished his and put it away. He cast a glance in Atemu's direction. The pharaoh had his chin in his hand, staring blankly at a book.
"Are you all right?"
"Hmm?"
"Usually you're done in like... two seconds."
"My eyes keep watering up. I can't read it."
"You don't look too hot. Do you feel all right?"
"I'm fine."
"Would Jii-chan agree with you on that?"
Atemu sighed. "Probably not. But I need to finish this reading. How can I get it all done if I can't read it?"
"You could ask me to read it to you. Aren't you supposed to be the smart one?"
"My brain has taken a vacation. And it's three chapters, Yugi. You don't want to be cooped in here when everyone is outside."
"That's all right, Atemu. I don't want you to get another unfair detention."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive. Give me the book."
Atemu smiled. "Thank you, aibou."
"You're welcome." Yugi started to read, but soon became aware that he wasn't being listened to. Atemu had fallen asleep, wheezing a bit as he breathed. Yugi smiled and closed the book. He headed downstairs to the kitchen and found his grandfather making tea.
"Where's Atemu, Yugi?"
"Asleep."
"You are not serious."
"Yep. He's exhausted, so let him."
"You sound like me."
"Is that a bad thing?" Yugi countered.
"It isn't a bad thing, just a bit unhealthy for someone your age to be sounding like an old geizer like me. Tea?"
"Sure."
Sogoroku poured some of the hot liquid for both of them, and they sat down at the table to drink it and talk.
"So Atemu is actually asleep?"
"Yup. He looks like he's got a really bad cold or someting, and he fell asleep while we were doing homework."
"I knew that boy looked pale this morning! He just insisted he was fine! Noooooo, no use listening to Jii-chan!" He threw up his arms and winked at Yugi. "Much like you, eh?"
"Jii-chan!"
Ding, dong!
"I'll get it. It's probably the guys."
Indeed it was. When Yugi opened the door, he was greeted by no less than Jou, Honda, Anzu, Shizuka, Ryo, Mai, and Otogi. All were wearing just about as many layers as possible.
"Hi guys! How did you all get here?"
"My car," Otogi replied.
"Oh. So what's up guys?"
"Do you and Atemu wanna come out and have a snowball fight?" asked Honda.
"Atemu's asleep, but I will."
"Atemu's ASLEEP? He's either sick or posessed, 'cuz that dude's NEVER asleep!" exclaimed Jou.
"Yeah, he's sick I think. So do you all want to come in while I get my coat on?"
"Sure."
They went outside once Yugi was dressed, and the snowball war began. The teams were Mai, Jou, Otogi, and Yugi versus Honda, Ryo, Anzu, and Shizuka. It went on for hours, no one realizing how much time had passed until the sun started to set.
"Wow, it's gettin' dark! Shizuka, I'm supposed to get you home before night."
"Yeah, we'd all better go actually," said Otogi. "Everyone in the car!"
There were groans from various members of the group, but they all eventually made it into Otogi's car.
"Bye Yug'!"
"Bye guys! See you tomorrow!" Yugi walked back into the house and into his room to change into dry clothes. (A/N: Ya gotta love all the into's in that sentence.) Then he realized that Atemu wasn't in there. He put his soaked clothes in the bathroom hamper and wandered down to the kitchen. There he found Atemu seated at the table with a thermometer stuck in his mouth looking pale and sick and miserable, and his grandfather standing over him waiting for the thing to beep. When it did he practically lunged at Atemu and grabbed it out of the boy's mouth.
"You're 'just fine,' eh? Boy, do you have any idea as to your temperature?"
"Um... not really, Jii-chan," he replied in a low, croaky voice.
"One hundred and three point five! You will be missing school tomorrow, my dear boy."
"But-"
"No buts!"
"Um... There's no school tomorrow. Tomorrow is Sunday."
"Then you will politely cancel any plans you had for tomorrow."
"Wha- But my band is playing at the local Band Battle concert!"
"Then you'll have to tell Malik, Isis, Rishid, Bakura and Mai that you won't be able to go."
"But I'm our lead bass vocalist! Malik, Rishid and Bakura can't get NEAR my vocal range! Well...Rishid, but he can't sing at all. The electric guitar is his thing-"
"I'm sure the way you're talking, anyone could sing better than you right now," said Sogoroku. "Have you heard yourself?"
"Yes but-"
He broke off into a fit of coughing and couldn't continue speaking.
Sogoroku quirked an eyebrow. He nudged Yugi and whispered in the teen's ear, "Yet he insists that he's fine..."
"You're mean," said Yugi, remembering the times he had been sick. His grandfather could be quite scary.
"Please, I NEED to be at that concert!" Atemu pleaded, voice raspier still.
"Young man, you will be in bed, which is where I am ordering you now! Go!"
Atemu's eyes grew vicous and he quickly rose from his chair, slamming it back under the table. "Fine," he hissed. "When our band doesn't get into the Japan-wide Band War competition because our harmony's off, I'll take great pleasure in placing all the blame on you." He left the kitchen and a loud BANG could be heard as the door to the boys' room was slammed shut, leaving stunned silence in its wake.
"I cannot believe he just disrespected me like that. I do not believe it. He is SICK, and he still wants to perform at that concert thing. Honestly Yugi, now that he's in his own body that band is all he thinks about."
"It means a lot to him, and all the others too. Especially him and Bakura."
"Well, at least his grades aren't slipping- Wait, didn't you two get your report cards today?"
Yugi nodded. "I'll go get them." He walked slowly and quietly upstairs, easing open the door to his and Atemu's room. Atemu lat spread out on his bed, face down... shivering... no... coughing... quite possibly... crying...?"
"Atemu?"
"WHAT?" He turned sharply to face Yugi. His crimson eyes were bloodshot and tired, his cheeks flushed. His lower lip was quivering dangerously...
"Atemu... Are you okay?"
Wrong. Thing. To. Ask.
"WHAT DO YOU THINK? WE'VE BEEN PLANNING FOR THIS COMPETITION FOR MONTHS, AND WENT THROUGH THE SEVEN STAGES OF HECK TO EVEN GET IN! WE WILL BE CRUSHED WITHOUT A BASS VOCALIST! WE'RE LIKE A FAMILY, AND I'M NOT GOING TO LET THEM DOWN! I CAN'T JUST GIVE UP ON MALIK AND ISIS AND RISHID AND MAI AND BAKURA FOR SOME RA-DARNED COLD!" He began to cough into his pillow.
Yugi sat down on the desk chair. "Atemu, I don't really think you're in any shape to sing-"
"I AM FINE, RA DARN IT!" He brought his face back out of his pillow, nose running. His lip wasn't just quivering anymore. He was biting down on it hard. Unfortunately, he couldn't stop the rush of tears flushing his eyes clean.
"Atemu, are you okay?"
"NO! GO AWAY!" His 'shout' was really no more than a whisper, but the vehemence with which it was delivered got the message to Yugi, who grabbed both their school folders off the desk and practically ran back downstairs.
"Here," he said, rooting through the two folders for their report cards and handing them to his grandfather.
"Very good work, Yugi," said Sogoroku, looking Yugi's over.
"Thanks."
"You earned it... and now for Atemu's... Let's see..." He opened the card and his mouth crinkled into a smile. "He's done it again, I can't believe it."
"Straight ninety-eight percents or over, right?"
Sogoroku nodded. "I'm so proud to have you two as my grandsons." He hugged Yugi.
"So, how is he taking our little... situation with the concert?"
"Not very well, Jii-chan. He's not very happy with you."
"Well, he's not going. He's staying in bed and getting well."
Not according to Atemu.