I don't own Yuugiou.

Work and Play
By Halys

If you only once would let me,
Only just one time,
Then be happy with the consequence
With whatever's going to happen tonight.
Don't think we're not serious.
When's it ever not?
The love we make, is give and it's take.
I'm game to play along.

Can't say I was never wrong,
But some blame rests on you.
Work and play, they're never ok to mix
The way we do.

All I can say, I shouldn't say.
Can we take a ride?
Get out of this place while we still have time
Work © Jimmy Eat World

Day broke quietly on Yuugi's hotel room with gentle, golden light filtering in through the curtains. Dust swirled in the patch of broken sunlight and appeared almost like glitter suspended in air. None of this registered to the figures currently wrapped around each other in Yuugi's bed. The sheets that had been dirtied the night before had been pulled to cover the pair sometime during the night. Soft breathing could be heard if one listened closely.

Suddenly, a loud, blaring noise filled the room. Mouto Yuugi groaned and leaned over the body next to him to slap the snooze button. He turned to lie back down when the realisation of someone sharing his bed came to him. He shot up to a sitting position, eyes wide as he stared at the man next to him.

"…The hell!"

The figure shifted and moaned, turning towards Yuugi. Sitting up slowly, the man rubbed his eyes, and spoke. "Is it the morning?" The voice was low and accented, bringing memories of the night before to Yuugi's mind.

Sleek, sweat-soaked skin sliding. Harsh pants and moans. Two cries of pleasure.

His cheeks began to flame and Yuugi inwardly cursed himself. He was 32 years old, with an important career, a wife, and three beautiful kids. But here he was, lying in bed with another man and blushing like a school girl.

The man, Atemu, sat up more and slipped his arms around Yuugi's waist, and buried his nose in Yuugi's hair. Yuugi immediately tensed and shifted nervously, fully aware of his nudity beneath the sheets. Atemu, however, was not discouraged by Yuugi's attempt at distancing the space between them.

"Mmm…. Masa el' khir, Habibi aay'i...(1)" he murmured in Yuugi's ear, making the smaller man melt into his arms.

"I had a wonderful time last night," Atemu continued to whisper in Yuugi's ear, and again the images flashed past Yuugi's mind's eye.

Yuugi scurried out of Atemu's arms and scrambled out of bed. He stood naked, cheeks flushed, as Atemu glanced worriedly at him. "Did I say something wrong?"

"I…! I… I have to go!" The shorter man dashed towards the closet, grabbed a robe and some clothes, then locked himself in the bathroom. Still confused, Atemu stretched languidly and slipped out of bed as well. He also withdrew a robe from the closet and slipped it around his nude form. He calmly walked to the bathroom door and knocked. When he received no answer, he knocked again and spoke loud enough to let his accented voice carry through the hard wood.

"Habibi aay'i? Are you well? Is there something wrong?"

On the other side of the door, Yuugi was sitting down, back to the wood. His face was cradled in his hands and it took all that he had to not cry.

"Go away!" he said softly. "Please! Just leave!"

Atemu's eyes widened, barely hearing Yuugi's voice. "Habibi? I—"

"And stop calling me that! Please! Just go… go home o-or something!"

Yuugi's lip trembled, and again he cursed himself for behaving so childish. His heart ached. True he had experienced an amazing night with Atemu; a night that he'd never forget. But he had done something terribly wrong in exchange for that one night.

In the other room, Atemu simply stood in his spot, a hand on the door handle. He could break the door open if he wanted to, but decided it was an unwise decision. Kissing his fingertips, he pressed them against the door. Then, he turned to leave.

Inside, Yuugi waited until he could hear no sounds outside, before standing again. He turned towards the door and pressed his palms against the wood. Despair covered his features, accentuating the lines and dark circles that had formed with age. Shaking himself, Yuugi slipped out of his robe, slid the shower door open and stepped inside.

A turn of a handle and warm water began to descend upon him. Yuugi turned the knob hard left until scalding water began to beat down on his skin, turning it a bright red from the irritation. He ignored the heat and focused only on his misery. What was he going to tell Anzu? How could he have let himself fall into such an affair? Yuugi was never the type to fall for lust or hormones, but now he had committed one of the deadly sins. Was a one night stand worth all he had? How could he have been so foolish?

A half an hour later, as the water began to turn cold, Yuugi spun the faucet until it was off. He slid the door open, grabbed a towel to wrap around himself, and then went into the other room to gather some fresh clothes. Those that he had grabbed from his closet earlier lay rumpled on the floor.

Once he had changed into something suitable for his meeting that day, Yuugi turned towards the bathroom mirror. The shower must have rejuvenated him somewhat, because the dark circles and lines were not as evident as they had been the day before. Frowning, Yuugi tapped the glass.

"Bad lighting…" he scoffed and turned away. He walked back into the bedroom again and found a slip of folded paper on the bed. His long, slim fingers reached forward and retrieved it, bringing it closer. Unable to read it without his glasses, Yuugi turned to the bed stand where they hade been hurriedly set the night before. He slipped the frames onto the bridge of his nose and the smooth, elegant scrawl on the paper came into focus.

Habibi aay'i,

I had a wonderful time last night. You are the most beautiful creature the Gods have created. I do not know what it is that I said to upset you, but I hope your spirits are lifted sometime during the day. If I have hurt you somehow, forgive me. I can understand how our… time spent together might be harmful for you. Also, I apologize in advanced for any further attention you will receive from me, for I simply will not be able to stop thinking about you.

I am also writing this to invite you to dine with me again tonight. With you in my company, I am certain the night will be quite enjoyable. Please consider my offer and let me know at the meeting in Seto's main conference room today. Someone will help you find it in case I am unavailable. I will, however, save you a seat.

Yours,

Atemu.

Yuugi's heart fluttered slightly at the mention of another possible night with Atemu, but he quickly squashed the emotion. He could not go, and he was determined to decline the invitation. It was too dangerous to stay with Atemu. Not only for Yuugi's job, but for his life as well. He would not risk hurting so many people for just one man.

Crumbling the letter up into a ball, Yuugi threw it away and then grabbed his suitcase. He opened it and pulled out a watch, then fastened it to his wrist. Yuugi checked the mirror again to make sure he was presentable. He straightened his tie, closed his briefcase with a click, and grabbed his key off the floor from where it had fallen the night before. Yuugi pulled open his door, slipped into the hallway and unintentionally slammed the door shut. The loud noise forced Yuugi to cringe as he walked down the hall towards the elevator.

Once he arrived in the lobby, he walked to the front desk to ask for a driver. The young woman smiled kindly and asked for his name. Upon giving it, the woman's eyes lit up.

"Oooh! A gentleman ordered something to be left for you earlier! Hmm… now where did Kurosaki-san put that…?" She withdrew from behind the counter a long, finely wrapped box topped with a bow. The woman handed it to Yuugi and told him that his car was waiting outside. "Oooh! And do tell your gentleman-friend that he has wonderful taste!"

A dazed Yuugi left the hotel, gift box in hand, and wandered outside aimlessly for a few moments before a car parked in front honked at him. The window of the passenger side rolled down and a head craned through the opening.

"Hey buddy! You getting in or what? Aren't you supposed to be at some meeting or something?" Jounouchi's familiar mop top hairstyle swayed slightly in the light breeze. "C'mon already! I ain't got all day!"

Glaring at Jounouchi lightly, Yuugi slipped into the back of the car and buckled up. As soon as Yuugi was seated, Jounouchi took off like a shot and sped along unfamiliar roads.

"So… what you got there in that box?" Jounouchi asked.

"I… I don't know…"

"Well, then what are you waiting for? Let's see!"

Still slightly dazed at both the speed Jounouchi was driving at and the events that had happened that morning, Yuugi's trembling fingers plucked at the bow on the box. He glanced up to see Jounouchi watching him through the rearview mirror.

"Shouldn't you be having your eyes on the road?" he asked.

"Aww... quit your stalling and open the darn thing!"

Yuugi snorted but did as he was told. He pulled away the lid of the box to reveal a dazzling, diamond and ruby studded watch. He stared at it speechless for a moment.

"Ooooh! Ain't that a pretty trinket? Man, if I could afford me one of those, I'd get me one!"

"Yes... It is rather gorgeous..." murmured Yuugi, eyes still roaming over the sleek band and glinting time dials.

"So, you going to put it on or what?" Jounouchi craned his neck to look over the passenger seat at Yuugi, barely missing another car as he swerved.

Yuugi's defenses went up. "What business is it of yours what I do with my things?"

Jounouchi shrugged and turned back to the road ahead. "Your loss. I'm just saying it's nice looking and I don't think whoever gave it to you would appreciate it if it stayed in a box all the time."

Harrumphing in frustration, Yuugi loosened the band on his old watch, setting it to the side and slipped on the new one. He turned to open his briefcase, withdrawing a pen, and then carefully set the watch to the appropriate time. Then, Yuugi turned his wrist this way and that, letting the morning sunlight glint off the crystal watch dial and admiring the beauty of the piece of jewelry.

"See? Don't it look better on than it does in the box?" Before Yuugi could respond, the car screeched to a halt in front of a looming building. "Here we are! Kaiba Corporation! Your one stop shop for all things fun!"

Yuugi glanced down at the watch again, reading the time, and realized he was running a bit late. He quickly gathered his things, kicked open the car door and hurried out unto the sidewalk in front of the building. Shouting a short 'thank you', Yuugi dashed into the building. The receptionist at the front desk must have recognized him, or at least him by a description, and called out to him.

"Mouto-sama! Kaiba-sama is waiting upstairs for you in Conference Room Twelve. Will you need someone to help you find it?"

Yuugi's mouth opened to assent, but someone spoke for him.

"I will show him the way, Misa-san. Thank you for waiting for him." Turning, Yuugi's eyes met Atemu's. The taller man smiled kindly at Yuugi and gestured him to follow.

"I hope my gift found its way to you this morning. I felt guilty about leaving you at such a…" Atemu paused again, thoughtful as he pondered the correct word. "…Vulnerable time. I can understand if you are angry with me…"

The two men stepped aboard an elevator and Atemu depressed the key for the ninth floor.

"The gift is very lovely. Gorgeous even… It's just… I can't… I…I'm sorry…" Yuugi murmured, looking at his feet. He realized that his papers, briefcase, old watch and other belongings were still jumbled in a disorganized bundle, resting in his arms. He shifted them slightly, and a few leafs of paper slipped loose and fluttered gently to the elevator floor. Yuugi stooped to retrieve the papers, but Atemu had reached them first. He took the bundle and briefcase from Yuugi's arms, ignoring the smaller man's protest. Atemu carefully organized each item and laid them gently inside Yuugi's attaché case.

They rode the rest of the elevator ride in silence. When the door dinged, announcing their arrival, Atemu held out a hand to let Yuugi go first. Yuugi did, walking past Atemu in a would-be casual manner. An arm slipped around his waist and lips brushed against his ear gently, making him shiver. "This way…"

Again, the hand slipped to the small of his back, guiding him to the conference room. Through misted windows, Yuugi could see that the meeting had already begun. Kaiba's tall figure stood at the front of the table, pointing to various items on a story board behind him. Atemu knocked gently on the hard, stainless-steel door before opening it. Kaiba paused briefly in his speech and nodded to both men.

Two chairs sat at the head of the table, on either side of Kaiba's chair. Atemu led Yuugi to one, pulling it out for him to sit. Yuugi was very aware that the eyes of the other board members were resting on both him and Atemu, but he tried to ignore the attention.

Kaiba quickly finished his proposal and sat down as well. He glanced between Atemu and Yuugi, and then cocked a brow in Yuugi's direction. Yuugi kept his head bowed and reached for the glass of water that sat in front of him. "Can I begin with the meeting now, Yuugi-kun, Atemu-kun, or shall I wait an extra ten minutes for you two to finish your business?"

Yuugi choked on the water that he had been drinking, and the man next to him began to thump him hard on the back.

Atemu chuckled softly, giving Kaiba a warning glance. "Whatever business we have, Seto, we can finish later." With that pronouncement, Atemu gave Yuugi a subtle wink, forcing Yuugi to bite his lip and hold back more coughs.

"Indeed…" Kaiba intoned, and then turned to Yuugi. "Do I need to call a doctor?" Sarcasm rang in Kaiba's voice. Yuugi shook his head no and gulped down more water. "Good, now we can continue…"

Since starting to work at Kaiba Corp. ten years ago, Yuugi had learned the fine art of tuning out long, droning meetings without giving the appearance of daydreaming. This was just what Yuugi was doing before a foot began to travel its way up his calf. A shiver ran through Yuugi's form, and he glanced around to see if anyone noticed. The other board members were either sleeping or taking diligent notes, as was common in one of Kaiba's meetings. Yuugi turned his attention back to the pad of paper that he was doodling on, but before he could slip back into his dreamlike state, the foot glided further up his leg. Yuugi had no doubt of whom the foot belonged to. Yuugi looked discreetly across the table at Atemu, whose heated eyes remained fixed on him. He glared at Atemu and shifted back in his seat, making Atemu reach farther with his foot. Unable to reach, Atemu gave up, but continued to gaze at Yuugi, his crimson eyes warm with a deep, underlying desire. The look Atemu continued to give him made Yuugi shiver as well.

Yuugi couldn't take it. Not when Atemu continued to flirt with him. Yuugi stood suddenly, making Kaiba pause in his speaking. The CEO gave Yuugi with an inquiring stare. "I guess that's settled, then," Kaiba stated.

"Yes… I… what?" Yuugi stuttered, realizing his mistake.

"Well, we're finished here, and we were waiting for you to decide whether you wanted a tour of the Domino offices." Kaiba's stare became suspicious and Yuugi needed to make up a quick excuse. At least with a tour, he could maintain his distance between Atemu and himself.

"I... Yes…" Yuugi tugged at the ends of his blazer. "I'm ready to see the offices."

The smirk that had been gracing Atemu's lips grew and Yuugi began to feel uneasy. "Shall we start with your office, Seto, and then finish with mine? That way, should an important meeting with your brother arise, you can slip away easily enough…"

Kaiba shot Atemu a quick glare before assenting. "Yes, we'll start there. Yuugi-kun, if you'll follow me." The CEO swept out of the office quickly, forcing Yuugi to nearly jog to catch up. Atemu was not too far behind him, and when Yuugi finally caught up with Kaiba, Atemu stayed at his side, his fingers playfully brushing against Yuugi's.

"Stop that…." He hissed to Atemu.

"Stop here?" Yuugi's head shot up to look at Kaiba, who seemed to have overheard him. "Well, I suppose we could simply start with Atemu-kun's office. He can give you the entire tour, since he knows this complex as well."

In Yuugi's distress, he failed to notice that Kaiba was desperately trying to slip out of the tour to do other things. Atemu knew, however, that Kaiba wanted to meet with his younger brother for a short rendezvous before lunch.

Atemu gave Yuugi another wink and pressed a hand to Yuugi's back. "Yes, Seto. I can take it from here. Go a head and find your brother."

Yuugi had never seen a man leave so quickly. Then, his face fell as he realized that he and Atemu were alone in the hallway. Yuugi stepped back quickly, giving more space between him and the other man. Atemu's smirk only grew more, like one who had gained a great advantage. Yuugi continued to back away before the wall behind him obstructed his path. He gazed nervously up in to Atemu's eyes.

"I...! Please… Just….!" Yuugi closed his eyes and turned his face away, prepared to have Atemu seduce him again, but this time Atemu did no such thing.

"Did you want to see the tour or not… Habibi…" Yuugi opened his eyes again, blinking slightly in surprise.

"Um… s-sure…"

Atemu grabbed Yuugi's hand and proceeded to lead him down the hall. At each door, Atemu would mention something or other about what was behind it and its purpose. Eventually, they came to a door that was more intricately designed than the rest. Instead of the typical stainless-steel doors, this one was hard ebony wood, polished to a lovely gloss with blue-stone inlay.

"It's lapis-lazuli," Atemu said softly, taking out keys from his pocket to open the door. "This is my office."

The door swung open in front of Yuugi, revealing settings not unlike the restaurant they had visited the previous night. Low lying couches with short end tables dominated one corner, near a receptionist's desk. The receptionist, a Middle Eastern woman by the looks of it, stood and bowed to Atemu. She spoke rapidly in another language, the very same Yuugi recognized from Atemu's post-coital murmurings. Atemu guided Yuugi to the woman and introduced her.

"This is Isis, or as it would be easier to say for those who are Japanese, Aishisu. She is my most trusted advisor and aid."

The woman bowed to Yuugi, who gave a nervous bow in return. "It is an honor, Mouto-sama."

Yuugi nodded jerkingly to Aishisu before he was led to another door, this one more decorative than the previous. Atemu held the door open for Yuugi who gasped softly as he entered. Everything around him was ornate and carefully maintained. There even appeared to be a series of Egyptian scrolls behind the cases on the back wall.

"My family is known for its wealth in antiquities," Atemu explained. Yuugi gazed around him, taking in the sweet scent of frankincense that floated on the air. It made him drowsy, and he had to blink his eyes hard to keep them focused.

Soon, the hand that was on Yuugi's back was joined by another, and before Yuugi could protest, he was pushed roughly onto Atemu's hard wood desk. Yuugi barely got a glimpse at the gracefully carved inlays. His eyes drifted shut in pleasure as Atemu's teeth and tongue worked at the juncture of his neck and collarbone.

All determination to prevent what had happened the previous night disappeared as Yuugi's legs were roughly pushed apart and the open space was replaced by Atemu's hips.

"I want you…" Atemu whispered in his husky, accented voice before his lips descended and Yuugi was lost in euphoria again.

(1) Masa el' khir, Habibi aay'i (Arabic): Good morning, beautiful beloved.