Chapter 8-C: It's just a dream, right?

Dream

Yami found himself watching himself talk with his high priests, realizing he was once again in Ancient Egypt, back to when he was still pharaoh. Flashbacks of his past were getting frequent that it was difficult to tell a dream from a flashback.

As assumed, it was only days after his father, the pharaoh, died and his coronation has just finished. Now he was fixing the problems his father has left, giving him no time to either rest and spend time for himself or grieve.

Atemu, his pharaoh-self, left the throne room and went to the royal gardens, oblivious that his future self was following him. The garden was, if Yami can recall correctly, one of the two quietest places in the palace, his chambers being the first.

The pharaoh's silent sobs caught his attention as he went over to his past self, who had his head buried in his arms.

Atemu, hearing somebody near him, stopped his crying, suddenly embarrassed to be caught crying, and immediately dried his tears.

"My pharaoh, are you alright?" It was Mahado, one of his High Priests and also one of his truest friends.

"You know I don't like you calling me in my title when we're in private, Mahado," Atemu answered, avoiding the other's question.

"As you wish, Atemu," Mahado answered as he knelt beside his pharaoh, "Now tell me, are you alright? I'm right here," he added.

"I'm fine, you don't have to worry about me, Mahado, although I do appreciate your concern. I just want to have some peace for once, I hope you're not offended, my friend," Atemu answered.

"Of course not. If that is what you wish then I will leave, but if you want to talk about something, anything, I'll be here," Mahado replied before leaving, understanding why the other wanted to be alone. He was just a teenager; after all, he deserves some time in peace.

Knowing somehow that he wasn't getting any time alone in the garden with his High Priests roaming the palace, Atemu stood and went to his chambers instead.

Atemu slumped to his bed. It wasn't fair! He was just fifteen years old, how can he rule a country as big as Egypt? His mother died when he was only three, at that time, Seth was not his asshole self and was actually his best friend, even though the latter was three years older than him. But nine years later, Seth changed abruptly; he started distancing himself. Then his father died, when all things got worst, when he needed his father the most, Bakura, the Tomb Robber, killed him. And now, he was pharaoh. He haven't even spent enough time to grieve over his father's death and now—

"Shouldn't you be outside ordering people around and such?" his cousin's voice rang from the door.

"Go away, Seth. I am not in the mood to deal with the likes of you," he answered, annoyed, knowing that it was his arrogant cousin since he was the only one who would dare enter his chambers and annoy him.

"And what if I don't? Are you going to hang me upside-down on the temple for all to see? I doubt," Seth answered.

Atemu rose from bed, his eyes blazing in anger dangerously. "Would you just leave me alone? Get out!" he snapped.

But Seth didn't move an inch, instead, he answered, "So you can do what? Grieve yourself out? You have a kingdom to run, and everyone's worried about you, your highness," putting emphasis on the title.

Yami watched the two argue, knowing by the clenching of Atemu's fist, that his past self was controlling himself from punching his cousin.

"I am warning you, Seto, leave me now or else!" he said.

"So you can kill yourself? I think not. I never thought you'd give in. Gods, you act as if you want to die! Have you forgotten your promise to me when we were younger? When you promised you wouldn't give up, not ever? Well, what are you doing now? You hardly eat, refused to talk to anybody and you're rejecting everybody, even Mahado," Seth replied, "even me," he added. He knew his anger was already matching with the pharaoh's.

"And since when did you care? You hated me ever since you found out I was the one taking the throne! What do you know anyway? You have your father, I don't have either of my parents!" Atemu answered before calming himself, "You will never understand what I feel, Seth. You never longed for someone, be it a parent or a loved one!"

When he didn't receive another mocking reply, he continued, "You know what I feel right now? I feel lost!"

"That's why you have your friends, I thought you know that, Atemu," Seth answered simply.

"How can you rely on your friends when they're your High Priests and you're the pharaoh? See? You don't understand. You try losing both your parents and be the pharaoh. You try it!" Atemu answered, tears falling from his eyes. Seth never answered back; he just embraced his cousin fiercely. "I'm sorry for saying that, Atemu, really. I just can't stand seeing you like this again," Seth whispered softly.

Atemu clung on Seth tighter, crying as his cousin/High Priest rubbed his back comfortingly.

"Why?" he asked when he managed to stop his tears from falling.

"I always cared, Atemu, you just don't see it. I did long for someone, and It was you all these times," Seth said, meeting his cousin's confused gaze. "I care a lot… I love you, Atemu," he added before capturing the pharaoh's lips in a kiss.

End of Yami's Dream

Yami sat up with a jolt with the dream in his mind. Was it a flashback? But that couldn't be, could it? They were rivals even to the end, so it was surely a dream, nothing significant about that.

Sighing as he read 4:00 on his clock, he lied on his back and stared at the ceiling thinking about his dream.

Everything seemed so real, even the warmth in the pharaoh's chambers, even his cousin's embrace, even Seth's possessive kiss. It all seemed, all felt incredibly real.

What if it was really a flashback? Did he loved Seth? What of Mahado? He knew even then that Seth was his rival, as Seto was now. But the CEO changed, did Seth changed, too? If that happened, what happened to their duel long ago?

Questions filled his mind as he tried answering each and one of them. Sensing it would only complicate things more, he willed himself to shut his eyes and sleep a, hopefully, a less troubling sleep.

A/N: How's the story so far? Please let me know. Any review is welcome, I just have to know if I should continue this or not. Well I do want to continue this but I'm not sure if anyone would like my plot so please review. Thanks.