Hey guys! Here's chapter 5! Coming sooner than expected! Enjoy!
Atem Bakura and Marik watched the three younger ones sleep. Yugi slept curled up between Ryou and Malik his tail flopped over the snout. It was extremely cute and Atem could sit and watch him sleep for hours.
"So, what now?" Bakura asked.
"What do you mean?" Atem asked.
"You know what I mean. Dartz won't stop. He'll come after both you and Yugi." Bakura said.
"I won't allow him to harm Yugi. The pup put his life on the line for me. I owe him." Atem said.
"What if we move?" Marik asked.
"You know it's not an option." Atem said. "For now, we keep training him and keep our territory secured."
Marik and Bakura nodded. They settled and watched the three young ones sleep again. It was about a half hour later that Yugi began jerking and whimpering in his sleep.
"What's wrong with him?" Marik asked.
"Nightmare." Bakura said. "He's been having them a lot lately."
Yugi's jerking woke Ryou and Malik. They sat up confused.
Atem pulled Yugi close and held him. "Hush now pup. You're safe. I've got you." Atem pet Yugi's head gently and soothed him. Slowly Yugi's jerking and crying calmed and curled up to Atem.
"Wow. Who knew you had a soft side to you." Marik said.
Atem glared at him slightly but didn't budge. He kept Yugi close. Ryou yawned again and curled up to Bakura as Malik did the same to Marik. The afternoon was just perfect.
Yugi paced the hall outside the living room. He needed to ask. Needed to get up the nerve and ask. But if Atem said no then what would he do? Sitting around when he wasn't training was boring. He wanted stuff to do.
"Yugi?" Ryou'd voice came. "Everything ok?"
"Yes, no, maybe?" Yugi sighed. "I…I just need to ask Atem something and I'm kind of…nervous?"
"Ask him what?" Ryou asked.
"Well I don't have much in my room. And since I can't go out without any of you I was wandering..if…if he'd take me shopping for some books or something." Yugi explained. "But I can't get the guts to ask him. It's stupid. I'm being greedy. Forget it." He turned to leave.
"Wait." Ryou said. "Come on. I'll ask with you."
"Really?" Ryou asked.
"There's nothing greedy about wanting to have your own space with your own entertainment. You have been through a lot." Ryou said. "Come on."
Yugi reluctantly followed him into the living room where Atem was relaxing on the couch. Ryou smiled to Yugi before going to Atem, pulling Yugi along.
Atem glanced up at them from his phone. "Yes?"
"Atem Yugi is bored and needs some stuff." Ryou said. "Can we go on our monthly town trip early?"
Yugi stared down as he waited for Atem to be angry. Dartz had always hated him pestering for stuff. He'd scream and yell at Yugi telling him how ungrateful he was for the stuff he did have.
Atem put his phone down and stood. Before Yugi could stop himself, he whimpered and stepped back.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't be so greedy." He whimpered. His entire body shook as he waited for the anger. It never came, however. Instead, he felt a gentle touch under his chin. The touch became a hand that lifted his head, so he had to look at Atem.
"Nothing to be sorry for. We can absolutely get you what you want. We'll go tomorrow in the morning. Ok pup?" Atem said smiling.
"Really?" Yugi asked hopeful.
"Yes really. We'll all go. Bakura and Marik will have to deal with getting up early." Atem said.
"O-ok." Yugi had learned quickly those two didn't like being woken up before at least 11am. They'd never hurt him when he accidently woke him, but they were very grumpy for the hour afterwards. The only ones they seemed to tolerate being woken up by were their mates.
"And Yugi." Atem said.
"Y-yes?" Yugi asked nervously.
"Never be afraid to ask me for anything. If it's within my power and it's safe I will get it for you." Atem said.
Yugi gulped and nodded. "Yes Atem."
Atem smiled and kissed his head. "I'm going to start dinner. Why don't you go with Ryou and get your lessons done for the day?"
A small pout came to Yugi's face. "But Teeeeeeem." He whined. He hated his lessons. Why did he need to learn them anyways? It wasn't like he went to school or anything.
"No buts. You may not attend school but that does not mean you will grow to be ignorant. Now go on. Get your lessons done. The sooner you get them done the sooner you can relax." Atem said.
"Ok." Yugi muttered.
Atem chuckled. "That's a good pup." He ruffled Yugi's hair.
"I don't get it." Yugi huffed.
"Here look. Carry that 1 here and bring it down with the two 3's." Ryou explained.
"So, it's 1 plus 3 plus 3 on the side?" Yugi asked
"That's right. So how do you do it?" Ryou asked.
"Ok so I add the 5 in the 35 with the 8 in the 38 to get ummm…" Yugi used his fingers. "13!"
"Yes. But you can't fit 13 so what do you do?" Ryou asked.
"Put the 1 over the two threes and put the three down." Yugi said. "So, 1 plus 3 plus 3 is…7!"
"Good. Now what's the total answer?" Ryou asked.
"35 + 38 = 73!" Yugi said confidently.
"Very good!" Ryou said. "You got it!"
"I did it!" Yugi smiled brightly.
"Dinner is ready." Atem said.
"Tem I did it! I did it!" Yugi ran over to him and showed him all his completed math problems. To others it may seem stupid to be excited over simple math but to Yugi it was everything. Dartz only taught him basic stuff so he wouldn't have to deal with him all the time. He never learned math and science. Dartz always said there was no use in teaching him that stuff. That he was too stupid to learn anyways so why bother? "I got all the answers!"
"That's great Yugi. I'm proud of you." Atem said ruffling his hair. Yugi was getting used to it and even looked forward to when Atem did it. When ever Atem came home the first thing he did when he saw Yugi was ruffle his hair.
Yugi smiled brightly. "Ryou says I'm smart."
"Oh yeah? I bet he's right. Ryou usually is." Atem said.
"Dartz never thought that. He always said I was too dumb to learn." Yugi looked down.
Atem lifted his chin. "Well you don't need to worry about what he said cause we know the truth. You are very smart. Now go on and wash up for dinner."
Yugi nodded and set his paper down before going.
Ryou watched Yugi go. "He's much younger mentally than physically. It's going to take a long time for him catch up."
"Good thing he has us. We'll get him there." Atem said.
Ryou nodded. "About the trip tomorrow, think we can get Yugi some decorations for his room? It's very boring and I'm thinking by letting him pick stuff he'll feel a little better about being here."
"Sure. We can even do a small reading nook for him. He did say he loves to read." Atem said.
"That's a great idea!" Ryou said.
Atem laughed. "Ok ok. Tomorrow. For now, you wash up too and I'll have Bakura and Marik help set the table."
Yugi finished washing up and went downstairs. He went into the dining room and looked at the table. He loved sitting and eating with them all. He never did it before moving in with Atem's pack.
"Yugi there you are. Come help me set the table." Bakura said.
"Ok. What should I do?" Yugi asked.
"Go on and get the silverware." Bakura said.
Yugi nodded and went to the kitchen he grabbed silverware for everyone and brought it back. "Now what?"
"Now you put a set by each plate." Bakura said. "Like this." He took a knife and fork and put them next to a plate.
Yugi watched and nodded. "I can do that." He then went to each plate and pet the sets down.
"Look at you. You're doing great." Atem said coming in with a large, covered platter.
"Bakura showed me." Yugi said.
Atem looked to Bakura smirking and raised an eyebrow.
"Well, if he's gonna be here he might as well help out." Bakura said huffly embarrassed at showing his true kind nature. Bakura never let it show to anyone but Ryou, but it seems Yugi is winning him over as well.
"Hm well thank you Yugi. You did very good." Atem said. "Go sit in your seat ok."
Yugi nodded and went to sit.
Dinner was done and Yugi was stuffed. He yawned as his eyes drooped. Laying on the couch he curled up and fell asleep.
"Yugi I-" Malik walked in to find him sleeping. "Aw cute." He smiled softly.
"What is it Mal?" Atem asked coming in.
"Shhh you'll wake him." Malik scolded Atem.
Atem smiled. "I'll take him to bed. Oh, we're going on our trip to town tomorrow. So, I will be getting you all up early." He went to Yugi and lifted him gently. Groaning in his sleep Yugi moved closer to him before settling again. "So, you may want to go to bed soon."
"Alright." Malik said. "I'm tired anyways. Teaching Yugi some more reading and writing was tiring today. I'll teach him history at some point this week."
"Ok." Atem nodded. "Goodnight Malik."
"Night." Malik said as Atem walked out to take Yugi to bed.
Atem went to Yugi's room and turned on the light. He went to the bed and tried to lay Yugi on it. However, two small hands gripped his shirt tightly. Yugi refused to let go of him.
"Yugi." Atem sighed. "Alright." He turned off the light and laid down with Yugi on the bed. They had a big day tomorrow and both needed all the sleep they could get. Holding Yugi close he let himself fall asleep guarding Yugi while they rested for the night.
So, this one was super-fast to type because I got into the mojo with this chapter! I hope you guys enjoyed reading it as much as I loved typing it! Next chapter the trip to town!
