Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh

Update schedule: Chapter five on August 6th

Chapter Warnings: Referenced Self-Neglect, MILD Violence

Part IV: Snow

Yugi woke to a soft scratching noise. His eyes snapped open and his head rose, a bristle streaking across his spine. He stood and arched his back, flexing his claws. His wings were moved to shield the egg. A quick scan of the den told him he was still alone, that Atem had remained away throughout the night after he'd left. He'd initially panicked, thinking to run after him but unable to do so for the sake of their potential offspring. When sunset had come and Atem was still gone, Yugi had finally made the decision to grab the egg and move back to the den. But it had never quite calmed him and Yugi had come to the rather startling—and mildly horrifying, he felt—thought that he'd rather Atem be there than this little egg. It may have held possibilities and more than a little bit of his hopes when he was younger, but it did not measure to the cost of Atem. The God Dragon still meant everything to him, more than an egg he loathed to admit might never hatch.

He listened intently. The scratching noise had faded. Now he caught the softest clicking noise of claws against the stone. He narrowed his eyes and readied a snarl in his chest.

And then he stopped short.

Atem stood at the top of the ledge. His stance was oddly crouched, as if the walls were somehow pressing upon him. His head was turned toward him, but he was not regarding him, eyes narrowed to slits. The God Dragon was trying to see the egg beyond his paw. Abruptly the red male straightened, shaking himself out, and jumped down.

Yugi hurried forward to nuzzle and lick him, then shoved angrily at his shoulder with a paw. "Where did you go?" he snarled. Atem grunted when he licked his eye, wavering in stance again when Yugi pushed him once more. "You scared me. Where. Did. You. Go?"

The God Dragon allowed him to shove and lick and nip him a few moments longer. Then he huffed and swatted gently at his muzzle with a paw, eyes narrowing. Yugi took a seat, glaring petulantly, and Atem shook himself out before settling. "I went to find a more suitable den. If we have a destination in mind it will be easier to move. There are various dens between this one and the one I have in mind, so we may rest whenever you tire out or feel the egg should be sheltered," he answered, tilting his head and studying him. "I shall be summoning snow tomorrow at dawn. You're free to accompany me, but I cannot put it aside any longer."

Yugi faltered, seeing the hard glint in his eye, and nodded. He wouldn't argue with him about his original statement of having seven days before he summoned snow. "Okay." He trembled a moment, then sprang forward to lick his face again. Atem startled when he bit his shoulder in reprimand and shoved at his back leg with his muzzle. "You're a…a dung pile! You can't scare me like that."

"Scare you?" Atem mumbled, sounding bewildered. He got up and moved to weave around him, but Yugi slammed into his shoulder. The God Dragon spat, hissing, as he was thrown to the floor. The Gandora continued glaring down at him, huffing and pressing a paw between his shoulders. Atem tucked his wings into his sides and looked at him in bewilderment. "What have I done to scare you?"

"You. Didn't. Come. Home!" Yugi snarled. He nipped his wing gently, huffing with frustration. "You didn't come home and I got scared. I didn't know if you were hurt or not. How dare you!"

Atem blinked, then pressed slightly into the sand. "I did not think you would worry. I apologize."

Yugi bristled, spitting. "You didn't think I would worry? Why wouldn't I worry?" he blurted out. "Of course, I was worried!"

The red male peered at him in bewilderment. "I don't… I just had not assumed you should be upset that I didn't come back. I…"

"I might be mad at you, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to worry!" Yugi snapped. He huffed and turned away, pacing a few steps and then stopping to glare. "I certainly don't want you not returning home! Why would you ever assume…? Oh, you make me so angry!"

Atem snorted, the skepticism gone and replaced with mild amusement. He shook his head and turned away, reclaiming his paws. "I was angry and I did not think about how it would affect you. I am sorry." He tilted his head, eyeing him. "I had not assumed you would feel anything toward my absence."

"That's because you're a dung head!" Yugi spat, glaring. He huffed and bore his teeth. "You know I love you! Of course, I'm going to worry and be upset when you don't come home! I didn't know if you'd gotten hurt and stranded or if you were hunting and got stuck or…or…any number of things!"

The red male peered at him in bewilderment again. "Got stuck?"

Yugi shot him an annoyed glance. "In a human net or a…a spear trap! I don't know! I thought you were hurt, okay?" he blurted out. He huffed and took a seat, then sighed loudly. "But you're not. So, I'm sorry for yelling at you. But you can't just run off like that. I wanted so badly to go searching for you but I couldn't leave the egg!"

Atem blinked, then glanced over at it. He seemed to study it for a long moment, something in his eyes sharpening, and then turned back to him. "I…did not consider. I was just angry and I thought scouting my various dens for a more direct path would be a better thing to do than take my frustration out on you."

Yugi faltered, eyes widening. Taking his frustration out on him? He would have gladly let Atem yell at him and argue with him if it only meant he was okay at the end of it! Why would he assume he needed to leave in order to rid himself of his frustration? It made no sense to him. They were mates; they would argue and—

He stiffened. Atem wasn't wired for that. His species didn't like confrontation. The Sky Dragon species in general was much more about compromise than anything else. He might argue with him, but he would not strike out. And he would not harm him in any way undue if he could prevent it. In his mind, Yugi was arguing to protect the egg, which was an extension of them both, and Atem equated any further argument to be unnecessary. So he'd removed himself from what could have been a much bigger argument and gone about doing what he felt was most logical. He'd turned and found a path to make it easier when they went down the mountain.

Unlike Yugi who budged into his side forcefully at times when they rested, or bristled and growled and snarled and glared, Atem would give him looks and refuse further argument. He'd turn and trot off on his own and give him the cold shoulder and ignore his existence. He didn't puff up as Yugi did. He didn't bare his teeth and spit at him and snarl and lunge. He turned and stalked away.

"Oh." He frowned. How long had he overlooked that behavior as just a coping mechanism? Atem hadn't been simply coping with his presence and forcing himself to remember Yugi was his mate. He'd been removing himself from potential situations because he didn't want to fight, nor trust himself. Perhaps he thought an argument would escalate into a physical altercation and he was trying his hardest to prevent that. Yugi ducked his head, ashamed to have overlooked it before. He shuffled his paws, guilt gnawing at his insides. But they were still new to each other; surely that meant they were still learning. He knew Atem didn't always understand his nature, so he couldn't be expected to his, either, right? "Well, in that case… It's still not okay, but I can understand that better than before."

Atem made no move to further explain, turning away. "Did I miss anything?"

"Miss anything?" Yugi repeated, confused. "What do you mean?"

The red male gestured with his beak. "Did it move? Has it stirred in the slightest?"

Yugi blinked, then lowered his eyes. "No," he mumbled, "but I didn't expect it to. It's too new."

Atem glanced at him sideways. "Not for a Fire or Wind Dragon egg. It should have moved by now considering your genetics. If it were only my own I would understand, but that doesn't make sense for your genetics as well."

"It's not dead," Yugi snapped, but even he was unsure. Atem was right. It should have at least stirred slightly. It should have shifted itself, if only minutely. "Maybe it takes more after you than me and that's why."

The God Dragon studied him, expression skeptical and somewhat sharp, and then turned away again. He nodded. "Do you wish to change position? Do you want me to lay with it while you rest?"

He almost argued he could do it. But he felt the smallest sting of pain in his hindquarters from laying so close and without relief. Circling around the egg and shifting the direction had not helped him much in relieving his stiff spine. He smiled, and Atem circled the egg, laying down with just as much care as he usually did. He lay his chin on his paws and watched Yugi with brilliant eyes.

"You almost seem upset with me for the suggestion."

Yugi shook himself out and lay on his side, head craned to look at him. "I just… You worry me when you say or allude to it being dead."

"It may be dead if it does not hatch by spring. But that does not mean I will treat it any differently until then."

The Gandora narrowed his eyes, curling his lip back to show the ridges of his teeth, and hissed, "Just yesterday you said to let it perish."

"No, I didn't," Atem growled. When Yugi scowled, the scales along his spine began to rise and his tongue flicked from between his top set of teeth. "What I said was that I would not allow you to perish in its place. Better it perish than you. That is what I said."

Yugi huffed and turned away, closing his eyes. He didn't want to argue again. Atem might get up and leave should he continue to push so hard. And he'd just come back from a night of scouting his dens to get a clear path to the valley. He didn't want to make a mockery of that in chasing him away again. He'd done that for him. He'd done that for the egg. And Yugi could not scoff at it simply because he had upset him formerly in saying he didn't know the egg was alive or he'd rather it die than Yugi.

Hadn't he just thought something similar throughout the night? He'd felt he needed Atem there rather than the egg, that it was a lacking replacement for the God Dragon. And if he had felt that way, it was impossible to shame him for feeling similar. He was not such an immense hypocrite as to ignore it. He loved him fully, with everything he was, and he might have wished for the egg to hatch more than anything, but being an extension of Atem did not mean it was worth his life.

Yugi sighed softly. "I don't want to fight with you again."

Atem grunted from his spot, as if agreeing but uncertain how to string together his words. Yugi focused on his breathing until he fell asleep again.


Yugi jolted awake at the nudge to his flank. He sprang into the air, paws spread out and toes separated, scales rising into a bristle and wings tightly tucked into his sides. His first instinct was to slam his tail in the direction the touch had come from. But it passed almost immediately after. He huffed and shook himself out, relieved as he saw Atem peering steadily back at him. The Sky Dragon had taken a seat, tail wrapped neatly around his paws and head tilted. Yugi couldn't tell how he'd nudged him, with a paw he'd concealed again or with his beak. It didn't matter, he knew, but he hadn't thought he felt any touch of an exhale on his scales.

"It's almost dawn," the red male murmured, watching him intently. "I promised you I would show you how I summon snow, yes?"

Yugi bristled with excitement, eyes widening, and then nodded vigorously. "Yes!"

Atem snorted, smiling, and nudged him in the shoulder gently with his beak. He turned and led the way out, glancing for a single heartbeat toward the egg, and then jumped the ledge and walked. Yugi hurried after him, scurrying along to keep up. Atem waited at the entrance of the den, head tipped toward him but eyes on the sky. Yugi could see pale streaks of pink against the sky, rolling about the black and blue, and a heavy stirring of gray clouds came from the east. He hurried forward when Atem began trotting ahead again, the Sky Dragon leading to their usual plateau of a clearing before picking his way along the right. He sprang atop a nearby ledge and flattened himself against the stone, crawling forward slowly. Yugi hesitated a moment before springing up to join him.

Atem was flattened completely against the stones. Yugi found his paws scrabbling beneath his weight, stones and pebbles and dirt shifting forward. It tumbled to the ground, a small burst of dust sweeping upward from the collision. Yugi pressed himself against the stone to his left, but his body was not so lean and small as Atem's. His paws had a far superior grip, however. His hooked claws dug into the dirt and his flat paws held his weight with ease. Atem's own paws were smaller, his sharp talon-like claws barely able to grip properly. It was his weight and slender build which helped to maintain his balance and allow him a smoother experience.

"Slow down," Yugi murmured, voice almost a whimper. He wasn't used to sheer cliffs like Atem clearly was. He'd climbed sand dunes and chased goats with ease in the desert, but stone and high altitude had not been something he could practice on formerly. He was amazed his mate even heard him, because Yugi himself thought he'd swallowed the words. He almost quaked with relief when Atem allowed him to get closer. He was within a yard of him when Atem began moving again; Yugi only noticed then the Sky Dragon had his entire tail on the ledge beneath him. It was coiled tightly behind him, not a single piece draping over the side. He realized then, startled, Atem was using his tail as the main source of balance now atop the stone path.

When Yugi crept forward after him, slow and meticulous, the Sky Dragon stopped moving and his head turned to regard him. He craned his entire neck, facing him almost completely, and studied him a single moment.

"You will feel more comfortable if you brace your left wing against the wall and tuck your right into your side. It makes your body more compact."

The Gandora blinked, surprised, and then shifted his wing until he could press the top against the sheer slope of stone overhead and small fragments of dust trailed downward. He tucked his right wing forcefully into his side, his left appendage dragging against the wall as he moved forward. Atem waited for him to get closer, then turned away and began walking once more. He crept along at a much slower pace, something which made Yugi's hearts threaten to burst with gratitude.

They continued for what felt a lifetime, until finally Atem abruptly stopped. The red male shifted his entire body to the side, paws on the edge of the cliff face, and tilted himself sideways. His upper body lifted from the ledge and his front paws reached over his head to sink his claws into the stone there. His right wing was fully stretched out, his left tucked so that the tips of his wings dug into the dirt, his back legs spread to the width of his hindquarters. His back left leg was dug firmly into the dirt and the right paw's claws were hooked and sunken into the cliff edge. He hefted himself expertly onto the wall, flattening himself, and began to crawl up and along the cliff for a few minutes.

Yugi shivered, glancing down at the earth beneath him. The slope of the mountain here was sharp, the stones sheer and without ledges for the most part. Where the ground flattened somewhat the areas were small and almost nonexistent and definitely would not support his weight. Yugi turned and looked upward again. Atem was finally on top of the ledge he'd been meaning to reach. His head was craned over the side, eyes locked on him.

"Your claws are better for climbing like this. I don't usually do this, but I did not want you to try to fly and startle when the altitude changes." Atem tilted his head, watching him intently. "Just remember to stay flat against the stone. It'll make it easier for you to navigate and pull yourself up. Your tail needs to remain straight out behind you or else you'll lose your balance. I'll be right here to grab you if you lose your grip. So, don't worry, little one."

Yugi shivered and glanced down again before turning back. He knew Atem was right. His body was made for this. But Fire and Wind Dragons preferred to remain low to the ground. They preferred not to encounter heights and their flight abilities were often mediocre at best. He had learned to go to higher altitudes with Atem beforehand, but they had not tried often after the initial attempt. Jaden's mate Jesse had come through the territory and Yugi had dived on him in a moment of territorial impulse, knocking him to the ground and halting what progress they'd made. Atem had only tried it again with him one more time, but the Wind Dragon who'd come to challenge him for mating rights had visited them soon after. And because of this efforts had been halted once more, especially seeing as Atem had laid the egg that same day.

The flight up to the point Atem had gotten to likely would have sent him into shock upon exposure. The change in altitude would have startled him enough he'd lose his balance and plummet. And that was not something Atem had been willing to risk, he knew.

Yugi shifted his weight and braced his haunches, mirroring the position he'd watched Atem take. He stretched his forelimbs, slightly uncomfortable and unsure, and reached his paws out until he touched the stone overhead. He flexed his paws and sank his claws forcefully into the cliff until he almost could not dislodge them. And then he tugged himself upward, swinging his back limbs hard enough to catch his right back paw into the stone. He tightened his spine and hunched forward, pressing his left paw into the cliff as well and sinking his claws in. He was sideways from the maneuver, but he could easily right himself.

He wiggled his front toes and crossed his left paw over his right, running it parallel to his hind, and stretched himself out. He pulled his right paw from the stone as well, stretched out, and reached his paw to the same height. There he sank his claws in more forcefully and flattened himself against the stone until his belly felt it were being pressed down by a paw. He slowly inched himself up and toward Atem, drawing in a deep breath and holding it.

His hearts were racing. And he could feel the coming pressure of the change of altitude. He crept to the red male, shivering as Atem leaned forward and kept his eyes locked on him. Yugi continued upward until he got to Atem, breathing hard, and finally dragged himself to the cliff. The God Dragon reached forward and grabbed his throat in his bottom mouth, just firmly enough to keep a grip, and tugged him up beside him. Yugi lay flattened against the ground, familiarizing himself with the aching pressure of the air pushing down on him.

He exhaled shakily, peering at Atem. The red male was undisturbed. His entire body was made for higher altitude, to fly in the clouds and live atop mountains that stabbed through the sky. His bones were frail and thin, hollow and built for pressure. He was slender and lean, with a body like a serpent and wide wings twice the length of his body when fully extended.

"You did well." Atem wasn't looking at him, however, studying overhead where the sun was quickly coming up. His head tilted and he speedily picked his way forward. When he stopped, it was to look over his shoulder and peer at him with slight concern. "Little one?"

Yugi huffed a breath, then pushed himself to his paws. He hurried after him, relieved when Atem lost his concern and looked instead comfortable and amused once more. He got to his side as the God Dragon made his way along to what finally seemed a cliff he'd determined high enough. He turned around, nudging him gently in the shoulder, and licked his cheek.

"Move toward the center and take a seat, little gem."

Yugi blinked, opening his mouth to answer, but Atem turned and wandered forward. He was staring up at the sky pointedly now and Yugi finally looked as well. The sun was still just rising, the usual blue overhead tinged with pink and purple and the smallest touches of orange. Clouds were forming as he watched, gathering slowly but surely into a large pocket of silver and gray like a growing storm.

Atem sat perfectly still and motionless for the longest time. And then he finally got up. The clouds overhead were swollen, ready to burst, and Yugi could taste the humidity in the air, the lightning on his tongue. He shivered with excitement, forcing himself to remain in place and keep from pouncing forward. His mate glanced at him in his peripheral, then turned around and back the direction they'd come from. He was a few yards from him when he turned away. He shook himself out, tucked his wings into his sides firmly, and placed his front right paw forward.

A moment passed where he simply stood there. And then he narrowed his eyes.

He breathed in deeply, bristling for a single moment, and then exhaled.

Yugi saw crystals form before his teeth.

And then a huge, swirling mass of bright white, silver, blue and gray burst forward from his jaws. Atem had lowered his body toward the ground, exhaling a long stream that sent the ice breath forth like a flame. It swirled and danced, shimmering with the shape of crystals that glittered and shone like water beneath sunlight. He straightened and the mass of ice stopped in the center of the clearing, mere inches from Yugi himself.

It was contained there, forceful and twisting about in the air as if in an isolated storm. Yugi watched it dance for a moment before it abruptly spread and began to flutter outward like mist. It was cold enough to make him shiver where it embraced the air around him, moving past him and surrounding him as if he were in an isolated bubble. Each flake seemed to whisper, like leaves in the wind before they fell. It was such a soft noise Yugi would have missed it had he not become so abruptly aware of just how silent it was around them.

He watched one small puff of crystals, hearts racing in his chest, and the swirls as it danced about made him quiver with excitement. He flexed his toes and dug his claws into the dirt. There was something amazing and yet terrifying about being exposed to this magic. It was the most destructive breath a dragon could ever possess and yet it was so beautiful.

Abruptly it lifted. Yugi thought they looked like gems or little frozen stars as they began to rise. He looked away only to glance at Atem then. His golden eyes glowed, the gem on his forehead bright and pulsating with light. For a moment he was frozen, looking toward the sky overhead.

And then the Sky Dragon sprang. He rose into the air with a single flap of his wings and took off like a bullet overhead. The ice he'd created shimmered and began to dance and rise after him, trailing like mist. Atem was in the clouds when Yugi blinked, disappearing from his sight entirely. But before his eyes the clouds began to lighten, turning a bright silver and then blue with shadows and finally to brilliant, blinding white.

The crackling noise in his ears now was almost electrifying. The sound rumbled in its core, then spread and burst about the clouds. Each individual puff of snow crystals within them seemed to pop and echo and chatter. Then they began to roar, the gentle rumble becoming an abrupt and terrible howl, like a wolf screaming in the jaws of a pit trap.

The cloud coverage burst with a deafening boom and Yugi could see Atem flapping his wings now, likely checking the temperature and aptitude. Then he began to hover and lower himself to the ground. Yugi almost trembled, feeling the cold drenching his form.

Atem landed easily, shaking himself out, and Yugi froze as snowflakes began to drop from the clouds. They drifted gently and slowly at first, then began to pick up momentum. Yugi could see his breath with each exhale. He shivered and looked over. Atem had taken a seat, grooming one of his wings.

"That was amazing!" Yugi burst out, hurrying over to his side. He sprang forward and tackled him, rubbing against him and licking his face. He nuzzled him, trying to suppress another wave of shivers. Atem licked his forehead, then looked around. A snowflake landed on his muzzle, perfectly white and thin, and took a long minute to melt. Yugi didn't know if that was because of his ice breath or the fact his body temperature was naturally so low.

"You realize that this time tomorrow I want us moving to another den, yes?" the God Dragon growled, turning him abruptly. He curled his lips back slightly further to show off his immense teeth. The gums were a soft pink against the brilliant red of his scales. His body was rigid in stance. His paws shifted slightly, claws sinking into the dirt. "I will not accept argument."

"You said two days."

"That was before you began trembling like this."

Yugi opened and closed his mouth, then scoffed, "I'll be fine to stay here for two days, Atem. It'll be okay. And the egg deserves more of a fighting chance, don't you think? Two extra days in a warmer den with minimal movement might make or break its survival."

The red male snarled softly, then turned and jumped from the ledge. His wings flapped once before opening wide and he dove effectively down the side of the mountain. Yugi watched him go, primary heart stuttering with pain at the thought of yet another argument, and then jumped after him.


The egg still did not stir two days later. Yugi had laid with it the entire time, even as his own body was wracked with temperature drops. His body ached when he moved too much. His bones popped occasionally when he circled the egg. His muscles felt as if they were torn and clawed. He was all too aware of the keen looks Atem gave him, of the aggressive expression he wore at times when he watched. He bristled faintly at times. He narrowed his eyes into slits others. He huffed when Yugi nudged the egg and whispered to it. He hissed when Yugi licked its surface and cradled it between his forelimbs and muzzled it. His attention was always caught on Yugi rather than the egg, his stare intense and burning.

The red dragon got to his paws after a moment. He straightened, eyes sharp and locked on Yugi. "Well, I've allowed you your two days. It has not hatched. And we need to get a move on. Grab the egg and let's go."

Yugi bristled faintly, raising his head. "What? You said I had the day—"

"No, what I said was dawn yesterday we would move. You asked for a second day. It is dawn now, on that second day. It is over. Grab the egg and get ready. We need to leave soon."

"But—"

"I gave you your two days," Atem snarled, coming forward now. He stopped in front of him, baring his teeth and growling low in his throat. "And I remember saying you would not argue with me."

"I don't remember agreeing to that." He got to his paws as well, scowling and shaking his head sharply. He positioned himself between Atem and the egg, sheltering it with his paw and bracing himself. He doubted they'd get so far as a physical altercation, but the way the Sky Dragon peered back at him made his entire body feel tight with tension. He could barely force himself to breathe, steadying himself so as not to tremble. "We never got that far before you flew off on your own."

Atem narrowed his gaze and raised his head. "Did I not make myself clear?"

"Atem—"

"You will journey with me to the valley," he hissed, cutting him off entirely and baring his teeth. "And you will carry that egg. And you will do it of your own accord."

Yugi bristled, spitting, "And if I won't?"

Atem laughed harshly, then came forward and lowered his head, snarling. "Do not test me, Yugi. Just do as I say."

"Since when are you my keeper, Atem?"

The red male chuckled and came closer a step, the movement stiff with aggression. A long moment passed as he eyed him. And then he growled, "Since the moment you became my mate, I made an oath to protect you in any manner possible. Is that not what becoming mates dictates?"

Yugi blinked, startled by the declaration. "Of course it is, but—"

"Then you should know that a Sky Dragon is hardly the species to test when it comes to faith and core values towards such protection." He stepped closer, until they were mere inches apart. He lashed his tail once, thumped the tip harshly against the river stones and soft sand, and snarled low in his throat again. "I will not have you harm yourself just because you wish to see this egg hatch."

"I'm not leaving right now."

"You will."

"I won't."

"You will."

"I won't."

He watched him a moment. And then Yugi yelped as he was tossed sideways. Pain pulsated from the impact point on the side of his head. His eyes threatened to pop out of his skull. He blinked, stumbling to his paws in surprise. His mouth opened, then closed and dropped into a gape once more.

Atem stared back, furious and shaking. "You will make this trip with me to the den in the valley. And you shall do it of your own accord," he promised, flicking his tongues, "or I will break your wings and your legs and I will drag you down the mountain by your throat."

Yugi froze, startled by the vicious promise. There was no doubt in his mind Atem would do exactly that. He'd never threatened him before. And the way he stared at him so fiercely said he would do anything to ensure he got to the den in question in good health. And the egg may or may not suffer for the decision Yugi made now.

He shifted away and lowered himself to the ground in a more demure and deferring stance. Atem stared at him, trembling with anger, and abruptly turned away. "Grab the egg," he snapped again. "We need to move quickly."

Yugi raised his head from the floor and stood up again. "Atem…"

"If you have half a mind to argue with me, I will beat the insolence out of you," he snarled, turning on him again. He bristled furiously and growled low in his throat once more. "Do not tempt me to box you upside the head again."

The Gandora studied him a moment, then shook his head. "I just… I'm sorry for scaring you so much."

Atem stare, at first with an expression that said he might speak against the apology and then with frustration. He turned away again, leaning forward to nudge the egg with his beak, and then faced him. "It's early enough the snow won't have reached the valley just yet. The slope down will be frozen, however. So we will need to take extra care. Even without the egg, we cannot risk you taking a tumble. You will surely freeze to death upon exposure. We should not have stayed here so long. I should have dragged you down the moment I summoned the snow. I could have buried the egg or attempted to retrieve it later. But I should not have let you remain here even for such a short period of time."

Yugi wished he could have argued. But he had further aggravated the issue in ignoring the food Atem had provided in the meantime. He'd hunted and brought back deer meat for him and, petulant and still angry Atem might disregard their potential offspring, Yugi had shown his age in spitefully turning his back on it every chance he had. He'd ignored him when he'd asked that he was not hungry. He'd growled when Atem had put the meat in front of his beak and insisted he eat. And he'd refused to acknowledge him at times when he spoke to him in an effort to get his attention.

He'd punished himself in attempting to do so to Atem, spiteful and juvenile as he was. And now he realized how foolish he'd been. He should have eaten. He should have done as much as he could to regain his body temperature. He should have eaten and made sure he retained his health. Instead he'd allowed his body heat to plummet and had become sluggish as a result.

"Okay, how do you want to do this?"

Atem turned just enough to look at him over his wing from where he was still nuzzling the egg. "You will stay in a straight line behind me, as I cannot risk you getting ahead of me and tripping and falling. You might land on me should you slip, and I should be able to hold your weight and prevent any further damage."

Yugi didn't know that was true. But he did remember Atem eating what meat he'd refused, swallowing it up after an hour or so. He'd eaten where Yugi had not. In that case, with red meat, Atem would be stronger than he would have otherwise. Yugi could understand now why Atem had done so, where as he usually would have simply taken the meat out and disposed of it in a cache.

"I would have you eat," Atem said abruptly, raising his head, "but frozen meat would do you no good to regain warmth. We will have to rely on what we can for the moment and then I will hunt when we reach the den in question."

Yugi nodded slightly and shivered. "Okay."

Atem lowered his eyes to the egg again, then nuzzled it and exhaled gently against the surface. For a moment he almost looked as if he might be blessing it, but Yugi did not think he had the faith necessary in his own powers to try. It certainly seemed that he'd felt little confidence in his abilities even after the Blessing he'd performed for his brother. If that were the case, Yugi could hardly imagine he felt comfortable enough to try a second time with their own egg.

"Come and grab it. I'll be outside waiting."

Yugi watched him as he nudged the egg a final time and then jumped onto the ledge and left. The Gandora watched him go, then turned back to the egg and drew a deep breath. His scales rose into the smallest of bristles and he shivered as he looked at the little sphere.

"Well, I guess it's time to move out, huh?" he mumbled, sighing softly. He leaned forward, sniffing and nuzzling it. If it didn't survive the trip, he at least wanted to be able to say he'd had a moment with it before. When he withdrew, his stomach knotted fearfully. "You'll be fine. We'll make sure of it. Atem might be cranky, but he wouldn't let you get hurt."

It was strange, talking to an egg like this, but it almost seemed necessary. Yugi swore it seemed to hear him, even if it did not stir. He lowered his mouth, opening it wide, and closed his teeth over it gently. He looked over his shoulder, surprised he had not heard Atem approach again. But the red male was crouched there, studying him with an unreadable expression. The God Dragon abruptly rose and turned, twisting around like a snake before disappearing from his sight again.

Yugi swallowed hard. Had he heard him talking to the egg about him? Had he upset him? Or had he come to see why it was taking so long to join him? He shook his head and pulled himself atop the ledge, carefully picking his way along. The tunnel was tight enough to bear down on his sides and force his wings to his flanks, though there was no pressure associated with the sensation. He crept carefully forward, moving as slight as he could in order to keep from jostling the egg. And then he stopped short.

The snow was coming down in masses. The flakes were huge, globs of white that danced forward and trailed through the air beautifully. He blinked wide eyes, stiffening with shock, and bristled faintly as fear tore through him.

Atem was right. He shouldn't have waited so long. The snowfall was already blinding and the cold made his entire body stiff. He flexed his claws, his hearts racing in his chest and stomach twisting. He should not have overestimated his ability to survive the cold. The only good thing about the entire situation was the egg would remain warm because of its position in his mouth.

It was if he tripped that things would take a turn for the worst.

He slowly lowered himself from the lip of the den entrance, slipping down onto the ledge and looking around. Atem was at the far end, watching him with an expression Yugi could not quite read. He wondered if he sensed the critical error as well; he must have, for he'd been bitterly snapping at him to outrun the cold since the moment he'd summoned it. Yugi could hardly see with all the snow flurries in front of his beak. But he did notice Atem feet away from him, sitting with his head tipped upward and eyes on the cloud coverage.

"If I had not waited so long to summon the snow, perhaps I could have made the fall now lesser." Atem looked at him quizzically, then sighed softly and turned away. His eyes narrowed slightly as he got up again, shaking himself out. "I do not know which would have been easier."

Yugi lowered his head slightly, ashamed he'd pushed him so far. Of course Atem didn't mean any harm to the egg or to him. He'd wanted them both safe and sound, but he couldn't secure it the way Yugi had tried to force him to. He'd put the snow off for too long. He'd had to double the amount falling to compensate. And doing so had made the temperature plummet further than Yugi was expecting. Every exhale he released, a puff of white crystals formed in front of his beak.

The red male turned away and looked past Yugi to the side of the cliff. His eyes narrowed and his head tilted as he padded forward. A moment or so passed in which Atem seemed to consider the terrain and then he began to pad a few yards ahead, never taking his eyes off the course he must have picked. After a long heartbeat he began to pad forward. Each step was slow and cautious, paws sinking into the fresh snow and disappearing beneath the ice. He visibly startled, bristling for a split second, and then picked one paw up to hesitantly place in front of him again. He picked his way delicately, every movement stiff and calculated and entire body rigid with alarm.

Yugi felt his hearts plummet.

Atem didn't know the path. He didn't know which way to lead him. He didn't leave their current den during winter. He remained there the length of the frozen season, and when he took to hunting it was by air. Everything he'd done had been at the luxury of the species he was, hunting in water and flying in air too cold for others. The snowfall likely only tampered his eyesight at times but Yugi was not sure it came down so quickly so often, and he was abruptly aware Atem likely only ever walked across snow like this when it was already stuck to the ground and the fall was easier to navigate.

The red male slipped, sliding a foot or two before stopping. His wings were slammed into the ground, pressed so hard Yugi could see where the earth was marred by the action. The ice was scattered and discolored from the abuse. He could see dirt and straw and decaying leaves ripped to ribbons and pressed into the ice. Atem breathed shakily, then glanced over his shoulder at the spot. He shifted his weight and wiggled his toes on each paw, as if testing to make sure they were all attached.

The Sky Dragon drew in a deep breath. "You step exactly where I do, understand? And keep your wings as tightly packed against your sides as you are able. Your wings are the only shield you'll have from getting too cold to move." He looked around uneasily and then glanced back over his shoulder. "I should have mapped out the area better."

Yugi blinked, then shook his head. There were too many regrets between them where this den move was involved. He couldn't think how to respond but to mumble, "It's my fault, too." And then he awkwardly shifted forward and picked his way along to the spot Atem's claws made clear indentation in the ice. He placed a paw in the exact same spot and came closer again, creeping forward and crouching where the God Dragon had slipped. The scars of exposed earth were almost big enough to swallow him. He looked at Atem again, finding the Sky Dragon watching him with concern. But he seemed to realize his countenance, for he quickly turned away and moved forward again. Yugi noted his wings were tucked just as firmly into his sides but the tips scraped along the top of the ice. He was testing the ground to make sure it wouldn't collapse when he or Yugi stepped on it.

He shivered and looked down at the prints in the snow, smeared slightly by Atem's long, coiled tail. His prints were almost impossible to find, his wings working to make them far more visible, and Yugi struggled for a moment to find where to place his paws. He trailed him slowly, careful to mind his mate's tail where the sensitive tip lay between them. He watched every step Atem took, studying to make sure each movement was firm rather than wobbly. His paws never seemed to sink into any hidden holes, though Yugi wondered if he simply couldn't see it happening from the angle. He was firmly behind him, only truly able to see the contour of scales that trailed Atem's back, angled sharply toward him in two rows from head to tail tip.

Atem skidded and nearly tumbled a few minutes later. The Sky Dragon dropped his wings, snarling, and crouched so low he disappeared into the ice for a single second. Then he straightened again. His eyes were immediately on Yugi, expression one the Gandora wasn't sure how to read. The red male turned away, then shuffled slightly to the side and picked cautiously around himself with his paws. He moved in only miniscule increments now, not even daring to take full steps, and inched along the slope with strained balance. Yugi hesitated where Atem had slipped, making his steps as small as possible. And then he angled himself to trail him again.

The God Dragon looked over his shoulder after a moment, voice quiet. "I should have done more to secure the path we needed to follow." He glanced around hesitantly. "I've only ever traveled in snow by air. By paw this is much harder. I had paths memorized in my head just yesterday but now my sense of direction is gone. I don't have the same markings to follow and the trees I recognize look different from the ground."

Yugi shuffled slightly closer. "It's okay, Atem."

The Sky Dragon shook his head sharply. "It's not. I don't know which direction we should be going and I'm unsure the terrain. How is this okay to you?"

"I'm not going to blame you for this. I always knew you didn't travel by paw. It would have been suicide to do that. Too many dragons come through your territory to challenge you or someone else for courtship. I can't be upset with you for keeping yourself from them by way of flying. I knew that when I was in the village. There was never a question of how you traveled." Yugi wished he could have nuzzled him in reassurance, but his entire body was growing cold. He had to twitch his tail to keep feeling there and his paws were heavy and sluggish when he moved them. His sides were still warm, but his muzzle and beak felt like they were frozen. It was not even a quarter into the journey, he knew, and yet he was already suffering because of his species. He was not shivering, however, which meant he still had some hope. "And you're right. The world looks different when you're flying than it does when you're walking it. You don't see traps and snake holes and badger pits or crevices like you do when you're able to touch them. I can't fault you for surviving."

Atem made a disgruntled noise, grumbling something that sounded suspiciously akin "Maybe it would have been better if I hadn't" and Yugi would have lunged at him had he not been so cold. He snarled low in his throat, however, and noticed it when Atem flinched visibly at the reprimand. The red male huffed a breath, then crept slowly forward again.

Yugi followed faithfully, keeping his body aligned in the space between Atem's wing marks in the snow. And then he faltered.

Had that been a cracking noise?

Atem must have noticed it when he did. His entire body froze. His head snapped around a moment later. He had ceased breathing, eyes wide. Yugi kept where he was, unsure. They stared at each other a few moments. And then Atem murmured, "You're heavier than me."

Yugi realized abruptly somehow Atem had not considered that formerly. Somehow he'd overlooked it, determined to get them to the den he thought safest in the valley. He'd been stubbornly insistent and dedicated to getting him to this den and in his haste he'd forgotten himself. Now the red male stared at him, eyes wide and slightly panicked. When he exhaled, he was hissing with distress.

"It's okay," Yugi assured him, pulling his paw back and placing it in its former spot. "I'm okay. Don't worry."

Atem scoffed loudly, but turned around to press his weight firmly into the spot in front of Yugi. There was a loud snapping noise, the ice breaking and splintering beneath his weight. A tree trunk gaped out at them, the bark sharp and hideous where it jarred upward. Atem's weight would never have disturbed it. But Yugi's had crushed the center and had he not stopped, he likely would have gotten caught and stumbled, rolling straight into Atem and down the hill if he could not break his fall.

The red dragon bristled and searched along with his paw. Yugi saw the snow shudder when he pressed down. A curtain of ice rose and fell in a wave next to him. He could see the jagged lines of the branches off to his right. Yugi gaped at it for a moment, stunned, and then glanced over. Atem scowled, bristling with irritation, but he was no longer facing him. He'd turned away, searching along with his paws again.

The slope seemed to dip, Yugi realized. Atem was looking for the reason.

But it wasn't where they were, as they learned a few minutes later. Their depth perception was obscured by the snow and, as before, Atem's weight failed to dislodge it. Yugi had gotten a couple of feet behind as Atem moved, and when he stepped forward, his paw sank deeper than he'd expected. He yelped, tumbling, and his right flank slammed painfully into the stone hidden there. Atem spun around, horrified, and Yugi panted for air around the egg in his mouth. His right paw ached but was not sprained as his side was. The impact was enough to make his head spin. His wing felt as if it had torn, but he knew it was merely the cold.

Yugi stumbled for his paws and Atem nudged and nuzzled, licking his side and sniffing. The Gandora offered him an awkward smile, struggling to maintain his usually friendly and upbeat manner. Everything was throbbing, from abuse of the cold or the physical pain of hitting the stone wall, and he felt as if he'd collapse if they didn't keep moving.

"I'm okay. My side is fine. Let's keep going."

Atem stared back uncertainly. "Yugi…"

"It's fine. I'm not hurt. I promise. Let's go."

The God Dragon hesitated, then looked up at the sky and down at the snow under his paws. He started picking his way along again, pressing more firmly than ever into the ice. But he wasn't strong enough even then to distribute as much weight as Yugi himself possessed. He would have had to use his entire body to rival his and Atem could not keep up with this effort as he continued moving. At some point he went from walking heavily to slowly slinking forward again. Eventually he began jumping, slamming into the earth with enough force it made Yugi flinch, but it was not something he could keep up for long, either. He tired soon after reaching a few yards doing this. But it proved effective enough that Yugi could cross the terrain without slipping.

Atem paused a little while later, raising his head and stiffening. "I hear the river!" he announced, and Yugi almost flinched at how relieved he sounded. The God Dragon looked over his shoulder with a sloppy grin. "I hear the river!"

Yugi shook his head slightly, bewildered. "What does that mean for us?"

"The den is near the river," the red male said loudly, as if he couldn't understand why Yugi was questioning him. For a moment he looked bewildered, and then he seemed crestfallen. His eyes widened faintly as he peered at him before he turned away again. He was moving faster now, jumping further and trying his hardest to match Yugi's weight as they continued. He stopped yards away, panting, and sniffed about the snow for a long moment. "I should have cached a deer nearby."

Yugi faltered and shook his head. His stomach lurched and his paws were so heavy he could barely lift them now. He exhaled roughly, side aching and burning from the former exposure to air, and slowly shuffled forward.

His body was shaking now.

He noticed it, just as Atem had. He had not considered formerly, but his sides were no longer as warm. His body had taken to full shivers. He was wracked with them, panic gripping his insides. He came forward, forcing himself to sprint to Atem's side. The red male turned his head, eyes widening with a startled expression, and Atem attempted to brace himself. Yugi saw every muscle in his body harden.

But the slope propelled the Gandora forward. He slammed into his side. Atem exhaled roughly, gasping and spitting from the force. Yugi's paws lost their traction altogether. One paw stretched outward. The other hooked gracelessly on Atem's left wing where it connected to his shoulder. They twisted as Atem's body gave beneath the force. And they tumbled backwards. Atem snarled and twisted rapidly. His entire body was raw muscle and sharp claws. Yugi could barely breathe as they went over the edge.

Both of them spun and twisted in the air. Atem was trying to right them. His wings tried to flex and catch the air. But Yugi's weight crippled them where he still had his paw caught. The red male tried desperately to catch a ledge. His claws scraped sheer stone. Dirt sprayed down. Snow hit his eyes. Atem tried to shed him then. He tried to dislodge him from his wing. But Yugi's claws were hooked, embedded deep in the muscle. He could feel them scraping bone. And when they landed, they were almost a hundred feet from the ledge they'd been standing on formerly.

They rolled upon hitting the snow. Stone, jarring and heavily covered but still visible, poked up in sheer cliffs. Trees shuddered and lost their camouflage. Yugi managed a choked noise. Atem felt his claws dig more rigorously into his flesh. Somehow he'd twisted in the fall. He'd caught Atem's other wing and back left leg. And he was still rolling.

Atem scrambled for air. His paws flailed uselessly as they tumbled over another ledge. This one was much lower, the cushioning not nearly as deep. But they landed with Yugi first. The Gandora let out a pained gasp. Then he went limp. The dead weight wrenched Atem so painfully they rolled again. They went down another cliff. Upon impact only then did Yugi's third paw lose its grip. Atem scrambled and caught his claws upon some stone. His wings screamed with pain, his right paw losing a claw as he was tugged down by Yugi's form.

They collapsed again, hitting the snow and rolling a moment longer.

And then the slope widened and dipped forward. The momentum lost, Atem could wriggle from beneath Yugi's claws. He tore himself open, both wings with jagged lines of exposed flesh along the joints. But the pain didn't slow him. He scrambled a few steps, panting. Then he looked over his shoulder.

Yugi lay on his side, paws bloodied and jaws clenched so forcefully the egg was impossible to dislodge. Atem would not have done so, but his hearts ached at the sight. He remembered hearing Gandoras could not be dislodged even in an unconscious state. Dragons unfortunate enough to knock a Gandora unconscious in battle would bear their weight until their opponent woke again. They were impossible to dislodge, their teeth and jaws embedded and unable to shake.

Atem shook his head and looked at his wings. They were useless in their torn state. He couldn't use them to fly and take note of the surrounding area. He'd be tossed from the air like a leaf in heavy winds. He turned back. He didn't know what direction they'd fallen, but he could still hear the river nearby.

It didn't matter. Yugi would die if he didn't carry him to some kind of shelter. It didn't have to be the den at this point. He just had to get Yugi out of the snow. He'd freeze to death if he did not move him.

Atem glanced around once, then moved to his side. He grabbed him by the neck, shifting him just enough to squeeze beneath him. He straightened, moving until Yugi lay across his back in an almost mirror position of his stance. Then he looked around anxiously, body coiling with apprehension as he struggled to think straight.

Every second he wasted, Yugi was closer to dying.

Atem couldn't think past this fact, hearts thundering in his chest. He rushed forward, blindly, in a direction he wouldn't have considered a moment before. And then he continued forward without pause. His muscles throbbed beneath the burden of Yugi's weight and the snow rushed up to greet him with every step, so high it covered his limbs entirely to his hips and shoulders. He panted, body shaking beneath the unexpected strain, and some small part of him wondered in his panic if he should summon a drought.

But he didn't know that it would save Yugi.

And he had no idea if he could repair the damage done.

In his mind's eye was the sudden picture of a crevice, a jagged and long scar that reached high into the stone face before him. Atem blinked, nearly stumbling from the force of the image, and stopped. He turned his head, looking about himself, and hurried forward again.

It was yards ahead. Atem felt his stomach lurch with relief but also dread. He had not seen it on his own. Where had it come from? How had he seen it? The image was nothing he recognized. And he would never have come this direction, as he realized now the river was not near enough. He couldn't have hunted safely in this area without risk of being spotted.

Atem found the crevice to be far larger than he'd initially thought. It was cold, but warmer than the ice outside and the frost only reached a yard inward, whereas the cavern that tore the rock face apart stretched for what seemed miles. Atem carried Yugi into the far back, lowering him gently to the rock floor, and carefully arranged his paws to cross and put his chin to the side of his claws. He sniffed his flanks and draped his wings over them, then bunched his back paws beneath them. His tail he wrapped around to nearly touch his muzzle. Then he scrambled to the other side of the cave.

He inhaled deeply, shifting the air painfully through his lungs. An ache dug its way into his right side, almost near the end of his ribcage. It burrowed into his lungs and dug its claws into his flesh and Atem allowed it to remain there a moment. Then he exhaled sharply, drew in another small breath, and tensed every muscle in his body. He crouched, sinking his claws into the stone, and released his breath.

The air instantly distorted, shuddering waves of deep black smoke surging forth. The cavern crackled with noise, as if the snow outside were dropping from a hideous height. The walls were bathed brilliant white, the stone glimmering and shaking beneath the force of heat. Atem held this breath for what felt an eternity. And then his limbs shook and he dropped. He hit the ground painfully, hearts squeezing in his chest. He closed his eyes, struggling for air, and smothered the hideous whimper that threatened to escape him.


Atem stirred when he felt a sharp and hideous ache rip through his gut. He heard the snarling before he understood the hunger pang, scrambling for his paws and panting with alarm. His muscles burned from the sudden movement and his toe bled profusely where he'd torn off his claw the day prior. He shivered and raised his paw, running his tongue over the bleeding limb.

Yugi was breathing steadily, so deep in his sleep Atem knew instinctively he could not wake him. He watched him for a long moment, relieved, and closed his eyes.

Yugi was alive.

Atem opened his eyes into slits, taking a single step forward to examine him again. He looked like he was just napping, as if he hadn't dropped off the side of a cliff or been frostbitten. He didn't look as if he had any lasting damage. Atem couldn't understand it.

He should have been dead.

He should have been long dead.

He hadn't reacted fast enough when he'd gotten him out of the snow.

He hadn't reacted fast enough when he'd been carrying him.

He hadn't reacted fast enough when that image appeared in his head.

He hadn't been fast enough.

Just as he hadn't reacted fast enough when he'd been…

Atem slowly turned his head, lowering his eyes. The egg shivered with every breath Yugi took, wobbling slightly in the cage of his teeth. Atem stiffened for a moment, considering. But that shouldn't have been possible. That shouldn't have been even remotely…

He came forward again, stopping a few inches away and lowering himself to his belly. He stared down at the egg where it lay between Yugi's teeth. When he exhaled, his entire body felt as if it were burning.

"Was it you?" he growled, knowing it would not answer but unable to stop himself in his amazement. "Did you save him?"

He swore the egg twitched outside the rhythm of Yugi's breathing.

Atem snorted and then laughed at himself, straightening and moving a wing to shield his face. He was so foolish. The egg could not have done any of this. It was likely dead and he didn't need to further think anything of the incident. Yugi had gotten lucky. He had gotten lucky.

Atem closed his eyes, almost sobbing with relief, and lowered himself to the ground again. He didn't know what had happened to grant him such luck. And, in truth, it didn't matter.

Yugi was okay.

Yugi. Was. Okay.


Atem sprang forward when he saw Yugi twitch. The Gandora's eyes twitched, working to open, and the red male trembled with relief. Yugi's eyes slid open, at first in slits and then slowly wider. He looked as if he were exhausted and in pain, pupils flipped and dilated as they lay in a distressed horizontal formation. Yugi blinked once, then twice, then exhaled shakily and began to breathe in little ragged pants for a single moment. Finally he shifted, craning his neck enough to open his mouth and deposit the egg between his paws. He blinked, looking dazed and confused, and opened and closed his mouth twice. Finally he stopped stretching his jaws and turned his head to look over.

Atem watched him for a moment, trembling faintly, and pounced forward when Yugi smiled awkwardly. The red male burrowed into his side and licked his face, barely resisting the urge to growl with satisfaction. He didn't want to startle him when he'd just woken. He hardly wanted to scare him.

Yugi let out an awkward rumbling noise that sounded like a choked laugh. The Gandora let out another strangled sound and looked at him, nudging his jaws and licking his cheek.

"I'm glad you're awake."

Yugi let out something of an exhausted sigh. "Me, too."

Atem licked his face rigorously once more, then lay his chin on his head and burrowed into his side. Yugi's entire body was warm, like a sun-soaked stone he would have laid on. He closed his eyes, relieved and still trembling.

"You look exhausted."

Atem let out a low noise of agreement. "I am."

"Have you eaten?"

"No." Atem buried his muzzle in the crook of his wing and hummed again. "I haven't left this cave since we got here. I don't even know where we actually are at the moment."

Yugi shifted his weight slightly. "We're not at the den."

"No, when we went over the cliff, we continued rolling for a little while. I don't know what direction we went. I haven't ventured from here since we arrived. I didn't know if you would make it so I didn't leave."

The Gandora was quiet for a moment, then licked his face. "I'm sorry for—"

"Why are you apologizing? It wasn't your fault. I know you were tired and cold and I shouldn't have gotten distracted like that."

"You weren't distracted. You were trying to find food for us. You thought you had something cached nearby. You were going to dig it up for me. I know that." Yugi fell quiet, then exhaled. "Is the egg okay?"

"I'd assume so." Atem licked his cheek. "I don't know. It hasn't moved, so I don't…"

Yugi looked down at it, then nuzzled the egg gently with his beak. "I think you're okay," he said gently, nuzzling and licking it before putting his chin on his paws again. He looked utterly exhausted, as if the effort he'd put into trying to hold conversation had drained him entirely. "I'm glad you're okay, too, Atem."

He wouldn't have summed it up to "okay", in truth. His wings hadn't healed due to neglect despite grooming and keeping them clean. He had no ability to heal them until he ate and he had to find food, which he had been unable to do because of his unwillingness to leave the cave. He hadn't known if Yugi would survive so he'd refused to leave.

He shifted his weight slightly, then exhaled shakily. "I'll get food in a few minutes. I just… I want to stay here…w-with you."

Yugi blinked wide eyes, then turned his head to peer at him in surprise. For a single second he stared with a shocked expression, and then he smiled and licked his face. "I'd love for you to stay with me," he murmured, and the affection in his voice made Atem feel both warm and cold at the same time. He could have lost him and yet Yugi was still happy to see him, to have him there beside him. How he could love him so much that he could forgive such a thing was unimaginable to Atem. But he didn't know how to put that into words, so he remained there laying with the younger male for a few minutes longer.

Then, when the guilt threatened to smother him, he finally climbed to his paws again.

"I'll be back with food."