Atem was practically skipping to the game shop as he thought about what Yugi would want to talk to him about.

Maybe Aibou is apologizing. Maybe he wants to be with me! Finally! Atem's positive thoughts clouded his judgement. He had purchased Yugi's favorite brand of chips at the convenience store before making his way to the chess tournament.

His eyes widened as he approached the front door of the shop. It was well decorated and looked incredibly inviting. He checked his watch knowing he was early but Yugi probably needed more help setting up.

Atem pushed the door open and froze at the sight of well-organized shelves of prizes, an amazing gaming layout, and the shop looking…

It looks like a young person is actually in charge! He thought, walking further inside and taking a look around.

Each table had a chess set, two bottles of water and a small fan. He was impressed and had no idea Yugi had the capacity for event management.

"Hello? Aibou?" Atem called out, walking past the door that separated the game shop and the living area.

Atem paused in his tracks when he saw Yugi sitting on the couch with Salem, both of them staring intently at a laptop.

Why is she here so early?!

Yugi looked up from the laptop and smiled awkwardly. "Oh, hi, Atem," he said standing up, "I'm glad you could make it. Well, I guess it's your job to be here, isn't it?" He said, trying to mask his resentment.

He thought he would be able to handle having Atem around, but it's proving to be a challenge.

He just got here, be nice! Yugi scolded himself and fixed his expression.

"Sorry. I mean that I'm happy to see you," he corrected, smiling at Atem.

Atem's heart melted at the sight of Yugi finally smiling at him. He returned the smile and held up a plastic bag. "I'm happy to see you too, Yugi. I brought some snacks," he said, sheepishly, watching Salem carefully out of the corner of his eye.

Yugi bowed and accepted the bag. "Thank you. I'll go put these in a bowl and we can watch the preliminaries together," he murmured, leaving Atem and Salem in the living room alone.

Atem glared in Salem's direction before opting to sit on the floor. He checked his watch again, wondering when Kaiba was going to show up.

"Seto-sama won't be here until the finals, Tem-Tem." Salem murmured, not taking her eyes off of the screen.

"Don't call me that." Atem spat, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall.

Salem chuckled and smirked at Atem. "You still don't like me? I thought you would have had time to cool down," she hummed, bringing her attention back to the laptop.

Atem glared at the curly haired teen. "I'll never be able to respect someone like you. Preying on older men, you're disgusting," he growled, keeping his voice down.

"It's a shame you feel that way. Yugi seems to like me just fine," she responded, her voice was a soft purr and its intensity matched Atem's.

"You little—" Atem stopped himself when Yugi came back into the room holding a large bowl full of chips.

"How is it looking, Salem?" Yugi asked kindly, placing the bowl in the middle of the coffee table and sitting next to her.

Salem smiled warmly at the lavender-eyed duelist. "The prelims are done! See, I told you there was a solution to the crowding problem. People should be coming in for the finals in the next thirty minutes or so," she explained happily.

Yugi nodded and smiled back at her, earning a jealous glare from Atem. "Thank you so much for all of your help. I know I've been difficult but there's no way I won't break even now!" He thanked fervently, throwing his arms around Salem in a crushing hug.

Atem felt a pang of envy in his chest and stood. "I didn't know you didn't help, Yugi. I would have been more than happy to come by earlier," he said, bowing respectfully.

Yugi released Salem and shook his head. "Oh, no! Don't worry, Atem! I thought I had done enough but when Salem stopped by she pointed out that my ideas could use some...finesse,' he explained, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Plus, since you didn't help with set up, you can help with check-in." Salem added, standing up and smoothing out her tight fitting dress.

Yugi clapped his hands together excitedly. "Oh! That's right! Atem, will you help me set up the folding table for outside? It's the last thing on our list. You know, if you wanted to help?" He asked, starting to feel like his old self again.

Atem smiled at Yugi, happy to see that his crush was relaxing into his role as owner of the game shop. "I would love to, Aibou."

Soon, the tournament was in full swing. Teenagers from all across Domino had entered and only a few made it to the finals.

Atem joined Yugi at Kaiba's side when he had finished, checking out someone who had been disqualified. "Everything's going so well tonight. Do you think you'll ever host another one?" He asked, hoping he'd be able to see Yugi more in the future.

Yugi chuckled and shook his head. "Probably not for a while. It was too much for me to handle on my own. Speaking of," he turned to Kaiba, who looked utterly bored. "Where did Salem go? I wanted to thank her again for her help."

Kaiba carded his fingers through his chestnut locks and sighed. "She had to head back to the Kaiba mansion," he stated glumly.

"Oh, was it past her bedtime?" Atem asked sourly.

Yugi was shocked at Atem's sudden change in attitude. Did Atem not like Salem?

"I'm not having this conversation with you again, Atem. She's not too young. Drop it." Kaiba scolded, tilting his head toward the teenagers still competing.

Yugi's eyes widened as he realized what was going on. He was relieved, thinking that Atem knew Kaiba was dating someone younger and brushed it off. But, in fact, he had already told Kaiba that it was wrong.

He sighed happily and gazed at Atem, grateful that the ex-pharaoh's values haven't changed.

I'll still talk to him after the tournament. We need to be on the same page if we're going to move forward. Yugi thought, agreeing with himself and nodding.

As the night wrapped up, and the winners were given their prizes, Yugi relaxed even more. He was even cleaning early so he wouldn't have a huge mess the next day.

"Goodnight, Kaiba-kun! Thank you for your time!" Yugi called after Kaiba as the tall brunette hurried out the door.

Atem chuckled as he took down the last folding table. "I'm surprised he was fine with being around so many rowdy kids for an extended period of time," he laughed, picking up the table and gazing at Yugi.

"Where would you like these, Aibou?" He asked, trying to keep his grip on the slippery surface.

Yugi ran over to Atem to help him lift the awkward object. "Careful! Um, it can just go in the store room for now. I can help you carry the rest back there," he said, blushing when he locked eyes with the former king.

Atem started into Yugi's soft purple eyes, almost dropping the table on his foot when Yugi inched his face closer.

Yugi cleared his throat and stepped back slightly. "Sorry. I was adjusting my grip," he murmured, leading Atem into the small storage room.

Atem was thankful that it was dark in the room. At least that way Yugi wouldn't see how flustered he became. They worked in silence, putting everything away until the game shop resembled its old self, with the exception of a few posters and decorations left on the walls.

"I think it livens the place up, doesn't it?" Yugi asked, elated at the amount of work he had accomplished. He wouldn't have been able to do it without Atem and Salem. He would have to thank both of them properly.

Atem nodded and fanned his hand near his face. He didn't realize it before but it was incredibly hot in the game shop. Did Yugi never get air conditioning?

Yugi noticed Atem fanning himself and turned beet red. "Sorry, I know it's hot in here. Why don't we take a walk? It's dark now, but the breeze would be nice," he suggested softly.

Atem nodded in agreement and followed Yugi outside, waiting patiently as Yugi locked the door behind them. They were both silent at first, enjoying the crisp night air and the familiar comfort of each other's company. But then, Yugi spoke.

"I was fully ready to scold you tonight," he started, keeping his soft gaze on the sidewalk.

Atem raised an eyebrow in shock. "Oh? What for?" He asked, knowing it could be for any number of things Yugi didn't find appropriate.

"I thought you approved of Kaiba's relationship with Salem. Don't get me wrong she's a sweet girl. The problem is that she literally is still just a girl." Yugi explained, finally looking up from the ground.

"Hmpf. Give me more credit, Aibou. I could never approve of a relationship like that. Even if I don't like her very much." Atem responded, glad that he and Yugi were on the same page.

She's using Kaiba for his money, I would never approve of that… Atem thought to himself, knowing that wasn't the only issue.

Yugi nodded slowly. "I owe you an apology for kicking you out the other day. I realize now you were in a tough spot and I should have been a better friend," he said, hoping Atem would be the bigger person and forgive him.

Atem stopped walking and gazed at Yugi. "Aibou...I—I accept your apology. But, only if you'll accept my apology for dropping in on you unexpectedly. I should have thought about how seeing me again would make you feel," he said with a sigh. "Especially after the way we left things in Hamanatsu," he finished, sticking his hands in the pockets of his jeans.

Yugi turned to face Atem and gave the ex-king a small smile. "Of course I accept your apology. But—" he shivered and rubbed at his shoulders, kicking himself for forgetting a jacket.

Atem chuckled lightly and shed his dark red leather jacket. He stepped closer to Yugi and draped it over the shy male's shoulders. "There. Better?" He asked, giving Yugi a concerned smile.

Yugi held the jacket on his shoulders by the lapels and nodded. "Much better. Thank you. I guess we went from one extreme to the other, huh?" He laughed, continuing to walk toward the city lights.

Atem caught up to Yugi and put his arm around the other's shoulders. "I don't really mind. I'm just happy I get to be with you," he said, his voice deep and soothing.

They continued to walk until Atem realized they were close to his condo. He had just cleaned and he would love for Yugi to see his new place. He didn't see the harm in inviting Yugi over for a little while.

"Hey, Aibou, we're actually near my place. Would like to come inside and get warm for a bit?" He asked, hoping Yugi wouldn't take it the wrong way.

Yugi froze and gazed at Atem seriously. "Only for a bit. No funny business," he said harshly.

Atem put his hands up defensively. "I wouldn't dream of it," he lied, knowing full well that he was still in love with Yugi.

Yugi sighed in defeat. "Lead the way," he said, putting his guard up once more.

Atem smiled and led Yugi to a luxury apartment complex. He stayed silent while they were in the elevator and even up until he unlocked his front door. He let Yugi walk in first, turning on the light so his guest could see his exquisite living space.

"Whoa!" Yugi exclaimed, letting Atem's leather jacket fall off of his shoulders and onto the wood floors. He gazed at the spacious living room, complete with a fireplace. Connected to the living room was the kitchen that was more storage that Yugi would even know what to do with.

He stepped further into the apartment and stopped when he realized the floors were heated. As he looked around, he couldn't help but feel less sorry for kicking Atem off of his property.

If this is what Atem can afford on such short notice then he didn't need my help at all! Yugi seethed, clenching his jaw as he watched Atem saunter into the kitchen and pour them two glasses of wine.

Atem made sure to fill the glasses to the brim before looking in Yugi's direction. "Haha, don't just stand there. Come in, Aibou. If you sit in the living room, I can turn on the fireplace. That should heat you up pretty fast, right?"

Yugi shuffled into the living and sat on the leather loveseat, still gaping at the wastefully spacious apartment. "I didn't even know they had places like this in the city. It must have been hard to find," he stated, jumping when the dark fireplace sparked to life.

He turned to look at Atem and saw that the former royal had turned on the fireplace with a small remote. He shook his head at the ridiculousness of it all. It was too much. There was no way, they would be able to connect again. Their lives were way too different.

Atem approached the loveseat, carrying the glasses of wine in each hand. He sat next to Yugi and handed his friend the very full glass. "Sorry, I went a little overboard. Don't feel like you have to drink it all," he said, taking a rather large gulp of his own wine.

Yugi cupped the glasses with both hands and gazed at the dark liquid. He then looked at Atem who was staring back at him. He clicked his tongue and sighed, taking a small sip. He winced at the bitter flavor, thanking the powers that be for the high alcohol content that made his head swim.

He took a few more sips until he didn't mind the taste and cleared his throat. He was already drunk and he had barely made a dent in the wine.

While Yugi was having his battle with the fermented drink, Atem was slowly scooting closer to his guest.

Atem placed a firm hand on Yugi's knee and chuckled at the other's flushed cheeks. "Slow down, Aibou. The wine isn't going anywhere," he whispered, placing his glass down on the coffee table when Yugi made the surprising move of scooting closer.

What is he doing? He's the one who said no funny business! Atem panicked. He knew he had zero willpower when it came to Yugi. If Yugi ended up wanting sex, Atem would most defintely say yes.

Yugi thought the wine would warm him up, but he felt colder than before. He absentmindedly scooted closer to Atem, not realizing his heat source was watching him closely. He took another sip of wine and decided to put it on the table next to Atem's.

He leaned back against the couch and sighed happily. "Wow, this couch is much more comfortable than that old one at the game shop. I could fall asleep right now," he murmured, "I've been so stressed lately. It's strange. I can feel all of the lost sleep hitting me at once. Do you ever feel that way, Pharaoh?"

Atem heart fluttered in his chest at his former title. He swallowed the lump in his throat and ignored the tightening coil in his belly. This was bad. Yugi was saying all of the right things.

"Um, sometimes. But, I try to do things to relieve my stress before it gets too bad." Atem mentioned, picking up his wine and taking another large sip.

Relax. Aibou is just venting. Be a good friend and listen! He scolded himself.

Yugi turned his head toward Atem, curious of what those "things" could be. "Like what?" He asked bravely.

Atem shrugged and sipped his wine again, thinking of the things he would normally do if he weren't starved for touch.

"Well, there's exercise," he said, tapping his chin inquisitively.

"Ugh, gross." Yugi said, shaking his head, "what else?" he asked.

Atem laughed and shook his head. "I knew you'd say that. Hmm, well. In America, I would smoke a lot of weed if I was having a particularly bad week," he explained, knowing that Yugi wasn't a fan of recreational drugs.

"That's definitely not happening, Pharaoh. Come on, don't you have anything useful? Something that immediately takes the edge off?" Yugi asked, not knowing how this even became a conversation.

Atem sighed and leaned back against the couch, turning his head so he could still see Yugi. "I mean, I masterbate like four times a day so that's something," he said nonchalantly.

Yugi burst out into laughter and shoved Atem lightly. "Four times?! In one day? No, I don't believe you," he yelled, not trying to hide his disbelief.

"It's true! Twice in the morning and twice at night. I'm single and horny, there's nothing wrong with that! Besides, you asked me what I do, and that's what I do!" Atem defended himself, shoving Yugi back playfully.

Yugi sat up and shook his blonde bangs out of his face. "Well it's a good thing, I topped you on the train that day. You probably wouldn't have let me leave if you were the top Mr. Four Times A Day," he teased, poking at Atem's sides.

Atem put his glass on the coffee table and tried to defend his ticklish ribs. "Haha— no tickling, Aibou!" He was half yelling, half laughing as Yugi got the upper hand.

Yugi smirked and continued his tickle assault on Atem's ribs. "Oh, no! Now that I know you're incredibly ticklish, I'm not going to stop!" He laughed, gasping dramatically when Atem grabbed his wrists and pinned him on his back.

Atem looked down at Yugi with a large smile. "I really missed this side of you, Aibou…" he trailed off, leaning down and kissing Yugi's forehead lightly.

They were both breathing heavily from the impromptu tickle match. Yugi didn't mind that Atem was on top of him but he did mind that Atem wasn't trying to make more of a move. He said he didn't want any funny business but something about this time was different.

Yugi wanted this. He knew that he could only deny Atem for so long. Plus, what was the problem with having sex with Atem, really? All of their friends had moved on and Atem was back in Japan. And, Atem said himself that he was single.

So.

"Hey, Pharaoh?" Yugi asked sheepishly, rubbing his thighs together, ashamed of what he was about to ask.

Atem gazed at Yugi lovingly. "Yes, Aibou?"

"Why don't you then?" Yugi asked, trying to remain as vague as possible in hopes that Atem would understand him.

Atem didn't pick up on Yugi's subtly and tilted his head in confusion. "Why don't I, what?"

Yugi averted his gaze and stared at the cream colored fabric of the couch. "Why don't you top me?

Atem pushed himself off of Yugi and stood in the center of the living room, taken aback. "What?"

WHAT?!


Thank you for reading! If you like what I do consider commenting, leaving kudos, and finding me on (always free to follow, it's your choice to pledge!)