"Family" Therapy

It was silent and still in the back parlor of the Kaiba mansion. It was on the luxurious couches and chaise lounges that everyone sat, motionless, waiting for the therapist to arrive.

Not everyone was nervous.

Salem was happily chopping vegetables in the kitchen, far away from the dysfunctional group of friends.

Back in the parlor, Kaiba was trying to fill the thick air and discomfort by answering emails. Atem was obsessively scanning the iPad, hoping that the jeweler had gotten in touch with them.

He moodily locked the iPad when Salem appeared with a tray of beautifully arranged veggies, meats, and cheeses.

"I have Anansi bringing some beverages." She said, setting the tray on the large coffee table.

She straightened her self up, tossing her long hair over her shoulder, the thick locks swaying down to her taut buttocks.

Mokuba cleared his throat in discomfort when Rebecca nudged him for staring at Salem's rear.

Serenity and Tristan were taking turns yawning. The trip from Osaka and the same day session, taking its toll on the struggling young couple.

Salem smoothed out her white body con dress and sat between Kaiba and Atem. The threesome's shared couch was the furthest away from the other furniture.

Yugi and Joey were on the two seater sofa, closest to the snacks, leaving Te'a to sit in the armchair directly across from the loving trio's couch.

Te'a glared at Salem, catching herself and fixing her expression into a fake smile, "Salem, you're hair is beautiful. How do you even begin to manage it?" She asked, finally breaking the silence.

Kaiba and Atem collectively rolled their eyes and waited for Salem to answer.

"I don't think you actually give a shit." Salem hummed, smiling at Anansi as the handsome young man entered the parlor with a tray full of clean glasses and a large bottle of champagne.

Atem sighed when Anansi served Kaiba first, "When I said refreshments, I meant water." He said, snatching the flute out of Kaiba's hand.

He grabbed the bottle off of the tray and pointed to it, "We can have this AFTER." He looked at Anansi, expecting the guard to follow his order and take the bottle away.

Kaiba crossed his arms, "Anansi, that bottle stays here." He barked, not bothering to get up off the couch.

He was too comfortable with Salem pressed up against him with her delicate hand resting on his muscular chest to expend any effort.

Yugi watched Anansi take the champagne and the flute away from Atem and pour Kaiba and Salem two very full glasses of liquid.

He scoffed as Anansi handed a half full glass to Atem.

The young guard was only able to escape the tense room when his watch beeped, alerting him of someone trying to buzz through the front gate. He hurriedly left the large room, leaving Atem upset and standing in front of the overly satisfied brunette.

Mokuba cleared his throat, drawing unwanted attention to himself from everyone in the room, "Oh, um. I wasn't going to say anything...I'm getting over a cold." He said, feeling more uncomfortable when Salem set her glass down on nearby accent table without taking a sip.

Joey blinked at Atem and then at Salem, realizing that the honey eyed ex- princess wasn't going to disrespect Atem by drinking after the former king had expressed his concerns. He looked over to Kaiba who was blatantly enjoying his champagne and shook his head.

Atem glared at Kaiba, returning to his seat when Isono entered the room with a guest in tow.

"Introducing Kuzo Junko, Doctor of Marriage and Family Therapy and Family Systems Therapy." The Chief of security announced before all too eagerly leaving the room.

Atem stood up excitedly and greeted the doctor, bowing out of respect, "Thank you for coming all this way, Kuzo-sensei." He said, feeling his heart flutter when he felt Salem at his side, bowing as well.

Kuzo returned their bow and looked around the room, seeing Kaiba on his phone, completely unengaged.

He returned his attention to Atem and Salem,

"Thank you for having me. I'm guessing this is the seat of honor?" He asked, gesturing to the armchair that closed off the circle of couches.

Atem nodded and took Salem's hand in his as they sat back down. He noticed that Kuzo was surveying each person carefully before his eyes landed on the bottle of champagne and Kaiba's now empty glass.

He squeezed Salem's hand nervously as Kuzo set his briefcase next to his feet.

Kuzo smiled warmly at the group, making eye contact with everyone in the circle except for Kaiba, who was still on his phone. He cleared his throat and adjusted his tie.

"Kaiba-san, the rest of the group is ready to start." Kuzo said calmly, waiting patiently for Kaiba to finish his email.

Kaiba rolled his eyes and put his phone in his jacket pocket. He possessively wrapped his arm around Salem's waist and ignored Atem when the ex-king moodily clicked his tongue.

Atem crossed his arms and glared at the carpet. He was beginning to regret this idea.

"Well, um, hello, everyone. I suppose I've already been introduced so how about we go around the circle so I can learn your names?" Kuzo said, taking a small notepad and a pen out of his briefcase.

The group looked around awkwardly, hoping someone would be brave enough to go first.

"Ugh, fine." Kaiba started, "You know who I am. Everyone does." He finished, turning his attention to Salem.

"Former Ambassador Sala Wahab but I prefer to be called Salem." She said, gently removing Kaiba's hand from around her waist. The brunette became slightly clingy when he was uncomfortable but Salem didn't want Atem to feel excluded.

"I'm Atem." He clipped, still upset with Kaiba and Anansi.

"Mokuba Kaiba...obviously."

"Rebecca Hawkins-Kaiba."

"Um, Serenity Taylor.."

"Tristan Taylor."

"Jumpin' Joey Wheeler, pro duelist!"

"Yugi Mutou."

"Te'a Mutou."

Kuzo nodded and smiled at every person as they introduced themselves and scribbled into his notepad, "My, my...three married couples, and a committed trio." He mumbled.

"Yeah, I'm the only single guy who made time for this thing." Joey said, grabbing a piece of cheese from the tray and popping it in his mouth.

"It would be out of character for a stray mutt to pass up free food." Kaiba spat.

"Fuck you, Kaiba. Atem asked me to be here so I came." Joey argued, crossing his arms in defense.

"Interesting, Joey. Is that the same reason the rest of you are here today?" Kuzo questioned, wondering why Kaiba would attack Joey for no reason.

"Well, it's the reason for the session being organized, but our group of friends has been having...issues since-" Te'a paused and looked over at Salem, wordlessly blaming the curly haired beauty for the group's discord.

Salem chuckled to herself and took a sip of her champagne. Her drink had almost been forgotten.

Atem glared at Te'a, "Why do you blame her for everything?!"

Te'a shrugged, "I'm just speaking truthfully."

"Pft. Salem isn't the reason why you took Yuna and left Yugi alone in that big old house." Kaiba scoffed, taking a sip of Salem's drink.

"Sure, help yourself." Salem murmured when Kaiba handed the glass back to her.

Yugi's heart skipped a beat and fluttered nervously, "Um, maybe we should just answer Kuzo-sensei's question…"

"Oh! No, no, I'm not going to let Kaiba think that she isn't causing problems!" Te'a retorted.

"Kaiba, you should know that Yugi was masturbating to Salem's picture in our marriage bed." She said, blowing her bangs out of her eyes.

Atem and Salem rushed to hold Kaiba back when the tall, muscular brunette lunged at Yugi.

"Whoa, Kaiba!" Joey yelled, standing up and getting in front of his friend.

Luckily, Atem and Salem were able to sit Kaiba down on the couch before he could reach the smaller male.

"Mutou, what the fuck! You're married!" Kaiba growled through gritted teeth.

Yugi pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed in frustration, "That was private, Te'a…"

"It stopped being private the minute you pulled up her instagram and stuffed your hand down your pants." Te'a retorted.

Atem shook his head and scoffed, "You knew that telling the group that information would cause problems and garner sympathy, Te'a."

"I mean… Even if it was private...Yugi, that's cheating…" Serenity said bravely.

Tristan nodded in agreement, "Yeah, you wouldn't want Te'a rubbing one out to Kaiba or Atem would you?"

Kaiba shivered in disgust. He knew that the general public probably used his photos for the same thing, but knowing the person was a different story.

"I personally don't see the big deal. Salem's hot and her instagram is public...I've, you know...looked at it before…" Joey said, trailing off when Kaiba's glare became bloodthirsty. He cleared his throat and poured himself some champagne, drinking it immediately to shut himself up.

The room fell into silence yet again. At the lull in arguing, Kozu finally spoke, "Salem. I'd like to know your thoughts on the matter?" He said, fervently writing.

Salem gazed upward in thought and sighed, "I often feel as though this group doesn't see me as a human... "

Kozu tilted his head, "Will you elaborate?"

"Well… I'm not unaware of how I present myself...I love a tight dress and a very high heel...but the amount of stares and comments about my appearance-"

"That would stop if you wore clothes and not shreds of fabric." Te'a interrupted.

"Please, Mrs. Mutou, do not interject." Kuzo said politely.

He nodded for Salem to continue.

Salem took a deep breath, "I guess I don't care so much about being the object of someone's fantasy but...It feels like Seto and Atem's group of friends use me as a scapegoat for issues that they've had long before I came into their lives."

She moved all of her hair to one shoulder and ran her fingers through the overgrown locks, the curls frizzing up as they were separated, "Being objectified is really the most tame thing that they've done to me…"

Kuzo nodded, "So you have no qualms about a married man overly enjoying your pictures?"

Salem shook her head, "Yugi is a good person who had a lapse in judgment. He wants to be a good husband but that's kind of impossible when-"

"Oh, is this where you blame me?" Te'a said through gritted teeth, already on the defensive.

Salem blinked and twirled her curls in her fingers, "No. I was actually going to say that Yugi is overworked." She revealed, turning to look at Kaiba.

Kaiba glared at his female lover, "If Yugi has a problem with his promotion, then I can give it to someone else."

Yugi sighed and rubbed his arm, "Thank you, Salem but this promotion means a lot to me." He said, narrowing his eyes at Te'a when she clicked her tongue.

Mokuba also poured himself a glass of champage and shook his head, "Seto, you can't threaten to fire or demote an employee just because he doesn't answer your work-related texts at three in the fucking morning."

"I didn't threaten anyone." Kaiba said with a toss of his bangs.

"Oh, please. I've heard you on the phone with Aibou. It's all 'Come in early or don't, your choice.' You aren't really giving him much choice when you mention that his work rival is 'already on his way and will be here if you aren't'. That's not fair." Atem argued, turning his body to face Kaiba.

He was talking past Salem, which he knew was rude, but Kaiba needed to be told off.

Kozu scribbled on his pad again, "Mutou-san, how do you like your new position?" He asked.

Yugi shrugged, "It's my dream job, I guess."

"You guess?" Kozu pressed his pen into the notepad, waiting for Yugi to continue.

"Well, yeah. I'm a game creator and now I'm the Head of Game Development. The fact that Kaiba-kun trusts me to do a good job- to do better than a good job, means everything to me." Yugi sighed and leaned his elbows on his knees, "I'm actually beginning to agree with Salem in that we've always had these issues… Kaiba-kun and I-and everyone has come so far from where we once were…" He trailed off, rubbing at his eyes, exhausted.

Kozu nodded, "Mutou-san, I think you've come to an important realization. I'd like to know from each of you, how many hours of restful sleep do you get a night?"

"Um, I maybe get about five hours on a good night." Yugi said, finally pouring himself a glass of champagne.

"I'd say I sleep about nine hours." Joey chimed in.

Tristain sighed, "Three to four hours." He said, glaring down at his hands when everyone gaped at him.

"Even I get at least seven hours of sleep." Kaiba responded, raising an eyebrow at the spiky haired brunette. He remembered that he had offered Tristan a job a number of years ago, but the proud mechanic had refused. Kaiba guessed that Tristan didn't want to be indebted to him.

Serenity sighed, "I get about five hours of sleep. Two or three if our kids are having night terrors."

"Oh honey. Suni and Te are still having trouble in the new home?" Tea asked sympathetically.

Serenity nodded sadly and sobbed lightly, "It's so hard sometimes.." She cried, sinking into Tristan's comforting embrace. The young couple had recently purchased a new home and the mortgage payments and school system was proving to be a challenge to their growing family.

Kuzo went into his briefcase and took out a small packet of tissues. He stood up, tenderly handing the packet to Serenity with both hands, going back to his seat when she accepted the tissues.

"Please." Kuzo gestured to Mokuba, "Continue." He said politely.

"Eight hours." Mokuba said, smiling when Rebecca kisses his cheek.

"I also get eight hours. We make sure to go to bed together and wake up together everyday." Rebecca hummed, almost bragging about having the healthiest relationship.

"This isn't a competition Rebecca." Te'a scolded condescendingly. She knew Rebecca wasn't a child but sometimes the chipper blonde would show that she still had some growing up to do.

Rebecca rolled her eyes as Atem cleared his throat.

"If I don't have schoolwork to do the night before, I get around seven hours of sleep. " Atem said, realizing that Te'a had no problem communicating with Serenity and Rebecca.

"I have to get fourteen hours of sleep in order to function at a normal capacity." Salem said with a straight face, feeling like an idiot for speaking so freely.

Te'a blinked and snickered, "Wow. And you think you're so much better than everyone. I'm a housewife and sleep less than that. How do you even run your own company if you're asleep for half the day." She judged.

Rebecca scoffed and glared at Te'a, "You just said this wasn't a competition. You really are a bully to Salem."

Salem swallowed the lump in her throat, leaning against Kaiba when the blue eyed CEO pulled her close to comfort her.

Atem put his hand on Salem's thigh and kissed her cheek, "Please don't retreat into that big brain of yours, Shibo." He said gently.

Kozu gazed at Atem, "Shibo? A nickname?"

Atem nodded slowly, not meaning to say Salem's nickname so loudly.

"How fitting." Te'a spat.

Kozu looked toward Te'a and then back at Salem, writing a few short notes on the pad. He cleared his throat, "Mrs. Mutou, what would Salem have to change in order for you to treat her with respect?"

Te'a leaned back against the arm chair and sighed, "Well, maybe not acting so high mighty all the time."

Kozu quieted the group as Rebecca and Serenity started to protest, "How do you mean?"

"I don't know...just...she-" Te'a stuttered, feeling nervous.

"You have the floor, Te'a. What do I need to do?" Salem challenged, knowing Te'a's hatred came from a place of jealousy.

Te'a clicked her tongue, "Well, she called me fat."

"You called me a slut." Salem responded quickly.

"You sent me an egregious amount of money for my wedding and completely emasculated my husband by only addressing the money to me." Te'a shot back, raising her voice.

"That money was for you. Not your husband. You could have shared it with him if you wanted, but I'm pretty sure you tore up the check." Salem said simply.

"Of course I tore it up! And I flushed it down the toilet for good measure. Why would I give someone like you that satisfaction?" Te'a yelled.

"Someone like me?" Salem asked, shifting herself so she was ready to pounce at any moment.

"An entitled, spoiled, murderer. Everything was better when you were gone and you should have never come back." Te'a growled through gritted teeth.

Everyone's jaws dropped and Salem's eyes widened.

Kaiba sat up and stared at Atem, who was gazing at Salem. He tried to sit Salem down as the curly-haired beauty stood up and walked out of the parlor without another word.

"Salem wai-" Atem started, cutting himself off when Kaiba briskly followed Salem out of the room.

He sighed and shook his head. He hated when Kaiba would monopolize Salem's attention.

"Mrs. Mutou. Although I appreciate your honesty, accusing someone of murder is very harsh." Kozu said, reading Atem's expression carefully.

"It's not an accusation if it's true." Te'a grumbled.

Kozu looked at Te'a seriously, "If Her Excellency Sala Wahab has committed such a crime and is currently a risk to others, I will have to go to the police and have her detained." he said, taking his cell phone out of his blazer.

Yugi gasped, "No! Salem isn't a murderer!" He glared at his wife.

Their group had agreed to keep the details of Salem's past a secret as her actions were the only thing that had kept them and Atem safe.

But Te'a was out for blood.

Kozu looked toward Joey, "What is your opinion on Salem, Joey? You seem to be the most honest of the group."

Joey swallowed the piece of food in his mouth and began to sweat, "My opinion of her?"

Kozu shook his head, "No, your opinion on how Salem is treated in your group. I hate to acknowledge this so soon but it seems like Mrs. Mutou's hatred for her, comes from a place of feeling like she's being replaced. What do you think?"

Joey rubbed his hand on his jeans and sighed, "Te'a, no matter what you'll always be our strong, happy friend...It just-It's hard seeing you stray away from that beautiful person you used to be."

Kozu smiled and nodded, "Beautifully said, Joey. Does anyone else have anything to add to that?"

Serenity lightly cleared her throat, "Well, I, um-I think you should go back to Yugi. He made one mistake and you took your child and left. Salem can't be the reason for everything."

Atem sighed sadly as each person around the circle said something that they missed about the former dancer. He gazed at Yugi when it was the large-eyed male's turn to speak.

Yugi took a deep breath and released it slowly to calm himself, "I honestly just miss the woman I fell in love with...I miss your speeches and lectures about friendship...I'm sorry for what I did but none of our problems-Any of the group's problem's, have anything to do with Salem's new role in our lives."

Te'a sighed sadly and wiped a forming tear away from her eye, "I miss you too, Yugi…"

Atem rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, feeling alone with Kaiba and Salem lurking somewhere else in the mansion. He swallowed the lump in his throat and dryly cleared his throat, hoping to stop the tears from flowing.

Kuzo took out another pack of tissues and walked over to Atem, "Do you think they're coming back?" He asked, kneeling down by the ex-pharaoh when his tears began streaming down his face.

Yugi got up without thinking, hurrying to sit next to Atem. He put his arm around Atem's shoulder and gave the distraught ex-royal a light squeeze.

Atem tried to steady his breathing, hiccuping harshly when Yugi hugged him even harder.

"Atem, what happened? Why are you crying?" Yugi asked, trying to calm his former other half down.

Mokuba clicked his tongue and sighed, "Seto hogs Salem doesn't he?" He said with a roll of his eyes.

"Remember, Salem is not an object to be shared." Kozu reminded, going back to his chair.

Rebecca shook her head, "We know. It's just that ever since she decided to be with them, Nii-Sama has made a habit of stealing her attention away from Atem."

"I can tell she doesn't want me to feel left out." Atem sobbed, "But, even Kaiba seems to love me less sometimes…" He wiped his nose on the tissue and dabbed his eyes with his knuckle, smearing his light line of eyeliner.

Yugi sighed and looked over at Mokuba. He knew that Kaiba had been acting strange lately, but he didn't know the extent of his behavior.

"Love you less?" Yugi asked, hoping that Kaiba wasn't mentally abusing Atem.

Atem blew his nose and sighed, "He doesn't mean to...it just feels like he enjoys Salem's company more. When the three of us are being intimate, he's so much sweeter with her than he is with me." He breathed slowly, his soft hiccups coming to a complete stop, "He strokes her hair and tugs on mine. He's more...himself with her…" He trailed off, trying to gather his thoughts.

"Not to say that he isn't himself around me. He is, and I love him...I get a little jealous of their bond sometimes...I want that strong of a bond between all THREE of us…" He continued.

Yugi rubbed Atem's back and smiled weakly, "The three of you have a very special bond…I'm sure Kaiba and Salem wouldn't do anything on purpose to make you feel excluded." He said, taking his hand off of Atem when Kaiba and Salem returned to the parlor.

Kaiba glared at Yugi, intimidating the smaller male into moving back to his original seat. He waited for Salem to take her seat next to Atem, before sitting down and gracefully crossing his legs.

He was refreshed.

He took Salem's hand from his lap and kissed her knuckles, enjoying the smell of her perfume mixed with their combined juices.

The entire group watched as Salem blushed uncharacteristically at Kaiba's public display of affection and Kaiba smirked against her skin.

It was then that Atem realized that his two lovers had just finished making love...without him.

One by one everyone else realized it too.

Kozu scribbled on his notepad and then set it down on the coffee table without closing it. He opened his briefcase and took out a small deck of Duel Monsters cards and a small stack of note cards.

"I know that everyone here likes games, so I've brought some cards." He started, placing the cards on the coffee table, "Here are the rules. Each person will draw a Duel Monsters card and then a note card with a question on it ." He drew a monster card and showed it to the group.

"Finally, something not completely boring." Kaiba said, ready to play.

Kozu set his lips in a tight smile as he continued to explain, "If you draw a monster that has an even number of stars, you'll answer the question on the card." He said, putting the monster card he drew at the bottom of the deck, "If you draw a card that has an odd number of starts, you'll read the question and then pick someone else to answer it."

Yugi raised his hand politely, feeling foolish as soon as he did it, "I have a question."

Kozu chuckled lightly, "Yes, Mutou-san?"

"What if we pull a magic or trap card?" Yugi asked.

"Good question. If you pull a magic card, you may have a sip of champagne or a snack off of the table. However, if you pull a trap card, you'll have to do ten jumping jacks." Kozu said, turning his attention to Kaiba, "Kaiba-san, since you're in need of more stimulation, how about you draw first."

Kaiba rolled his eyes and stood, walking up to the coffee table and drawing a card off the deck. He groaned internally when he pulled an even numbered monster card. He took took a note card and read loud enough for everyone to hear, "Do you feel successful in your personal relationships?"

Kozu smiled, "Did you draw and even or an-"

"Even." Kaiba interrupted, putting the note card and Duel monsters card at the bottom of each respective stack, "And my answer is yes. Obviously. I mean look at them." He said, gesturing to Atem and Salem, "They're beautiful."

Kozu gazed at Atem's tear-stained face and then at Salem's flushed cheeks, "Is their beauty the only thing about them that you value?" He asked.

"Tch. Of course not. But, we only have you for an hour and that's not enough time for me to tell everyone how amazing they are." Kaiba grumbled, blinking in confusion when he noticed Atem's smeared eyeliner.

Kozu nodded and smiled, "Fair enough. Salem, would you draw next please."

Salem stood up gingerly and walked over to the coffee table, drawing each respective card, "Odd number." She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and made eye contact with Mokuba, "Where do you think our conflict started?"

Mokuba sighed heavily and scratched his head, "Honestly, it's not as if things were amazing before you got here, Salem." He cleared his throat, "I think Te'a couldn't get over how similar you and Atem were in appearance and decided she didn't like you. And, I think it got worse when Seto and Atem pushed you out of their lives."

Kaiba glared at his younger brother, "Salem's already forgiven Atem and me for our past behavior." He said defensively.

"I'm just answering the question, Seto." Mokuba sighed, watching Salem rub her elbow in discomfort.

"You're obviously blaming my presence for the issues." Atem started, "I guess that makes sense...Ever since I came into your lives, I've done nothing but cause trouble."

"Atem, that's not true!" Yugi exclaimed, hoping the others would agree with him.

Atem sighed and leaned back into the couch, feeling his heart sink when Mokuba said,

"Yeah, no duh. Did you forget that you ruined Seto's entire dueling career? When that happened I got kidnapped and Seto was almost killed. You've ruined more lives than Seto has and you're a fucking nobody."

Atem and Kaiba's jaws dropped simultaneously while Salem's eyes widened. The rest of the group glared at the youngest Kaiba brother, unsure of what to say.

Salem realized she was still standing in the middle of the room and made a motion to sit down, pausing when she noticed that Kaiba was glaring at her.

The blue eyed CEO finally spoke, "Why did you choose Mokuba to answer that question? You know he hates Atem." Kaiba asked, upset that this information had to come out in front of everyone.

Salem opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by Rebecca,

"How is it Salem's fault that Mokuba was being rude?" The blonde woman asked with a huff.

"Ugh, you always take Atem's side." Mokuba groaned crossing his arms.

"I do not 'take his side'. I'm just saying you should be grateful for everything Atem has done for you and your brother!" Rebecca retorted.

"Oh, you mean like the coma, the obsession, the kidnappings, and not to forget how Seto went missing for months just to find Atem? I should be grateful for that? No fucking way." Mokuba spat, staring Atem down as the ex-king glared back at him.

Atem shook his head and chuckled, "With the exception of the coma, none of those are directly my fault. Your brother made those choices, including endangering his own life and the lives of others." He gestured for Salem to sit next to him since Kaiba was still upset with the curly haired ex-royal, leaving Atem seated in between them.

Kozu raised an eyebrow as he studied the trio on the couch carefully, "Mr. Kaiba? Do you agree with your partner?"

Kaiba scoffed, "With Atem? Of course." He grumbled moodily.

"You seem to be upset? Do you mind shedding some light on why?" Kozu questioned, his eyes darting between Kaiba and Salem.

Kaiba turned his head toward Salem before bringing his attention back to Kozu, "I think it was an obvious question to give to someone, anyone, other than Mokuba."

Kozu looked at the pile of note cards and tapped his pen on the note pad, "You think so?"

"Obviously." Kaiba retorted.

Salem sighed through her nose and cleared her throat, "I thought the question was open ended and meant for anyone to answer. I'm pretty sure all of the questions are like that."

Kaiba glared down at the carpet for spitting a 'Whatever' in Salem's direction.

Atem put his hand on Salem's thigh and nodded his head, "I agree, Shibo."

"Of course you agree with her and not me." Kaiba muttered, suddenly noticing how much closer Atem was sitting next to Salem than earlier.

"Are we just not going to direct any questions towards Mokuba? Because that doesn't seem fair." Salem interjected, getting tired of Kaiba's immature behavior.

"You knew what you were doing when you asked him specifically." Kaiba accused, turning his full attention toward his two lovers.

"Yes. I was asking a question. I'm playing the same game you are, Tanin. I could have pulled any card. For you to think I was planning to cause problems only proves my earlier statement." She explained, her voice becoming more sharp with each word.

"Which was?" Kaiba asked, mockingly.

"That your friend group uses her as a scapegoat for your dysfunction." Kozu answered, now seeing the root of the problem, "We'll come back to this in a little bit but please, let's move on to the next person shall we? I believe it's your turn, Aknankhanen-san."

Atem sighed and stood up, feeling all eyes on him as he drew his card. He clicked his tongue and furrowed his brow, "Shit." He said, showing everyone the trap card before going to the corner of the room and performing ten perfect jumping jacks.

Yugi chuckled as Atem breathily counted out loud, "I hope I don't draw a trap card. I won't look nearly as graceful."

Atem finished his task and returned to his seat, "That sucked. I wanted to contribute."

Kozu smiled warmly, "You did. You followed the rules. Many people refuse to do the jumping jacks." He said, watching Mokuba eagerly stand up and draw a card.

Mokuba smirked and showed the room the even numbered monster card, "Let's see what the next question is.." he trailed off, pulling a note card from the stack and reading aloud, "Do you feel as though the conflict has escalated past the point of repairing your friendships and relationships?"

Mokuba sighed and placed the card underneath the stack, "I guess it all depends on what each of us sees the conflict as...Yes, I don't like Atem but he makes my brother happy." He walked back over to his couch and sat down, "I think that if we're ALL going to get past whatever is going on, we need to be okay with maybe not being the best of friends with each other."

Kozu scribbled on his notepad again before asking, "How do you mean?"

Mokuba leaned back against the fluffy cushions and sighed, "Well, take Te'a and Salem for instance, Te'a definitely started this feud but wants to believe that Salem started it with her wedding gift. " He started.

"Mhmm…" Kozu hummed, listening intently.

"But what really started this was jealousy, misunderstanding, and petty behavior. They don't have to be friends but they're going to have to tolerate each other if Atem and Yugi are going to be in each other's lives." Mokuba finished, surprised when the others nodded in silent agreement.

"Very nicely said." Rebecca agreed as she got up to draw a card, "Oh, hell yeah." She said, showing everyone the magic card and pouring herself a glass of champagne, which was now room temperature.

Serenity sighed and stood up. She shyly shuffled to the coffee table and drew a card, "It's an even number." She drew a note card and held back tears as she read the question out loud, "Do you feel like you've done enough to help de-escalate the conflict?"

She set the card under the stack and stared at the floor, "I don't know...I think I try to stick up for Salem when I can but…" She trailed off, her voice shaking as tears streamed down her face, "I'm sorry. I'm really bad a being the center of attention can I please sit down?"

Kozu nodded and smiled at the shy redhead, "Thank you for speaking honestly and bravely voicing your needs when you felt uncomfortable."

Tristan comforted his wife and stared at the therapist, "I don't really do the feelings thing so can I pass?"

Te'a rolled her eyes, "We all have to draw a card, Tristan. Even Kaiba participated."

Kaiba glared at the short haired former dancer, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"C'mon, Kaiba. Even you agree that you don't really like to participate in anything our group does." Joey defended, feeling validated when Yugi nodded slowly.

Atem and Salem gazed at each other then at Kaiba, gauging the CEO's reaction.

"So is your bar whether or not I contribute to this shitty group of friends?" Kaiba asked, trying to mask his hurt feelings.

"Yes." Mokuba said, "And that bar is on the floor."

Kaiba huffed and stared at the carpet, feeling more than offended. He felt as though he's done more than enough for Atem and his friends over the years. But, of course, his achievements were overlooked while Atem and Yugi's were praised.

"Fine, I'll draw the fucking card." Tristain responded moodily, getting up and taking a card off the top of the deck, sighing with relief when it was a magic card.

He took a slice of smoked meat off of the table and sat down, "Glad, I drew when I did."

Kozu laughed lightly, "See. There are many reasons for participation."

"Well, you ain't gotta tell me to draw a card twice!" Joey yelled in excitement, drawing a card from the deck, "Even numbered! Okay, Who do you think is the most willing to change?" He returned the card to the bottom of the stack and put his index finger to his chin in thought, "Well, I'd have to go with Salem."

Salem shifted uncomfortably in her seat when the entire room shifted their gaze in her direction, "Me? Why?"

"I mean, you've already made a lot of sacrifices and changes to be with Atem and Kaiba. You went from royalty to an ex-politician. And now you're…" He trailed off, gesturing to the beautiful charcuterie plate on the table, "...choppin' veggies for the 'men of the house'...you've done so much to belong...and I feel like you shouldn't have to take shit from anybody after what you've been through to get here." Joey cleared his throat awkwardly and sat down.

Salem mouth was agape. She didn't know what to say or how to feel. She swallowed the lump in her throat and gazed at Atem in confusion when the ex-king handed her a small packet of tissues. She became even more confused when Kaiba reached over and used his thumb to brush away a tear that was sliding down her cheek.

"Oh." She breathed, gratefully taking the tissues from Atem, and dabbing it gently against her cheek.

She didn't realize that she had started to cry.

Kozu studied Salem's reaction, "What are you feeling right now, Salem?"

Salem sniffled lightly and smiled at the therapist, "Validated."

"Damn, I think Joey just won therapy." Tristan said with a laugh.

Kozu shook his head, "Joey made a wonderful statement. But, there is still much more work to be done and more truth to uncover. Please, Mutou-san." He said, gesturing to the cards on the table, "It is your turn."

Yugi nervously drew a card, cringing when he pulled an odd numbered monster. He gazed at Te'a as he took a note card from the stack, hoping that whatever the question was, it would fix their current situation.

He cleared his throat and read aloud, "Do you think you are willing to forgive the people that have wronged you?" He returned the card to the bottom of the deck and sat down, waiting for his wife to answer.

Te'a sighed and smiled weakly at Yugi, "I can't stay mad at you for long, you know that." She turned to look at Salem, "But there are somethings that I just can't forgive."

Kozu pressed his pen into the notepad and looked at Te'a, "Are you saying you don't forgive your husband?"

Te'a shook her head, "I'm saying I forgive him but my feelings on Salem remain the same. I'm not going to respect her just because Joey thinks she's better than everyone here."

The entire room sighed collectively before Kozu gestured for Te'a to draw a card from the table.

Once Te'a, had her card she rolled her eyes, "Odd numbered."

"Ah, this is a good opportunity then. Mrs. Mutou, I would like you to direct your question to Salem." Kozu said, watching Te'a pull a note card from the stack.

Te'a sighed and put her hand on her hip as she read the card in Salem's general direction, "Who here is willing to change the least?" She slammed the card down on the table, already knowing Salem's answer.

Everyone looked at Salem expectantly, waiting for her to name the former dancer.

Salem sighed and gazed at Kozu, "Do I really need to say it?"

Kozu nodded, "You could have a different answer. Like earlier."

Salem shook her head, "No. I don't. My answer is Te'a."

Kozu smiled, "Thank you for being honest. With that, our game is over. If you all are ready, I'd like to give you my thoughts." He said, flipping back to the beginning of the notepad.

"That's what I'm paying you for…" Kaiba grumbled, ready for the hour to be done.

Kozu chuckled, "Right, Mr. Kaiba. Of course. Based on what I've seen here today, I do agree that you all use Salem as a lightning rod to absorb your dysfunction." He looked down at the pad and continued, "It seems to me that there are issues stemming from insecurity, jealousy, and personal grudges. And, you all have given Salem the job as punching bag to let those issues out on someone who you deem strong enough to be able to take such abuse."

Kozu flipped to the next page in his notepad, "It's not surprising that the larger group does this, as with most large groups of friends you are bound to have issues. But where I find this behavior most peculiar, is with you three." He explained, pointing to Kaiba, Atem, and Salem's couch,

"Us? Why? We don't treat Salem like that." Atem defended, knowing that he sometimes felt left out but he never blamed Salem for his feelings.

"It's hard to notice if you aren't looking for it. But, I saw that the minute Mr. Kaiba didn't feel like the smartest out of the three of you, he would direct his aggression toward Salem." Kozu said, clicking the pen closed, "It seems as if you in particular, Atem, put Salem on a pedestal, which in turn pressures her into being the picture you see in your head...and when she's not, you feel betrayed."

Kozu cleared his throat, "That kind of pressure would make anyone depressed and anxious. And by Salem's sleep schedule, it's quite obvious she's using sleep and rest to cope with her feelings of inadequacy."

Atem gazed down at his hands in guilt.

Yes.

He did do that.

He thought he had stopped doing that to Salem but he guessed those feelings still came up from time to time.

"Now, Mr. Kaiba it seems as if you do respect Salem but remind her through your actions that you don't have to respect her." Kozu continued.

Kaiba rolled his eyes, "I respect Salem regardless of my own feelings. I would never physically threaten-"

"Mr. Kaiba, Atem did alert me prior to this session that you have a history of abusive behavior toward him and Salem. And, from what I gather, everyone in this room should be afraid of you." Kozu interrupted, "I'm happy that they have forgiven and you have done the work to redeem yourself in their eyes, but please do not forget how much bigger you are than them. You may not mean to seem threatening, but your body language speaks volumes to what you're feeling on the inside."

Kaiba glared at the therapist and pursed his lips. He hated that his past actions were coming back to haunt him. He just wanted to forget and move on.

But.

He guessed that Salem would never forget how he had treated her.

"On the subject of respect, while it seems you do have respect for Salem most of the time, you have little to no respect for Atem. As a student of psychology, Atem knows that alcohol during a session is ludacris. Yet, here it is for everyone to drink when they feel the slightest bit uncomfortable." Kozu said, waving his hand at the flat, room temperature bottle of Dom Peringon.

"Now, that's just plain untrue." Kaiba disagreed.

"Well…" Salem, Yugi, and Atem said in unison.

"Kaiba-kun, you completely disregarded Atem's wishes about the alcohol not even an hour ago." Yugi said, feeling awkward and uncomfortable speaking to his boss in such a manner.

Salem nodded, "I try not to encourage your behavior, but you and I have the same weaknesses and interests so Atem's wishes end up getting ignored." She explained.

Kaiba pinched the bridge of his nose, "Anansi's the one who brought the alcohol."

"Yes, but he defers to your wishes even when I give him a direct order." Atem sighed in frustration. He didn't know the session was going to turn into the group trying to explain Kaiba's disrespectful behavior.

Kaiba ran his fingers through his hair and chuckled, "Well, why would he listen to you at all?"

Everyone in the room snapped their heads to Atem, ready for an all-out argument.

"What do you mean by that, Seto." Atem asked through gritted teeth, trying to maintain his composure.

Kaiba narrowed his eyes and set his lips in a tight smile, "It's not as if you sign his checks."

Salem sighed heavily and got up from her spot, moving to Mokuba and Rebecca's couch to sit away from her two lovers. She knew this was a touchy subject, and always chose to stay out of it whenever it came up.

Atem scoffed and shook his head, "Anansi is employed by you but not paid by you. Just because it comes out of a joint account you and Salem didn't tell me about, doesn't mean that all of that money belongs to you." He felt everyone in the room shift uncomfortably.

Oh no…

Atem had never told his friends about the bank account.

Yugi spoke, "Kaiba-kun… I don't think it's fair to bring Atem back and then make him feel less than for not having millions of dollars to contribute to the household."

"The joint account wasn't my idea." Kaiba said simply, looking directly at Salem.

Te'a laughed and sighed, "And it comes full circle." She said, gazing at Kozu.

Kozu pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration, "I think we're getting slightly off topic here. Salem isn't the issue. You all are so willing to blame her, when Mr. Kaiba is the one who incites conflict on purpose. The minute he can shift blame to Salem, he does. And you all fall for it every time." He explained.

Everyone thought in silence as Kaiba stared at the therapist with the intent to kill.

Joey piped up, "Huh. I guess we're all used to moneybags causing problems we just kinda-"

"Let it slide…" Mokuba finished, glaring at his brother.

Kaiba's eyes widened as he looked around the room to find everyone glaring back at him.

Everyone except Salem.

Of course she wasn't upset with him. She knew what it was like to be on the outside.

It killed him that she understood him so well. It killed him that he's still making her life harder after he promised he'd be better.

He had promised everyone that he'd be better.

Kozu shut his notepad loudly and sighed, "I have to say that we've unpacked quite a bit, but there is still more work to be done. What I do see here, is that regardless of your issues, you all care for one another," He said, packing up his briefcase, "And,if you want to continue to be in each other's lives, you will need to learn how to either move on from the past, or learn to be pleasant with those that you have major issues with."

The other guests stood up, ready to leave the thick, awkward air that was suffocating everyone in the room.

Kaiba remained seated and kept his gaze at the floor, "Kozu. I have yet to give you your check." He said, feeling everyone glare at him as they left the back parlor.

Kozu nodded and patiently waited for everyone except Salem, Atem, and Kaiba to leave.

Atem walked over to Salem and gently pulled her into an embrace. He smiled when she returned the hug and kissed his cheek. He slid his hands down to her hips and looked over at Kaiba, who was now writing a check to a very surprised Kozu.

He raised his eyebrow and then looked at Salem, "What is he doing?" He whispered, watching Kozu frantically bow to Kaiba several times before exiting the room.

Kaiba ran tousled his hair and gazed at Atem and Salem before finally walking over to them.

"I'm still mad at you." Atem grumbled, letting go of Salem and backing away from the blue eyed CEO.

"Okay." Was all Kaiba said, shoving his hands into the pockets of his slacks.

Atem huffed and crossed his arms, "Okay?"

Kaiba nodded, distracted by his thoughts.

Atem growled in anger, "I can't. I can't do this with you right now, Seto. Salem, I'm going to go talk to Yugi." He said before turning on his heel and storming out of the parlor.

Kaiba breathed out through his nose before feeling the lump in his throat become too much to bear. He tried his best to blink the tears out of his eyes but couldn't control them.

The next thing he knew, Salem's arms were around his neck, pulling him down into her chest. He kneeled in front of her as she sat down on the couch, moving his head from her chest to her lap.

He tried to ignore the stinging in his eyes and focus on the feeling of Salem's fingers carding through his hair.

"How many sessions did you buy, Tanin?" She asked, her smooth, knowing voice was music to Kaiba's ears.

Kaiba nuzzled his head into Salem's lap as more tears streamed down his cheeks,

"Thirty."

I'M SO SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG.

Thank you for reading and now that we've gone through this therapy session, we can move on to the FUN stuff!

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