Title: Can't Have One Without the Other
Rating: PG
Pairing: Seto Kaiba x Atem
Summary: It's been six months since Atem's return to earth and while he loves being with Seto and seeing his friends, life at the mansion can get a little boring. So he suggests they get a pet, and when he says he wants a dog, Seto has a firm stance against it so they decide on a cat instead. However, when they make it to the shelter, the CEO makes an unlikely friend that comes with an addition.

NOTES: slight AU. Set after the end of DSOD no real spoilers. And nobody but Sophie and Louie belong to me.

"Baby, why don't we have any pets?"

Seto stilled in mid bite, pieces of rice falling back into the small bowl in his hand. It was Friday night, date night for him and Atem and the ex-pharaoh had decided he wanted something a little different than their usual, high class restaurants. Not that the other was tired of them - being the partner to one of the wealthiest men in the world suited him just fine - but he was like the CEO. Atem loved to change things up and when Seto came home after work, he suggested they dress down and walk through the shopping district in Domino City. Not able to deny his lover anything, even though he did try to put up some modicum of a fight, Seto dressed down in some designer jeans, a light sweater and jacket, and drove them to the center of Domino City. Atem smiled brightly, bundled in a cream colored peacoat and red scarf, his gold earrings catching the evening sun just right.

Since his return to Earth, his Gods realized that his time there wasn't complete and gave him the choice; return to the afterlife or remain here. The young pharaoh had decided to take this opportunity to finally live the life he had been denied over three thousand years ago, and a part of that meant going after one Seto Kaiba. It was no surprise, well perhaps maybe to Jounouchi, but when the pharaoh returned, it didn't take long for them to begin dating. Almost immediately the pharaoh moved in with the CEO and the brunette spared no expense in spoiling Atem rotten, although it was always disguised with a disgruntled groan or a lukewarm protest. Either way, it suited them both just fine.

Like now. Atem and Seto walked around the rather crowded area with mild interest, vendors standing outside their shops trying to entice tourists and buyers alike inside. Atem liked this place. Cut off from traffic on the main road, the Domino Street Shopping Center stretched nearly a mile and then some, protected by high, glass ceilings which protected shoppers from weather conditions and were decorated for every special holiday, giving it a rather homey feeling. Some shops were newer, selling designer bags and clothes, some older and holding onto their charms from days gone by, offering antiques, fun tourist knick knacks and delicious treats. There were even sections dedicated for games and a movie theatre with a replica of a US burger diner from the fifties (or that's what it boasted but Atem didn't know the difference) which was Yuugi's new favorite place to go.

Atem loved the restaurants. They had everything. Japanese, Korean, Indian, American, all sorts of delicacies to try, along with classic vendor stands selling karaage, ice cream, takoyaki, tea and coffee, Ramen, sushi, and Domino's famous Okonomiyaki. He wanted to try everything and he wanted to try it with Seto. After a bit of shopping in which Atem bought his lover some rather racy ukiyo-e paintings from a delightful shop on one of the corners which he would later learn was called "Shunga," the ex-spirit spotted a sign boasting about the 'best tonkatsu in Domino!' and then looked at the restaurant sign. The Purple Tonkatsu Monkey. Perfect! He dragged his lover inside and immediately fell in love with the place. It was small but was littered with all varieties of animal pictures from giraffes to tigers and otters, with little animal statues tucked away in corners and along the windows. The staff greeted them with happy smiles and placed them in a corner which Atem immediately ordered nearly half the menu. He sure had quite an appetite, not that Seto cared; he was good for it and Atem knew. He'd give him anything he wanted.

Almost.

As Atem dug into his third bowl of rice, he watched his lover put his down, set his chopsticks on their holder and then wipe his mouth. "That's a rather strange question to bring up," Seto said and sat back in his chair. Was it all the animal pictures that prompted such a question?

"Well I was just curious," Atem said lightly, "you have a little brother and all he really has is his aquarium."

"So we do have pets," Seto interjected and his lover rolled his eyes.

"No, those are Mokuba's and honestly, they're fish, not very fun."

"Pets aren't fun, Atem" Seto replied and crossed his arms. "They are a lot of work, they smell, they bite, and frankly, I don't have time to take care of them with being at work or flying away on business."

"True, but times are different," Atem reasoned with a smile, leaning forward. "You have me now."

"So are you saying that you're my pet?"

Atem snorted and gently kicked Seto underneath the table. "Jerk. I meant I'd be home to take care of it while you're at work."

Seto cocked a perfectly manicured eyebrow. "Are you saying you're lonely?"

"... maybe more bored than lonely," Atem chuckled and tilted his head a bit, his jewelry clinking together. "You and Mokuba are always gone and while I am more than content to be living with you, and your work schedule, it does get a little monotonous and… I like taking care of things, you know this."

Seto never really thought about that. It was true, the ex-spirit always felt the need to make sure others were safe and comfortable, himself included. When Atem returned, he had only stayed with Yuugi for a week before he moved in with Seto. That had been nearly six months ago; it was already November and Atem had made himself perfectly at home at the mansion. His ragtag friends came over frequently to keep him entertained and they always made sure to spend time together but he should have known.

Mostly everything was handled at the mansion, no one was threatening the world, and all his friends had grown up and were now doing their own things, being responsible and that didn't leave much for him to do anymore. Atem was not someone who liked stagnation. He needed to be useful and help others so possibly a pet wouldn't be too bad… so long as he didn't have to deal with it.

With a deep sigh, Seto shrugged and grabbed his chopsticks again. "... what were you thinking of then?"

Atem smiled brightly. "Well, I was thinking maybe a dog-"

"No," Seto said firmly, shaking his head. Atem's smile faded and Seto glared.

"Why not?"

"Just... not a dog," Seto snapped, refraining from slamming down his chopsticks. "I won't have some mangy mutt in the mansion."

"They are hardly mangy!" Atem scoffed and crossed his arms, returning his lover's glare, "besides, we can always buy from a breeder make sure they are top pedigree."

"No," Seto said, unconsciously reaching up and running his fingers over the left side of his jaw. Atem's brow furrowed. To anyone else it would not have been such a big deal, someone touching their face, but he knew his lover. The brunette's eyes had turned a lighter shade, nearly a sickly pale, and his gaze wavered, the blue irises skimming from left to right in thought. His fingers continued to run over his jaw and that's when the ex-spirit remembered.

Not many people would notice it but Seto had a scar there. Four to five little circular scars blotted over his skin, along with one long, thin piece of raised skin right near where his ear and the back of his jaw met. His hair kept most of it covered but Atem had seen them many times but never brought it up, but now…

"Seto, were you…" Atem began but his lover cut him off.

"We should go," he said and stood, grabbing his jacket, "Are you finished?"

"... Yes," Atem nodded and stood, stuffing the last of his rice in his mouth and following his lover. He gathered his bags while Seto paid the bill, and then the duo walked outside. The decorative lights were on and twinkled merrily above their heads but Atem barely noticed. Seto had gone quiet; well, quieter than usual, and he gently laid his hand in the crook of his lover's arm. Seto finally smiled and Atem looped their arms together as they walked.

"Okay, so no dog," Atem agreed, feeling Seto's body relax a bit, "how about a cat? They are more independent than dogs, don't require as much maintenance, and don't cost as much."

"Can't we do something like a gecko or turtle?" Seto groused and Atem laughed, leaning up to kiss his lover's chin.

"What? You don't want something cute and fluffy?" He asked.

"That's what you are for," Seto teased and Atem smacked his arm with a scoff.

"You're an ass."

"Love you too, Fluffy."

Even though he had been given the all clear to bring home an animal, Atem didn't want to choose without Seto. Afterall, it was going to be living with both of them and he wanted to make sure both Seto and their new pet got a long at least a little bit. So he waited and did some research, trying to find a reputable shelter with a variety of different cats. After two weeks he finally found a place that looked to be the most promising and with Seto in tow, they drove to the shelter just outside of Domino City.

It was a beautiful Saturday morning, with the beginnings of winter blowing in which caused the pharaoh to pull his jacket tighter around his body, but he was smiling. The shelter was actually a house that was renovated to be more like a sanctuary for animals. The animals ranged from dogs to cats to even some farm animals, and all looked healthy and lively as the owners came out to greet them at the door.

"You must be Mutou Atem," the older woman said with a smile, returning the pharaoh's bow. "It's a pleasure to meet you, and you as well Mr. Kaiba." Seto offered a curt nod and kept his hands tucked in his pockets. "Your partner tells me you are looking for a cat?"

Atem spoke up, "Yes, we would like a cat. Probably one that is about a year or older?"

The woman nodded and smiled, motioning them inside. Seto was rather surprised with how clean it was. He had expected the place to smell like urine and covered with fur and fecal matter but the very surfaces seemed to sparkle and everything smelled fresh. At least Atem picked a good place.

"Wow, there are so many!" Atem gasped and smiled, taking a step forward but Seto suddenly grabbed the back of his jacket and yanked him in front of him. He frowned and looked up. "Baby?"

Seto's eyes were trained forward. A large Doberman had strolled into the room, one ear cocked slightly as he returned the stare, watching the pair curiously. The old woman waved her hand. "That's Bruno. Poor boy was abused as a puppy and used for cage fighting. He actually lost his hearing because of it before we rescued him. He now just watches over the other animals."

"He keeps staring at me," Seto muttered and the old woman tilted her head.

"He's just cautious of new people," she said, "but I promise he is harmless." She then turned to Bruno and signed something with her hands. Bruno wagged his tail and then walked out of the room.

"He knows sign language?" Atem asked, impressed.

"We had to," she said and smiled, "I just told him to go outside for a bit; he's probably going to go find Aki to snuggle with her. She's a poodle, but we're here for cats!"

"Ah, yes," Atem nodded and reached back to disentangle Seto's fingers from his coat and tangle them with his instead.

"I'll try and keep the dogs away but I must confess they have free roam of the area," the woman said, leading them around the house, "but I will keep an eye on all the dogs and if you are uncomfortable just let me know."

"... Thank you," Seto nodded, squeezed Atem's hand tightly and together they walked further into the house.

With so many cats running around it was difficult to pinpoint just one. Atem went from cat to cat, resorting to sitting down in the center of the living room and letting the bolder crawl all over him. He smiled and laughed, using the toys given to him to play with them while Seto stood behind him, arms crossed and keeping an eye on everything. Some of the cats came over to brush up against his leg but this was for Atem, he needed to choose the perfect cat, although with how he was gathering them up in his lap, they may be leaving with more than one.

Seto sighed and glanced around the nicely furnished living room and froze. Off in the corner was a dog he hadn't noticed before. It was a soft, deep golden brown color, its coat shiny and well cared for with little flecks of white along the tip of its long nose. Ah, Seto finally placed a name to the breed; a golden retriever. They appeared to be asleep, curled up on a mat with its nose resting against a spotted toy.

Wait… Seto took a small step forward. That wasn't a toy. It was another cat. This one was rather large as it lay tucked up next to the retriever's side, nuzzling into the dog with its head. The billionaire had to admit that the cat was quite handsome. The body was long and well fed, and its coat was sleek and short, the color nearly matching its companions only it was littered with black and brown spots with long strips running along its back to its tail. The cat stretched and yawned, blinking open, surprisingly, green eyes to stare up at Seto. The brunette tilted his head and slowly knelt down to get a better look and the cat purred, rubbing up against the dog again, causing it to stir.

Seto stilled, fear gripping his heart when the golden retriever yawned and lifted its head. In his crouched position he was now face to face with the pup and he swallowed; all he had wanted to do was get a better look at the cat and now he was staring into a pair of soft brown, doe eyes. The puppy's tail wagged gently and its nose wriggled, sniffing the young man before leaning down to lick the top of the cat's head, causing it to meow and return the lick. The move surprised Seto; weren't cats and dogs supposed to hate one another and yet, they seemed perfectly content being in each other's presence.

A few yards away, Atem stayed where he was, watching as his boyfriend shifted to sit on the floor next to the golden retriever. Seto was more focused on the dog, and when the puppy stopped giving the cat a bath, it turned its attention back to the billionaire. From what Atem could see, the pup was older, probably four or five years old and extremely well-tempered, as if sensing Kaiba's uncertainty. Seto's hands were clenching on his knees and he kept looking from the cat to the dog, as if assessing the situation and trying to make sense of it all. Atem held his breath when his boyfriend finally lifted one of his hands and hesitantly reached out. The golden retriever leaned in the rest of the way and brushed the top of its head against Seto's palm.

"I see Mr. Kaiba found Sophie and Louie," the old woman whispered, sitting next to Atem so she too could watch the exchange.

"Who are Sophie and Louie?" Atem asked.

"Sophie is the golden," she replied, watching with pride as Seto finally began to smile and pet the puppy with more confidence. "She used to be an old service dog for an old woman who suffered from some health issue that sadly killed her last year. Her family didn't have the heart to keep her so she was dropped off here. She's incredibly well behaved but older than most people want. The kitten at her side is Louie; he came in about the same time. When he was brought in, he had immediately latched onto Sophie and they do everything together now. I think they need one another, so I decided that if they are to find homes, they must go together. You can imagine that's not always the best case for people."

Atem nodded and turned back to watch his boyfriend; Louie now seemed rather interested in the brunette and had stood up to stand with his front paws on Seto's leg, sniffing while the human continued to pet Sophie. Sophie had sat up also and was panting happily as Seto ran his hands over her head, neck and back, lavishing her with attention.

"Seems even she can make people second guess themselves," Atem chuckled.

"She has a very calming personality," the woman replied, surprised when Seto allowed Sophie to lean in close to his face, licking the left side of his face, making him chuckle. "He definitely didn't seem receptive to dogs when he saw Bruno."

"It's... pretty complicated for him," Atem replied, "but he's not someone to back down from anything when challenged. Maybe Sophie did it in her own way and it seems to be paying off."

"Hey, Atem," Seto finally called over to them, "come here."

Atem stood and walked over, sitting next to his boyfriend. "I see you made a friend," he said with a grin and Seto rolled his eyes.

"Look at the cat," he said, motioning to the speckled cat now curled up in his lap. "It's kinda cute…"

"He is," Atem nodded and reached over to pet the cat's head; he immediately began to purr and close his eyes in bliss. "His name is Louie."

"How do you know?"

"The manager told me," Atem replied, now reaching out to pet the golden retriever who looked more than happy for more pets. "And her name is Sophie. She used to be a service dog who adopted Louie about a year ago."

"Huh… adopted, eh?" Seto ruffled Sophie's ears and she leaned into the touch.

"She seems to like you," Atem said slowly and scooted a little closer to his lover, resting his chin on his shoulder. "So does Louie."

Seto watched Atem from the corner of his eye. "... seems so, doesn't it?"

Atem nodded. "You know… they come as a pair," he offered. "It would be a shame to break them up…"

Sophie shifted so she was now laying in front of Seto and rolled onto her back so he could rub her belly. Seto ran his hand over her chest and then used his other to run it down Louie's back.

"... I'll think about it."

Atem smirked. Hook, line, and sinker.

It was the beginning of December when Seto's Mercedes-Benz GLS SUV drove up the circular driveway and parked in front of the mansion. Atem grinned and jumped out of the passenger seat, Louie snug in his arms. The cat had been given a cat carrier for the ride but the ex-spirit didn't have the heart to keep him locked up so he had the feline sit in his lap. He'd been an absolute dream the entire drive and spent most of it sleeping or looking out the window. Even now, although he was alert and looking around, he didn't squirm and shifted only once so he was resting across Atem's shoulders like a scarf.

"Welcome to your new home, Louie," Atem said, watching Seto get out of the car and then open the back door. He grabbed the blue leash and Sophie easily jumped down, tail wagging as she took in the expansive yard. "And you too, Sophie."

"Nii-sama!" Mokuba squealed and ran down the front steps, grinning from ear to ear as he knelt next to the golden retriever. "She's even prettier in person! I can't believe you actually got a dog!"

"It was only logical," Seto replied, standing next to her and petting her head; already she was going to be a Daddy's Girl. "Atem really wanted Louie and it would only cause him stress to take him away from Sophie so she had to come."

"Mhm," Mokuba wrapped his arms around Sophie's neck and gave her a hug, giggling when she started licking his cheek. "She's so sweet. It's gonna be awesome to have a dog here again that isn't mean to people."

Again? Atem raised an eyebrow and looked to his lover but the billionaire was glaring at the mansion and finally understood. Seto's fear of dogs had to come from his time with Gozaburo; he probably used a dog to taunt and abuse him as a child and he probably went too far. That's where the scars came from.

As if sensing his distress, Sophie whined and bumped Seto's hand and then leg, causing the young man to look down. The anger in his eyes dissipated and he smiled, kneeling down to ruffle her neck. Her brand new dog tags jingled attached to her deep blue collar and even she looked pleased at the sound.

"Come on, let's get them inside," Seto said and stood, letting Sophie off her leash so she could chase Mokuba inside with a bark.

"Welcome home, Sophie!"

Atem smiled and carried Louie inside, Seto firm at his side.

"Welcome home, Louie."

The kitten mewed and once put down, went to follow his sister.

Atem then wrapped his arms around Seto's waist and jumped onto his tiptoes to kiss his lover's chin. "And thank you, Baby."

Seto smirked and returned the kiss. "You get to clean up after them."

Atem laughed and followed Mokuba and the animals deeper into the house.

END

Funny, it takes me moving to Japan to actually get some plot bunnies running again in my brain. Probably doesn't help I have way more access to Yugioh stuff here but hey, I'm having fun! I'm getting a lot more little one shot ideas involving Sophie and Louie if people are interested and like this idea.

Please comment, kudos, reply and just show your love. Much appreciated!