For Play
By: fruor

Summary: (AU) All Yugi wanted was to gain his freedom. All Atemu wanted was a good entertainment. All chance wanted was for them to meet and a circus was more than willing to help. YYY.

Rating: T

Genre: Action/Adventure/Romance

Pairings: (main) YYY, (sub) BR, SJ, MM

Disclaimer: Kazuki Takahashi owns YGO.

Note: Sometimes I wish I wasn't the one writing this story so all I have to do is read and wait. Not to flaunt or anything, but I really enjoy reading this fic – it just so happens that I have the power to edit it and that takes out all the fun XS Sorry this chapter's late though. I got stuck on one scene then had to delete the whole scene and start over just to be able to continue XS

VI. In Your Shoes

Yugi blinked and, as the king took a step forward, he found himself pulling the white sheets to his lips with his unwounded arm, in a subconscious attempt to hide both his wound and bare chest.

The king made his way to Yugi's bedside and promptly sat down on the thin cushions of the infirmary cots. He raised an eyebrow at the beast master then suddenly shook his head, returning only worried eyes at the young man. "…Shouldn't you be asleep? It's late already and you need rest."

For a moment, Yugi convinced himself that he was still dreaming as he slowly dropped his hand and the sheets to his lap. Blinking a couple of times, he shook his head, "No, I'll be fine. I've had worse wounds." He shrugged, "And I've gone through days without sleep before." He was part of a traveling circus in a world that's still recovering from war. He did not have the leisure of lounging in feather beds and furnished rooms.

"But still…you're not healed yet…." Crimson eyes avoided lavender, "That wound…if I hadn't been so brash about my deci—"

"It was my fault, your majesty. I was stupid." Yugi ran a hand over the soft bandages, "I knew that there were guards around Camelot, Remus and Rome and still I rushed towards them without thinking." He sighed, a pained smile flashing on his bowed head. "Sorry…. I caused too much chaos. I promise it won't happen again, your majesty! Please don't punish us!" he turned pleading amethyst eyes at the king.

"It's Atemu." Said the irritated voice of the crimson-eyed man, "My name is Atemu. It's not 'your majesty'." He glared at the beast master but paused a few seconds afterwards. He closed his eyes tightly and placed his fingers upon his temple, mumbling softly to himself.

But Yugi wasn't listening or watching the king's actions. Instead, he had his head bowed down, eyes focused on his lap. "…Atemu…." He repeated, smiling softly to himself, "…so you do have a name after all." His voice was near to a whisper but Atemu heard him clearly in the silence of the infirmary.

"Of course, doesn't everyone?" As much as Atemu believed that he could not simply talk to the beast master after throwing him and his friends in jail, he still found his mouth retorting sarcastically at everything his smaller self said when he was supposed to be sulking for causing the beast tamer's wound. "I…uh…I'm so—" Atemu had already decided to apologize to them but still he couldn't bring himself to say it.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Yugi placed his fingers over his mouth, bowing slightly for apology. "It's just that everybody calls you your majesty and I was starting to wonder if you ever had a name in the first place. I don't mean anything bad about it!" he bit his bottom lip, lilac eyes growing big in both worry and fear.

Atemu stared at the beast master's eyes and suddenly, he felt shameful under the gaze. Here, in front of him, was a man who readily apologized for mistakes that he didn't even make and worried for the sake of people he didn't even know. All the while, he, the king of a powerful country, could not even bring himself to say a five-letter word and he felt like a pathetic doll, unable to do anything without his puppeteer.

And he found himself silently wishing that they were still in the middle of the war. For Atemu, it was easy being a hero. All he had to do was to get rid of the evil and stop the fighting – it was one clear goal. He didn't have to deal with making decisions over things that were too gray to distinguish from one another…or face his own self.

It was confusing and frustrating, and it made Atemu feel enraged, not at the beast master but at himself.

Yugi had his hands clasped tightly together as he murmured a silent prayer for the circus and the king but when Atemu remained silent, he started to worry. He slowly opened one of his eyes and saw his majesty looking slightly pale. "Your majesty? A-A-Atemu…?" he asked, saying the name carefully. Am I even allowed to say his name?

Then he saw crimson-eyes narrow in anger, fists shaking slightly. Yugi gulped. "Oh, I'm sorry. I guess I shouldn't have called you by your name since you are the king. It won't happen again!" he pleaded, hands clasped tightly. He was supposed to ask pardon from the king and give their explanations, not make him mad.

"Don't do that." Atemu said in a hoarse whisper, his head still turned away from the beast master.

Yugi turned his head down but kept his eyes at the king. In a meek voice, he said, "…I'm sorry."

"I said, don't do that." Atemu cut sharply, jerking his head away from the beast tamer even more. His fists clenched the white sheets of the infirmary cots tightly.

Yugi jumped slightly at the tone. He couldn't figure out what he was doing wrong. Was it something he said or something he was unconsciously doing? Was he not allowed to look at his crimson-eyed savior? Was that his punishment? He could usually understand what most people feel because of his experience with the animals but Atemu was just acting so complicated right now, he was lost. "Sor—"

"Stop doing that!" The king quickly jumped to his feet, whirling his head at the beast. His furious and confused crimson eyes burning like torches.

Yugi pushed his back closer to the pillows and the headboard of the bed he laid upon, wondering what he did to make the king angry. Turning his eyes away from the fierce glare of his other self, he muttered yet another apology, "I'm sorry." He said in a mere whisper.

Atemu hissed loudly and shook his head vigorously. "STOP APOLOGIZING!" he threw his arms in air, growling out his frustration. He knew he shouldn't be throwing his anger at the beast master but the fact that he was doing so only made his temper go worse.

Yugi flinched, closing his eyes tightly by instinct, "B-b-but if I've done something wrong, I should apologize, shouldn't I?" he said in a shaking voice. He pressed his lips upon tightly clasped hands, praying that the king would cease being angry at him soon.

"You've done nothing wrong, Yugi!" The king swung his hand in front of him, as though to slap away those notions the beast master were getting. Then Atemu paused at the sight of the beast tamer, curled tightly into a ball. He sighed, letting all his anger escape with his breath.

Slowly, he walked back to the bedside and sat nearer to the beast master. "You shouldn't apologize to me." He said, now in a soft voice. The beast master relaxed and dropped his hands to his lap but still, he refused to raise his head and look at the king.

Atemu frowned but decided not to make the beast master turn his amethyst eyes back at his crimson. With yet another sigh, he threw his head backwards and focused on the whiteness of the ceiling. "You've done nothing wrong, Yugi. In fact, I'm the one who did all the wrong things."

Lavender orbs instantly peeked from their eyelids. Yugi stared at the king, his mouth hanging wide open. Shaking his head, he gulped then said, "Not all. If I hadn't rushed to Camelot and the hellhounds, there wouldn't be so much trouble."

"No." Atemu shook his head, "I had thrown you in jail so quickly, without even thinking whether you were innocent or not. I just acted upon my anger and, had you and the circus punished because I couldn't punish myself." he ran a shaking hand through his hair and took deep breaths, "I could've stopped your ringmaster from stealing those items if I wanted but instead, I focused on my own entertainment."

Yugi blinked. His other self knew of their ringmaster already and he couldn't help but wonder how. He swallowed down the vomit of questions that crept up his throat. The questions could wait. For now, he knew that he had to listen. Atemu needed that.

"I wanted to watch the show and if I had your ringmaster taken away, I might not be able to do so…but it was stupid of me to do that." Atemu dropped his head and shoulders, looking vulnerable for the tiniest second, "And now I dragged you and the circus into this mess." He sighed loudly, "Why am I even telling you this?"

The beast master simply shrugged and offered a smile.

Atemu forced a laugh and turned an embarrassed smile at the beast master. "I originally came here to apologize to you but I couldn't. Instead, you kept apologizing." He sighed, "It's so pathetic. I can't even say a simply sorry."

"You're forgiven."

The king froze, his eyes growing wide in shock. He had heard the words clearly and, by the sound of it, the beast master seemed to mean them. "But…I haven't—"

Yugi shook his head, lifting a hand to stop the king's words. "You already said sorry." His clear amethyst eyes flashed slightly, "Besides, what matters is that you meant it, right? It wouldn't matter what words you use as long as you have the same intention." A smile rushed to his face and he chuckled, "The circus is pardoned then? Our names are cleared?"

Atemu returned the smile and nodded, "Yes, the circus is clear." He noticed how he felt much lighter than he could ever remember, like a big block of weight was suddenly lifted off his shoulders and he had just taken his first free gulp of air. "Though we would have to keep you and your friends in the palace for a while."

"Ah!" Yugi suddenly straightened his back, clasping one hand over his cheek, "My friends! Are they alright? Where are they? I hope I didn't make them too worried." He chewed on his bottom lip, eyes focusing and un-focusing in panic. "Oh god…." He gasped.

Atemu laughed. He stood up and smoothened the folds of his royal robes. "They're fine." He said, "I'll get them to come here." He smiled at the beast master then turned around, waving a hand for goodbye.

"Wait! Your majesty!"

Frowning, Atemu stopped and turned slightly towards the beast master. "There are thousands of people in the palace and tens of thousands in the town proper. All of them call me by your majesty. I don't need to hear one more person do the same." Then he grinned, "Atemu will do just fine."

- - -

"Ugh! It's you!"

Seto raised an eyebrow. He had heard that voice somewhere before. Walking across the throne room with long strides, he smirked at blonde clown that had once caused him fall. "So you really are part of that circus." He said, watching as the blonde shook a tightly clenched fist at him – he could never seem to remember the guy's name, not that he wanted to.

"That's what I said!" Jou stomped his foot loudly upon the carpeted floors of the throne room, "And what the hell have you done with Yugi!" his scream was followed by the rest of the circus behind him – or what's left of the circus.

They were back in the palace again when they were so close to getting out of the fancy white walls of the palace, out of the cage it really was. They would have resisted, taken a stand against those metal heads they call soldiers because heaven knows they could. But leaving the beast master in the hands of the very person who arrested them was not an option no matter how much trust Yugi had put on the man.

For the second time that night, the circus had willingly come to the palace without the slightest resistance.

"Give me one good reason to relay any information to a mutt like you." Seto stopped in front of the throne, just before the steps that elevated the empty golden chair. He crossed his arms and scanned the group of circus performers in front of him.

Some of them were still wearing their costumes – mainly the loudmouthed clown and those other two. The rest, probably some other part of that rogue circus, were dressed in tunics and trousers he could only call as muddy rags with all the dirt and age the clothes had gone through.

Jou growled, shaking his fists in the air. "Why you!" he ran towards the brunette, lunging forward with his arms outstretched despite the constant protest of his friends but before he could reach the vizier, he was thrown back by a couple of guards who blocked the blonde with their spears and pushed him away. He glared at the shining tips of the steel spears – it was those items that hurt the beast master.

Seto raised a hand and the guards simultaneously returned their spears to their sides, standing rigidly at their assigned places. "You should learn your place, mutt." He turned around, letting the jester spill his complaints and insults to the azure cape covering his back.

Seto Kaiba hated dealing with people who were nothing like him and, with the few meetings he had with this blonde jester whose name he could never quite remember (and would never want to), he decided that that person was the very example of the type of man he did not want to deal with. The blonde was annoying and stupid and seemed to have the natural ability of getting on his nerves.

The vizier grumbled then took a neatly folded paper from his pocket, flipping it open with one finger. It was a note they found in the jail cell his majesty had thrown the circus in – the only sign of the prisoners' escape. It was not, in any way, directed to him but still, he found himself annoyed – by the scrawny writing or the content, he didn't know.

With a loud sigh, Seto faced the jester once again.

"FINALLY!" Jou huffed, throwing his arms in the air, "I was starting to think that you'd gone permanently deaf!"

The blue-eyed vizier flinched quite visibly and a few of the guards gulped in fear as they turned their eyes from the vizier to the jester and back again. Taking one deep breath, Seto held out the note in front of the jester.

Jounouchi blinked, narrowed his eyes at the contents of the paper then gasped in a volume Seto didn't believe was possible. "Hey! You found the note I left in that stinky rusted cage!" He snatched the paper with his fist, crumpling the edges slightly, "Did your king read this? It was meant for him, you know."

Seto Kaiba found himself unsurprised. He had expected something as annoying as that stupid message to be made by someone as annoying as that stupid clown. "I figured someone with your lack of brains would be the one to make such an idiotic thing."

"BASTARD!" Jou screamed and lunged himself at the vizier, who was now smirking, once again but instead of having the guards throw him away like before, he felt himself being pulled back by none other than his circus companions. He glared and growled and struggled with all his might against the three pairs of arms that held him but still, he was held to the ground with one Mai Kujaku sitting comfortably on his back.

"You'll get us in trouble with all your attacks at the vizier, Jou-kun." Mai said with a happy and mocking spring in her voice, "We know you're worried about Yugi but I don't think it'll help if you hurt that guy." She nodded towards the advisor as she patted Jou's golden mop lightly with her palm.

Seto frowned and found himself feeling like a child who didn't get what he wanted for his birthday. The blonde jester was annoying but somehow, he felt more annoyed without the blonde annoying him – he'd have to worry about the greater scale of things now, like where his cousin was and what he was supposed to do with these rogues.

The loud sound of the throne room doors being pushed open interrupted the crawl of silence. One soldier entered and scanned the room, stopping at the sight of the vizier. "Vizier Kaiba, we've found a couple of people lurking around the palace walls. We suspect they're from the circus as well." The man genuflected in front of the royalty.

Two familiar voices reached the group of performers, all of their eyes turned to the open doors. Four armored guards dragged one red-haired young girl and one brunette who were both protesting and struggling against their hold. A dark-haired young boy pushed himself past the guards and jumped in front of the captured pair.

"Mokuba!"

"Shizuka!"

With one snap of his finger, Seto Kaiba had ordered the guards away from both his brother and the other two. He strode over the carpeted marble floors, eyes focused solely on his brother that he barely noticed another stumbling over to the three.

Jou pushed Mai off his back and quickly scampered to his sister, stumbling on the way as he did. He briefly noticed the blue-eyed vizier rush to Mokuba in long yet hurried strides but, as he crouched down in front of his teary-eyed sister, all his attention was focused on his only blood relation.

"Are you okay?" Jou asked. He was sure he heard another voice accompany his own but assumed that it was nothing but the echoes of the palace.

"What are you doing here?" This time, Jou was sure there was another voice – it was a different tone: angrier, louder and more powerful. He jerked his head around him and was surprised to find Seto Kaiba crouched in front of Mokuba glaring at him. He glared back then turned back to his sister.

"Are you alright?" Seto inquired and Mokuba nodded dumbly. He had heard that jester follow his words like a mime with sound coming out of his mouth. Is that blonde trying to spite me! Play a joke even? This is far from being hilarious. , Being a man of his stature, he decided to simply ignore the lesser man.

"What just happened?" The fourth question and still the words spilled out of Seto and Jou's mouths as one and the same.

"Hey! Will you stop that!" A growl escaped Jou's lips and glared at the vizier replied with a scowl, "Stop mimicking me like a parrot! I don't wanna have the same words as you."

Seto Kaiba stood up. He tapped his brother's shoulder in assurance before walking towards the blonde, his tall figure towering in silent intimidation. "I do not mimic idiots like you who have nothing useful to say." His voice was cold and solid but the chill that spread to the whole room failed to touch Jounouchi Katsuya.

"You know—"

"…You seem to be having fun without me."

The moment the voice entered the room, all the metal-clad soldiers dropped to their knees in genuflection. The captured performers turned their eyes to the royal figure that stood under the doorway of the throne room.

"Your majesty." Seto greeted blandly.

Jou blinked. He shifted his eyes between Seto and the king before finally convincing himself that the person in front of him was not their beast tamer but the king of Imperium. "Where's Yugi!" he asked in such a threatening voice that some of the guards moved towards him, "What did you do to him!"

His majesty raised a hand, silently ordering the guards to stay put. Crimson eyes met soft brown and he offered the jester the tiniest of his smiles. "I brought him to the infirmary." He said in an obvious tone, "He's currently in his senses and wishes to see you. One of the guards will bring all of you there." He nodded at the nearest soldier, earning a salute from the man.

Jou had stared dubiously at the king as the rest of his companions gathered behind him.

"How do we know you're not just gonna throw us into some rusted dungeon?" It was Malik who piqued the question, saying the very thing that was running through all of their minds.

Atemu looked at them all then replied, "We don't arrest our guests." By the looks he received, he doubted that any of them believed him. Sighing softly, he turned to another tactic, "Whether you're going to jail or not, I assure you you're going to see the beast master…not unless you want to leave him alone…?"

Without another word, the circus followed the guard's lead with Mokuba tagging a few steps behind.

"Took you long enough, Atemu." Seto watched their king walk almost sluggishly to his throne, "Did you get what you wanted?"

A tired sigh escaped the king's lips. "Not now, Kaiba. Let's leave all the questions – for me and the circus – tomorrow." Atemu said, letting his back relax onto his throne, "It's late and I'm tired. Let's leave all of them…"

"…for tomorrow."

- - -

It was the sound of gushing wind rattling the windows that had woken Atemu up. Still dressed in his sleeping garments, he rushed to his windows and saw the distinct sheen of the circus dragon's scales. Quickly, he opened the glass doors to his personal balcony, pushing the crimson curtains out of his way.

The hard rush of the wind played with his hair and, as he reached the edge of his balcony, the only thing he could catch was the distinct spikes of hair similar to his own before the black dragon rose into the barely lighted sky but it was all he needed.

"Yugi!" He called but the wind only ate up his words.

As the dragon disappeared from sight, Atemu couldn't help but feel helpless and, most of all, betrayed. He had trusted Yugi and his circus friends not to run away. They still needed them. But with his own eyes, he had seen the beast master fly away without a second glance to the white castle towers.

He wondered if this was how Yugi felt when he had them arrested because it hurt more than he thought it would.

"Maybe one of us should've come with him." A worried sigh reached Atemu's ears, "He is still injured."

Atemu searched for the source of that feminine voice and found the owner standing far below him, upon the wide and open fields of the gardens. Around her stood a few other people that Atemu could recognize as the circus troupe. Their voices, though spoken in a conversational volume, reached the king's balcony in a series of echoes that mixed with the early morning mist. Absent-mindedly, Atemu wondered how anyone could wake up before the sun had even shown its face. He shook his head sharply

"You've heard what he said." Came another voice, this time it was male, "He didn't want to make it look like we're running away from the palace or something. And it's not like we'll be needed with what he left for."

"I know that." The female replied, irritation evident in her voice, "I know we won't be much of help with the animals – especially Jou here—"

"Hey!"

"—But I'd feel better if there was someone to watch over him, won't you? After all, that wound on his shoulder is barely healed." At those words, Atemu flinched, feeling a wave of guilt wash over him. Of all the mistakes he had made in his life – the few that he had admitted – why was this one haunting him so much?

A loud snort answered the worries of the girl whom Atemu recognized to be the brunette of the trapeze, "Nah! Yug's had wounds a thousand times worse! His shoulder wasn't even broken!" Obnoxious laughter resonated through empty palace gardens until it was suddenly cut off sharply – Atemu didn't know why.

"You know, that just sounded horribly mean."

A stutter of protest followed by rich group laughter was the next thing that the ruler of the land heard before he turned around and entered his room, feeling much relieved and happy after knowing that the beast master had not run away from him. He chuckled lightly to himself. It was silly of him to think so in the first place. After all, the beast master was and will always be…

Nothing like myself…. , It was a bitter thought for so early in the morning but Atemu made no move to will it away.

With a snap of his fingers, the wide doors to his chambers swung open and in came a couple of servants, heads bowed down that Atemu could barely distinguish one from the other. The morning continued much like the day before.

- - -

By the time Atemu had finished his morning rituals, the sun was shining softly in the early morning sky and the sound of rushing wind rattling open glass windows on their hinges had captured the attention of all. He had rushed, unknown to himself, out of the palace and to where the charcoal dragon in the skies had chosen to land, almost throwing away his cape because of the nuisance it had become.

With one last flap of his wings, the red-eyed black dragon settled on his claws, curling his spiked tail around him and folding his leather wings neatly on his back. Atemu watched as the beast master climbed slowly and carefully off the reptile's back, offering the black beast a soft smile and an affectionate "thank you" before walking away from him and meeting the crimson gaze of the king.

At that moment, Yugi stiffened then stumbled on his next step.

"Oh…uhm…A-A-Ate – your majesty!" The beast tamer gasped, chewing on his lip nervously. He toyed with his fingers, eyes darting everywhere but those crimson orbs. "You see, I wasn't trying to – I mean, it's not what you think! I'm just – I didn't meant to—"

Atemu smiled, "Good morning, Yugi."

A deep shade of ruby splashed across Yugi's face. In a meek and embarrassed whisper, he said, "I'm sorry. I was worried about the animals left in the circus so I went to feed them. I didn't want them to cause any trouble for the capital hunting for food…." His voice trailed as he took a hesitant peek at the king's face. The smile he saw on his other self's face only made him more embarrassed than he already was.

"There's no need to apologize. You came back." The smile upon Atemu's face quickly changed into a tight frown the moment his eyes fell on the white bandages peeking from behind the beast master's tunic, "You're still injured. You shouldn't stress your body too much."

Yugi shook his head, "I'll be fine. It only hurts if the wound is touched." He lifted his injured arm with a smile on his face, showing no pain or discomfort.

Atemu shook his head. He placed a hand as softly and slowly as he could on the beast master's wounded shoulder, "Just because your mind is used to such pain doesn't mean your body will comply." He said sharply, "Come. I'll bring you back to the infirmary."

"Oh please, don't bother yourself. I can remember the way well enough." Yugi turned his head to the king but Atemu knew those eyes were looking past him, "You seem…busy enough."

For the first time that morning, Atemu looked over his shoulder and noticed the small group of councilmen standing just a couple of feet behind him. He shot them all an annoyed glare but spoke nothing about their presence.

Being the king was such a bothersome duty. Atemu had always been followed around by councilmen, messengers, priest, vizier or servants. His only place of isolation was his bedchambers – that or it was Seto that accompanied him. He had long since learned to forget the presence of his entourage and he didn't expect to "see" them again by the beast master's eyes.

"You should get back to your duties. I'm sorry for disturbing you, Ate – your majesty." Yugi corrected himself quickly, barely noticing the disappointed look that Atemu had shot him. His eyes were focused on the glares the council had been giving him and he did not want make trouble for both the circus and his majesty.

"No. It's alright. Those duties can wait." You sound just like Kaiba. , Atemu wanted to ease his conscience about Yugi's injury but being able to escape his personally cage only made it look more appealing.

"But your people are important. They shouldn't wait." Yugi answered back in a soft voice, hoping that the king's entourage heard nothing of his defiance. "Besides, my friends are here to help me." He pointed to the familiar group of people near the palace walls with his uninjured arm.

My people…? , Atemu repeated Yugi's statement in his mind. He had almost forgotten about his importance and duty to his people. There was nothing else he could say to a statement like that.

Atemu lifted his hand from the beast master's shoulder, replied in silence to the other's meek goodbye, and watched as he walked towards his companions, glancing back numerous times.

"Eherm."

Atemu didn't need to see the speaker to know who he was. There was only one person in the whole palace who had the gall to make such interruptions at him and that was none other than Seto Kaiba, who had cut through the entourage like a samurai sword.

Turning his head calmly at his cousin, he raised a questioning eyebrow, daring the other to say anything about him and his attention to his duties, but Seto had nodded his head towards the circus performers, mouthing two silent words: millennium items.

"Wait." Atemu called to the beast master just as the entertainers had turned to leave, "It should be best for you to come to with me first." His voice was powerful and commanding, leaving no room for denial.

Yugi and the others had looked at each other in question but nonetheless, followed the king as he walked through the palace halls, leading them to one of the meeting rooms.

- - -

The stars, Yugi noticed, shone far less bright than from the smaller villages and in the forest wild, as if they were too shy to show themselves to the sparkle of grandness below. And the moon, the moon was much too small for what the beast master was used to seeing. Standing behind one of the higher windows of the palace, he thought that he'd be closer to the heavens but it seemed like he was farther away.

"Are the stars good tonight?"

Yugi turned to the voice, "Oh. Good evening." He greeted with a smile before turning back to look at the skies and the shy stars. "The stars are much shyer here than the other places I've been to." He replied in complete honestly, not bothering if he offended the king or not for once. With a sigh, he leaned on the window pane, making sure that he wouldn't stress his injured shoulder, and continued to gaze at the heavens.

Atemu approached the beast master slowly. "There must be something wrong if you sigh like that." He said with carefully chosen words. "Is that about your offer earlier? You could always take it back if you regret it." The king offered, leaning beside the silent beast tamer.

"No, no. I don't want to take it back." Yugi frantically waved his hands in front of him, "It's just that…I've been thinking about…what you told us earlier on…."

"The millennium items are ancient treasures that possess powerful magic. It was those items – all seven of them – that ended the previous war but in the wrong hands, it would be powerful enough to start another war. Six of them were kept here under strict watch. One was lost in the war and it's currently in the hands of your ringmaster."

"…It was just a surprise to know that Pegasus had the missing millennium item. I've always thought his skills came from his own self…not from an ancient treasure." Said the beast master in a soft whisper. He jerked his head up and turned to the king, "But I'm more surprised that Malik knew about the items! I never thought he'd know such a guarded secret!"

Atemu shrugged, smiling at the tone of the beast master's voice, "Well, he's an Ishtar."

Yugi looked at the king. It was the same statement he heard from the vizier – Seto Kaiba, was it? – that seemed to explain everything about Malik and the millennium items. He wondered what it was with the knife thrower's clan name and the ancient treasured but knew better than to ask. Malik had always been bitter about his clan and Yugi didn't want to cause more problems when they have enough on their hands.

"Yugi." Atemu called, his voice lowering to its serious tone, "Are you absolutely sure about your decision? I think – no, you should definitely back out from it."

Yugi cocked his head to one side then smiled, "Yes, I'm absolutely sure."

Crimson eyes sharpened towards velvet purple. With a sigh, Atemu ran a hand through his tri-colored locks, "Do you even know what they're going to make you do? They're going to put your life on the line in exchange for mine." He slammed a palm over his chest, eyes burning in anger, "You never should've offered your services to the capital!"

Yugi blinked and couldn't help but gulp quite loudly with those burning eyes on him. He quickly turned his head down, away from the king's gaze, "It's okay…." He started in a soft voice, "I'll be your…decoy, right?…on your trip to get one of the item holders. I can do that. I've traveled a lot with the circus. It's not as dangerous as others make it to be." He flashed his most reassuring smile, hoping that it would calm his other self.

"…Your help is not needed, Yugi. You don't have to offer it." Atemu sighed, feeling his words having no effect on the beast master, "Why are you doing this?" he couldn't understand it at all. It was his duty as both the king of Imperium and an item holder to pursue the millennium items. Yugi had no such duty.

For a second, the beast master froze. Atemu could easily see how flustered the other was, eyes darting everywhere and his shaky hands trying to find something to do.

"Well…you see…Pegasus is…Pegasus is our ringmaster and he…and he…well, we should—"

Without words, Atemu had cut the other with one solid stare.

Yugi bit his lip, chewing lightly on his bottom lip. He sighed and dropped his shoulders. "The millennium items could end wars…just like before…but…they could also start them, as you said." He clasped his hands together, turning back to the open window and to the darkness of the palace gardens below, "I just don't want another war to start…. Bad things happen in wars…just like the one before…."

Atemu would not deny that. The last war was undoubtedly devastating. His kingdom had suffered much causality…at least that's what he heard. He had never actually seen the damage his land had sustained. He was locked within his palace and the capital and from there, his sight was limited.

"But – you – the war—" Atemu stopped.

Before, he believed that the war only affected those lands that participated but seeing a person who was willing to stop another war at all costs made him doubt his own beliefs. "…What happened…to you…in the previous war…?"

Yugi jumped slightly. He had never expected the king to ask anything concerning his past or even be the slightest curious about it. "I don't think I should bother you with my stories…. They're not really that interesting." He said, feeling embarrassed with bringing it up in the first place.

But Atemu was stubborn. He wasn't to unanswered questions, especially if it came from him. "No, I'd like to know. I'd like to know your full reason for helping us."

Yugi turned to the determined eyes of his majesty. Talking about what happened to him during the war was something…personal. Not even when he was in the circus, with his friends, did he like talking about his own past. None of them ever did. It was like an unspoken rule that was never to be broken.

But under his other self's crimson gaze, he found himself worrying little about the awkwardness. He had always liked talking to his majesty. It had always made him feel better.

"Our village," Yugi started, a smile playing on his lips, "was located on the border of two countries. When the war struck, we were one of the first to get affected." His eyes were sad though that small smile still stayed on his lips, "Our village was destroyed. I lost my family."

An uncomfortable silence blanketed on them both, a silence that Atemu couldn't stand but couldn't break. Still, he kept his eyes on the beast master, waiting more than he had ever done in his life.

"Pegasus…found me…soon and I've started working for the circus." Yugi frowned as he thought of their ringmaster, "The circus is our way of life. None of us really liked our ringmaster but he gave us a means to live during and after the war and…without him…I don't know if the circus will survive…."

Why didn't I see this before? , Yugi nervously bit his lip.

When he had visited the main tents in the early hours of the day, all he saw was chaos. The tents were knocked down and ripped into shreds. Their equipment was destroyed – others were missing which Yugi guessed were snagged by the rest of the troupe who ran away both from the circus and the capital.

He was relieved, though, to see the animals still in their cages, acting so calm that Yugi wondered if they even noticed the remnants of the circus tents that seemed to be run down by a storm of slashes. Only after feeding them did he leave, watching from Camelot's back the remains of their home…their way of living…their life.

"…The circus will disappear…."

Atemu didn't like what he was seeing. The beast master had grown noticeably pale – that was saying something, with the other's almost porcelain skin. Then those barely whispered words escaped the other's lips and Atemu found himself…worried. "Yugi…? Are you alright? Maybe you've stressed your injury too much for today."

Yugi kept his head down but nodded when he felt the king's hand on his uninjured shoulder. "…I'm okay. Something just came to my mind." He replied. He placed his hand over the king's own and met his other self with a smile, "Thank you for asking, Atemu."

Atemu's eyes widened. Not only had the beast master thanked him, he had also placed his hand on his own. Most of all…"You finally said my name." he breathed in a sigh. "I thought you'd never use the name I've given you."

This time, Yugi blushed. He quickly took his hand away from the king's and stepped back, "I'm sorry. I just didn't want to offend…your council. I don't think they'll like it if I call you by your name."

"What of the council? They can't do anything to you as long as you're under my protection." Atemu said, his voice returning to its commanding tone.

"But I'm not under your pro—"

"Well I say you are now." The king interrupted, leaving no room for argument.

Yugi simply replied with a smile that was both pleased and embarrassed.

"Come. I'll bring you back to the infirmary. You are still injured." The crimson-eyed king flapped a hand, motioning the other to follow him.

Taking one last look at the skies, Yugi turned to his other self and followed. Somewhere within his mind, he could still hear the echoes of the circus and its fate. His promised help to the capital was the only thing keeping the situation at bay. After his mission was finished and the millennium items are secured, what would happen to the circus?

- - -

"You sure your shoulder is healed, Yug?"

Yugi blinked and stared at Jounouchi. He looked at his once injured shoulder then at his jester friend. "Jou, it healed a couple of weeks ago." He replied, turning his shoulder in small circles to prove the loss of the injury. Under him, the king's stallion stirred and he reached down to soothe the beast with a soft caress on the neck.

"Okay. Don't tell me that was my fault." Jou stepped away, bumping into Ryou who was standing just behind him. "Argh, sorry!" he jumped away from the wizard but only ended in tangling their limbs together and tumbling to the ground. "Okay…now that was my fault."

A series of laughter spilled from the circus group's lips.

"Uhm, I know it's funny and all but could someone please move Jou off me?" Ryou's muffled voice interrupted their laughter as he desperately pushed on the jester's back but failed to move the other the least bit off of his stomach. With a loud groan, he flopped on his back, refusing to budge until that weight on his lap was gone.

It was Honda and Otogi who offered their hands and pulled the blonde jester of their resident magician.

"Anyway, Yugi, injured or not, you should be careful." Anzu turned her worried blue eyes to the beast tamer, sitting comfortably on the dark stallion's back, "We'll be doing the worrying back here so don't make more trouble than we could handle, okay?" she winked playfully at the other, waving a finger in her usual scolding attitude.

Yugi nodded, "I promise I won't."

"Yugi, I love that style of clothes on you." Mai pushed past Otogi and Shizuka, placing herself right beside her trapeze partner. "Makes you look…hmm…sexy." She winked in a far from playful way, teasing the beast master before he sets off.

The beast master turned a deep shade of red, matching the cape resting around his shoulders. He suddenly clutched the soft material of his tunic, creating wrinkled that he instantly regretted. Smoothing away the fold on his torso, he replied, "This…this isn't my clothes…it's his majesty's…since, you know…I'll be his doppelganger and I have to…uh…look like him." He pushed his knees as close as they could be, his leather boots pressing against the horse's hide, and tried to be as small as he could to escape the acrobat's attention.

Mai giggled, "But it does, Yugi! Right?" she turned to the person nearest to her right, which was Malik and the knife thrower was more than happy to agree. "See?"

Yugi blushed even deeper. If it was the clothes that made him look good, then he doubted it was him they were complimenting – more like his majesty. "I…I…I just need to be as much like his highness as possible."

"Oh, but you'd never out-king the king!" Jou loudly proclaimed, a goofy grin on his face, "You don't have the freaky blood eyes!"

"But he doesn't need to."

Not even Jou needed to turn around to know who it was that spoke. Just the sight of all the knights, footmen and servants genuflecting towards the jester was enough to say that his highness was standing roughly behind the group of performers. Nonetheless, Jou turned around, scratching the back of his head. "Oh. Hey there, your royal-ness."

Atemu spared the jester the power of his glare and instead, focused on the beast master seated on his own horse. He'd have to admit, the beast master looked nothing like he would in those travel clothes marked with the royal emblem. For one thing, Yugi had the kind of shoulders that were meant to be hugged while his was the kind that simply shrug off the touch.

He walked passed the beast master's friends, his knight's armor making sound as he stepped, and stopped in front of his stallion. "We'll be leaving soon. You should say what you need to your…companions." He glanced at the circus performers who were silent under his gaze then went to the servants saddling up his own horse.

"Well anyway, Yugi, we'll work hard here so you do your best as well!" Anzu gave the beast master a peace sign. Behind her, the rest of their group nodded.

Yugi nodded enthusiastically. "I will. Thanks." He flashed his brightest smile at his friends, knowing that it would be months before they meet once again. He guided his majesty's stallion to the rest of the knights and footmen, and to the position assigned to him in the formation.

Atemu swung his armored limbs over his saddled stallion and led the creature over to the beast master. He nodded and smiled before slipping his helmet on his head, hiding his crimson eyes. With one commanding sweep of his hand, he set the small army on its way.

Yugi watched as the first knight rode forward followed by the few footmen and the rest of the riding soldiers. His stallion moved along with the group without the slightest tug on his reins.

As the tall metal gates of the palace swung open with a long groan, the beast master felt the urge to look back and find his friends' supportive gazes but he kept his head looking forward. No, I can't look back now. , He tightened his grip on the reins and the horse threw his head up, feeling the tug on his line. I wanted to do this. There's no room for hesitation.

Yugi let a loud sigh escape his lips and he suddenly felt Atemu's gaze upon him. The beast master straightened his back, pushed back his shoulders and showed his most determined eyes, trying hard to copy that proud stature of the king he had seen so many times before.

The shadows of the arc of the palace entrance passed over him, curving on every contour of his body. And under the crimson-eyed gaze, he urged the stallion forward.

OMAKE
Down Below

Seto Kaiba couldn't explain how it happened.

He was simply walking through the palace halls, searching for their king who had, yet again, managed to disappear from his council. It was almost like a routine but something happened in his tight schedule of look-for-Atemu that he never expected to happen.

That jester with the sun-kissed hair had appeared out of nowhere, lying as silly as before on the carpeted floors of the castle. He had reprimanded the blonde – his name was something along the lines of "cat" that Seto really believed suited him badly – about "tainting the carpets" only to find that the object of the clown's attention was none other than his majesty and the beast master that his majesty had somehow grown fond of.

And now, he was standing on that very same corner with the blonde clown lying stomach-flat on the carpet between his legs. Somehow, he had ended up in a situation with that annoying jester for the second? third? time of his life. He promised to take out his frustration on Atemu – he wouldn't be out and about if the king hadn't disappeared once again.

"Oh god. I know that look." The blonde below him gasped so loud that Seto was quite surprised that the king and the beast master didn't notice him at all. "He's asking him about his past and stuff! That's like…touchy stuff! Even we don't ask each other about that!"

Seto wondered if he should reply at all but the jester continued babbling.

"He's invading his personal space! I knew it was right for me to follow him around like this!"

'Follow him around'? , The blue-eyed vizier resisted the urge to smirk but failed with flying colors. Sounds just like a pup and his master.

"Hey, did you hear me?" Jou tugged hard on the tips of the vizier's cape, the one that fell on his back. "I said, your king is invading Yug's personal space! Do something! Aren't you like his officer or something?"

Seto frowned. He did not take lightly being ordered around – not even when his cousin gives him orders does he find himself the least bit pleased. "Why don't you just watch the beast master like you're here to do!" He knew he raised his voice and he hoped the king and the beast master would notice little of it.

The blonde jester looked up. He turned around slightly so that he could face the vizier more. "I'm not here to spy on Yug. Yug'll never do anything brash to the king! I'm worried about what Yug's twin will do to him!"

Seto Kaiba, for the first time that night, met the chocolate eyes of the jester below him. He was also there to watch what mischief his cousin would do and he felt uncomfortable having the same goal as that dog between his legs. It was as annoying as the night before.

"Why? Are you here to spy on Yug or something?" Jou asked. He tried coating his voice with as much venom and hidden message as possible but to him, he sounded silly, like a singing constipated moose or something like that.

Seto Kaiba looked down on the jester and decided not to reply.

Road trip! Road trip! Road trip! Road trip! XDXDXD And Yugi's Atemu's double – kinda like a Padmé-Amidala relationship except that Padmé and Queen Amidala aren't really romantically involved – excuse the Star Wars analogy XS I just didn't want to bring Yugi on a road trip with Atemu with no valid reason whatsoever.

In this chapter, Kaiba and Jou realize that they're not quite as different as they thought they were – gods, doesn't that sound cheesy XP You know, after writing my SJ humor fic, I realized how much I like writing Kaiba and Jou. Not as a couple, per se, but as individuals. They're fun :) Hence the omake XD

They'll meet Bakura in the next chapter (maybe sneak a kiss between Atemu and Yugi as well?) and Bakura'll meet Ryou in the chapter after that (or maybe in the same one) – can't wait! XD

Oh, and as for questions about the animals left in the circus grounds, the others Yugi left behind in the capital and the whole circus disappearing issue…you'll see that in the next chapter as well. I tried putting it in this one but it really doesn't fit.

I've been thinking a lot about the side pairings and since this story will focus on Atemu and Yugi's relationship, I decided to just make a set of one-shots for the others which I'll post as a different story. That and putting them in this fic would greatly deviate from the plot – that or it doesn't really hold much value for the story, like that omake up there.

Thanks to: Baka Shojo, DemonicPharoah, spidy007, frogger666, tai'sgirl23, unseenwater, beetelgirl, Angel's Charm, Annuket, Corvin, biaceblock, Princess Yali, silverwolf407, AngelKelley17, Adhina, YamiXYugi-yaoilover2899, DarkNileStallion and Sarah/ryoulover4ever