This chapter dedicated to Serzie, who gave me the idea for the main gist of this chapter!! THANK YOU!

Chapter 8

We Belong To The Sea

Atem spent hours that night holding Yugi to him, petting the small merboy's hair gently, and just resting his cheek against his head. Yugi cried for that time, unable to stop the silent tears that poured down his face. He felt as though his heart had been torn out of him, beaten, and then placed within his chest again.

Atem sighed slightly, pressing a kiss against Yugi's forehead through his thick bangs in an effort to calm him. "It's okay, Yugi. I'm okay now, I'm okay. Everything's fine."

Yugi just whimpered softly and snuggled closer to his mate, his arms tightening where they were wrapped around Atem's waist. "I was so scared…" Yugi whispered after a moment. "You wouldn't answer me… and then they said that you were dead… you were so cold and still… So pale…"

Atem tightened his hold on Yugi. "Easy, love, I'm fine, I promise. Everything's okay now, though I do have to wonder what you did."

Yugi looked up at the crimson-eyed merman, reaching up to touch the curve of his jawbone. "I just wished that you would be okay. Nothing more."

"Still, it worries me…" Atem murmured, setting his chin on the top of Yugi's head and shifting one arm to around Yugi's neck.

Ryou came into the room at that moment, knocking softly on the doorframe as he did. "Prince, your father would like me to take a look at you, and Yugi as well, if that's alright."

"Yugi? Why would my father do that?" Atem asked, ice frosting over his normally warm voice. "He tried to kill him."

Ryou smiled. "I think that your father has seen the error of his ways. You have no idea how upset he was. I'm pretty sure that he knows now not to interfere with things like this. Besides that, Bakura gave him a bit of a tongue-lashing."

Atem blinked in surprise. "Bakura? He yelled at Father?"

Ryou chuckled softly. "Indeed he did. Quite a sight it was, and I'm surprised that the King allowed it, but he said nothing. Bakura seems to feel better, though. Now then, if you'll just lie back, I'll examine you both…"

Yugi settled down to the bed beside his mate, tangling his fingers with Atem's as they lay there. After a minute Atem snaked his black tail around Yugi's blue-violet one, trying to comfort his little mate in any way he could. Yugi returned the caress gratefully, turning his head towards Atem and closing his eyes.

Ryou frowned as he examined Yugi. "You seem to be coming down with something… Your vitals are rather weak, Yugi. I think you need to remain lying down for a little while, alright? I'll see what I can do, and then I'll come back tomorrow, okay?"

Yugi nodded. "Of course, Ryou."

Atem frowned, stroking his thumb over Yugi's hand as Ryou focused his lavender magics to try and cleanse Yugi's body. Something was wrong with his little mate? This couldn't be good…

Atem woke the next morning feeling incredibly worried. He didn't know why until he looked to his side, and then he gasped.

Yugi lay beside him, panting slightly, his normally beautiful tail grayed and dying on his body. Atem could feel the scales flaking off and scratching at his own as he untwined his tail from where it was curled around Yugi's. The merboy was extremely pale; his violet eyes dull as they stared at the ceiling.

Atem shot upright, letting out a cry of horror. His door flew open a moment later, Seth swimming in ready to fight. He blinked in shock as he saw Yugi, ailing away on the bed, and Atem shouted at him a moment later. "Send for Ryou!"

Seth bowed his head in acknowledgment, turning and swimming as fast as he could from the room. Atem wrapped his fingers around Yugi's hand, trying to get him to respond. "Yugi, please, aibou, answer me!"

Yugi's violet eyes traveled to his mate, and a small smile came to his pale lips. "A-Atem…"

Atem brushed Yugi's bangs away from his forehead tenderly, kissing his pale skin gently. "Yugi, are you alright?"

"Just… just tired…" Yugi answered shakily, his voice shaky and forced out around panting breaths.

Atem sat with his small mate for a few minutes, simply stroking his skin and singing softly as he did, an old song that his mother used to sing to him.

We belong to the sea
To the waves you and me
Living in the ocean so blue
We belong to the sea
Open wide being free
A minute everlasting with you

A soft knock came to his ears, making him stop and look up in shock. Ryou's soft brown eyes were sparkling softly, but he swam quickly to the Prince's side, settling down on the bed and running his hands over Yugi's body, hovering just about his skin. His lavender magics roamed through the small merboy's body, and after a minute Ryou leaned back.

"He's just very drained. It seems as though his life force itself has been drained in some way… I think that some part of him infused his life to you. I sense a bigger connection between the two of you now, something that no mated couple has. You are now linked together, Atem." Ryou said softly, his eyes focusing on the merPrince.

Atem frowned slightly. "And what does that mean?"

Ryou smiled slightly. "Nothing too special. But you must remember one very important thing. Because you are now one in every sense of the word, you must be very cautious, for when one of you dies, the other will follow. You are too closely linked for anything else to happen." Ryou placed his hand over Yugi's heart. "I can give him the energy, and a good day's rest should have him back to normal in no time at all."

Atem nodded, though he was quiet, still absorbing this information that he had just been given. He spoke after a moment. "Thank you, Ryou."

Ryou smiled, swishing his tail idly. "It's my duty, Atem. And my pleasure. I'll take my leave now."

Atem sat by his mate's side through the day and late into the night, watching over him. Just before he had lain down to sleep, there was a knock at the door, and Atem looked up to see his father pushing open the door.

"Atem? May I enter?"

Atem sighed, and then nodded. "Of course, Father. Just be quiet, if you will. Yugi is very tired."

The merKing nodded, swimming through the door and shutting it gently as he did. "Atem…" He sighed, searching for the words. "I can't really say anything to take back what I did, nor will any words of apology really help, but I can say that I have realized the error I made, and I am sorry. I should have given him a chance."

Atem frowned, not speaking for a moment. He then spoke softly. "You should not have reacted so violently. Humans took Mother from us, but that does not mean that they are all that way. Yugi is kind, gentle, loving, and so was his friend when I met him on the surface." Atem's crimson eyes traveled up to lock with his father's. "Though we miss Mother, nothing will bring her back. I know that now. We cannot hold a grudge against humans for that. Just… please, accept my mate."

"You truly love him, don't you?" Aknamkanon said softly.

"With everything I am. I would do anything for him, anything he asked of me without a second thought." Atem said softly.

Aknamkanon nodded. "Then he is family."

Atem smiled at his father. "Thank you, Father."

"Come on, Atem, I can see Joey's boat!"

Atem chuckled softly, kicking his black-silver tail a little faster to swim after his little mate as Yugi danced through the water ahead of him, a large smile on his face. Ryou had been right, Yugi had been up and about the next day, and now wore the golden band that signified his Princehood.

Princehood. That was something Yugi would have never expected. Only two days after Atem's 'death' and 'rebirth,' the two had been formally wed, and now were officially mates and life partners in the eyes of the merfolk. Two days after that, the two were swimming for the surface, where Yugi knew his grandfather would be on the ship with Joey, just as the blond had promised.

Atem swam faster while Yugi circled under the boat, double-checking that it was truly his friend's craft. Sure enough, it was, and the little merboy surfaced a moment later, calling out Joey's name.

Atem surfaced in time to see Joey's head come over the side, a wide smile on the teen's face. "Hey you guys! Come on to the back, I've got the tank down for you!"

Yugi followed the instructions, leaping easily into the tank, followed a moment later by Atem. The two waited a moment while Joey raised the tank back to level with the deck, and then Atem looked up to see an older human who looked remarkably like Yugi.

The man was rather small, with wild gray hair restrained by a bandana and deep violet eyes that reminded him of Yugi's. Atem knew immediately that this was Yugi's grandfather.

Yugi smiled, while his Grandpa moved closer with a look of wonder on his face. "Yugi? Is that really you, my boy?"

Yugi nodded with a bigger smile. "Sure is Grandpa. I missed you a lot, it's really good to see you!"

Sugoroku Moto grinned back at his grandson. "My, Yugi, I never quite expected this when Joey came to me and asked me to come with him to the harbor. I knew that something interesting had happened when he gave me your message, though. So this is what you meant…" The elder's eyes traveled to Atem. "And who might this be?"

Yugi blushed slightly, but took Atem's hand gently. "This is the Prince of Atlantica, and my mate, Atem."

Atem smiled, bowing his head. "It is an honor to meet my love's grandfather."

Sugoroku smiled. "Quite a looker, isn't he Yugi? Looks almost exactly like you."

Yugi gasped in shock. "Grandpa!"

The old man laughed. "Couldn't resist, my boy. Please, Atem, the honor is all mine. It's nice to know that my grandson has found someone to love."

Atem grinned, listening as Yugi eagerly chatted with his grandfather, catching up on the things that he had missed and filling in the older. He was happy, he had found his mate, and he couldn't be luckier to have Yugi by his side.

The End.

Yes, this IS the end. I would like to send a HUGE shoutout to all my readers, thanks for sticking with me the whole way. I LOVE YOU ALL!!! -throws pocky and plushies- I do not own the song in this, by the way! Thanks for sticking around!