A/N: Sorry for the long wait. Now that Kame is almost over I'm going to go back and finish all these fics.
I have finally come to a conclusion about the pairings in this fic. There will be shonen-ai in this fic. One, mainly because majority of my reviewers have made it pretty clear to me… they want shonen-ai. Thus, I will make it clear as of this chapter. There will be shonen-ai. So please do not flame me if you are uncomfortable with such topics.
Disclaimer:I do not own Yu-gi-oh!
Chapter 2
The Facade Begins to Slip
"Well. I'll leave you two to get acquainted." The doctor lightly squeezed Atemu's shoulder before giving the teen an encouraging glance before walking away.
"But!" Atemu shouted, only to be too late as that doctor had already disappeared from the secluded facility. Atemu groaned. He was annoyed at being thrown into a room with a boy who probably only nine or ten by the looks of it. He looked just a little too happy. They probably told him he could go home soon or something. Maybe even get another toy to play with. He sure had a lot of those. By the looks of it, this boy had a lot of everything. The room… probably his bedroom… actually it did look like a bedroom… not a hospital ward in disguise.
"Hi." The boy whispered once more. This time a little more quietly than the last. Yet Atemu made no indication of noticing… the room had caught his fascination… so many strange contraptions littered the room. Fancy technology that wasn't supposed to come out for months was found in this room. A mechanical dog sat on the table. As Atemu inched closed it let out a loud bark, it seemed terribly real, real enough any ways to scare his cat Myuuk-shaw and any unexpected bunglers. Atemu immediately backed away and knocked into a large inflatable dragon Red Eyes from duel monsters. A gasp left Atemu's lips as he inched back. He tripped over a trash can before crashing into a pile of blankets and entangled himself. The chain reaction caused the young boy Yuugi to giggle. He had moved back to his bed and had sat cross legs with a stuffed Kuribo in his arms. A plushie Black Magician Girl was located on his right wrapped in the arms of a plushie Black Magician.
Atemu groaned as he felt his facial mask fog over. He looked over and saw the younger and his charge sat, laughing. Atemu's lips immediately slanted downwards. Nobody laughed at him and got away with it, and this boy was surely not going to be the first. "What you laughing at!"
"You." Yuugi giggled. "You're really funny. Touya-san was right."
"It wasn't supposed to be funny," Atemu barked pulling himself up from the pile. He lightly patted his legs for dust only to find none was present.
"What are you doing?" Yuugi questioned. He cocked his head confused at the other's antics.
"Do you love to ask questions are something? You know. People who ask questions don't get very far in life because the vast majority of the population hate it." Atemu hissed. He walked back to the door frame. "Then again being the spoiled little brat you are… with all these toys… and a floor all to yourself. All you know is the life of luxury. I don't baby sit. Otousan made me to this. Don't expect we're going to be friends. Got it." Yuugi nodded his eyes filling up with tears. His lips parted the initial signs of crying. Yet Yuugi didn't cry instead he looked away, downcast. The Kuribo plushie slipped from his hands and fell to the ground.
"You want me to let out your air, so you can leave? I'll tell Touya-san you were great when he comes back later. I promise."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Atemu-kun!" A voice shouted… causing Atemu to look up from his book. Only one person he knew had a voice that was loud and wasn't afraid to use it in a library. There appearing from behind a stack of books was a boy… about his own age. A jean jacket adorned his body. His wild frenzied blond hair stuck up here and there. A smile glazed his lips as he nudged Atemu's shoulders before sitting down.
"Hey."
"Don't hey me," The blond snapped… pretending to be angry with his best friend. Jounouchi Katsuya, he like Atemu was a duelist, one of the top. The two had been friends for years. They met at a gaming convention three years ago. Initially they had been enemies. Each was annoyed at each other's views about dueling. Atemu called Jounouchi's skills to be just plain luck while Jounouchi had countered saying Atemu thinks too much. It wasn't till two years earlier at duelist kingdom, and both had ran out of food and was focused to tag team in a duel against this two strange bald guys in a maze that Atemu and Jounouchi learned to respect one another.
"What… did I do?" Atemu asked innocently.
"Man… where have you been lately? Making me hang out with Kaiba," Jounouchi shivered, remembering his week-long experience with the president of Kaiba Corp. "I came over to your house twice and your maid said you weren't home."
"I thought you liked Kaiba." Atemu commented before looking back down at his book. Moments later he quickly ducked at Jounouchi took a swing at his head, barely missing. The blond puffed before looking away.
"You and your sacrasm… he called me a mutt." Jounouchi muttered… immediately turning red.
"Aww! How sweet! Master and mutt… I sure can see who's at the top of this relationship," Atemu commented. This time he pulled back his legs as Jounouchi aimed at him once more.
"Shut up," Jounouchi grumbled.
"Gomen. You're just so fun to tease… just like that shrimp… Yuugi." Atemu added… before going back to reading his book.
"Shrimp? Yuugi?" Jounouchi questioned… letting the other get away with his last insult.
"The kid I have to take care of… be his companion… whatever. He tries to act all innocent and happy and stuff. It's sickening. You should see his room. I mean rooms. His parents must be rich."
"Oh… your father is making you do volunteer work at the hospital again? Man… I feel sorry for you. I hate the hospital, had to go there when Shizuka was getting her operation. It smells."
"Tell me about," Atemu stated before attempting get back into his book. Jounouchi watched the other read attentively before picking up a random book from Atemu's pile only to discover he couldn't figure out a word of it.
"What the heck is this stuff? It looks like chicken scratch. How the heck do you read this stuff any ways?"
"It's called hieroglyphs, Egyptian hieroglyphs. Ancient Egyptians wrote in this language," Atemu commented absentmindedly.
"And you actually know what this stuff says?" Jounouchi asked bewildered. He flipped through the books and discovering that they were all covered in it.
"I guess," Atemu answered… shrugging. "It has always come easily for me. I use to lose myself with this stuff. When 'he' gave me a lot of homework, and I could finish it all in two hours."
"Tsk, tsk. No wonder Kaiba can't stand you."
"Aww… come on… Jounouchi-kun. You actually think I would work hard for someone I despise?" Atemu questioned.
"Whatever. Still… you up for a night at the arcade?"
"I wish. Unfortunately… I have to go to the hospital again. The old man came home a few days ago. I have to get on his 'good' side till after the tournament. He's thinking about taking away my dueling deck." Atemu added before getting up. He picked up the stack of books before grabbing his leather jacket. "I'll see you tomorrow. Maybe… you can even get Kaiba-kun to go with you, ne?"
"Shut up!" Jounouchi shirked once more… causing Atemu to chuckle before walking away.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
His face grew downcast once more as he walked into the back elevator… to the tenth floor. The imprisoning body suit he was forced to wear and the hour long silence he was force to spend with Yuugi. The two hadn't spoken once since their first meeting with one another. He wondered if Yuugi even knew his name. He had never mentioned it, and he doubt that the younger even cared. Yuugi was always immersed in his games. He had a lot of those. He actually couldn't help but wonder why he just seemed to despise the younger. It wasn't, as if Yuugi had done anything wrong… only laughed when he had collapsed into that pile of blankets. He couldn't, couldn't possibly be because he was so happy, could it? It couldn't because he was carefree and had, did he dare say that word, hope?
Atemu shook the nagging feeling away from his mind before entering Yuugi's rooms. The younger was in the living room and had curled himself up on his couch. A set of cards… or what seemed to be cards were laid out in front of him. Atemu walked over intrigued. His brow ceased as he noticed the nature of such cards. They were tarot cards… strange ones too no doubt. A couple of them were already turned over… displaying to its owner its fate. "I didn't know you were into this kind of stuff." Atemu scoffed. "Surely you know… a brunch of cards can't tell your fate."
"Huh… oh. You came back." Yuugi muttered looking up. His eyes still full of hurt before looking away. "I don't. Ji-chan asked me to test out a new product for him."
"Look, kid. I know what I said to you a month ago was well rude. Since we're going to be stuck together for quite some time, we might as well talk."
"Why the change? You could always play a video game or read a book. Even better I could ask Touya-san to get you a different job or something. I mean I can't force you to keep me company if you hate it so much."
Atemu sighed… once again feeling his blood level raise. Only this time, he decided to overcome it. He was going to beat it. "Why are you so happy all the time?" Atemu snapped. He was once again annoyed before flopping down on the couch adjacent to the one Yuugi was currently curled up in it.
"Huh?"
"Why you so happy? I'm dressed in a body suit… with an oxygen tank hooked to me, yet not once do you find it strange?"
"People… people in the outside world… don't wear them?" Yuugi questioned innocently. His amethyst eyes widened. Such a question struck Atemu's nerve. It stunned him. He felt as if a thousand knives had just pierced into his heart.
"You… you…"
"I have never left this place in my life. Okaasan bore me in this room. This used to be the maternity ward, twelve years ago."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
What do you say to someone who has never known freedom? What do you say to someone who has it worse than you do? What do you say to someone who you thought was a complete jerk because he was too happy till you finally understood his reasonings?
Those were Atemu's questions to himself as he rode home on his motorcycle from the hospital. He had never felt more like a jerk until that very moment. He wondered what it was like never seeing the outside world. He… he had always found it strange that Yuugi's rooms didn't have windows… when all the other hospital rooms had… yet at that time he didn't thinking about it too much… not till now.
His eyes were still dull as he entered his house. He tossed his keys onto a nearby table before walking into the kitchen. A couple of maids greeted him, but today, Atemu didn't feel like saying much… instead he simply waved them away. He took a few pieces of fruit with him before making his way to his room. He took the back way that the servants used to bypass his father's study. It was a passage that Atemu had long discovered when he was little and hadn't finished his homework by the time his father got home. He would hide in one of catacombs till his father went to bed before venturing back to his room.
Upon reaching his room, he was surprised to find Anzu already there. Atemu couldn't help but feel a tiny flutter feeling in his heart… seeing Anzu there… as if she knew… after all she was one of the only people in this 'hell hole'… who understood him. "Anzu."
"Niisama."
"What you doing here?"
"Well… considering I live here…" Anzu sighed. Atemu's face was still solemn and forlorn. It was a look she hadn't seen in her fiancé's eyes in a long time. "Niisama, what's wrong?"
"Nothing Anzu, I got a lot of work to do. Tell Otousan I won't be coming down to dinner tonight." Atemu simply stated pushing past his sister and entering his room. Like always the room had a dark, suppressing tone to it. The room itself felt like it was ridiculing the boy, laughing at his confinement in this society, but Anzu wasn't the type to waver and be put out like that. Instead she followed her brother into the room. She watched as he tossed his leather jacket onto his bed before sitting down at this desk and pulling out one of his large tombs to read.
The girl sighed, annoyed. She crossed the room and sat down on her brother's desk. She let out a light cough although Atemu continued to ignore her. She pursed her lips. She hated it when her brother closed down on her like this. It was so aggravating. "Niisama!" She whined… pulling the tomb from Atemu's lap. "Talk!"
"I don't have anything to say. Now give me back my book!"
"Uh un! I know you Niisama. You don't go storming out of the hospital like that if nothing is wrong. Why did you come home so late? What's wrong? Did they fire you? Otousan's going to kill you if you quit!"
Atemu narrowed his eyes. He grabbed the book out of Anzu's hands and slammed it down on his desk. "Stop it!" He growled. "I didn't quit or get fired okay! Stop it with the Otousan shit! I hate him! Okay? I hate him! God Anzu. For once, just leave me alone!"
Anzu looked away. She felt tears threatening to fall. Atemu too realized what he had just said, looked up. "Anzu… I…"
Smack!
Both Anzu and Atemu stood stunned. Anzu with her hand still raised and Atemu with his hand on his stinging cheek. Both looked away at the same instant. Atemu fell onto his chair while Anzu ran away. They had never fought with each other before, and now that they finally had. Both teenagers were unsure of what to do next.
"Damn," Atemu muttered.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The next morning Anzu left the mansion before Atemu woke up. Secretly he was glad he didn't have to face Anzu. He wasn't sure what to say to her, not to mention his face was still swollen.
"Atemu-kun!" Atemu turned around. He nearly dropped his school books. He cursed seeing it was only Jounouchi.
"Jou… Jounouchi-kun." Atemu fumbled. "What you doing here, and … so early too?"
Jounouchi's eyes narrowed. Both boys knew Jounouchi loved sleeping in although Jounouchi hated admitting it. "Spend time with you, of course."
"A challenge?"
"Atemu!"
"Gomen ne!" Atemu grinned. He placed his books onto his motorcycle seat. Scanned Jounouchi questionably before grinning, "So how are things with Kaiba?"
"Atemu! That rotten money bags! He's too spoiled for his own good, and conceited! Did I mention conceited?"
Atemu rolled his eyes. He picked up his helmet and playfully swung it at Jounouchi. "I got to go run some errands before I go to the hospital. Want to come?"
"Atemu-kun! Running errands on a Sunday? You're turning into Kaiba." Jounouchi muttered. He fanned his head before grumbling. "Throw me a helmet."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"I am never running errands with you again, Atemu-kun!" Jounouchi grumbled. He rolled his eyes and brushed back a piece of lint. He crossed his arms before sliding onto the ground. He eyed his best friends annoyingly. The other seemed not to notice. He was too engrossed in his book. "How many people in this world know that Duel King reads… hieroglyphs," Jounouchi hissed.
"Didn't you say that the last time too?" Atemu teased. He placed the book back and knelt beside Jounouchi. The blond grumbled and playfully kicked Atemu's knee.
"You're annoying."
"More like late," Atemu hissed. He glanced at his watch. "I'm sorry Jounouchi. Could you catch a cab? Here's some money." The teen dumped a handful of bills, enough to catch three taxis and a movie before he rushed out the door.
"Ate… damn," Jounouchi grumbled. He stuffed the handful of bills into his jacket pocket and left the building. He would have to return it to the boy at school the next day.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Oh, you're back," Yuugi piped up. He looked up from a strange handheld box that was making random noises.
"Why wouldn't I be?" Atemu questioned. He walked over the younger boy and popped himself down on the couch.
"I don't know. People usually don't when I tell them I've never left this place before." Yuugi shrugged his shoulders. "Besides, you stormed out of here really fast too." Yuugi added quickly before returned to the box in his hands.
"Well, I'm not one of those people. What's that horrible sound?" Atemu cringed. The box was making a twisted half cheetah, half gorilla whine.
"A game my jii-chan wants to sell."
"Well, if it keeps that sound up, nobody's going to buy it." Atemu looked around the room. He suddenly realized how bare it was. Besides the couch he and Yuugi were sitting on, a coffee table, and TV, there wasn't anything else. Atemu fiddled his fingers and glanced over at the boy. He seemed deeply engrossed in the game.
Atemu groaned. Not only was this kid very happy, but he was also very forgiving. "Yuugi."
"Ne?"
"Go… gomen."
Yuugi looked up. He cocked his head a little confused. "What for?"
"Well, I've been acting a jerk for one."
Yuugi's mouth widened. He set the box down on the table before turning fully to face Atemu. He fumbled with his thumbs before looking down. "Do… does that mean … sayonara?"
"Wa?"
"I don't know. People usually apologize before they go away," Yuugi muttered. He shrugged his shoulders. Atemu noticed a small tremble pass through the boy's body before he raised his head again. A smile adorned the child's face.
Suddenly Atemu wondered how he ever thought the other to be annoying.
His argument and frustration with Anzu slowly faded away. His years of hatred for his father melted into oblivion. The smile on Yuugi's face, it made every sad thing seem so, so pointless.
"Yuugi, where you get that idea from?"
"People…" The boy shrugged.
"Well, I'm not going away Yuugi. I promise." Atemu wasn't sure what made him say that, but seeing a glow light up upon Yuugi's face. He sudden felt a strange tingle in his heart, something he had never felt before. The tingle slowly grew bigger and bigger. It was an overpowering feeling… one that made him wish he would never have to leave Yuugi again. It made him want to give the world to the young boy. He felt his cheeks heat up, and slowly he leaned forward.
Yuugi's eyes widened. He felt his breath hitch. A small blush formed across the bridge of his nose. He fumbled and pulled away. The mood broke. Atemu's face glowed red while Yuugi turned back to his game.
For some strange reason, Atemu couldn't bring himself to leave Yuugi that day. The two didn't talk for the rest of the time. Yuugi continued playing his game as if nothing occurred. Occasionally he would giggle or turn to look at Atemu before quickly turning away. While Atemu, he seemed to have fallen into a trance. It was only when a nurse brought Yuugi's medicine that he realized how late it was.
He managed to fumble out a small good bye. Yuugi merely grinned and waved.
The ride home was a strange one for Atemu. Even when he entered the mansion, he wasn't sure what was wrong with him.
And strangely… he started looking forward to going to the hospital. As the weeks passed, despite never saying much to Yuugi; he always found those hours to be the best hours of his life. And it seemed strangely enough, Yuugi's cheerful, innocent aura began to rub off on Atemu. His teachers and friends started to notice after a while.
His sarcasm began to fade away. His work became less sloppy. Slowly, he began to smile more. He became more willing to help people, and as summer edged closer. Atemu grew more restless. He realized that it meant more time with Yuugi.
Yet there was one thing in his life… that suddenly started to lose its appeal.
"Niisama." Atemu looked up. He blinked. Standing before him, wrapped in a loose gown was Anzu. Atemu almost wanted to choke when he realize he would someday have to marry her. He hadn't realized when, but suddenly… one morning he woke up and couldn't bring himself to give Anzu a kiss. Soon, just holding hands with Anzu felt more awkward than anything else in the world.
"Oh, hey." He muttered. He fiddled with his motorcycle keys.
"C… could we talk?" Anzu questioned.
Atemu simply nodded. He followed behind Anzu's shadow. He felt embarrassed to even look at her.
Anzu lead them to the kitchen. She motioned for him to seat down before she followed in suit. "Niisama."
"Ne?"
"I know we've never been apart… since we met. But…" Anzu bit her lips. She tugged at her robe a little tighter. She glanced at Atemu, expressionless, like always. "We're been drifting… since that day I slapped you."
"An…" Immediately Anzu silenced her brother. Atemu looked down at his fiancée's finger. He lightly wrapped his hands around it and tried with all his might to ignore that nagging feeling in his heart. Still, his once fondness for Anzu, he just couldn't bring it back.
"Please, don't. I… I need to finish. She pulled back her finger leaving Atemu to stare at his palms. "I… I'm going to America, Niisama."
Atemu looked up. His eyes widened. "Waa?"
"It's time one of us steps up. You have that tournament in a few months. Otousan's letting me go, I'll be spending my junior year there as an exchange student. A… whole new experience… and…" Anzu looked away. "I'm hoping… it'll mend our gap."
"How will you going away do anything?" Atemu shouted. He didn't know why he shouted, or why everything in the world felt so complicated.
The two said nothing. Each was afraid to speak again. The sound of a maid calling broke the silence. Anzu bit her lips. Atemu looked away. He suddenly realized how selfish he was being. In his own uncertainty he had forgotten about Anzu. "I… Good luck."
Anzu nodded before leaving Atemu alone in the kitchen. For once the aroma of food brought nothing but bitterness.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Atemu-kun." Atemu looked up… startled. He hadn't spoken since he entered Yuugi's rooms. He didn't even realize the other had known he had come. "You okay?" Yuugi asked. Atemu looked over. He felt that strange ting. Yuugi's brow was raised. He was biting his lips. A game was clasped in his hands.
"What do you mean?"
"You seem sad. I've noticed. Your aura changed."
"Aura?" Atemu blinked before chuckling. The laugh soon died down. He ruffled Yuugi's bangs before sitting down next to the boy.
"Uh huh, Atemu-kun's aura is always content. You seem distant."
"There's no fooling you, huh Yuugi?" Yuugi beamed. "It's Anzu."
"Anzu?"
"My sister and fiancée?"
"Fiancée? Isn't that… " Yuugi struggled with the right word. Atemu felt his worry disappear. Immediately he waved his hands.
"No, Anzu and I aren't blood siblings. Her family adopted me."
"Oh."
"Yeah, we're to marry when we turn eighteen."
"Oh," Yuugi muttered. It was small, distant hint but Atemu could detect a disappointment in Yuugi's voice. Both boys knew, though it was unsaid. Both knew when Atemu turned eighteen. He would no longer visit Yuugi. And for some reason, the words seem so foreign to Atemu. Although he had known for years and learned to accept he would never choose his future companion, he suddenly began to hate the plan more and more.
"We had a fight, months ago. She's going to America to study."
"Oh, why don't you go after her?" Yuugi asked innocently. The question seemed so simple coming from Yuugi's mouth that Atemu just couldn't help but laugh.
"You make everything sound so simple, Yuugi."
The boy simply shrugged. "So why not?"
"Circumstances."
"Don't you love her?" Yuugi questioned. He shifted on the couch and turned to look at Atemu. The teen suddenly felt his breath hitch.
"I… Of course. She's going to be my wife." Yet for both Yuugi and Atemu, the words sounded hallow.
"Oh."
-TBC-
A/N: What you guys think?