Atem may not have known where his light had been, but saw the change in him on sight. And it wasn't just because Yuugi was walking on his own, using his new magic to see his surroundings. The royal could sense it immediately, even before the other arrived. "Aibou..." he breathed. "You went to see him, didn't you?"
Nod.
"It went well?"
Nod.
"He told me... about the prophesy."
"Are... you angry with me?"
"That's impossible, Atem."
Relief washed over a crimson gaze. "Thank you, Aibou."
"So... Now what?"
"Well, do you wish to be the one spoken of?"
"Er... We'll see what happens, I guess."
Atem smiled at his light. From day one the king had thought the other to be greatness. The teen had already proved himself able to rise to any challenge, be it conscious or not, and succeed with amazing skill. And he was still just as humble and innocent as that same day one. How Yuugi managed it, he'd never know. Humility was certainly never one of his own virtues. "Well," the royal said aloud, pulling himself out of his own musings. "I'm sure you want to learn more about wielding Dark magic."
The light nodded. "Will you teach me?"
Atem held back the urge to bite his lip. He was quite busy, especially when Bakura could turn back up at any moment. But be it fortunate or not, of all the skills he had mastered, saying 'No,' to round, hopeful, violet eyes had never made the list. "Of course, Aibou."
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"Now," the king began in an empty palace room. "As I'm sure you've noticed, the magic will do what you ask of it. Spells and chants are not necessarily needed, but they help the magic understand exactly what you want, making the outcome more powerful."
"So... magic's alive?" Yuugi asked. He'd never received any training in magic use.
"Plainly put, it's energy. Useful energy. It helps us accomplish our tasks and we give it a place to rest and reside. Understand?"
"Yeah."
"Excellent. Try to attack me."
"Eh?!?!"
"Aibou, I'm going to shield myself. Don't worry about me. I want you to get a feel for using it."
"I don't plan to be attacking anyone."
"No one ever does."
"I can't attack you, even just for practice."
Atem sighed, but smiled. He turned to Jou, watching from the doorway. "Would you get Seth for me?" he asked the warrior.
The blonde, knowing the king's intention, brightened immediately. "Sure! One sec!" he said excitably, then disappeared.
Once he returned with his quarry, the king said dryly. "Ok, Yuugi. Attack him then."
"But Atem-" Before Yuugi could finish, he had barely shielded himself from an attack by the high priest.
"Defend yourself, Yuugi," Seth advised him, sending another attack toward him. The teen saw through what the other was doing, forcing him to attack to survive- only on a smaller scale. He couldn't do anything but what the blue-eyed man said. Defend himself.
Jou and Atem watched from the sidelines, amused. "Set's still going easy one him," the blonde remarked.
"I'm sure Aibou doesn't see it that way."
"Doubtful," the warrior agreed.
Mahado entered then, looking worried, and the royal hurried over to him. "What's wrong?"
"Bakura's been sighted on the border," the vizier replied.
"Dammit. The border... so he's still a good two days away..."
Mahado nodded in agreement.
Atem beckoned Jou over. "Tell Yuugi I had to leave a moment," he told the other.
"'Kay. He's coming, isn't he?"
"With a vengeance."
"Wonderful."
"But I don't want that to distract Yuugi. He's progressing beautifully already. And make sure Seth loans him a couple spell books."
"Ye'sir."
Yuugi continued to practice with the high priest for the rest of the day, until they both desperately needed a break. Jou had obtained some water for them both, which they guzzled down in no time. "It's about dinner time," the warrior remarked. "You two hungry?"
"Yeah!" the diminutive replied happily.
"I could eat," Seth stated.
"Ok then," the blonde said. "Time for food."
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Yuugi looked around at the table not finding his other half. "Jou, where's Atem?"
"Dunno, Yug. He probably had some things to take care of, like he said. See, Mahado's not here either."
"Oh. Right."
The blonde looked compassionately at his friend. "Don't worry, Yug. Sometimes he doesn't make it around here for meals." He thought for a second. "Hey, maybe once we're done, we can bring him and Mahado something in Atem's study? I think that's where they'd be."
The other brightened immediately. "Ok! Sure!" He finished his meal happily, his best friend smiling fondly at him.
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Knock, Knock. "Atem?" Yuugi called softly, a tray of that night's dinner in his hands. "Mahado? Are you in here?" He saw both men standing at a table in back, talking. They turned when the teen entered.
"Aibou," the king greeted him with a smile. "What brings you here?"
"Dinner!" the other said happily, holding up the tray. "You both missed it, and Jou and I thought you'd be hungry." He lowered the food, a thoughtful look on his face. "Something important's happening, isn't it?"
Atem found a surface for the food, a conflicted look on his face. "Yes," he replied. "Bakura was spotted on the border earlier today. He's about a day and a half from the palace."
"To try and take me again?"
"Yes."
"I won't let him," Yuugi said, a defiant look in his eyes.
Surprise briefly crossed the royal's own crimson orbs, then relaxed. This was his aibou, after all. Even the teen knew he had to stand on his own two feet. Atem very much doubted Yuugi wanted his protection forever, however willing he was to give it. "I know you won't, Aibou."
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Yuugi devoted the next day and a half to practice, both with Seth and with the books he'd been lent. Knowing Bakura would play dirty, Seth also taught him a few advanced spells he knew Atem would never approve of. The teen gobbled up all information, eager to be able to do all he could to not be a burden on his friends.
On the second night, Yuugi lumbered into his and Atem's room, completely exhausted.
"Aibou, you shouldn't wear yourself out so," the king chided him as the other flopped down into the covers with him.
"I just want to be ready," was the murmured reply.
"We've done all we can for now. He'll arrive tomorrow morning. It's in Fate's hands now."
"Good. I think she likes me."
Atem chuckled, holding his partner close to him. Yuugi nuzzled against the other's chest, sighing happily. The king eased the other onto his back and lowered his own head to nip at his lover's neck.
"Er, Atem..."
"Sh, Aibou. Just relax."
"'Kay," Yuugi mumbled, and the other continued his gentle assault on his partner's body. The teen, sight currently clouded in darkness, could only moan and sigh happily at the sensations now radiating through his body. "Nn, Atem..."
The soft sounds were replaced with a loud cry as the royal took him fully in his mouth. Atem relished the heavy cries he heard while he brought his other half to a mind-searing bliss. He then joined the teen by his side, holding the other close as he caught his breath.
As soon as he was thinking rationally again, Yuugi pulled some light to his eyes, then pushed his partner to his back. He smirked at the surprised, but still intrigued, look the royal's face held.
"Found some energy, did we?"
"You have that effect on me," was the shorter's reply, and leaned down to claim a kiss from his other half. The taste of himself mixed with Atem's natural one, and Yuugi found it as addictive as any candy. His growing erection rubbed against his lover's, causing the other to elict a moan into his mouth. Shudders of pleasure echoed down his spine as he felt a moistened finger inside him. 'When did he...?' he began to think, until his partner hit that wonderful spot, and coherency was no more.
"Ready, Aibou?" he heard a barely audible whisper.
Unable to speak, he could only nod. Another loud cry was heard throughout the room and no more words were spoken. Not verbally, anyway. But the shared looks of want and love and the long, deep kisses told each other everything words would not- or at the moment, could not- say.
But as they two lay together afterwards, each holding the other tight, Yuugi found some that at least scratched the surface.
"I love you, Atem."
The other smiled, holding his partner even closer. "I love you too, Aibou."
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All too soon, Bakura arrived. And made a grand show of it, too, obviously thinking whatever news he had proved without a doubt he was right and Atem was wrong.
That just showed how little the King of Light actually knew.
Yuugi, Atem, and the rest of the Court of Darkness was more than ready for him.
"King Atem!" Bakua proclaimed, arriving in the throne room. "How good of you to just allow us entry for once! Not a single guard tried to stop us! Perhaps you have seen the error in your ways, hmm?"
"There are no errors in my ways, King Bakura," the other royal remarked dryly.
"We shall see about that. Where is the boy?"
Atem feigned innocence. "Can you not sense him?"
"I have inspected the orphanage he was at, as well as testimony from the headmaster. That orphanage was just as ordinary as any other."
"Ah. So you /do/ make habit of torturing your citizens."
"I do not care for the implication."
"And I do not care what you care for. I care for Yuugi. And he will not be leaving with you today. "
Alongside him, Mahado sighed internally. Didn't Atem know the meaning of tact?
"I should kill you where you stand for what you've done to him already."
Decidedly not.
"King Atem," the other royal stated. "You are the one breaking the law here. I am not. You will hand him over now."
Atem looked at him with a smirk and a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Will I now?"
"Yes, you will."
The King of Darkness looked down the line of people assembled in court. "Mai, would you come here a moment?"
The blonde woman came forward, taking a knee at the throne. "Yes, my king?"
"Would you please give the report you gave me on the 'orphanage' Yuugi was at?"
"Certainly, my king," she replied, standing. She beckoned Jou over, who was holding several poster-sized and glossy pieces of paper. "When Jou and myself went to find Yuugi, we found him in this place." The male blonde showed a picture of a rather beautiful-looking estate.
"See?" Bakura scoffed. "Nothing unhealthy about that."
"Yes, the outside is quite breathtaking, King Bakura," Mai agreed. "It was when we went inside that we began to see living conditions unfit for any person. I think the images speak for themselves," she added, nodding toward the other warrior. Jou proceeded to show the other pictures he was holding, each more horrifying than the one before. Many showed dank and unsafe conditions, nails sticking out from walls and unsteady staircases, and the inhabitants themselves malnourished and filthy. One picture included Yuugi himself, eyes wide, worn and tired, barely fed and covered in dirt and bruises.
"Where did you get those?" the King of Light demanded.
"We've told you," the woman replied matter of factly. "Once we told those there who we were and what our intentions were, they were more than happy to not only help with the photos, but get Yuugi out of there safely with no concern for themselves. It seems Yuugi was quite popular amongst them. He even told them as he was leaving-"
"I do not care about that!! You cannot prove this place is even in my country! Now, where is he?!?!"
"No need to raise your voice, King Bakura," Atem told him sweetly. "He's been here this whole time. See?" he asked, and Mahado and Seth backed away from their positions by him to reveal Yuugi was indeed behind them, sitting against the throne itself, playing on a handheld video game, seemingly without a care in the world.
Bakura's eyes widened. "How- how is able-"
No one made a move to answer. Atem looked down lovingly at his light, ruffling the teen's hair. "Yuugi," he said softly.
The other's head jolted up at attention. "Aw, Atem, this game only lets you save when you level!"
The dark king chuckled. "Please forgive me, Aibou, but it seems someone wishes to speak with you," he said, nodding toward the light king.
The teen blinking, looking over. "King Bakura," he said, standing. "You look different from the last time I saw you. Must be the look of shock and fear on your face."
There were several laughs heard, one from his lover.
"You learned Dark magic," the light king said, sounding accusatory.
"I did," Yuugi confirmed, walking toward him.
"I should have you executed right now."
"You don't have the power."
"Is that a challenge, vessel?" the royal spat.
Yuugi forced back the urge to wince just in time. It had been quite awhile since he'd heard himself referred to as that. Was the other trying to make him remember his past life? If so, he wasn't remembering the low or pathetic times. Right now, he was remembering when he'd handed Bakura his ass on silver platter in Atem's tomb.
It felt really good.
"Take it as you will," he replied, letting his aura glow with magic, feeling the Light mixing with the Dark.
"Tch," the other replied, his own body glow. "It seems you've learn a few tricks, " he said, gathering a ball of light into his hands.
Yuugi saw the other's eyes shift just in time to block the attack directed at Atem. The bolt of light bounced back to its original handler, who now held it in his hands. The shorter didn't have to move once. "Don't you dare try that again," he warned.
Bakura smirked. This was getting interesting.
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A/N: -hides behind Atem!Muse-
Atem!Muse: I am not your shield, woman.
Me: But you can Mind Crush (TM) them! Make the evil stares go away!
A!M: Why not just have Yuugi use his Wide Innocent Eyes Of Doom (TM)? They'll melt.
Me: Yuugi!Muse just left for a short vaca with Seth!Muse.
A!M: What?!?! Is that snarky high priest moving in on my aibou?!?!
Me: Feel like a Mind Crush (TM) now?
A!M: runs off to kill Seth
Me: Well, uh, hopefully this was posted before everyone forgot what happened in the last chapter. It's kinda short, but I kinda suck at battles scenes so the next part will take a bit. -inches away, breaks into a full run, doesn't look back-