Alia: I have my reasons for the MIA status. Let's just leave it at that. Honestly, these little shots do me good. I have enough distractions in RL.

For those of you who are waiting, I will (hopefully) have the update for up tomorrow. (Omg. I hate that story.)

Enjoy.


Title: A Tiny Burden Shared

Author: Alia D

Scene

Rating: R

Pairing: future Atem/Yami

Spoilers: YGO series

Warnings: Mpreg, Yaoi, Cheating, Violence, Abandonment, Family Issues

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh anime series, or the game or anything else that I might mention. I am making no money with this.

Summary: Atem couldn't keep his eyes to himself. Even heavily pregnant, his thoughts kept turning to his handsome customer, Yami. Atem didn't need another relationship after getting so badly burned by his girlfriend and his family.

Author's Note: This is another clip from Tiny Beast of Burden.


A Tiny Burden Shared

Rubbing his eyes, Atem waved goodbye to his last two customers as they strolled through the front door of the small restaurant and grocery. The owner leaned back in his seat and stretched out his arms. A moment later, both appendages flopped back down to his sides. Atem glanced up at the large clock on the wall. The display read ten til eight.

The restaurant and grocery closed at 7:30 pm., but Atem was too exhausted to leave his seat and flip the closed sign. His more loyal customers would know his closing time, and new customers were extremely rare at such a late hour.

He wouldn't be so worn if not for the exam for his college course. Atem had spent most of his previous evening with his head in books. Add in the early mornings where he prepared the restaurant and grocery for the day, he was running on three hours of sleep at best.

Atem accepted his busy schedule though. True, he wasn't attending a high ranking school like Tokyo University, but as long as Atem had his little business, the small living space above it, and enough money for his degree with a minor in culinary arts, he was happy.

He lowered his head to the table of the booth he sat in. Atem was relieved that the heater kept the cold from seeping in too much. He closed his eyes as his arms hid the light from his vision. Considering how he'd come to be in his current situation, he really shouldn't be so pleased with life.

"Atem. Atem, are you alright? Wake up." A cold hand clamped gently over his shoulder and shook him gently.

Grimacing at the cold touch and blinking his eyes open, Atem felt more lethargic than before. He lifted his heavy head to look at the intruder and smiled. "Hey."

"Hello." With one hand balancing him on the booth's table, Yami drew his cold hand away and returned the sleepy smile as he straightened his back. He appeared amused as Atem looked around the restaurant confused. The open sign was flipped to closed, the blinds were drawn down over the windows, and the front door was locked.

A little dazed at the changes, Atem looked from his unexpected guest to the clock on the wall. Where before it had said 7:30, it now read 9:33 pm. Atem groaned. He hadn't realized that he'd fallen asleep. "You're kidding me!"

Yami laughed softly at him. He was bundled up in a warm red coat with a black scarf and hat on his head. His hands lacked gloves and were white because of the cold. "I was walking home when I passed by. You were asleep on the table with the door unlocked. I didn't think you'd want someone unpleasant catching you unawares."

Atem gave a weary grin. "Thanks, Yami. I appreciate it." Discreetly, he wiped away a hint of drool from the corner of his lips. The last thing he wanted was for his crush to see him even more disheveled.

Yami shrugged. The young man placed his hands over his round middle. "It's fine."

The restaurant owner looked through his glass door to the darkness outside. There was an eerie glow ghosting over the road as the falling snowflakes glistened around the streetlights hanging overhead. Even inside the restaurant, Atem could feel the cold air seeping in. "I'm glad you dropped by, Yami. I could have slept here most of the night. I have to ask though. Why are you walking home alone so late?"

Yami's apartment wasn't too far from the university, but a few minutes by train was different than the twenty-five minutes by foot. It worried Atem that Yami was walking home. It wasn't any safe for young women or pregnant carriers to be out alone so late. True, prejudices had well faded, but some still held to the old ideals and would have no qualms in attacking Yami.

The pregnant carrier in question sighed with annoyance. Yami rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I missed the train because a group project ran late. One idiot was an hour late, and another argued about every little thing. Tonight was the only time everyone could meet." Flinching, Yami rubbed his stomach with irritation and affection. "Easy, kiddo. There isn't a choice but to walk."

"Yami, it's snowing!" Atem exclaimed. He received a shrug. Atem frowned with concern.

Atem met Yami five months ago when the younger man and his friends first entered the restaurant/grocery. The owner heard frequent arguments about Yami's refusal to accept assistance from his friends. The college student didn't want to rely too much on his friends. Atem suspected that to be the reason for the cold walk home.

The shop owner wanted to chastise Yami, but their relationship wasn't close enough for that. He did wish that the man cared more for his health and safety. Yami would never put his little one in danger, but he often pushed himself more than he should.

Glancing from the snow to his growing acquaintance, Atem realized that Yami's full attention was on a few packaged miso bowls and sushi rolls that survived the busy dinner rush. Usually, Atem would discount the food for sale the next day. Perhaps, the leftovers would serve him well in another way. Peering outside, Atem watched the snow continue to accumulate. The atmosphere appeared bright and pleasant with the snow blanketing the city, but it left Atem unsettled about Yami walking to his apartment.

Running a hand over the bangs falling lose from his ponytail, Atem smiled up at Yami. "I really think walking in this mess is a bad idea, so how about this? If you help me finish closing up, I'll drive you home." He waved at the food attracting most of Yami's attention. The two were familiar enough that Atem knew Yami often craved miso soup and dumplings. "I'll even let you have my discount wares free for dinner."

Tilting his head and raising an eyebrow, Yami smiled slowly. Atem looked absolutely exhausted. Yami knew the man was running a business while attending university at the same time. It was a very full schedule. The pregnant student nodded positively to Atem's offer. He was more than happy to help the owner of his favorite eatery.

Besides, what college student said no to free food? Though he worked his translation job and his game testing job from home, Yami was often to drained to fix his own dinners, especially with all his classes. The carrier and his friends spent a great deal of time in Atem's cafe and grocery - besides the fact that Duke poisoned himself on a regular basis with his own food.

The cleanup took up a little over half an hour to complete. The two men had to sweep the floor and wipe down the dining tables as well as clean the kitchen area. Quite a few people had decided to eat in the warm grocery rather than fighting the freezing weather outside. Thankfully, it was still a quick clean up.

Minutes later, after washing hands and relaxing sore backs, Yami was working his way through a crunchy roll and a hot bowl of miso soup. Atem had his car warming up in the alley behind the restaurant. The owner enjoyed his own bowl of soup while waiting for the car to defrost. It wasn't a fast job. The temperature outside continued to drop as the snow grew in depth.

Atem nearly choked, sitting his soup aside, as Yami described the embarrassing scene on campus that he'd missed. Clearing his throat, he managed to say, "She did what?"

"She sent a mass email with a voice mail of him drunkenly soliciting her sister. She also made sure to attach the striptease video her sister sent him beforehand. The whole campus received it, and I heard both media were viewed in a few classes. I have it, and my friends do, too. It's likely you have it. Just look in your bulk mail or spam."

Gobsmacked, Atem stared at an amused Yami as he took another bite from his sushi roll. "The entire campus? Why and how did she find all this out?"

"Apparently, he'd drunk texted her. When she didn't respond, he left the voice mail thinking it was her sister's phone." Yami smirked as Atem groaned at the man's sheer stupidity. It was painful to think about. "How she got hold of the video, I'm not quite sure. I'm sure that for her it was the coup de grace. Needless to say, she won the breakup."

Atem shook his head in amusement and disgust as the incident sunk in. He would search for that email later. Siblings were so damn stupid sometimes. Lovers were just as dumb.

And neither ever thought of the damn consequences.

Yami flinched and pressed a hand down below. He smiled after a moment and rolled his eyes. Atem watched him before asking, "He active today?"

Nodding, Yami rubbed his swollen abdomen. His hand paused where another soft kick could be felt. "He's been busy today. Must be decorating in there." Atem chuckled as he continued, "He freaked out one of my classmates in the group. I was looking over his shoulder when someone wanted attention and kicked out." The father-to-be glanced down with a look that was chastising with warm eyes.

"A-are you excited?" Atem asked. He often saw Yami stressed or worried and knew most of it sprung from the baby.

To Atem's relief, Yami nodded. "Very. Nervous, too, but excited. I never though this would happen so soon. Especially before I left high school and entered college."

The older man understood that. While he was a junior at the university, Yami was a freshman. "It must have been quite a shock," he said, digging for information. It wasn't that Atem didn't know about Yami's situation. Bakura and Duke, good friends of Yami, could get loud during an argument, and the friends argued constantly.

The first time Atem heard about Malik and what he'd done... It wasn't a particularly good day. Though he wouldn't admit it aloud, Atem had a huge crush on Yami. Hearing that had left Atem hunched over against a wall upstairs, his hands trembling and his breath shuddering. He hadn't felt that kind of rage since his own betrayal.

Yami laughed with hints of something sour lining the edges. "Just a little. Yes." He took another bite of food. "My friends were shocked, but everyone supported my decision to keep my son. I'd be in a bad way without their support."

"No family?"

Seeing Atem's hesitant curiosity, Yami replied, "No. My parents were horrified enough when both their sons were born with carrier parts. They are strict traditionalists. They loved us, but it's not always enough. My little brother fell in love with a man, and I got myself pregnant. They wanted nothing to do with us after that. My brother was kicked out first and ran off with that fool he's in love with. A few months later, they find out about me and the bun in my oven. Of course, they wanted my evil spawn and I out of their home as well."

Atem was visibly disgusted. Admittedly, his parents had done a piss poor job of raising their children, but... Atem's thoughts faded. It was painful that he couldn't even defend his own parents. They had abandoned him more than once during his short years on Earth, but it didn't make the last betrayal any less devastating. "I'm sorry. It shouldn't have happened that way. If there is anyone you should be able to trust, it's your parents."

Yami shrugged passively, but Atem could see the still vivid, fresh hurt. "I try to look to the future. I don't have that family anymore, but my friends were always more of a family anyway."

Suddenly, Atem's chest tightened as his heart swelled with emptiness and loneliness. Yami struggled, but he didn't walk alone. Atem had his cousins, but with the two of them living oversees, and Atem lacking in friends, he didn't have a strong support system. At least, Atem thought, he had his cousins' approval over his actions. "I can understand that."

"Really?" Yami's voice was polite yet skeptical.

Atem sipped at his soup. "Really. My parents?" He snorted. "They loved my little brother and I, but they were never there for us. Mentally, emotionally, or physically. Had they had it their way, we'd have been raised by nannies all our lives. My grandfather's brother, Uncle Shimon raised my little brother and I before he died. Then, my father's twin brother took us in to live with him and his two sons."

An annoyed look covered his face. "My family has a prosperous business that my parents and grandparents are very involved in. Too involved to worry about their children anyway. My uncle was a ruthless businessman, but at least he gave a damn. He cared about us as family, not trophies to be paraded around."

When my little brother turned thirteen, he went to live with my parents. I was completely against it. My brother would always come second to my parents' interests. They wouldn't be there for him and I knew he would be too stubborn to come back if things went sour. But the little shit needed my parents' approval to the point that he ignored every single warning and concern. So, I let him go. It was the worst decision I ever made."

Atem scrubbed his aching eyes with one hand. "I'm not certain of what exactly happened. One day, he's my sweet, annoying, and trustworthy little brother and the next, he's a backstabbing bastard with a superiority complex. By the time he turned 17, we couldn't speak without shouting at each other."

Yami observed Atem's slumped, defeated shoulders with a sad heart. The worst of the family tragedy was coming.

"Of course things got worse. I don't know why. Maybe, maybe it's because I pestered him about his lifestyle. It wasn't like he was some drugged up party boy. Not really. He didn't like the hangovers drugs left him with, so he stopped that, but he did start getting around. A lot. I was his brother. I had to worry about him. Especially after the two STD scares. I won't even go into the pregnancy scares."

Again, I was worried. I'm his brother. I want him to be happy and not get sent to the hospital for messing around with the wrong girl." Atem was amazed Heba's ex-girlfriend had tried to stab him to death. Though it was Heba's fault. The girl had caught him in bed with her best friend and the best friend's brother. "He was unfaithful, careless, callous, and cold. It hurt to see him play with people over and over. He wasn't my brother anymore."

Atem sighed. "And our family? They were useless. None of them cared. Heba had gotten involved with the family business like I had. As long as he completed his work and acted properly in public, he could murder someone. If he didn't get caught, it didn't matter. So of course when he stabs his brother in the back, they could care less."

"What happened?" Yami asked softly with a hoarse voice. It was difficult for him to work past the clog in his throat to ask.

Atem smiled bitterly. "I went to work late one day. Uncle Aknadin was dying, so I thought my brother should say his last goodbyes. Unfortunately, when I arrived at his office, I found my little brother screwing my fiancee against the window."

Yami's eyes widened as Atem continued. "That called a healthy amount of doubt to the baby she recently claimed was mine."

"Atem." Yami sat his chopsticks aside, feeling nauseous. It wasn't from his son.

"My parents found out rather quickly after security was called. They didn't say a word about my fiancee scrambling for her clothes or all the evidence they'd left. Didn't even ask why I was trying to kill my little brother. Oh no. My mother realized what happened and demanded to know if the baby was my child. She didn't care what happened. She just wanted to make sure that the company she loved had an heir."

Father was more upset at the location. It would tarnish the family's reputation if people gossiped. After yelling at my brother, he shouted at me about losing my reputation and shaming them with my behavior." Atem laughed miserably. "They didn't care. They didn't care about my dying uncle, my mourning cousins, or their heartbroken son. Fortunately, I stopped caring too."

Atem looked at Yami, whom stared back with sympathy and anger. It was oddly comforting. "After my uncle died, he left my cousins his company and I received a small inheritance. My uncle wanted me to take a long vacation away from my family. The others, including my so-called brother, had a fit when they received nothing. Even my ex whined about receiving nothing despite the family totally dismissing her after the abortion. I think watching those reactions after uncle's last testament was the last straw."

A week later, I put the money to use. I quit working for the family. I sold my condo and car. I found this place up for foreclosure." Atem waved his hand proudly at the surrounding store. "And had the store and living areas remodeled. I transferred from Todai to Domino University and had my name struck from the koseki." (koseki = family register)

Yami's jaw dropped. "You disowned yourself?"

"Essentially. The folks called me over dramatic, but it wasn't. I-I was too tired to care anymore. My cousins had me added to their family register, and we remain rather close. I haven't spoken to my family or their friends in two years." He glanced down at the cooling soup. "It should bother me to walk away from my family, but I'm relieved."

He grinned at his companion. "Look at me. I'm a junior at a respectable university. I own a small restaurant and grocery. I'm in debt and slowly paying back a business loan. I'm always exhausted because of my schedule and I can barely keep up with the few friends I have. I'm also happy. Happier than I've been a long time."

Atem shrugged. "It was worth it."


Alia: Thank God for these little shots. How I love them!

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