Valkyria : *blinks* wow… we passed the one-hundred review mark awfully early this time…
Griever : I know…ISN'T IT GREAT!
Valkyria : *chuckle* Indeed it is. We are once again posting almost a week early than our original date which was April 1st
Griever : Think of it as an award for passing the hundred review mark eh?
Valkyria : Seriously, thank you guys so much for the numerous reviews, alerts and favorites. I can't image how many favorite authors list I'm on now. We'll let you read now enjoy the chapter eh?
Disclaimer : We claim no right to the characters of Yu-gi-oh used in this story.
Chapter Nine : Divulging Truths.
Yugi found Atemu sitting at his desk signing away on paperwork that he had taken to the man much earlier, he would admit that he had never seen such a serious look on Atemu before.
Good, that would make what he wanted to ask much easier in the long run.
"Atemu?" he called out. "Could I have your attention for a few minutes?"
Yugi watched quietly as Atemu blinked as if he were in a daze before curious crimson eyes met his. "Yugi? How was lunch with Otogi-kun?"
"It…" Yugi bit his bottom lip gently. "It was horrible, he was boring and perverted."
"Was he?" Atemu questioned quietly staring at him intently. "Too forward for your taste?"
Yugi blinked. "Pardon? What's that supposed to mean?"
"You could've said no, you realize that yes?"
Was it him or did he hear jealously in Atemu's voice?
"Why should it matter if I went to lunch with him or not?" Yugi asked cautiously. "And what business is it of yours?"
"I just want you to be careful around him alright?" Atemu muttered reluctantly. "I apologize for my earlier comment, what did he do to you?"
"Which one do you want to hear first?" Yugi said sarcastically. "The grouping? Or the fact he said because he's the head of the gaming division he can get away with anything?"
He had purposefully failed to mention that he had dumped a bowl of ramen on Otogi's head, but he didn't think such minor details were necessary.
Atemu frowned heavily at his remark. "I will do something about Otogi, that I promise. Now, what else did you want to discuss?"
Yugi slid into the chair that was in front of Atemu's desk all the while ignoring his wildly beating heart. "I wanted to ask about Mana.-"
"Where did you hear that name? Atemu cut in sharply standing up and knocking over his chair. "Tell me where you heard that name!"
"Atemu I-"
"Was it Ishizu? Seto?" Atemu continued quickly striding towards the door. "Why must they always pry where they aren't wanted!" Yugi quickly jumped from his chair and chased after the older man.
"Atemu! Atemu! wait!"
Yugi grabbed Atemu wrist just as he was about to tear open the door. "What has gotten into you?"
"You shouldn't know her name at all! I-I don't want to remember…"
"Remember?" Yugi asked gently. "Remember what?"
Atemu pulled his wrist out of Yugi's slack grasp. "Mana, I didn't want you to know about her. I just wanted to forget."
"You know," Yugi started giving Atemu a strained smile that failed to reach his eyes. "Talking about things can help."
"You're offering? I thought hell would freeze over before you would ever have a serious conversation with me."
If it was any different situation then Yugi would jump to agree with what Atemu was saying. But, seeing how Atemu reacted it not only made him more curious it also made him deeply concerned.
"Yes, I'm offering, I know how it feels when you have no one to talk to. So, instead of flying off the handle like you were about to do. Why don't you come and sit down with me and we can discuss this like calm and rational adults."
"Very well Yugi-sensei." Atemu teased, which only earned him a half-hearted glare.
Instead of returning to his seat like Yugi thought he would, Atemu slid into the second chair that was close to the one Yugi was previously in.
"So, what do you want to know?" Atemu asked as soon as Yugi had seated himself down.
"What-what happened to her?"
"…she died, it will be three years in October."
Yugi winced at how emotionless Atemu's voice had become. "I-I see, I'm sorry for your loss."
Atemu's mouth lifted slightly. "Thank you, she was a very beautiful and kind-hearted woman, full of light and life."
"How did you meet?" he couldn't imagine Atemu running into someone like Mana, as a businessman -a successful one at that- Atemu was most likely surrounded by beautiful women who only wanted his money and body.
It was a stereotypical way to think, but unfortunately it was all too true in some points.
"Ah," Atemu chuckled. "It was an arranged marriage, my mother set the entire thing up."
Yugi blinked and shook his head. "She..she must've been upset to say the least."
"Upset is not the word to describe her reaction." Atemu drawled sarcastically. "I have never seen someone protest so much, she even ran away all the way to Tokyo, Japan for six weeks and that little stunt almost ended the whole arrangement."
Despite the solemn situation, Yugi couldn't help but release a small chuckle at how amazed Atemu sounded.
"How did you react?"
"Flabbergasted." Atemu replied before releasing a chuckle of his own. "I asked her mother if I was bad looking or had horrible manners. But, Mana came back on the seventh week and apologized to everyone for all the trouble and embarrassment she caused."
"So you married?"
Atemu nodded. "About six months later, we had steadily grown to like each other and that like had grown into love."
"You were happy." It wasn't a question.
"Blissfully, we moved away from Egypt and to Domino and began running a small division of Ishigami Corp together but, we both made sure not to let the business part of our relationship mesh with the personal."
Yugi found himself slightly envious at how content Atemu sounded as he was talking about his departed wife.
I can't imagine how much you loved her Atemu. I wonder if you still do…?
"It was a year after we got married before she got pregnant."
Yugi felt the breath rush out of him at how much Atemu's usually playful eyes became a mixture of pain and happiness.
"We were so excited, I must have told everyone who wanted to hear. I'm pretty sure that some of my colleagues got tired of me saying "My beautiful wife is pregnant with our first child isn't it great!""
"Atemu…"
"At the check-ups the doctor said everything was fine, we were told that the baby was in perfect health no abnormalities and she was growing fine."
Yugi reached over and grabbed Atemu's hand when he noticed how the older mans voice was getting unsteady.
"And…and finally when the baby was ready to be born, something went wrong. Mana, she started bleeding heavily, obstetrical hemorrhage they called it, they couldn't stop the blood flow. They tried everything they could. I-I remember Mana crying out to save the baby while her very own life was draining away."
Yugi pulled his hand away from Atemu's tight grip and instead wrapped his arms around the other. He could feel his own body shaking but firmly ignored it.
"She died shortly after and so did our child, the baby died only minutes before Mana did but we didn't realize it at the time."
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." it was the only thing Yugi could think of saying. He was sorry for bringing up all of the happy and painful memories of Atemu's past.
Yugi tightened his grip around Atemu when the other man wrapped his arms around his waist. "Saying sorry isn't going to bring Mana back to me Yugi. But, I appreciate you saying anyways."
It was those words that finally made Yugi release his own tears. It was no wonder why Atemu didn't have or keep attachments except for family and colleagues.
It was less painful in the long run.
"He said no?"
"Yes, Katsuya, he said No."
"You know, for a CEO of a multi-billion yen company you're not very convincing negotiator."
"So you have told me countless times."
Grumbling, Jou sat on Seto's desk and gave his lover a sour look which was full-heartedly returned.
"Well? What are we going to do now?"
"Nothing." Seto bit out running a his hands through his hair. "We can't make Yugi move in with us Jou. I hate to say this but, maybe we should let Yugi handle this on his own."
"You're right."
"Am I?" Seto asked with a raised eyebrow, it was unlike Jou to agree with him so-.
"You shouldn't have said that. We can't leave Yugi with your cousin-"
Sighing heavily, Seto placed his cheek against his palm while giving Jou a wary look. "Contrary to his reputation, Atemu is not that bad he is, if not more successful than I am and he can be responsible when the situation arises."
"Defending him now?"
Seto shrugged. "Just call it a change of heart, let's just believe that Yugi can handle himself for once, he's not a child anymore Jou."
"I know that!" Jou huffed out impatiently. "…I'm just worried is all, he just lost his grandfather and he doesn't have anyone left…"
"You're wrong." Seto cut in firmly staring at the blonde intently. "He has us and he knows that."
Jou flushed in shame at the realization that Seto was indeed right, Yugi did have them to rely on and he would make sure he told Yugi exactly that the very next opportunity that he saw him.
"I plan on visiting the both of them often." Jou stated with conviction. "I don't care if I look over-protective, Yugi is family and family don't abandon each other no matter how much Yugi is going to be taken care of."
"And that's okay." Seto conceded gently. "I think that Yugi would love for you to visit him often."
"Good, then it's settled. We'll let Yugi handle things on his own and if he needs us we'll be there."
"Are you feeling better?" Yugi asked rubbing up and down Atemu's back. "I know that was very hard."
Atemu let out a watery chuckle. "I'm fine, I didn't realize that I was holding all of that in for so long."
"I think that we all need a good release every once in awhile." Yugi soothed softly stopping his rubbing and placing his hand on Atemu's shoulder.
"I felt as if I lost everything that mattered to me when Mana died. The lights of my life were gone and there was nothing I could do could bring them back."
"You felt like you couldn't breathe, as if your heart stopped beating." Yugi stated. "That feeling hasn't left you has it?"
It was long pause before Atemu responded and Yugi felt his heart drop into his stomach when he finally did.
"My heart left when Mana died."
"Do…do not say such things Atemu." Yugi whispered, shaken at Atemu's words. "Mana would not have wanted that."
"How would you know?" Atemu hissed harshly pulling away from Yugi's embrace. "You did not know her-"
"I may not have known such a wonderful woman, but what I do know is that anyone with that much love and compassion wouldn't have wanted their husband to close himself off like that and not move on."
"Moving on?" Atemu mocked bitterly, standing up and moving swiftly back towards his desk. "If I have to go through feeling the pain that Mana's death cause me. I rather stay the way I am now."
"That's childish." Yugi protested. "You can't avoid getting hurt in life, no matter how hard you try and do so is foolish-"
"Foolish you say? Well then Yugi, prove me wrong then."
"What?"
"Prove me wrong." Atemu repeated heatedly. "Convince me that life is worth living and not hoping bed to bed."
Yugi flushed at Atemu's blunt remark but kept his eyes steadily on the other man. "Fine! I'll prove you wrong Ishigami Atemu. I'll show you that life has plenty to offer and you can find that one person and love he or she just as fiercely as you loved Mana."
As soon as these words escaped his mouth Yugi knew that he would have a long and strenuous journey ahead of him. Not only he had this to worry about but he had to get his grandfather's shop back as well and complete college.
Grandpa, please help be successful in this endeavor, because if I fail, I fear there will be no saving Atemu from his own darkness.
A/N : I'm not exactly happy with this chapter and some of you maybe upset with how Mana passed away, but that gives the base foundation of how Atemu's acts.
Well? Like it? Hate it? Unbelievably upset with me?
How is Yugi going to fair in his new task? Stay tuned for Chapter Ten of Caged~!