Atem spoke with Yugi about Tea's pregnancy, helping him to calm down and look at it rationally. Nothing was certain yet, so Atem just helped Yugi to understand that his highest priority right now should be supporting Tea and helping her to deal with whatever may happen.
Yugi eventually wanted to go to bed, tired from the day. He had no memory of what happened earlier when he walked in on them.
Atem sat for a while in the living room, enjoying the silence, allowing his thoughts to wander. Until he heard Roxanna enter the room, still wearing her clothes from before. Her hair was slightly tangled but hung low near her hips.
She walked over and sat on the couch next to him, waiting for him to speak.
"Do you remember anything?" he asked, not meeting her eyes.
"From the reading, yes, I remember everything. I'm only sorry the news wasn't good."
Atem shook his head, smiling slightly, "I knew the risks when I asked you to do a reading for me."
She was about to ask something when the doorbell rang, making her jump slightly.
She stood to answer it and Atem heard a familiar voice he didn't think he'd hear again so soon.
"Roxanna, babe, how are you?" Duke asked happily. Atem saw him lean over to lift her effortlessly off the floor in a big hug, swinging her around in a few circles.
Atem felt something odd, something he didn't like. He felt jealousy for the first time in his life.
Atem walked towards them and Roxanna was smiling at Duke, glad to see him.
"Duke, it's been a long time." Atem said calmly, reaching his hand out.
Duke held his hand out as well, but quickly swiped away, laughing, "It's been a while, Yami."
Atem sighed, "I told you my real name is Atem, Duke."
"Yeah, but I got so used to calling you Yami, it'll be a hard habit to break."
"What are you doing here?" Atem asked, slowly moving closer to Roxanna protectively.
"Easy, I came to see my girl." he smiled again, pulling Roxanna in close, wrapping his arms around her full hips, looking down into her eyes.
"Your girl?" Atem asked his irritation showing.
"My girl." Duke replied, pulling Roxanna down the hall towards the bedroom the two of them shared.
She didn't fight him at all, just smiled and laughed.
What is it about Duke that gets to women so easily?
Atem wanted to follow, demanding he release her, but she was not his wife, and she was not his property. He needed to let her make her own decisions.
He walked towards the couch and heard the door slam, heard their laughing and pauses of silence.
He sat with one leg crossed over the other at the knee, his arms crossed as well. He tried to ignore their sounds but nothing helped him.
Only a few minutes passed until he stood and concentrated on imagining the room and projecting himself past the walls that separated him.
He saw Roxanna dressed now only in her tank top, hardly covering her behind. Duke smiled as he removed his own shirt, stalking towards her, preparing to devour her delectable body.
Atem's hands became fists, shaking from his anger.
Duke's hands roamed over her curves, stopping at her jaw line, tracing so softly she began to shiver from the anticipation.
He pressed his lips gently to hers, their tongues meeting greedily. She moaned and bowed into his embrace until he started to walk towards the bed and twisted them until he fell to the sheets, catching her as she fell with him.
Their kiss didn't break and his hand started to roam past the hem of her shirt, until he gripped her full breast, massaging harshly.
Her moans increased and she was beginning to meet his movements. Her small hand found the erection bulging at his jeans, softly stroking and petting.
Duke's hand now moved from her breast back down to her shirt, pulling it up to release her breasts completely, allowing the natural weight of them to bounce, greedy for his attention. Her nipples peaked and she began to rub her thighs together, trying to get any stimulation she could.
He smiled and bent his head down to her breast, biting gently to make her cry out. His hand quickly worked through her panties, stroking her sensitive clit, her hips thrusting up from the intensity, begging for her release.
Duke plunged his fingers through her tightness, her cry so loud she bit her lip to try to keep quiet.
Atem began to grow furious, but he couldn't interfere, or she'd know he was eavesdropping and literally watching.
It was then Atem noticed she had tattoos. She bore a phoenix on her left wrist, and beside it a few inches down her wrist she had a double infinity symbol. He then saw a black diamond behind her left ear, a black ox on the back of her neck, and seven hieroglyphics going down her right forearm. He could read they spelt her name.
Duke began to unbutton his jeans and Roxanna brought her hand to his member, stroking him until he began to pant. He bent his lips to hers and they rode their orgasm out as quietly as they could. He kept his hand near her slick folds and continued to softly stroke her now swollen clit, but it seemed to be calming her.
Their foreheads touched, their eyes closed, and their breathing was still harsh. He pulled her naked body close and brought her up to straddle his hips. She began to rock back and forth, his member resting between their bodies without entering her. She was in complete control and would not allow him to penetrate her without her permission. But he knew Duke knew better than to try to test her stubbornness. She was calling the shots.
He gazed up at her as she rode him quickly, his hands pinching and pulling her nipples until she found her release. But he was still far from satisfied.
He pulled her head down to kiss her harshly, his other hand massaging her behind and stretching every now and then.
She soon understood what he was asking and she started to pull away, shaking her head, "Duke, you know I won't do that."
"Come on, Roxanna, why not?"
"Because I want to save as much as I can for the man I marry."
"Then why do you do half the stuff you do with me?"
"I have needs, and you're the only one that can…" she seemed to trail off with something else in her mind, but didn't say it.
"Can we please try it once?"
She shook her head again and started to stand, but he pulled her back down, "Where are you going?"
"The mood is kind of ruined, Duke, I think it's time for you to go home."
"You're not going to let me stay?"
She shook her head again, smiling and taking his hand, gently kissing his knuckles.
He sighed and nodded, lifting her as he stood, setting her back on her feet.
He dressed and took her hand, unaware that Atem had seen the whole thing. Before the door could open, Atem quickly raced back to the living room and lay on the couch, closing his eyes to pretend to be asleep.
He still continued to project himself to watch them say good bye.
Duke waited at the door for Roxanna to catch up to him after she'd dressed as well. He took her hand again and leaned down to place a gentle kiss on her lips, cradling her face to look into her eyes for a moment after their lips parted.
"I don't deserve you." he whispered.
She smiled, "I know."
He nearly laughed, "You're such a brat sometimes." he leaned down to kiss her again and hugged her close, his head resting on her shoulder as he closed her eyes and smelt her hair.
"You smell like vanilla." he whispered.
"It's called a shower."
"I think it's just the way you smell." he replied.
He didn't want to release her, Atem could tell. But she started to yawn and he smiled again before pulling back and walking backwards through the door frame.
They didn't say anything more and Roxanna closed the door, locking it.
"You can stop pretending now." she called to him.
He ended his projection and opened his eyes, finding her staring at him with her arms crossed, angry.
"I can't believe you would spy on me like that!" she yelled.
"But — "
"But nothing! Duke and I have been like that long before you returned, and just because you're here now doesn't mean I have to submit to anything you tell me to, or give a damn about your feelings. Just shut up and stay out of it!" She stormed off to the bed room and locked the door, locking him out as well.
"But…" Atem wasn't sure what his argument was. Should he say he just wanted to protect her? From what; Duke? That sounded ridiculous just in his head. She'd laugh if he actually spoke the words.
The truth was he was protective of her because he viewed her as his already. And that was not good.
Yugi entered the room then, rubbing his eyes, mumbling about how late it was.
"Sorry Yugi, I didn't mean to wake you."
"What happened?"
"Roxanna and I…"
"Oh, you guys got into a fight, huh? I'm surprised it took that long."
"What do you mean?"
"She's a bit difficult for everyone at first. What caused the fight?"
"Duke Devlin came over not that long ago and they…"
"Oh yeah, I guess it has been a while since he's been here."
"This is a regular occasion for them?"
"Yeah, they started seeing each other about four years after you left. They just kind of clicked. I didn't really question it, Duke's a good guy, he treats her right, spoils her rotten, too. All I'm concerned with is if she's happy, and it seems she is, that's all that matters to me."
"Why can't I see it like that?"
Yugi sat down next to Atem, laughing gently.
"Because you're in love with her."
Atem stared at his old friend, unsure of what to say.
"What makes you so sure, Yugi?"
"I saw it in your eyes the moment you first met her. She's a very interesting woman and she tends to scare off most men with her confidence and power. But I knew you'd at least become very good friends with her, she's a lot like you. You love a challenge, and she enjoys giving challenges. I wouldn't be surprised if she feels the same towards you."
"If she did then why would she see Devlin tonight?"
"He tends to stop by unannounced; she doesn't really decide when he visits."
"But earlier we—" Atem stopped short, remembering Roxanna didn't want Yugi to know what had happened between them earlier.
Yugi cocked his head to the side in question.
Atem shook his head, "Nothing, never mind."
"I wouldn't be surprised if Roxanna starts to see Duke less and less, if she's as into you as I think."
"I hope so."
"Atem, have you ever been with a woman?"
Atem shook his head, "No, I'm sworn to never bed a woman until she becomes my queen."
"Well you'd better learn quickly, Roxanna may be a virgin, but she's not inexperienced. She's learned a lot from Duke, and he's not going to give her up so easily."
"She will be mine." Atem replied before he thought about it.
"Just keep doing what your doing and don't try to force her, that's the best way to drive her away. Let her make her own decisions and she'll be with you soon."
"Yugi, does Roxanna possess magic?"
"Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you about that."
"So, it was real?"
"What was?"
"She did a fire reading for me earlier."
"Yup, she's the real thing. She's a Wicca, gifted with both mental and physical powers. Don't ever piss her off, though, you'll see first hand why she has to put her hair up when she's angry."
"I don't understand."
"She has to put her hair up because when she was younger when she got angry, she nearly burned all of it off."
"I'm still not following."
"She was born under the element of fire, so that's also her physical ability. Every human that has opened even the smallest bit of their mind other than the usual 10% that everyone else has classifies as a Wicca. But it varies from person to person. Some have stronger mental abilities and others have stronger physical abilities, like summoning one of the elements or moving objects and such like that. And whatever element a Wicca was born under, that element is their strongest ally and best for reading fortunes. Fire is the strongest and rarest, especially a female Fire Wicca. She may even be the last of her kind; she's under a lot of pressure. She can't be physically intimate with just anyone, Atem. She has to choose wisely so she can bear strong children to continue her line of magic."
Atem nodded, absorbing all this information.
"All you have to do is let her think and figure it out by herself." Yugi yawned and stretched.
Atem smiled, "Thank you, Yugi."
Yugi nodded and started to walk towards his bed room again.
Atem stretched on the couch, closing his eyes to project himself into the bed room he shared with Roxanna, just to check and make sure he hadn't upset her too much.
But he was surprised to see her sitting on the floor, cross legged with her eyes closed, she seemed to be meditating. Atem ended the projection quickly, not wanting to disturb her wrath again.
Guess I'm stuck out here for the night