Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh
Warning: This chapter contains mentions of past mpreg, if you don't like it then please ignore the flashback towards the end of the chapter.
This chapter is for Lil Dark, hope you enjoy it…and start working on the next chapter of human child.
Chapter 12
The following morning Atemu was up early. He saw that Yami was still sound asleep, so he carefully crawled out of bed and exited the room. He walked down the hall and knocked on Yugi's bedroom door.
After a few minutes the door opened to reveal a very disheveled looking Yugi. "Atemu, what are you doing here? Is something wrong?" Yugi asked, his mind immediately running through the possible reasons that Atemu would be knocking on his door at 5 am.
"Calm down Yugi, nothing's wrong, however you and I need to talk about something. Something important." Atemu said.
"Like what?" Yugi asked, wondering what could be so important that Atemu would not only leave Yami alone but also want to talk to him so early in the morning.
"Well, I found a way to cure Yami." Atemu said.
"That's great Atemu." Yugi said, his face immediately lighting up with so much joy that Atemu felt his heart lurch. Yugi reminded him so much of Yami and even though they weren't the same person…taking Yugi's soul…killing Yugi, would be no different than killing Yami.
Yugi frowned when Atemu didn't comment, or even seem happy about finding a way to help Yami. "Atemu, what's wrong? I thought you were glad you found a way to help Yami."
"I am, it's just that…it's, complicated." Atemu said.
"What do you mean its complicated?" Yugi asked.
Atemu didn't reply. Yugi pushed open his bedroom door so it was completely open and ushered Atemu inside, and pushed him down onto his bed. "Atemu, what did you mean by that?" Yugi asked.
Atemu sighed, "Last night I talked with the Egyptian gods and they gave me a way to cure Yami. A way to undo all the damage that was done to him…completely heal him. However, this doesn't come without a price. It comes at a heavy price…one that personally I'd pay without batting an eye, but not one that I think Yami would be willing to pay, not one he'd ever forgive me for paying." Atemu said before rising and beginning to pace around Yugi's room.
"There isn't anything I wouldn't do for Yami. I went to war for Yami, I've risked my life for Yami, would give my life for Yami, my sanity. Anything it took to help Yami, to protect him I would do. Have done before. But, this is one thing I don't know if I should do it." Atemu said.
"Why don't you tell me what the price is Atemu and maybe we can go from there. It seems to me that you just need someone to help you sort your thoughts out on this and since Yami is asleep I'll try to help you instead." Yugi said.
Atemu momentarily stopped his pacing and looked at Yugi, "You want to help me figure this out?"
"Of course. I'll help you in anyway that I can." Yugi said.
Atemu nodded before saying, "The gods gave me a vial containing a potion that I am to give to Yami. This potion will put him to sleep for six days and nights. And on each of these six days I am to make a sacrifice. A specific sacrifice." Atemu said.
"And what are the sacrifices supposed to be?" Yugi asked.
"On the first day I have to offer the blood of an enemy of Yami's." Atemu said.
"The blood of an enemy? Which enemy?" Yugi asked.
"Well, I believe it can be any enemy of Yami's but I was thinking Bakura." Atemu said. Yugi nodded, indicating that Atemu should continue. "On the second day I need to 'burn the heart of the one who wants to take Yami away from me.'" Atemu said.
"What does that mean?" Yugi asked, "I mean, who's trying to take Yami away from you?"
"Your friend Anzu wants to take Yami away from me because she desires to be with Yami in the way that I am. So, I am supposed to burn her heart." Atemu explained.
Yugi paled slightly but said, "Okay, I guess. What's the third sacrifice?"
"On the third day I need to offer the hand of the one who trapped Yami in the millennium puzzle in the first place. Or in this case the modern reincarnation's hand." Atemu said.
Yugi if possible paled more, "Let me guess, that person is Kaiba, right?" Yugi asked.
"Yes, he is the one who trapped Yami and me." Atemu said, grimacing slightly as he remembered the ritual that had trapped them in the first place.
"And the fourth sacrifice." Yugi prompted, internally dreading what Atemu was going to say.
"I need to offer the strength of a rival." Atemu said.
"The strength of a rival? You have to make a sacrifice from Kaiba twice?" Yugi asked.
"No, it has to be a different rival of Yami's. It can't be Kaiba." Atemu said.
"And your thinking Joey, aren't you?" Yugi asked.
"He seemed the one who fit the description the best, other than Kaiba who wasn't an option." Atemu said.
"And what about the fifth sacrifice?" Yugi asked.
Atemu smiled, "That one is the easiest one to come by. I have to offer up my own blood."
Yugi nodded, "And the final one?"
"I need to offer up the part of Yami's soul that he lost." Atemu said.
Yugi blinked, "And how on earth are you going to do that? How are you supposed to find a piece of Yami's soul?"
"It's actually quite simple, I already know exactly where that piece is, or rather who that piece is." Atemu said, though he didn't look at Yugi when he said that.
After a few moments of silence Yugi said, "It's me isn't it?"
"Yes, it is." Atemu replied, seeing no reason to lie.
"And how are you so sure that I'm a piece of Yami's soul?" Yugi asked.
Atemu sighed, he didn't really want to tell Yugi how he knew, knowing that this would devastate Yugi. "It's just a sense I have. Due to the bond between my soul and Yami's I can sense Yami's soul, and I can sense a piece of that within you." Atemu said carefully, opting not to tell Yugi the truth.
Yugi nodded. "So, you need to offer my soul or a part of my soul." Yugi said.
Atemu nodded, "Those were the requirements laid out by the gods. They told me that if I do all of that then Yami would be completely healed."
"Then, what's the problem? Do it." Yugi said.
"But, I can't. If I did that would destroy Yami. He'd never forgive me for it." Atemu said.
"How do you know that he wouldn't forgive you for it?" Yugi asked sitting down on his bed, patting the spot next to him indicating for Atemu to sit down. Atemu sank down on the bed beside Yugi.
"Trust me, I know he wouldn't." Atemu said.
"But Atemu, Yami loves you. Isn't love supposed to conquer all?" Yugi said.
"Regardless of whether Yami loves me or not he wouldn't forgive for hurting you. He loves you as well Yugi." Atemu said.
Yugi blinked, "No he doesn't Atemu." Yugi said.
"Yes he does Yugi, he loves you very much. He would do anything to protect you, including allowing himself to suffer for the rest of his existence." Atemu said.
"How do you know that Yami loves me?" Yugi asked.
"Many reasons. For one as angry he gets with me when I said something insulting or uncaring about you, his readiness to protect you. They are all signs that tell me quite plainly that Yami loves you." Atemu said.
Yugi blushed slightly which made Atemu laugh. Yugi glared, while tried to, at Atemu. "It's not funny Atemu."
"I didn't say it was funny, I just found your reaction amusing. However, you assumed that when I said Yami loved you that it was in the same way that he loves me, and I don't believe that's the case here. I mean it might be, but I don't believe it is." Atemu said.
"Then how did you mean that?" Yugi asked.
"Yami loves you like he would either a brother or…perhaps a…"Atemu trailed off, his eyes glazing over while his mind was lost in his memories.
-Flashback-
Atemu was anxiously pacing back and forth in the palace corridor. Yami was currently in the healing chambers and Atemu, no matter how much he would have liked to have been in there, he wasn't permitted to be. He wasn't allowed to be in the room while Yami was giving birth.
That had been a huge surprise to find out that Yami had been pregnant, but he was. Apparently that blessing of the gods was a way Atemu wouldn't be forced to bed a woman to produce an heir.
He had been pacing back and forth for about 4 hours now and he was really beginning to worry. Shouldn't they have been done by now? What if something had gone wrong? What if…He was drawn from his thoughts when the doors to the healing chambers finally opened and Isis walked out into the corridor.
"Isis, is Yami alright?" Atemu asked.
"Don't worry my Pharaoh, your Anku is perfectly fine, as is your son. Yami is resting right now but you can go in and see them if you would like." Isis replied.
Atemu ran into the room and to Yami's side. Yami smiled tiredly up at Atemu before he lifted the bundle that was wrapped in a blanket up so that Atemu could see the child. "Atemu, would you like to hold or son?" Yami'd asked.
Atemu nodded and carefully took the bundle from Yami's arms and held the baby. "He's beautiful Yami. He has your eyes." Atemu said while he looked at the baby who did indeed have Yami's violet eyes. The baby also had lightly tanned skin and shared both his and Yami's sharp features and tri-colored hair.
Atemu carefully handed the baby back to Yami, who had slid over on the bed so that there was room for Atemu to lay down beside him. Atemu immediately laid down beside Yami, carefully wrapping his arms around Yami pulling him close. Atemu lightly kissed Yami on the cheek before asking, "Are you certain that you're alright Anku?"
Yami nodded before resting his head on the crook of Atemu's neck. "I'm fine just tired and a little sore. But, that should pass in a little while, no reason to worry." Yami said.
"Alright Anku, then why don't you get some rest." Atemu had suggested, though it was hardly necessary since Yami had fallen asleep before the words had left Atemu's mouth.
-End Flashback
Unfortunately the family was not able to be happy together for long. His and Yami's son had been claimed by what nowadays is known as SIDS or sudden infant death syndrome. Yami and him and both been devastated with the death of their son. Yami had taken the loss harder than Atemu had, blaming himself for the death of their son. He had been convinced that there must have been something wrong with him solely because it had been Yami who had given birth to him. He'd been depressed for weeks, refusing to eat or sleep and he'd spent most of his time crying. Atemu'd been at a loss for what to do.
And that had been because of a situation that was beyond his control. This one was not beyond his control. This one was in his hands and he knew that he could not put Yami back in that situation again.
"Atemu, Atemu!" Yugi said, waving his hands in front of Atemu's face finally managed to snap Atemu out of his thoughts.
"What Yugi?" Atemu asked.
"You just trailed off and I'd been trying to get your attention for the last few minutes." Yugi said.
"Sorry about that, I was just thinking about some stuff." Atemu mumbled.
Yugi thought about asking, but the look Atemu gave him said quite plainly that this was not something that he could ask about.
"I can't make the sacrifices. I won't. I refuse to put Yami in that position." Atemu said.
"Then, what are we going to do?" Yugi asked. Atemu didn't answer him, he didn't have an answer.
"You know, if the gods knew that Yami wouldn't be willing to let you go through with this then it makes you wonder why they would even suggest it in the first place. I mean to me it doesn't make sense, especially since last I checked the gods loved Yami and I don't think they would really want to see him suffer, emotionally or physically." Yugi commented.
Atemu's eyes widened for a second before he enveloped Yugi in a bone crushing hug. "Yugi you are a genius." Atemu said before he got up to and left the room.
"I am?" Yugi said before he decided that he might as well go back to sleep, after all it was still pretty early and he didn't need to be getting up yet.
A/N: I hope this is okay for a chapter. Don't worry if you don't understand something. It will be made more clear in the coming chapters. I promise. So, please read and review.