The loud and insistant sound of Yugi's alarm clock angrily ringing to get him to wake up pulled the Japanese teen from his slumber, his amethyst eyes blinking open and blinking again several more times to rid them of the hazy fog clouding his vision before he groaned and rubbed his eye lids while yawning.

He yawned again as he shut off the alarm and climbed reluctantly from his bed, cursing the hell known as school he had to rise at this ungodly hour for. He sluggishly undressed before getting into the shower, turning on the tap and shivering as a cold blast of water blasted him and shocked him awake before it began slowly turning warm. Now fully awake, Yugi's mind went back to the night prior and he smiled as he squeezed a bit of shampoo into his palm and began scrubbing his hair clean.

The former Pharaoh had promised to stay with him regardless of the worry and fear that he had seen clearly on the ancient's face and now, remembering his own reaction to that promise, Yugi blushed as scarlet as Atem's eyes all over again. He had been so happy he had kissed Atem's cheek before he thought of his actions. He just hoped he didn't make him feel awkward or embarrassed.

He was scrubbing his body clean when he heard a knock at the bathroom door, making him start from his thoughts before he pulled the shower curtain back just enough to poke his head from the shower and look at the door, tri-colored locks drenched and hanging over his pale shoulders and violet eyes wide.

"Yeah, what is it?"

"Yugi? Its been an hour are you alright in there?"

The hikari blinked in surprise at that. Had he really been so caught up in his thoughts that so much time had passed without his knowledge? Once the initial shock was over, he gasped, realizing he was running late and he quickly closed the curtain, scrubbing faster.

"Yes, I'm fine, Atem. Thank you for telling me."

He heard the former Pharaoh chuckle through the door before saying a quick "you're welcome" and heard the man walking away from the door before shaking his head and quickly rinsing his hair and body free of the soap, nearly falling face first onto the floor when he tried to get out of the shower too quick and slightly slipped. He hastily toweled off after he turned off the tap and dressed just as quickly before breezing past the Pharaoh who stood in the hall and into his room, pulling on his socks and shoes as quick as he could, making the ancient laugh as he watched the teen hop about trying to get the footwear on and simultaneously keep his balance.

He followed the sprinting teen down the stairs and into the kitchen where Solomon Moto had already made breakfast, thinking the teen would stop for the meal, but had no such luck. Yugi simply stuffed a piece of toast into his mouth and took off again, grabbing his backpack as he ran toward the stairs.

"Yugi slow down!" Solomon called.

"But I'm late!" Yugi replied in a panicked voice, Atem couldn't help but chuckle quietly at.

"Slow down anyway!"

The door downstairs swung shut loudly and they turned toward the window, watching Yugi runing full tilt down the sidewalk, Atem smiling affectionately at the boy's antics, Solomon shaking his head with a sigh.

"Teenagers.."

Atem chuckled again as he got into the mini refridgerator Solomon had got for him and opened the bottom drawer, pulling a plastic bag of red liquid from it, pulling the tab off the top and using the tube attached as a straw, closing his eyes as the cold liquid took away the dry feeling in his throat and replenished cells that had been becoming depleted.

"Feel better?"

Atem's scarlet eyes opened then and met with aged violet eyes that were lit up with the smile on the old man's face. Atem released the tube from his mouth when the bag was emptied of its contents and shut his eyes again as he felt his fangs react by growing slightly longer before they retracted again.

"Pharaoh?"

"Yes, I wish however it would not require the taking of blood for me to live on."

A warm hand on his shoulder, had Atem opening his eyes again and meeting the shop owner's again, who still wore a warm smile, but also held an expression of concern now. Atem sighed, before giving a closed lipped smile of his own.

"You still believe yourself a monster, Atem." It was a statement, not a question.

"I do.." Atem blinked at the old man, how had he known? Did Yugi tell him or was it obvious how he thought of himself?

"I thought as much.. Atem, let me tell you what a wise ruler once said. It is not a title, a species, or a name that defines one as a monster, a person, or a saint. It is their heart, their actions, and their attitude."

Atem stood as still as a statue as he stared with wide eyes at the old man. He had a point, but where had he himself heard those words before? They sounded familiar as if he had heard or said them somewhere.

Solomon's smile grew at Atem's reaction, his eyes lighting further with it. "Do you know who that wise ruler was Pharaoh?" When Atem shook his head, Solomon continued. "A young man by the name of Heba Sennen, Queen of Egypt."

Atem stood there in shock, his body even more stiff if that was possible and Solomon squeezed the former Pharaoh's shoulder, before turning back to the table where the food sat waiting to be eaten and took a seat, but Atem's voice had him looking at him.

"Solomon.."

"Yes Atem?"

Atem smiled, this time a full and true smile. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, now come have breakfast with this old man."

Atem chuckled, before pulling another medical bag from his fridge and sat at the table toasting his bag with Solomon's glass of orange juice when the old man raised it.

Hours later found Atem walking with his hands in the pockets of his tight fitting leather pants which hugged his legs and waist firmly, a pair of sunglasses sheilding his eyes, his plain black top completing his ensemble as well as the accessories which consisted of a neck belt, two criss crossing, studded belts at his waist, studded bracelets, and a leather band on his forearms. He caught the eye of every young woman he passed and several young men as he passed, but he didn't even notice as he continued on his way, following the familiar aura that had called him from the game shop in the first place.

This particular aura he had not felt for several years and he followed it now, hoping he was right about who it belonged to. His search brought him to an area he was very familiar with, Domino Park where he could hear toddlers laughing as they played, preschool and kindergarten having been let out just an hour before. His scarlet eyes searched the area, scanning the entire playground before landing on a young woman, looking to be only in her late teens or early twenties sitting on one of the swings, simply allowing herself to rock back and forth on the leather seat connected by silver chains in a pair of dark skinny jeans and simple red tank top.

As if sensing his gaze on her, her own eyes came up and met his, her long black hair swishing with her movement before settling back into place and framing her pale cheeks, a smile lifting both sides of her pale pink lips as he walked to her, stopping before her.

"Shaiya.." he said softly, a smile of his own curving his lips.

"Atem, how good to see you again," she replied smiling up at him.

"You came at a perfect time, there is something I want to tell you about a very special boy I met."

This made Shaiya stiffen, something Atem noticed right off, but didn't call attention to. He allowed her to take in what he had just said to her.

"This boy... He is.. Human?" At Atem's nod, her scarlet eyes widened and her hands on the silver chains of the swing tightened. "Atem, have you forgotten what we have endured from humans because of what we are?"

Atem sighed, as he moved one hand to hers and gently tugged, to hint to her to loosen her grip on the chains that were beginning to bend beneath her grasp until she released the chains and opted instead to put her hands in her jean clad lap, her eyes never leaving his. He released her hand when she released the chains and put his own back in his pants pocket, his head tilting at her as he gave a reassuring smile.

"He is not like the rest. He knows what I am and I have been telling him how I came to be this...thing.. he has been nothing, but supportive and kind. Shaiya, before he went to bed last night he made me promise not to leave him.. Does that sound like someone who would try to kill us?"

"I do not like this Atem. It is not like you to trust so easily," she replied as she stood, looking up at him. "But why do you say I came at the perfect time?"

He smiled, his fangs showing in a non-threatening way, not having to worry about concealing what he was to her.

Yugi, stood and jetted from the classroom as soon as the bell rang, after bowing quickly to his teacher. He was soon joined by a teen much taller than him with a mop of blond hair and dark brown eyes.

"Yug, want to go to Burger World today buddy?"

"Sorry, Joey I can't today I still have my friend from Egypt over."

"Still? Did he move in or what?"

Yugi giggled as he ran, if only Joey knew. He put on extra speed as he ran to get ahead of the blond, feeling a little bad for blowing him off, but he was finally hearing Atem's back story and didn't want to miss it for anything so he called over his shoulder to his best friend.

"Sorry Joey, maybe next time."

"You're coming next time if I have ta drag ya!"

Yugi giggled, he knew that his friend was serious, but what made him laugh was hearing Joey and Seto having an argument as always. Seto's voice cool and calm, Joey yelling about Seto calling him a dog again. Yugi really wished they would just admit they liked each other and get it over with. It was obvious even to him they did, they were just too prideful to tell each other.

The whole way home, Yugi's heart thudded with excitement knowing he would be hearing more of Atem's past from the man himself. How often was it that one could say they had a vampire that just happened to be a former Pharaoh living with them and that was telling their life story to them after all? So when he seen the game shop come in sight, he pushed his legs further, hardly feeling strained, thanks to the many years he spent running from bullies and the endurance it had given him. In that regard he supposed he should be grateful, but he decided he'd think of that later as he opened the door, hastily running in and closing it and ran up the stairs, calling a quick "hi grandpa" to Solomon as he passed, making said old man chuckle, knowing why his grandson was in such a rush.

When Yugi entered the apartment part of the shop, he seen Atem turn to him from the kitchen cabinets and smiled at him, seeing the vampire return the smile before indicating to the sofa they had been sitting on the night before. Yugi nodded at the gesture, following the Pharaoh to the plush furniture and plopping himself down, turning to Atem after the man had sat down.

"Yugi, before we go any further today, there is someone I would like for you to meet."

The petite teen tilted his head slightly at that, Atem was a very anti-social person so unless he suddenly decided to go out and meet new people which was highly unlikely, who could the man possibly want him to meet? Atem smirked at him, making Yugi blush when he realized why.

"I was thinking too loud again wasn't I?"

Atem reponded with a nod, his smirk widening, making Yugi's blush darken, but the young man quickly shook his head, attempting to quickly change the subject before he was made anymore embarrassed.

"Alright, so who do you want me to meet?"

Atem's eyes moved away from Yugi's own and to the entryway to the home, making Yugi look there as well where he seen a very beautiful woman, pale, long black hair, simple ensemble of dark jeans and red top and... scarlet eyes.

Another vampire?

How did she and Atem know each other?

Were they lovers?

Why did the thought of that hurt?

"Is this the boy you told me about, Atem?"

Her voice was as beautiful as the rest of her, calm and carrying just a hint of caution, dark and yet somehow managing to be warm at the same time, just like Atem's when Yugi had first met him. Yugi found himself staring at her as the girl's eyes moved off him to Atem, and back to him.

"Indeed he is. Shaiya this is Yugi, Yugi this is Shaiya."

Atem's voice next to him made him jump slightly as the male had been so quiet that Yugi had almost forgotten he was there, but he moved back closer to Atem until his back was against the cool chest of his friend slightly fearing the coldness of the girl's eyes, Shaiya having noticed the boy's actions slightly smiled at the proximity between the former Pharaoh and the teen.

"It seems he is fond of you brother."

"Brother?" Yugi echoed, blinking at her and then at Atem. "I didn't know you had a sister." And why was he so relieved to know that Shaiya and Atem were siblings and not lovers?

"Very fond it seems," Shaiya corrected herself after reading Yugi's thoughts, making the teen blush all over again.

Atem's brows crinkled in confusion, making Shaiya chuckle at her brother's density as she went to sit across from them in a love seat, crossing her legs and resting her hands on the chair arms, her scarlet eyes watching the both of them and noticing how her brother was looking at the teen. Atem had fallen in love again it seemed and the teen had fallen for him as well, but they both were either too stubborn or too unused to it to notice. She'd wager it was the latter.

"Shaiya is my little sister, Yugi. She has been with me from the beginning, turned into what we are against her will just as surely as I was. A few years back we went our separate ways for a bit to lead off hunters, I sensed her aura today, followed it to the park, and we were reunited. Perfect timing really, considering we've reached the part of my past where she and I had become closer. This is why I wanted you to meet her little one."

"Well brother, now that you have explained. Please do continue the tale," Shaiya gently urged, Yugi quickly sitting straight and looking up at Atem eager to hear more, making the former princess smile at him before looking back to her brother.

Atem nodded. "Very well." He took a deep, but un-needed breath and let it out slowly before he began again. "Where was I? Oh, yes, the young boy who returned my cape. After I took it back from him, the boy had gone with the groups to find a room. That was when Heba and I retired to our room for the night, joined by Shaiya whom I had just started getting closer to who had proven she was much more than just a princess and would stand up for what she believed in. Since she had shouted at the courtmen just days before to leave Heba and I alone about an heir both Heba and I had gotten closer to her. We met in the royal bed chambers, talking about the days events, what we thought would need repair and what would need to be altogether replaced, then it happened.."

Yugi stiffened, the smile Atem and Shaiya had been wearing was gone when they both remembered what happened at that point and Yugi looked between them before his eyes settled on Atem's.

"What happened?"

Shaiya answered for her brother this time who had been pulled into his memory again. "We heard screaming, the sort that will make one's heart stop and blood run cold in one's very veins."

To Be Continued...

ED: -Pops cramping fingers.- Well I'm satisfied with how this turned out.

Atem: Still no kiss?!

ED: Zip it Pharaoh!

Yugi: You're really stopping it there?! That's evil!

ED: -Grins.- No, its called "building the anticipation".

Yugi: No its called evil!

ED: -Pats Yugi's head and ruffles his hair.- Patience kiddo.

Yugi: My name is Yugi! Not kiddo, Yugi! Rawwwrr! -Pounces ED and attacks like a cat.-

Atem: -Sweatdrops before looking to readers.- ED doesn't Yu-Gi-Oh or Yugi and I and makes no profit from this story. Please review.

Author Note: Special thanks to Shaiya-Angel Of- Darkness AndLight for letting me use her OC as Atem's sister and thank you as well to all of you who have voted, and reviewed this story. Feedback helps an author continue and update faster, so thank you guys. Until next time, take care.