Okay, I know. This is realllyyyyy late. Feel free to hate me omg

I wanted to really go at it during the summer, but... oh well. But at least I got something up. I'll try and update more before fall semester starts tho!

Please don't mind any mistakes I might have missed!


Chapter Three: Ideas of The Spirit


"Good evening, Father." Yugi greeted his dad with a bright smile.

"Yugi, my boy!" His father, Yusuke, greeted, holding his arms out, "Come here!"

Yugi chuckled, taking his father's request for a hug, "Father! I just saw you this afternoon!"

Yusuke smiled bright, the forming smile lines indenting his face, "Your right, but it's always a treat seeing you!" Yusuke was always a loving father, but after Yuuta fell ill, he vowed to shower them both with even more love until it was too late; he didn't want his sons to go on questioning his love for them. He patted Yugi's back before pulling away, "Once your grandfather and mother joins us, dinner will be served."

Yugi nodded, watching his father take his usual seat at the head of the table, "Will Brother be joining us?" He asked, a hopeful glint in his eyes.

Yusuke gave a sigh, his eyes downcast, "I spoke to the doctor earlier," he shook his head, "Yuuta is too ill to join us for dinner today."

Yugi's shoulder slumped and he looked down, "Oh. Okay."

Yusuke looked up to Yugi, "I know you wish for Yuuta to get better, son. And I know you miss him being able to enjoy life the way he used to. I'm sorry. The doctors are doing everything they can."

Yugi nodded, "I understand."

Before Yusuke could utter another word, a tall, slender woman walked into the dining room, "Good evening, Darling, Yugi." Yugi's mother, Yuuka, greeted.

Yugi's smile returned as he approached his mother, "Good evening, Mother!" He wrapped his arms around her in a loving embrace.

Yuuka returned the gesture, "It's so good to see my son!"

Yugi chuckled as they pulled away and took their seats, "You guys are so mushy!" Yugi joked, "But, I guess I feel the same about you."

Yusuke nodded in agreement, "Of course! Now, son, I forgot to ask you earlier, but how was your first day with Yami? You know he will follow you through to Kinghood and remain as your personal bodyguard for years to come."

Yugi wanted to roll his eyes at the mention of him becoming king, but he didn't. Instead, he answered his father's question, "Yami is a wonderful person, Father. He's very loyal and attentive but also very kind. I believe he'll make a great friend, as well."

Yuuka smiled, "Well, that's good to hear! A bodyguard can also be a valuable friend to have. You know that Yusuke and Timaeus go out for drinks and act like old friends, as well."

Yusuke nodded, "I'm sure you and Yami will get along perfectly!"

Before Yugi could offer an answer, a butler came walking to the room. He gave a deep bow, "It seems that Master Sugoroku won't be joining for dinner. He's off visiting a friend."

Yusuke chuckled, "Father does love visiting Professor Hopkins." He nodded, at the butler, "Very well then."

The butler gave another bow, "Dinner will be served soon."


Atem floated through the halls, poking his nose into whatever he could find. Phasing his head through the library's door, a sly, amused grin broke out on his face, "Well what do we have here?"

"So, how was your first day with Yugi?" Timaeus asked leaning against a bookshelf, watching Yami walk around the room with a blissful smile on his face. He smirked, "Is someone smitten?"

Yami stopped dead in his tracks, "N-no!" He shouted, his voice raising an octave and a bright blush making its way on his cheeks. He turned, his back facing Timaeus, "Shut up."

Timaeus chuckled, "Then explain that light, happy feeling you feel in your heart."

Yami turned his head back to Timaeus, "I don't know what you're talking about." He crossed his arms over his chest and turned his head.

Timaeus kept that smirk on his face and shook his head, "Yami, you look like a child."

Yami sighed and turned back around, "Yugi is so gentle and sweet. I want to spend more time with him."

"Developing a crush, are we?" Timaeus asked, nudging Yami in the arm.

Yami looked away, "No."

Timaeus' smirk morphed into a warm smile, "Come on. We don't want to be late for dinner."

A huge grin was plastered over Atem's face as he watched the two leave the library and walk down the hall. He let out an excited laugh and quickly floated over to the dining room, his excitement bursting at the seams, "Partner!"

"Hm?" Yugi looked up and towards the door, seeing Atem phasing through the wall, "Someone is excited. Too excited. What did you do, Atem?"

"Now, why do you think I did something? I can't talk to you about something amazing without you thinking I had something to do with it? I'm offended, Yugi." Atem crossed his arms, a joking tone in his voice, "And here I thought you thought highly of me."

Yugi rolled his eyes, "Okay, Atem. What did you want?" He asked, chuckling into the link.

Atem floated around towards the back of Yugi's chair. He placed his hands on the back and leaned closer to Yugi, "You need to spend more time with Yami." He answered in a sing-song tone, excitement practically oozing off him.

Yugi's grip tightened around the stem of the glass in his hand and the heat quickly ran to his cheeks, "What did you say?" His eyes found themselves on his parents for a split second, making sure if they weren't looking towards his general direction. He looked down into the contents of the glass, the light gold color of the cider casting a reflection in the glass, "Why would you say that?" He rose the glass to his lips, trying to seem as a natural as possible to hide the fact that he was slightly freaking out on the inside…. Slightly.

Atem only shrugged, a sly grin on his face, "I just got a hunch, is all."

Yugi knitted his brows together and risked looking back to Atem, "What did you do?"

The spirit held his hands out in front of him, not bothering to contain his laughter, "Nothing, Yugi!"

Yugi wanted nothing more to just jump out of chair and go chasing that good for nothing mischievous pharaoh. Of course, being in the presence of his parents and staff, he bit the inside of his cheek and turned his head back to his plate, "What am I going to do with you, Atem?"

Atem chuckled, "Continue to put up with me."


When Yugi walked into his bedroom after his nightly visit with Yuuta, he wasn't expecting to see Atem floating in front of his closet, pushing various clothing items aside and even throwing a couple of items on the growing pile on the floor behind him. Then again, Yugi doesn't know what to expect from Atem, at times. The spirit could sometimes find things that could hold his attention for hours and Yugi would always find him various situations; this was no different.

"Um, Atem? What are you doing?" Yugi asked as he stood there, just watching Atem float about in front of the closet.

"Looking." Atem answered, not bothering to look at Yugi.

"For?" Yugi prompted, walking up to stand behind the spirit.

"Something." Atem simply answered, still clearly distracted. He pulled a crimson colored shirt out to examine for a few seconds before throwing it behind him.

"Hey!" Yugi shouted, throwing the shirt back at Atem "Watch it!"

Atem simply let the piece of clothing just phase through him, "Sorry."

"What are you looking for anyway?" Yugi asked as he took the growing pile into his arms and onto his bed.

"Something that will impress Yami tomorrow."

Yugi walked over next to Atem, taking a handful of hangers, "Atem." He groaned, "Stop it."

Atem chuckled and shook his head, "No can do, Partner." He looked over to Yugi, "Where's that lavender button up your mother gave you for your birthday last year?"

Yugi sighed as he walked back over to the pile to sort through the mess Atem had made, "Its towards the back."

"Thank you!" Atem chirped as he pushed most of the items aside, "I think that Yami rather likes you, Partner."

Yugi scoffed as he placed one of his more casual jackets on a hanger, "Here we go again."

Atem floated up to Yugi, button up draped on his forearm, "I'm being serious, Partner!"

"And so am I!" Yugi shot back, "Why does everyone seem to think that Yami and I make a cute pair or that Yami likes me or something? He's my bodyguard and that's it."

Atem shot Yugi a look, "Okay then."

Yugi tossed the hanger in his hand down on the bed, "What?" He asked, his brows knitted together, "What's with that look?" He asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

Atem shrugged, "I'm just saying that you have the tendency to make friends with everyone." Atem shook his head as he laid the button up down on the bed, "No one is just simply a 'bodyguard' or even just castle staff to you, Partner." Atem nudged Yugi's arm, "You even made friends with a spirit who lives in a necklace."

Yugi gave a small smile, "I guess."


Sorry if this chapter is a bit short and Atem is a bit ooc!