Chapter 3 ~ Cleo

Crimson eyes opened to the world. They wavered and then focused on their surroundings. The familiar dark furniture comforted them, coaxing their owner to fully wake up. And he did. Atemu looked at the alarm clock on his nightstand. He was surprised at how late it was. He almost never slept so long, but then again, he had gone to bed at five. It was now almost noon.

He sat up and stretched, flexing his muscles. He threw the covers back and got up. He went to the low, rectangular dresser and opened the first drawer, revealing neatly folded clothing. He took a pair of three-quarter-length khaki pants, made of light cotton material. He chose a light short sleeved shirt to go with it. He opened another smaller drawer of the dark wooden dresser and took fresh under clothes and socks. Then he took his robe from the back of his door and put it on. He took the neatly folded clothing and went down the small flight of stairs leading to the first floor. He didn't see anyone, obviously they were all busy.

Atemu went into the bathroom and took his shower in silence. He loved the peaceful atmosphere that permeated the room. The therapeutic effects of the warm water loosened his half-sleeping muscles and cleared his head. His sharp eyes focused properly and he felt revitalized and ready to begin the day. He stepped out gracefully, and began drying himself off. Then he towel dried his hair and got dressed. He didn't feel like styling his hair up so he left it tied back out of the way.

He made his way downstairs and found his favorite machine in the whole house; the coffee machine. Coffee was something that Atemu loved to have in the morning. He wasn't dependent on it to wake up, but he did enjoy the taste. He smiled appreciatively when he saw the kitchen table; Solomon had left an assortment of breakfast foods on the table for him and Yuugi. He sat down and began eating.

Yuugi looked at the clock, when he heard the sound of the shower being turned on. It sounded like Atemu had woken up. Yuugi felt sort of tired, but not overly so. The kittens hadn't been much trouble. He looked down at them. He wondered why the kitten with the blue-armband always stayed by herself. It puzzled him, but didn't worry him. She was a quiet kitten much unlike the others, and she obviously sensed the difference between his touch and Atemu's.

Yuugi had noticed a small connection between the two and was happy that he had taken a picture of them. He had told his grandpa about his photo album idea and was glad to see that he supported it. It would be nice to look back when they were older. The kittens personalities were starting to show a little bit. He knew the blue banded kitten's personality the best along with the yellow banded kitten. The other two were still cloudy, nothing too obvious. Yuugi had taken a liking to the yellow banded kitten; he was so feisty and impatient. He squirmed continuously and Yuugi knew he would be a handful when he started walking.

Yuugi's mind drifted back to Atemu and the night before. He had lost his nerve on his way out and he was sure Atemu thought he was stupid for it. God knows he looked stupid. It made him feel bad because Atemu was always so graceful and perfect. He never cried or broke down in front of anyone. Occasionally his anger was extremely palpable and sometimes he gave off an aura so dangerous that men twice his size had fled. Yuugi saw it happen once. He hoped he would never have to see that side of Atemu again, and that was one of the reasons that he enjoyed observing Atemu's gentle and sweet side that he displayed for the kittens. Lately he had been seeing at lot of it.

Solomon closed the shop at noon so that the lunch hour could commence. He flipped the sign on the door and filled out the next order form. Then he went through the back and into the house. He found Atemu sitting at the table eating a breakfast bagel. Atemu looked up and smiled.

"Good morning Solomon. Did you sleep well?" he asked politely, earning a chuckle from the older man.

"Says the young man who fell into bed at five!" Atemu blushed. "I slept fine. How were the kittens?" Solomon sat down and took some bread for himself and began filling it with butter and jam. Atemu sipped on his coffee and savored its sweet creamy taste.

"They were all okay. We have definitely a little alpha I think." He said that with a smile and Solomon stared. "Yes, it's the male with the yellow arm-band. He's very strong and demanding. He's nothing like Cleo." He smiled to himself and took a bite of his bagel.

Solomon was confused. "Who's Cleo?"

Atemu looked up. "Cleo, she is the kitten with the blue arm-band. I named her last night. She is smaller than the others and I fed her last during my last feeding before Yuugi came in. She fell asleep on my lap before I knew it. She is a little queen, so I decided Cleo would be a good name for her."

Solomon considered it. Cleopatra indeed, he thought with a small smile. He shared his thoughts. "So Atemu, we have a Cleopatra on our hands." Atemu rolled his eyes and ignore him, smiling as Solomon chuckled again. Solomon had really started growing on him.

"So has anything happened between you and Yuugi?" Solomon asked, mildly interested. Atemu simply shook his head. He wasn't sure if elaborating his thoughts was a good idea; obviously both of them had different views of Yuugi. Seeing Solomon's face though, he understood that was what he wanted. He obliged.

"It's true that nothing has happened, but yesterday…I don't know…he was quiet. More so than usual and he was watching me a lot…with Cleo as well. And when he went to bed, he stopped at the doorway. I could tell he wanted to say something but instead he held back. I'm a little disappointed that he won't talk to me. But he doesn't seem unhappy." Atemu drained his cup and set it down.

Solomon raised his hand to his chin in a thoughtful manner. He understood that the boys shared a mutual attraction and that was as far as it went. But Atemu had noticed a small change in Yuugi which was only recent. Solomon decided it could have something to do with the kitten's arrival. Then unbeknownst to Atemu, maybe he had also undergone a small change. Yuugi had drifted off into patches of quietness and thoughtfulness, whereas Atemu had begun bonding well with Cleo. Was Yuugi jealous perhaps? Or was it something else. Solomon was sure about one thing, he needed more information before he could reach his conclusion. He shared his thoughts with the former Pharaoh, and added.

"Well, I don't know what's going on in my grandson's mind, but don't give up Atemu. I'm sure there's a good reason and maybe you should give him some space, you know…let him come to you." He drained his own cup and stood up and took Atemu's and brought them both to the sink. Atemu brought the rest of the plates with him helping as best he could.

He wondered if what Solomon had said was true; was Yuugi jealous that he was spending more time with the kitten? But that didn't make sense. He hadn't changed his attitude towards Yuugi, not at all. He was the one Yuugi had called when the kittens first arrived. He supported Yuugi at the vet clinic and made the bed for the kittens when Yuugi asked. Something wasn't right, if he hadn't changed, what had? Yuugi couldn't be jealous, it wasn't in his nature.

Solomon watched Atemu cleaning the plates almost mechanically as he blatantly dwelled on their conversation with a deep, but thoughtful frown. Solomon knew he was smart, so he decided to let both of them figure it out. It was for the best.

Atemu went upstairs to retrieve his book that he had been reading the night before. He had left it on the floor beside the futon. It was almost time for Solomon to take over watching the kittens and for him to reopen the shop. He strolled into the room to see Yuugi holding the kitten with the red armband.

He looked up when Atemu entered and smiled and gave a small wave. Atemu returned both and picked up the book. He tucked it under his arm, Yuugi watching the whole time, with a small blush on his face. He leaned on the doorway and watched Yuugi petting the kitten.

"How is she?" he asked. She seemed to be enjoying the attention. Yuugi shrugged.

"She's fine." He said simply. "She loves being petted, more than the others. I think that kitten misses you, she's been really active like she's searching for you." He jerked his head at Cleo and continued stroking the little angel who was almost dozing on his lap. Atemu spotted Cleo moving slowly inside the pet carrier. He knelt down beside it and stroked her softly on her head. She mewled loudly and tried to suck on his fingertips again. It was her way of greeting him, he supposed.

Yuugi watched him and Solomon entered the room, holding some paper files in one hand and some bottles in the other. He sat down on the armchair and put his work on the small table beside it. Yuugi went around Atemu and put his kitten back in the box where she snuggled up with her brothers.

Atemu stroked Cleo one more time before whispering, "See you later, my little queen." He stood up and saw Yuugi still standing at the door.

"You know Atemu, if you give one kitten so much attention, the other kittens will get jealous." He left Atemu standing there with a priceless look plastered on his face, as he walked out of the room and downstairs. Atemu looked at Solomon and shook his head.

"Ra, what am I going to do? I come to the conclusion that he's not jealous and then he says that." He shook his head and left the room muttering under his breath. Solomon chuckled helplessly at their antics and sat down to feed the little kittens.

Later that afternoon, Yuugi had cleaned the house, washed the clothes and prepared a simple dinner for the three of them. Atemu was getting ready to close the shop and his grandpa still had one more feeding before Atemu took over. So he decided to treat them both to something tasty. He felt a little guilty for thinking about Atemu like that last night, but he couldn't help it. Today Atemu had strutted around in that white, almost see-through shirt, with a few of the top buttons undone. Yuugi had been blushing a lot lately.

He finished serving the chicken and grilled vegetables, placing them decoratively on traditional Japanese serving dishes. He placed chopsticks at each plate with a glass and napkin. He hoped what he had cooked would be satisfactory. He laid a long, curved rectangular dish in the center filled with rice balls. He was tired. He had been awake since five and he had to start again tonight around four. That was kind of the reason he had cleaned the house today; so he would be able to sleep tomorrow. He took one last critical look at the table before going upstairs to tell his grandpa that dinner was ready. Solomon was writing something in a large notebook and the kittens were sleeping soundly.

"Dinner's ready grandpa. I made some chicken and rice balls." Solomon smiled and closed his notebook and followed Yuugi downstairs. He saw the lovely spread and was impressed. Atemu would be closing up the shop in a few minutes so Solomon took the opportunity to speak to Yuugi alone.

"Yuugi, is everything okay?" He said it calmly, but there was a serious undertone indicating that he wanted an honest answer. Yuugi's amethyst eyes looked up in surprise.

"Yeah, everything's fine grandpa, why?" He stopped adding drinks to the table as he waited for the answer.

Solomon could tell that he was being truthful and continued. "Well, you've been a bit quiet recently and Atemu…he…" he paused to think of a good way to describe how Atemu was feeling without revealing Atemu's position. It was best if Atemu explained his feelings to Yuugi when the time called for it.

"Atemu…what, grandpa?" he was getting concerned with the direction the conversation was taking. His grandpa saw this and continued quickly.

"He is a little worried. He said that you were quiet around him and that you seem to have something on your mind recently." There that was a simple way to explain things without revealing his feelings for Yuugi. Yuugi on the other hand thought about what Solomon had said. Atemu didn't know about his feelings for him, did he? But he had noticed the look on Atemu's face last night when he left the room.

"I do have something on my mind, but it's not a bad thing. I didn't mean to be quiet but I watched him a few times with Cleo and I think it's sweet. I was going to tell him last night but I didn't know how to say it without it coming out the wrong way. I dunno…" He trailed off and Solomon understood.

That definitely explained what Atemu had said earlier. But somehow things had gotten misinterpreted by the two. So Yuugi's jealousy had actually been admiration. Now that he had cleared that up, he would allow Atemu to figure it out for himself.

"Okay Yuugi. Don't worry yourself about Atemu but don't block him out either. Alright, enough said. Go call Atemu before this get cold," he said gesturing to the food. Yuugi face brightened and he left the room. Solomon couldn't help smiling. He had two amazing young men under his roof and he was glad to have both of them.

They walked in together and sat down. They all filled their plates and enjoyed the meal as a family.

After dinner Yuugi helped Atemu clear up the table, when Atemu politely declined his help seeing as Yuugi had done enough. On his way out, he took four little bottles out of the sterilizer and laid them neatly at the cooker beside the milk mixture. Atemu smiled and the phone rang. Yuugi answered.

"Hello?"

"Oh hey Yuugi. How are you?" It was Ryou.

"Hi, I'm fine Ryou. It's just been a little busy here at the moment." He smiled at Atemu who had begun washing the dishes and he leaned up against the wall.

"Oh yeah? What's happening? Customers keeping you busy?" He heard Ryou giggle softly.

"No. Its good news and bad news…okay mostly good news. Yesterday someone left a shoebox on the shops doorstep. There were kittens inside only two days old." He heard Ryou gasp.

"What? Who could do such a thing? What did you do then ?" he said quickly.

"I told you it was good news Ryou, relax. Jii-chan and Atemu are helping me look after them; the vet taught us what to do. Its not too difficult. There are four of them and they're so cute! You should see them, they're Siamese." He saw Atemu with a smile still on his face as he worked.

"Oh, well that's good. I guess that explains where you've been, which is why I called. So do they have names?" he asked slightly more animated now that he knew nothing was wrong.

"Yep, there's one kitten that Atemu loves. He's so cute with her and he named her Cleo. He says she is his little queen." He giggled on the phone and Atemu blushed scarlet; he knew that Bakura had heard it. He could hear Ryou laughing with Yuugi and scolding Bakura in the background.

"Be nice Bakura! Oops, sorry Yuugi. I guess he was listening in. I didn't know Atemu liked cats so much." Yuugi could hear him shrug.

"So, Ryou? I have to get up at like four tonight to feed the little guys so I'm going to cut you short. Don't tell the others about the kittens until next week. I want it to be a surprise and for the kittens to be a little stronger before they get visitors." He couldn't help being protective, but he couldn't handle it if something happened to them. After all they were only tiny babies and it was his job to look after them. He knew he must have sounded mean to Ryou, but Ryou was very smart and he knew there was no offense intended.

"No problem Yuugi. If you need any help at all, give me a call okay? I'm free most of next week. I'll make sure Bakura says nothing; I have powerful methods of persuasion when it comes to Bakura. Have no fear!" Yuugi giggled. Poor Bakura.

"Okay. See you soon. Thanks Ryou!" He heard the click and hung the phone up. He waved a hand at Atemu.

"Goodnight Atemu." He said shyly and turned away. Atemu stood with his hands in the sudsy water in astonishment. Yuugi wasn't jealous at all. He thought he was cute! And worse Bakura knew about Cleo. Damn white-haired idiot he thought savagely. Oh well, if Yuugi thought he was cute, then it was definitely a start. He took a tea-towel and began drying the dishes. He started whistling 'Always look on the bright side of life' from the Monty Python film, with a smile on his face.

Thanks everyone for reviewing and I love this chapter! Let me know if you guys spot any typo's and stuff. I'm a bad beta, when its my own stuff... Anyway, my favorite part of this was where Bakura was listening in on the conversation and started laughing at Atemu. I love Bakura's character in this story and I'm having so much fun with this story!

Heidlebergchick!