hikari: i don't own Draco from Dragon Heart!

Chapter 7

Joey stood before King Solomon shaking like mad. "Well Joey, what is that you want to tell me?" Solomon asked, Joey gulped and replied "My king, Prince Yugi has been kidnapped by the Dragon King Atem." "WHAT? HOW?!" Solomon shouted, he wasn't angry, just worried about Yugi.

"Well, as we rode through the forest, Atem ambushed us. He must have been close by, for the horses were nervous. Yugi was thrown from his horse when Atem appeared, the guards did all they could to protect Yugi, but were killed. I tried to get Yugi to escape back to the city with me, but his curiosity got the better of him and he moved too close to that dragon. That's when Atem grabbed Yugi and flew away." Joey explained.

"I understand Joey, but we need to save my grandson from Atem. Who knows what that beast might do to him." Solomon as dismissed Joey from the throne room, and called in his advisers to discuses how to save Yugi and why Atem would wanted to kidnap his grandson in the first place.

-Back with Atem and Yugi-

"Your mother was a very beautiful dragon" Yugi said as he stared at the painting of Queen Helena; Atem's mother. Yugi looked closer at the painting and saw a smaller dragon. "Is that you in the painting with your mother Atem?" Yugi asked. "Yes, that is me. I was 8 years old at the time." Atem replied, as he looked at the painting. "Wow, who painted this?" Yugi asked, he could help being curious "I'm sorry I keep asking questions."

Atem just chuckled lightly "Don't be sorry. It was painted by the greatest dragon artist in the land, Draco. Sadly he died two years after painting it. He was 304 years old, which is a good age for a dragon." Yugi was in awe "Dragons can live for that long?!" he said "H-how are you Atem? If you don't mind me asking" Yugi look way incase Atem became angry about be asked such a personal question, like most people Yugi had asked in the past. But Atem just kept smiling "I'm a 102 years old, and at the prime of my life" Atem said with a grin. "How old are you Little One?"

Yugi blushed when heard Atem call him 'Little One' 'Why am I acting like this?' Yugi thought 'Anyone else who called me 'Little One' I would have felt insulted! (for Yugi was a lot smaller than most people his age) but here I am blushing like a tomato, just because some dragon called me 'Little One'. What is wrong with me?' Yugi was very soo deep in thought, he didn't realise he was worrying Atem. "Yugi?" he said as wave his hand in front of Yugi's face "Hello? Anyone in there? Little One?"

"Huh?" Yugi said as he finally snapped out of his thoughts. "Are you ok? You worried me." Atem said "I'm sorry Atem" Yugi replied as he shook his head, to remove those thoughts from his mind. Atem just chuckled "Well, how old are you?" "Oh! I'm 16" Yugi replied, but started blushing even redder, when Atem started looking Yugi over. "You don't look like your 16" Atem said "You look like your 10 years old!" Yugi tried to fight down the blush and replied "Well you don't look like your 102 Atem! You look like your, ummmm…"

"How old do I look Little One?" Atem asked with a slight smirk, "Ummmm" poor Yugi lost his battle over his blush, and was as red a tomato again. "About 18 years old" he finally said, as he hid his blush, hoping Atem didn't see it. But Atem did see the huge red blush on Yugi's face. When Atem caught a glimpse of the blush he thought, 'He looks soo cute trying to hide that blush.' Atem's eyes wided at that thought 'Why did I suddenly think that!? He's a human and I'm a dragon! But everytime I see him, my heart beats soo fast it feels like it's about burst! But why? Why does it do that? Could it be I'm falling…no have fallen in love with…a human'

Still watching Yugi closely, Atem felt disappoint to see Yugi had manage to fight down the blush. He sighed 'I have fallen in love with Yugi, there's no doubt about it. That's why I felt those stabbing pains in my heart when I saw him crying, and why I feel like I was when I as a child. But I'm a dragon and Yugi's human; it would never work because of the species barrier. Besides Yugi would never love me, the way I love him. He was properly living a normal happy life, and I went and ruined it, by declaring him my prisoner. I should let him go back to his own kind, but…I can't…I don't want to be alone anymore, I hate being alone! I want Yugi to stay with me forever.'

"Atem?" Atem snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Yugi, who was stroking Atem face, "Why are you crying?" Yugi asked. Atem closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of Yugi stroking him. "I-I was just think about something. Don't worry about Little One" Atem replied as he leaned into Yugi's soft, gentle touch. 'Please stay with me forever…Aibou.'

TBC