This is now where Tea gets held at gunpoint. This is gonna be good, because it'll bring more peachshipping. I bet you're wondering how this is gonna end up. Well, keep reading and you'll eventually find out. Review please!
Atem was staring at the mirror that showed the exact reflection of himself. The school uniform still fit the same as usual and the millennium puzzle hung about his neck. Things had changed in Atem's life since he solved the puzzle. For starters, Yugi came into existence and Atem made friends with Hanaski. Hanaski also seemed to be more energetic outdoors since he started hanging around with Yugi.
One thing that never changed was Atem's relationship toward Tea. She still couldn't stand the teenage boy and he couldn't stand her. Yugi was also in love with Tea, which made life for Atem even worse. He just couldn't get passed Tea's attitude that drove him mad. Yugi kept insisting Atem to give Tea another chance.There wasn't a reason to as far as Atem was concerned.
Yugi appeared behind Atem with arms around his waist. By this time, he was used to Yugi's touchy side. He didn't like it, well sorta, but that didn't mean he refused it. In fact, Atem was so used to Yugi being touchy and feely that Atem felt naked if he didn't feel the boy's touch. It was natural now.
"What cha thinking?" Yugi asked.
"Nothing," Atem replied. He decided it would be easier to talk to Yugi aloud and only talk inside his mind when in public. "Just thinking about what's been happening in the past several weeks."
"You mean since I came out of the puzzle?"
"Pretty much. It's fine. I'm glad you came to existence Yugi. Hanaski's more active than he used to be and to top it all off, I think you're starting to rub off on me."
"Really?" Yugi grinned while clutching Atem a little closer. "You know, I always love on you, but you don't seem to love on me."
"That's because I'm not you and I'm not on someone's ass."
Yugi smirked before nuzzling his cheek against Atem's cheek. Atem sighed while rolling his eyes. He turned around and gave Yugi a warm hug. Then, Atem parted and made his way toward the bedroom door.
"That's it?" Yugi glared as Atem gave a smirk.
"Just because you're on my ass, doesn't mean I'm going to be on yours, got that?"
"Sometimes I wish you weren't such a jackass!"
Atem glared in reply before leaving his room. He did not want to hear anymore complaints from Yugi. Atem wasn't going to snuggle, huggle, or do any of the stuff Yugi was doing to him. It was awkward enough having to live with him doing it to Atem twenty-four-seven. Just thinking about it sounded awkward. He walked downstairs where his grandpa was opening up the shop.
Solomon watched his grandson walk on his way out the door. This made the grandfather smile big. Atem gave his grandfather a hug.
"Good morning, Gramps," Atem greeted.
"Good morning. Did you sleep well?" Solomon asked.
"Peacefully," Atem replied. 'Surprisingly.'
"That's only because you love my cuddling. You especially like it when I make a humming sound at night. Puts you out like a light," Yugi replied with a smirk.
'SHUT UP!' Atem responded before telling Solomon, "I'm going to school. I'll be seeing ya soon!"
"You too, Atem," Solomon said. "Oh, and Atem!"
"Yes?"
"I'm very proud of you. You've changed alot these past few weeks. You're starting to show more... joy. I've never seen you this happy since Serenity. I don't know if Hanaski is the reason, but whatever the reason, I'm proud."
"Uh... thanks," Atem replied. 'I haven't changed that much.'
"Yeah right. The first time we met, you were a bigger asshole than you are now," Yugi mentioned. "You also wouldn't hug your grandfather. Now you're even giving Mom a kiss on the cheek before leaving to school. Speaking of showing love..."
'Not in your lifetime!' Atem replied, showing a glare in his head. 'They're family. You're not. In fact, the only relation you have with me is being a pain in my ass.'
"You love me and you know it," Yugi smirked. He gave Atem a memory of a night when they were sleeping. Yugi was snuggling against Atem and he brought his arms around the boy to bring him closer. "I just wish you didn't have to do that in your sleep!"
Atem's lips formed a straight line before telling his grandfather, "goodbye."
The grandfather waved before watching his grandson leave. He saw the golden pyramid shine from the glint of the sun. He kept asking himself what the millennium puzzle had for Atem. According to the inscriptions, it said that whoever solves the puzzle would inherit powers unimaginable. There was no arguing that Atem held this power. There were several incidents of students having illutions of some sort. Trudge, for instance, kept hallucinating money everywhere. He was hospitalized with schizophrenia. He also bullied Atem and his friend Joey. Hanaski explained to Solomon what happened that day, or part of it. He seemed to be hiding a bit of information.
Atem walked to school. The day had been the same as usual. Yugi and Hanaski running around like two banshees, Atem, Joey, and Tristan talking and making jokes, and Tea having her share of arguments at Atem. He never let Yugi talk to Tea at all since the boy had fantasies about the girl. The last thing Atem needed was for Yugi to be flirting with the enemy. At least, to Atem, Tea was the enemy. Yugi didn't think so.
After school was finally over, Atem, Joey, Tristan, and Hanaski were all talking. They had formed their own little get-together group. Tea didn't like the idea of having Hanaski trust these boys who once bullied him in the past, despite Atem's argument with that statement. Still, Tea couldn't find any reason for Hanaski to not trust them since his new friends weren't taking advantage of him. Tea had already concluded that Atem's strange acting had nothing to do with taking advantage of her friend.
Tea sighed and left out the door. Hanaski cocked his eyebrows while watching Tea leave.
"Hey Hanaski, are you listening?" Joey asked.
"Tea's been having these frequent absents. Normally, I'd not worry about it, but it's really bugging me," Hanaski admitted.
"Who cares. That bitch is probably hanging out with some of her gossip friends or something," Atem said.
"Yeah right. Everyone knows Tea is compensating with older men," Joey grinned.
"Joey, are you sure you're not high?"
"What does compensating with older men mean?" Yugi asked.
'Trust me, you don't wanna know the answer,' Atem replied.
"What does compensating with older men mean?" Hanaski asked.
"Aw, that's easy that's..." Joey was about to reply when Atem cut his friend off.
"Joey, don't you even think about it! Hanaski doesn't need to know THAT!" Atem glared.
"Every high school girl is doing it, Atem. He has the right to know," Joey said before turning to Hanaski. "Anyways, it's when a rich old man finds a girl and they f*** and f***."
"UGH! SORRY I ASKED!" Hanaski shouted loudly.
"Told ya," Atem sighed.
"Atem's right, you're high," Hanaski said.
"Ew! Why would Joey think that? Tea's not that type of girl. She'd never do something like THAT," Yugi gasped.
'Ignore him, Yugi. Joey's just being a moron,' Atem promised.
"Forget about Tea. Let's go to Burger World. I heard it's open today!" Tristan announced.
"I don't know. Tea said they serve nasty food," Hanaski said.
"Tea's a bitch. I say we go to Burger World," Atem decided as his friends nodded in agreement.
"Then it's decided," Tristan smirked.
The four friends made their way to the restaurant they decided to hangout at, Burger World. Hanaski decided that maybe Tea didn't like Burger World. That didn't mean he had to hate it too. Besides that, Atem, Tristan, and Joey were going, so why not Hanaski. He was glad to have a wide circle of friends.
Everyone made it to Burger World. The door was open and, to their shock, Tea appeared dressed in her work uniform.
"Welcome to Burger World, I'll show you to..." Tea greeted before realizing who her new costumers were. They all stared at her with dumbfounded looks. "... your seats."
"Well, this was... unexpected," Joey blurted out.
"Tea, you work here?" Hanaski asked in shock.
"No, Joey was right, Tea is compensating with older men," Atem replied sarcastically before Joey whacked his friend on the head. "OW!"
Tea felt red in embarrassment and anger. The three boys she hated had just discovered out her darkest secret. She couldn't hide it anymore. Atem and Joey would surely blab to the whole school! Tea had to figure out a plan, she couldn't just quite her job and no way was she going to get expelled.
The four teens seated down and waited for their waiter to take their order, specifically Tea. Hanaski seemed to be worried about Tea. She was VERY embarrassed about seeing the four boys.
"Tea seemed angry," Hanaski said. "I don't think she liked us coming here."
"Of coarse not. Everyone knows it's against school policy to work part time," Atem glared.
"But she's so cute in that outfit," Yugi blushed.
'You want me to shove this puzzle down the toilet?' Atem threatened as Yugi rolled his eyes.
"Here's your order," Tea smirked while slamming the food onto the table. She got the ketchup bottle in her hand and squirted it on the burgers and fries. "Here, we always serve our costumers PLENTY of ketchup."
Tea printed on the bowl of burgers and fries a note that read, "I'll kill you if you tell!" Atem, Tristan, and Joey seemed unfazed, but Hanaski was dumbfounded. Why would Tea think her close friend would tell ANYONE? Hanaski wondered if maybe Tea was afraid that only his friends would tell.
"What the hell?" Atem glared. "You know I hate ketchup and why put this shit here anyways?"
Tea glared, knowing that there was nothing she could do anyways. The boys already knew she worked at Burger World. Tea sighed, and then her glare disappeared.
"The truth is..." Tea started her confession. "I'm raising money to go to America."
"AMERICA?" The boys exclaimed. Atem was just as dumbfounded, he never expected this.
"It's my dream to become a Dancer. I'm going to be taking dancing classes in New York. You better not laugh," Tea smirked.
Atem smiled and let out a chuckle before replying, "So this is why you're working here? Not even I would've guessed." Tea cocked her eyebrows. "Dancer huh? Not bad and here I thought you were just a bitch."
"So... you're okay?"
"Sure," Atem shrugged. "If this is why you're working here against school policies, then we won't tell. Besides, I'd hate for you to spoil my food again."
"Yeah, we won't tell!" Hanaski promised. "Right guys?"
"Na," Joey and Tristan shrugged.
"As long as you give us another order. You really did spoiled my dinner," Atem smirked.
"It's on the house," Tea promised as she cheerfully walked to her work station.
"That was sweet," Yugi said.
'Don't get too cozy!' Atem warned before Yugi rolled his eyes and snuggled in between his brother's arm and waist.
"I think you're starting to like her a bit," Yugi thought before Atem let out a sigh.
The boys started eating their burgers and fries. Tea watched the boys and smiled. 'Maybe Hanaski's right about them, maybe they're not so bad. Atem did seem nicer back there,' Tea thought. She continued her work and noticed another costumer. This one, however, seemed fishy. Tea felt some sort of chill down her spine. It gave her the feeling to not mess with this man.
"Welcome to Burger World!" Tea greeted.
The man with the three 7's on his forehead showed a smirk before grabbing Tea, covering her mouth, and pointing a gun to her head. She was muffling a scream, which gave other costumers attention and shares of gasps.
"Listen up! Make any noise and the bitch dies!" The man yelled.
Everyone made gasps. Yugi stared at the man and Tea in horror. Atem and the others were both shocked and scared at the same time. Hanaski was even more scared. He was watching his best friend being held at gunpoint. Atem kept a bold and brave look to show no fear.
"Hey, it's the escaped criminal from the News!" A random person shouted.
"SHUT UP!" The criminal shouted. Tea continued to make muffled sounds. "Make another sound and I'll shoot your guts off."
Tea was so scared and frightened. Atem and the others were scared themselves. They had no idea what to do. The criminal tied a blindfold to cover the girl's eyes.
"Here," The criminal chuckled while tying the blindfold. "People tend to become more frightened when blindfolded, so frightened that they're mute. After all, before executing a prisoner, they tend to blindfold them to keep them quiet. Speaking of which, did I mention I'm on Death Row?"
Tea was blindfolded and was even more frightened than usual. Atem could sense Yugi's fear and tried to calm the poor boy down. There was nothing either of them could do for right now. The criminal took a seat in one of the booths with Tea sitting next to him and a gun to her head.
"Now, who should I send to bring me my booze and cigarettes?" The criminal wondered before staring at Atem who seemed unfazed. "YOU!" Atem jumped a little before the criminal stared at the others. "EVERYONE ELSE DOWN EXCEPT THE TOUGH GUY WITH THE WEIRD HAIR!" Joey stared at Atem in fright. Hanaski was so scared, he was developing tears. Atem walked toward the work station to give the criminal what he wanted. With Tea at gunpoint, there was little Atem could do.
Tea was scared. The only thing she wanted to do was to go home. She just wanted to wake up from her bed and realize this was just another nightmare. Something then clicked. The guy this mad man was hiring to give him booze and cigarettes. Didn't he called for 'the tough guy with the weird hair'? One person came into her head, Atem Moto.
Footsteps were heard near the table from where the girl held hostage was at. She knew it had to be Atem. He was in trouble!
"Atem, is that you?" Tea asked. "Get the hell out!"
That did it, the criminal slapped Tea across the face. Atem gasped in horror before Yugi took over his body and finding any resistance. Yugi could not let his precious Tea being hassled around with anymore. It was time to give this guy a timeout. The criminal found the platter with his alcohol and cigarettes on the table. This boy he hired to do this task seemed different. There was anger, but a hint of innocents and timidness.
"Mind if I join along to play a game," Yugi asked brightly. Tea gasped, she knew this was Atem's voice, but this one was the one she heard of when he was with Hanaski. "Of coarse, the loser of the game loses his life."
"Hm, what game might this be per se?" The criminal smirked.
"It's a shadow game," Yugi replied before sitting himself on the booth across from the criminal. The criminal took his bottle of alcohol and poured it into his cup. "Here's how you play. Each of us must stay on the opposite sides of the table and can only interact with each other with one of our ten fingers. That finger you choose is the only one that can move. Which finger you use is up to you. So, which one will you choose?"
"Of coarse, my index finger. All I have to do is pull the trigger and send you straight to hell."
"Very well," Yugi agreed before sticking out his right thumb. "I'll use this one."
"You're right thumb huh?" The criminal smirked.
"Atem, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Tea asked in worry and frustration.
"SHUT UP BITCH!" The criminal shouted. "This is getting interesting."
Yugi grabbed the lighter from his pocket and shouted, "Let the game begin!"
"GO TO HELL!" The criminal shouted before Yugi showed the lighter.
"ATEM!" Tea screamed.
"I SAID SHUT UP!" The criminal shouted. "And now that I think about it, I haven't lit up my cigarette."
Yugi smirked and flipped the lighter on to light up the cigarette in the criminal's mouth. After it was lit up, Yugi placed the lighter on the criminal's hand that was pouring the alcohol into his cup. The criminal was so focused on killing Yugi that he forgot about his booze. He was now frantic. The alcohol was all over him.
"Here's your lighter, you can take it with you to hell," Yugi glared. "In this case, I don't need to give you a timeout!" He grabbed Tea's wrist and pulled her away from the outcome. Tea removed her blindfold and pushed Yugi against the wall.
"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING ATEM?" Tea screamed before the cigarette dropped from the criminal's mouth and was caught on fire.
"AH! FIRE!" A random person screamed. Tea gasped at what she saw. She stared at Atem, or whom she thought was Atem. Tea looked into the eyes of this boy. He was glaring at the sight, and then shook his head.
"Let's go," Yugi said before taking Tea away from Burger World. Before dragging the girl any farther, Yugi felt someone pull him from the back of his collar and drag him to an ally behind Burger World. "I'll be with ya in a sec!"
Tea cocked her eyebrows, unaware of what was taking place.
Yugi felt a firm grip slam him onto a brick wall and choking his neck. His eyes were gazing at the furry and anger of Atem's eyes.
"WHAT. THE. HELL. YUGI? WHAT THE HELL?" Atem yelled. "You can't just go out and kill people! What were you thinking?"
"He... was on... death row," Yugi chocked. "I... was just trying to... help."
"HELP! YOU CALL BEING A KILLER HELP! LEAVE THAT TO THE F*** POLICE YUGI! YOU CAN'T JUST TAKE JUSTICE INTO YOUR OWN HANDS!"
"Brother... I'm sorry."
"Don't sorry me, Yugi!" Atem yelled while throwing Yugi onto the ground. "And stop calling me 'Brother'! I have a name and his name is Atem, got that! Ugh! I should never have solved that stupid puzzle!"
"Br... I mean Atem," Yugi muttered with his lips quivering.
"Yugi, sometimes I wish you just disappeared. I don't need a pesky ghost in my life who f***s on my bed. I especially don't need a killer living inside me."
Yugi clutched onto his legs and tried his hardest to keep his tears from building up. He could feel Atem's hatred, it was the same he showed Tea. Atem hated Yugi. Hate was the very thing that was hurting Yugi more than he could handle. Atem's fists were shaking and his head was boiling hot red. Atem disappeared into his soul room to steam off. Yugi curled into a ball and started bawling off crying.
Meanwhile, Tea saw and couldn't believe her eyes. Atem, or what looked like Atem, was held three inches above the ground by some sort of invisible force. He was also shaking and crying? Since when did Atem cry? Was this even Atem? Tea walked slowly toward the trembling boy who was weeping in hot tears. The boy felt greatly ashamed.
"Atem... it's okay," Tea whispered before the boy looked up.
"I... I'm sorry I... Brother hates me," the boy muttered.
"Brother? What are you talking about, Atem?" Tea asked.
"I'm... I'm not Atem. He's my brother. My name is Yugi. Brother and I share a body and have been since he finished my puzzle," Yugi admitted. Tea gasped quietly and then felt Yugi's embrace and face buried in her chest. "He hates me!" A muffled Yugi cried. "He said he wished I disappeared." Tea narrowed her eyebrows before Yugi said, "he said... I shouldn't kill... I was only trying to help, I didn't mean to..."
"Yugi, can you let me talk to Atem?" Tea asked, looking furious.
"He's mad right now," Yugi replied after peeping his head from Tea's chest. "He's in his soul room. The only way to talk to him is to take my millennium puzzle from my neck."
Tea snatched the necklace from Yugi's neck and his expression chanced from a weeping kid to a furious teenager. Atem gasped when he saw Tea. As soon as she was sure this was the Atem she knew, she slapped him right across the face like an angry ex wife.
"HOW DARE YOU ATEM! HOW DARE YOU?" Tea yelled. "YOU SON OF A BITCH HOW DARE YOU?"
"What the hell Tea? I don't have time for..." Atem glared.
"DON'T GIVE ME THAT SHIT! YUGI SAVED ME FROM A MAD MAN WHO HELD ME AT GUNPOINT AND YOU JUST YELL AT HIM AND TELL HIM 'I WISH YOU JUST DISAPPEARED'? HOW DARE YOU?"
"I don't know how you found out about Yugi, but you keep out of our business!"
"NO! YOU STOP ACTING LIKE A PIECE OF SHIT!" Tea yelled before punching Atem right across the nose, giving him a nose bleed. "I knew you were an ass, but this is crossing the line! I was just going to thank you... him... whoever saved me from that bastard!" Tea's glare was so scary that even lions would shake. She crossed her arms and showed a smudgy face. "I came here and found Yugi on the ground crying. He said 'brother hates me' and all because you treated him like shit! I now know why you act differently toward Hanaski, it's because him and Yugi are always hanging around together. Yugi is probably the best thing you'll ever have, Atem. He loves you despite you being an asshole. If it were me, I'd hate your guts till kingdom come. In fact, you're the last person Yugi needs in his life. 'I wish you just disappeared.' You're bullshit!"
With that, Tea walked away with the millennium puzzle in her hand. She then felt someone snatch the puzzle from her hands. It was Atem, he narrowed his eyes and placed the puzzle around his neck and clutched onto the rope that held the item. Atem glared deeply at Tea and she gave one back.
"I'll go talk to him," Atem promised before walking passed Tea. She looked very mad indeed.
Atem walked home by himself. He didn't even bother having his friends join along. Today had been a rough day and he needed to talk to Yugi. Atem started thinking about his actions after the incident with the criminal on Death Row. 'Maybe Tea's right. I mean the guy was on Death Row. Yugi was only trying to help, even if it was frantic,' Atem thought. Guilt was building up in his gut. In fact, he was starting to feel the hurt and pain that Yugi was feeling at this moment. He was crying and bawling in his soul room. 'Did I really hurt Yugi that much?'
Atem walked through the doors. His mother noticed her son and asked, "Atem, is everything alright?"
"I'm fine. I just need to be in my room alone," Atem said.
"Why? What happened?"
"A criminal broke into Burger World and held one of my friends at gunpoint. She... almost got killed."
"Oh honey, are you alright?" Uka gasped in horror.
"I'm fine. I just need some time alone," Atem reassured before walking up the stairs and closed the door to his room. The place was quiet.
Atem dropped onto his bed with his arms behind his head. He sighed and said, "Yugi, come out!" Yugi seemed resistant. Atem sighed and shouted, "GET YOUR ASS IN HERE OR I'LL DRAG YOU OUT!" Yugi's spirit was out in an instant. There were tear stains in his eyes. His lips were quivering and new tears were developing. Atem scooted from his bed and pushed half the covers off. "Come here," Atem offered in a gentle voice. Yugi dragged his feet and curled beside Atem. The boy felt afraid to make any sudden movements. "I mean cuddle up." Yugi scooted on top of Atem with his head on Atem's chest. Atem brought Yugi closer and lifted his chine. Yugi looked into Atem's gentle eyes. "I'm sorry for yelling at you, okay. I don't hate you and don't ever think that."
"But you were mad and I felt hate in you," Yugi whimpered.
"It wasn't toward you, I swear," Atem promised while wiping Yugi's tears. A smile appeared on his face. "I don't have a reason to hate you. You're annoying, but I can live with that."
"If it wasn't me you hated, who did you hate?"
"That criminal," Atem admitted. He was telling the truth. "More than being angry, I was scared. I was scared of losing you."
Yugi nodded. He felt a great amount of fear inside Atem throughout the whole event. Yugi started building new tears, and then snuggled his face beside Atem's neck. Yugi's body was moving in twisted directions. Yugi cried and made weeping sounds against Atem's neck. Atem soothed Yugi with thoughts that usually comforted him. He kept crying and while weeping, his fingers intertwined with Atem's. Yugi wanted to feel Atem everywhere that needed him. Truth be told, Yugi NEEDED Atem.
"I love you," Yugi whispered. "I'm... sorry. I won't give another timeout as long as I..."
"Shhh," Atem shushed with his gentle voice. "Hush. I don't care about your 'timeouts.' If there is one thing I've learned, it's that there's a reason you came into my life. There's a reason I was chosen to hold you. Grandpa told me the puzzle was once held by a great pharaoh. I think there's a reason your soul rests in that puzzle. Your heart holds more innocents than Joey's sister."
"You... really think so?"
"I know so, Yugi," Atem promised with a soft smile. Their fingers were still intertwined and were brought next to their faces. "Yugi, we hold a strong bond: a connection." Their fingers twiddled and pushed against each other. Yugi felt a closeness to his brother that made him feel a strong sense of comfort. It was as if those fingers were strong arms around him. "I've always felt needy of you since the first day we met."
"Me too," Yugi admitted before feeling Atem's hands cupping the boy's face and brought it against his face.
"I still feel needy of you," Atem admitted. "More than I admit. I need you with me always. With you I... feel at ease. I can sense my inner peace. I don't ever feel alone anymore. I guess what I'm saying is that I can't live without you."
Yugi smiled, then held his brother's face while snuggling his face against Atem's hair. Atem responded by holding Yugi tightly by his waist. Atem said in his head, 'You're by brother, Yugi. You always have been whether we're related or not. I love you.'
"Say it aloud," Yugi said while turning his brother's head so their faces met.
"I love you," Atem said. "My pesky, trouble-making brother."