Author's Note: Hello again! I'm sorry this update took a while but I was actually working on the next three chapters at the same time trying to set up the story properly. Hopefully the next update won't take too long.
Thank you to those that reviewed and those that are following this story. I appreciate each and every one of you!
I hope you enjoy this chapter and you don't think it's too... Fluffy...
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters.
Chapter 3: Settling In
A few weeks had passed and the three members of the house had begun to find a new routine. Every morning the two younger men would wake up, get dressed and find that Solomon was already in the kitchen making them a hardy breakfast to get them through the day.
Today was no different and the two found him standing by the stove mixing a thick batter together before pouring out small circles onto a hot pan. The delicious smell of butter and batter filled the air.
Yugi picked up the paper that was already sitting on the table and glanced over the front page. He frowned as he read over one of the articles. "Grandpa I really think you should be taking this more seriously."
"I told you already Yugi," Solomon called over his shoulder from his spot at the kitchen stove. He flipped another pancake over and continued, "Those alarm systems are just a waste of money. We don't need one."
Yugi held up the paper and pointed to the article he was reading. "But what about all the store break-ins around the city?"
Solomon waved off his grandson. "There hasn't been one in close to a month now. It was probably just a bunch of teenagers acting out for attention and they got bored."
Domino City had been experiencing multiple break in's and vandalism to many store fronts and businesses. The reports indicated that very little, if anything was taken from the target stores, but the criminals left the stores in ruins.
The police were having a hard time finding possible suspects and lost all leads once the incidents stopped all together a few weeks back. They were still looking for clues but the importance of the story was soon fading away to memory.
The fact that the incidents stopped didn't worry Yugi any less. He was worried that they could start up again at any moment considering no one was found responsible. This left him to long arguments of trying to convince his grandfather to put in a security system, without any luck.
Yugi groaned at his grandfather's well known stubbornness. He glanced to his right where Atem was sitting, patiently waiting for his breakfast. "Atem, please tell him how ridiculous he's being!"
"I'd rather not get in the middle." Atem shook his head and sipped on his coffee as he watched the exchange. Sure he thought that the security system was a good idea but he also knew it wasn't his place to get involved. He was only a guest in this house and wouldn't do anything to give Solomon a reason to kick him out.
Yugi shot him a glare before he let out a little huff as his lips silently mouthed, "Traitor".
Atem only responded with an apologetic shrug of his shoulders.
He and Yugi were getting along much better since their last talk. Yugi slowly showed that he was becoming more comfortable with his old friend again and it didn't take long before they could sit together, talk, and joke around just like old times.
One of the things they talked about was Atem's willingness to abandon his ancient name. Yugi had brought up the topic a number of times but it took some convincing before Atem finally gave in.
XxXxX
"I mean we spent so long trying to figure out what your name was and who you were. Why do you want to just throw it away so easily?"
"I told you. I'm not that person anymore."
"Of course you are. 'Atem' is who you are. That's why it was such an important part of your destiny. It was about trying to figure out who you were."
XxXxX
It hadn't taken much convincing after that conversation for Atem to concede to the younger one. In truth, Atem was trying to rid himself of all the negative memories he and Yugi shared. One in particular was finding his name which became one of the key components to his departure.
In the end Yugi made valid points. He was Atem and there wasn't anything that could change that. Yami was a nickname given to the spirit that didn't know who they were or where they came from.
"Yugi I know you are concerned but let me worry about the shop." Solomon walked over from the stove carrying two plates stacked with fresh pancakes. He put one plate in front of Atem and the other in front of Yugi. The older man plucked the newspaper out of Yugi's hand and gave him a stern look. "You have enough on your own plate lately."
Solomon turned and grabbed his cup of coffee, which he considered his breakfast and made his way down to the shop to begin getting the shop ready for the day.
Atem finished chewing the bite of pancake in his mouth before asking, "Today is the proposal for the new article on that Trap Card strategy you created isn't it?"
"It is," Yugi poked around the cut up pieces of pancake nervously before continuing with, "I just hope Mr. Goroki likes it."
This presentation wasn't a normal part of Yugi's job. Since he was an entry-level researcher, his job consisted of looking over reports and completing simulations to see their validity. He would then have to complete a tedious report on what he found and hand it in to his bosses assistant that would cross check his findings.
The presentation that Atem was referring to was something Yugi had put together in his own free time. It was a new strategy he came up with and with some gentle encouraging from Atem, Yugi finally mustered up the courage to ask his boss for a private meeting to present the idea and his findings. Mr. Goroki had been excited at the prospect of hearing the proposal and scheduled Yugi in for an appointment.
"You've put so much thought into it. He's going to love it!" Atem reached over and put his hand on top of Yugi's and gave it a light squeeze.
A light blush crept over Yugi's pale cheeks at the contact. Over the last few weeks he was learning to let his guard down again against the once-Pharaoh. They both agreed that they would take things slow, considering how fragile the relationship between them was now, so nothing exceeded light touches, brief hand holding, and the occasional hug. Each and every time didn't fail to bring an adorable blush to pale cheeks and a playful smirk to a tanned face.
One thing that they both needed to pay extra caution to was where they were in proximity to the oldest member of the house. Yugi wasn't sure how his grandfather would take the news of his feeling for their new house guest but he didn't want to risk anything. He wanted to wait until he knew for sure what was going to happen between him and Atem before telling.
Atem didn't mind. He just wanted to make sure Yugi was comfortable.
"Thanks. I guess I'm just nervous is all," Yugi had officially abandoned his plate of half eaten pancakes, too nervous to eat anything else. "I'm still bad at this whole speaking in front of people thing."
"Just remember to breathe and you will be fine," Atem reminded him and pulled back his hand. He thought it was best not to fluster Yugi too much when he was already so nervous.
"That's strange," Yugi began as he stood from his spot at the table and gathered their breakfast dishes. "You sound just like this little voice I used to hear in my head right before my speeches in high school." He deposited them in the sink, leaned his lower back against the counter, and gave him a shy smile. "He always knew what to say to calm me down back then too."
Atem smirked from behind his coffee mug. "What a wise and handsome conscience you must have had, Partner."
"Now, now," Yugi shook a single finger in his direction. He had a hard time concealing the playfulness in his voice. "I never said anything about him being handsome." Yugi chuckled at the childish pout his comment brought to the normally regal face.
"Ouch," Atem held a hand up to his chest. "That hurts."
"You'll survive." Yugi laughed a little harder as he gathered up his papers and placed them in his backpack. "I better leave now or I'll be late."
"Before you go," Atem got up from his spot at the table and walked over the where Yugi was standing. "Just remember… I may not be here anymore," He brought up a single finger and gently tapped it against Yugi's temple before lowering his hand and pointing to where Atem's cartouche rested against his chest. "But I'm still with you."
"Th- Thanks."
Later that day Atem and Solomon were spending a slow Monday in the shop. In order to pass the time the two decided to have a friendly duel. Yugi had returned Atem's old duel monsters deck he used during the ceremonial battle to him shortly after they reconciled and Atem was enjoying getting to play the game for fun for a change.
Atem enjoyed getting to play the older man. He knew the game inside and out and put up a tough fight. Their duels were usually drawn out and always forced Atem to stay alert. The old man was tricky and had many years' worth of strategies at his disposal. Luckily, Atem was always up for a challenge. They were sitting across from each other at the glass counter in the shop.
"I must admit you have put up a tough fight, but the 'King of Games' needs some more practice." Solomon was smirking from behind his hand of brown cards. He picked out just the right monster needed to drop his opponent's life points to zero. He placed it down but when he looked up expecting to see a shocked expression he was met with calm and confidence.
"You under estimate me." Atem reached forward and flipped over a face-down magic card, effectively strengthening his own monsters attack and ridding the field of the attacking monster. "I believe that's the last of your life points."
Solomon stared at the field in front of him in disbelief. He rubbed the back of his head. "Well you got me. I'm losing my touch with my old age."
"Technically… I'm even older then you," Atem reminded him as he began to collect his cards, eliciting a chuckle from the older man.
"In that case you must just have more experience than I do."
The bell above the shop door sounded and they both turned their heads to see Yugi coming through the door.
"Hey guys," He made his way over to the glass counter. "Are you two dueling again?"
"The score is twelve to zero," Atem informed proudly.
"This time I almost beat him though," Solomon interjected before Yugi could congratulate Atem on another win. "One of these days it will happen."
"I would love to see that," Yugi muttered from his spot next to Atem. Solomon protested his grandson but Yugi only shrugged. "Sorry grandpa… but he is the 'King of Games' for a reason."
"Technically the world knows you to own that title," Atem disagreed. He and Yugi never could agree on who really had the right to the title. Atem usually won the argument considering the last time they dueled Yugi was the victor. "Maybe next time you and I can duel you for the crown."
"Uhm yeah maybe," Yugi shifted uncomfortably from his spot next to Atem before quickly walking past him and up the stairs. He called from the stairwell, "I'm going to start dinner."
Atem watched him go with a furrowed brow. He was about to follow after him before Solomon asked him to stay. Atem made a mental note to ask Yugi what that was about before giving Solomon his full attention.
"Before you go to help with dinner I'd like to have a word with you." Solomon could see the worried look on Atem's face and concluded that he must think he did something wrong. "Don't look so scared. It's nothing bad. Since you've become a member of this household you have put forth more than your fair share of contribution. You help out with the house chores and dedicate your days to the shop. Your contribution is appreciated," Solomon explained as he moved toward the register and pulled out a white envelope. He held it out to Atem. "In return for what you have done I would like to start paying you for the time that you spend in the shop working."
"I could never accept this." Atem's eyes widened and he put both hands in front of him, politely refusing the offer. "You let me live in your home. That's generous enough."
"Nonsense. It's not much but it's enough to have some spending money." Solomon waited patiently before holding it out closer to the other man. He stated firmly, "I won't take no for an answer."
"I don't know what to say." Atem wanted to refuse the offer but he knew from experience that it was no use. Once the old man made up his mind about something, that was it. He accepted the envelope and gave him a polite nod. "Thank you."
"And thank you for the help. I am getting on in years and its becoming harder to keep up with shop."
"I will do whatever I can to help," Atem offered.
"Good to know."
With that conversation behind, Atem was free to go upstairs to begin helping Yugi with the dinner while Solomon finished in the shop. This had become another part of the new routine the three members of the house fell into.
"Everything okay in the shop?" Yugi called from his spot at the stove without turning around. He was shaking some seasoning into a large, silver pot that was on the burner in front of him.
"Yeah." Atem walked over to stand beside Yugi. He showed him the envelope before folding it and placing it in his back pocket. "Your grandfather said that he wants to start paying me for helping him in the shop."
"Well it looks like the Almighty Pharaoh has himself his first real job." Yugi threw him a playful smirk before reaching past him for some chopped vegetables to add them to the pot. "How does that feel?"
"Being Pharaoh was a job thank you very much," Atem huffed as he crossed his arms. "It is strange though. The responsibility is just a bit different and I'm still trying to adjust to this whole thing."
"Yeah, looking after thousands of people verses thousands of dueling cards can take some adjusting to."
"Either way," Atem nudged Yugi's arm playfully earning a soft giggle from the smaller man. "I didn't have to cook back then and I don't have to worry about cooking now. Your cooking is just as amazing as the palace cooks I had in Egypt." Atem leaned closer to the pot to breathe in the rich smell of the dark broth and spices as they simmered. It looked like they were having a stew tonight. He hummed his content. "If not better."
"Now you are just exaggerating."
"Never."
To prove his point, Atem grabbed a clean spoon and dipped it into the pot with a small amount of the dark broth. He cooled it off with a small blow and brought it to his mouth. The savory flavor exploded across his taste buds. Yugi's cooking never ceased to amaze him. He glanced toward Yugi and licked his lips for extra emphasis. "Delicious."
After dinner Atem and Yugi found themselves in the living room alone. They sat next to each other on the brown couch, facing the television. Yugi was flipping through the channels until he came across a rerun of a tournament he once attended. He was explaining to Atem how, even though he didn't participate in the tournament, he still met some great duelists and how he still stays in contact with some of them.
The final duel was starting and one of the duelist began setting up for his strategy when the combination reminded him of something.
Atem turned to Yugi, excited to find out how today went. "I almost forgot! How was the presentation?"
Yugi looked down. "I… I didn't get to present the article."
"You didn't?" Atem looked concerned now. He placed his hand on Yugi's shoulder. "I hope you didn't back out of it."
"No! I'm not that much of a wimp." Yugi shrugged his hand away.
"I never... I'm sorry I didn't mean to insinuate," Atem apologized for the way he made it sound. He explained, "I just know how nervous you were about it."
"Well it doesn't matter anymore. I'm not going to be able to present it." Yugi tried to wave off the event like it didn't matter but Atem knew better. He could clearly see that Yugi was disappointed.
"What happened?" he asked softly.
"My boss decided to have an extended lunch and missed our appointment. When I went in to ask him if we could reschedule he just assigned me a new load of research to go through and said it was 'top priority' and that I shouldn't focus on anything else." Yugi gave a disappointing sigh and Atem was trying to decide if it was from the load of work he was assigned or if it was because he was unable to present his idea.
"But you worked so hard on that presentation! He can't just disregard you like that!"
"He kind of can," Yugi shrugged. "He is the one in charge and the one that signs my paychecks."
"That doesn't make it right," Atem reminded him.
"I know… I can always try to submit it after I finish with the new work he's given me." Yugi looked to Atem to see giving him a pointed look. "Stop looking at me like that!"
"I just don't understand why you are giving up so soon."
"I'm not giving up. I just need to wait for the right time. I've told you how Mr. Goroki is. He is so flakey sometimes… Do you know why he took the long lunch? Because his precious Sora was having a bad hair day and she needed to be taken to the groomers." Yugi had mentioned before that his boss didn't go anywhere without his beloved pet dog. The dog was friendly enough but the amount of fuss over the pet was annoying.
"What a professional," Atem said as he rolled his eyes. From what Yugi has told him in the past, Oliver Goroki isn't very professional. From what he can tell, Yugi's boss would rather fawn over his beloved pet then pay attention to his new company.
"I know but it's a job and the work can be really interesting. It was either this or accept the job offer from Kaiba Corp."
Not long after Yugi graduated, Kaiba had offered a job to Yugi as a Duel-Tech tester. The job seemed great but the management...
"On second thought," Atem shuddered at the thought of having to answer to the demanding and rude attitude of Seto Kaiba. "I think you made the right decision."
Yugi laughed, knowing exactly what Atem was thinking about. "I just have to work my way up. I've only been working there for a few months. It's going to take some time to be taken seriously."
"If you insist."
"I do. That's just how things work nowadays. And speaking of work," Yugi stood up and walked over to his backpack, pulling out a stack of tan folders at least four inches thick. "I should probably get a head start on these assignments he gave me. I have a lot of test strategies to read up on and test out. If I don't buckle down on this assignment I might be working on it for weeks." Yugi twisted his mouth, thinking about the hours of reports he would eventually be stuck writing. The testing of the strategies is what he liked. The reports he would have to write… not so much.
"Would you like some help? I can always help test them out."
Yugi shook his head, "Thanks but I think I can manage for now." For tonight he decided to begin reading though them to weed out the good from the obvious failures.
"Okay. Goodnight then."
"Goodnight."
Yugi ended up spending most of the upcoming days retiring early to his room to work on these new assignments. Most of them turned out to be duds but Yugi needed to write reports on why they wouldn't work out in a real duel. These reports turned out to be time consuming and redundant.
Atem had tried to convince Yugi to take a break from them but Yugi insisted that as soon as he finished this assignment then he would be able to bring up his own article he wrote. That was almost two weeks ago. Atem tried his best to support Yugi and couldn't wait for the upcoming weekend when the two would actually have some time to spend together. Yugi promised that even if he hadn't finished he would make some time so the two could do something fun.
Friday seemed like it took forever to come but the day had now come and gone. Yugi had called earlier to say he would be home late. He was so close to finishing the pile of assignments that he just wanted to finish them before the weekend and get it over with.
Atem couldn't argue since he wanted this weight off of his companion's shoulders just as much as the man working on them.
He sat on the couch reading a book on dueling strategies that Yugi had lent him. This particular book centered on strategies that involved magic card combinations.
After taking a mental note of a particularly interesting combination, Atem glanced up at the clock on the wall that read a quarter to nine. He sighed, hoping Yugi would be home soon.
He turned his attention back to the book in his hands but his attention wasn't really their anymore. This week he had barely seen Yugi and he couldn't wait to spend the weekend with him. Instead of reading the book he instead thought of what he and Yugi might do this weekend.
Atem was broken from his thoughts by the sound of the front door opening and closing, followed by a soft click as it was locked. He could hear the sound of Yugi kicking off his shoes and dropping his backpack.
Atem craned his neck over his shoulder to look at the doorway in anticipation of Yugi's presence. He smiled in preparation to greet him but it turned into a frown when he saw just how fatigued Yugi looked. His shoulders were slumped and he held a hand up to his mouth as he let out a yawn.
"You looked exhausted, Partner."
"I feel it too." Yugi let out another yawn.
Yugi walked over to the back of the living room couch and used his hands to support himself while he hung his head. "It felt like this week was never going to end."
"Well it's over now." Atem patted the seat cushion next to him before continuing with, "Come relax now."
Yugi nodded but instead of walking around the couch to take a seat, he lazily turned and rolled over the back of the couch. He landed on his back with a soft thud, his head resting in Atem's lap and his arms resting at his sides. His eyes were closed and his head was tilted slightly away from Atem.
Atem beamed. Moments like this truly made his heart sore. When he had first come back he was so afraid that Yugi would cast him away for good. Now his hopes of rekindling their relationship to its former glory was slowly becoming a reality before his eyes. With each day Atem could see Yugi's apprehension reducing and they were becoming comfortable around each other again. Soon Yugi's trust in Atem would be restored and they would be able to talk about having the relationship they both hoped for all those years ago.
With his book long forgotten, Atem set it on the table beside the couch and placed one hand on Yugi's chest and gently patted it. "That bad, huh?"
"You have no idea…" Yugi groaned before looking up to Atem. "Do you know how many times I've typed out the phrase, 'Strategy incomplete' or 'Strategy Incompatible with Dueling Deck'?"
When Yugi looked up to Atem, he could see how red and irritated his eyes were. "Sounds like whoever is coming up with these needs to think things through a little better."
Yugi scrunched up his eyes tightly. "I swear these people must have never dueled a day in their lives. Out of all those assignments not one worked out in a test run. And I triple checked them just to be sure…" Yugi rubbed his forehead with a look of pain.
"Are you hurting?", Atem said, his brow furrowing in concern.
Yugi nodded. "My head hurts from looking at the simulation computer all week."
Without a word Atem reached up with his hand closest to Yugi's head and entangled his fingers in his soft, spiky hair. He began to run his fingers delicately through the multi-colored locks in small circles. Atem watched as Yugi's face began to relax and a soft moan escaped his pink lips. Atem eyes wandered over the soft feature of the man in his care. His eyes stopped at those pink lips, parted slightly, letting out soft sounds of pleasure from the strokes Atem was applying to his aching head.
Memories of the one moment they shared together crept into his mind. Back then he had been nothing more than a spirit. The kiss they shared had barely been tangible yet it made his head spin. He wondered what it would feel like to kiss those lips now that he really existed. How he would caress that soft blushed cheek as he brought their faces closer together to…
Atem inhaled deeply as he shook away such thoughts. He couldn't be thinking things like this so soon. He and Yugi weren't there yet and… Yugi's head was in his lap. If he let his mind wander any further he could easily scare him away.
Atem forced himself back into reality and asked, "How does that feel?"
"Amazing…" Yugi continued to enjoy the massage he was receiving. The week had been so tedious and aggravating that he was thankful to be able to come home to Atem. He was trying his best to let his walls down again and everyday he got to spend with Atem reminded him exactly why. This man always made him feel safe and loved.
"Good." Atem smiled; happy he could make Yugi feel better. "Now with that pesky assignment behind you, you can focus on this weekend now."
Yugi opened one eye, glancing up at Atem curiously. "What's this weekend?"
Atem's smile faltered slightly and his hand that had been running through Yugi's hair paused. "Don't you remember? You said we would do something fun…" Atem began to smooth out the displaced locks while he continued with, "If you are too tired I understand."
Yugi shook his head and sat up. He stretched while letting out another yawn. "No I'll be fine. I just need a good night's sleep." He turned to Atem and asked, "Is there anything that you would like to do?"
Atem wished he could bring Yugi back into his lap but knew their moment was past. He gave a small shrug. "I'll let you decide. You're more familiar with what there is to do around here."
Yugi closed his eyes and leaned his back against the couch, resting his head back. "I'll think of something in the morning. My brain is fried right now."
"In that case," Atem pointed toward the kitchen, "How about we get you fed and off to bed?"
"Do I have to move?", Yugi grumbled.
"Considering this is my bed," Atem smiled sadly as Yugi opened his eyes and glanced in his direction. "Yes, I'm afraid so."
"Fine…" Yugi groaned a little as he sat up and began to stand. "Even though I'm sure the both of us could've fit."
"In that case…" Atem gently grasped Yugi's wrist trying to pull him back to the couch. If Yugi wanted to sleep by his side, who was he to deny him? They would have to cuddle up close to each other to fit and the thought brought a pleasant smile to Atem's face. "I can always make some room for you."
"No, no." Yugi took Atem's hand and gently released his wrist. Yugi turned and made his way to the kitchen. "It's your bed. I would hate to invade your space."
"But…", Atem began but he could see the playful look in Yugi's tired eyes as he glanced back at him over his shoulder. Atem gasped, realizing Yugi had teased him with that thought on purpose. He crossed his arms and mocked his annoyance, "You can be such a tease, Partner."
Atem could here Yugi's soft snicker from the kitchen as he opened the refrigerator in search of his dinner.
The next morning Atem decided to let Yugi sleep in for as long as he wanted to. Normally on Saturday's Solomon would give Atem the day to himself. Most weeks he would still help out if Yugi was busy but today he didn't have the option. Since Yugi is still asleep, Atem didn't have any clothes to change into, so he was stuck in his night clothes until Yugi woke up.
Unfortunately, today Atem had spilled a good amount of his morning coffee on the light blue shirt he had used the night before. He decided it was best to rinse the stain and hang the shirt to dry before the stain set in. This left him wearing nothing more than navy blue, cotton shorts.
Atem had cleaned up his bed and was now sitting on the couch reading the book he had abandoned yesterday. He was almost finished with it when he heard movement from upstairs. He grinned, realizing that Yugi was finally awake.
Atem stood and made his way to the kitchen to warm up the plate of breakfast Solomon had set aside for Yugi. He placed the plate of eggs and bacon in the microwave and pressed a few buttons.
Atem turned around and see's Yugi shuffling into the kitchen, still in his plaid pajama bottoms and white tank top. Yugi's eyes were barely open as he turned his chair to the side and sat down in it. His voice was still rough from sleep when he spoke. "Good morning..."
Atem glanced at the clock, "Well I wouldn't exactly call twelve thirty 'morning'."
Yugi brought his hands up to his eyes and rubs the rest of the sleep from them and looked toward the digital clock above the stove. He furrowed his brow realizing that Atem is right. He had slept well past noon. "Oh… Sorry I didn't mea-"
Yugi's next words got caught in his throat when his eyes shift to Atem. He was standing with his hands resting on the counter behind him, leaning back slightly causing his tanned skin to stretch over his trained muscles. Yugi let his eyes wander over his broad shoulders to his defined chest and then down to his flat stomach and hips.
Atem smirked, realizing Yugi was admiring the view before him. After a few moments of letting Yugi's eyes wander, Atem pushed himself off the counter and strode over to Yugi. Yugi's eyes were following him closely the entire time. He bent over slightly so he was face-to-face with Yugi and could hear his breath hitch. Atem reaches up with a single finger and presses it under Yugi's chin, closing his jaw that had been hanging open.
Atem tilts his head to the side and raises a single eye brow. "See something you like?", he asks.
Yugi blinked a few times before he let out a soft yelp, realizing Atem had caught him admiring him. He jumped back in his chair a little too hard, tilting the chair back too far. The chair would have fallen, landing Yugi on his back if it wasn't for Atem's quick reflexes. Atem rushed forward and grabbed the back of the chair with both of his hands, steadying it and bringing it forward again.
Yugi's breath quickened as he was about to fall and he reached forward to grab onto something to steady himself. His hands reach out and his arms wrapped around Atem's waist. When Yugi realized that he wasn't falling anymore he opens his eyes slowly, taking the situation around him. The side of his face was firmly pressed against Atem's chest. He could hear the steady, fast pounding of Atem's heart that was beating almost as wildly as his own. His face burned at the warm contact of Atem's chest against his cheek.
Yugi's breathing ceased as he slowly lifted his head and tilted it up to lock his eyes with an almost identical, mauve pair.
"That was close…" Atem whispered, his breath tickling across Yugi's face.
Yugi's sleep fogged mind slowly began processing the situation. Atem was leaning across him, his bare arms on either side of his head still holding on to the back of the chair. Yugi's arms were still tightly wrapped around Atem. The bare skin on Yugi's arms tingled as his senses sharpened and he became aware of the warm, skin on Atem's back. His grip softened his palms flattened against his back, feeling the hard muscles.
Atem looked down at Yugi, with his eyes wide and his deep red blush that spread all the way to his ears. Their faces were so close that it would take barely any movement for their lips to touch. Yugi's grip on him made his skin burn, and when Yugi shifted his hands across his back, his touch made Atem yearn with even more desire. He wanted to pull him closer, wanted to feel Yugi's soft touch run over even more of his skin.
It took what little common sense Atem had let to hesitantly release his grip from the chair and stand up tall. Yugi's arms gently slipped away from around his sides causing a shiver to go through Atem at the light touch. He could hear Yugi take a deep breath, probably from holding his breath for so long.
Yugi gulped and his eyes continued to follow Atem as he turned around to retrieve the plate of food from the microwave. Atem placed it in front of Yugi but he didn't seem to notice.
Yugi couldn't take his eyes off of Atem. He was still stuck in his stupor of the moment they shared. All these feelings felt so new yet so wonderful. He was having a hard time processing them. Yugi's heart was still pounding in his ears so he almost didn't hear Atem when he spoke.
"Hmm…?" Yugi's mind cleared a bit more so he could finally understand.
"I asked if you were okay." Atem said as he pulled out the chair next to Yugi and sat down. The kitchen table was small so each side only had one chair. He furrowed his brow in concern, wondering if he had overstepped his boundaries with Yugi.
"Y-Yeah… I just…" He gulped as he turned to look toward Atem. "You took me a little off guard…"
Atem's look of confusion showed Yugi he didn't understand what he meant. Yugi gestured toward his bare chest, as he picked up the fork in front of him and began pushing the food around on his plate.
"Oh… I'm sorry. I didn't realize..." Atem looked away. "I spilled some coffee on my shirt so I took it off. I didn't realize it would make you uncomfortable…"
"I'm not uncomfortable!" Yugi said and dropped the fork. Atem turned his attention back to Yugi from his outburst. "It's just… I'm still not fully used to seeing you with your own body… let alone with no shirt on…" Yugi's voice trailed off.
"Oh…" Atem smiled, relieved that he hadn't made Yugi uncomfortable. He tried lighten the situation. "So... You did like what you saw?"
After a moment, Yugi brought his eyes up. He smiled but his nervousness was evident on his face. "Well yeah… I mean… It's just... You're so attractive…"
"Don't be so embarrassed. I'm flattered." Atem's grin broadened a little more at the compliment. "But I'll try to be more careful next time. I would have put a shirt on if I had one."
"It's not your fault…" Yugi perked up a bit when he thought of an idea. "Hey I have the perfect idea for the day! Let's go to the mall and get you your own clothes."
"We don't have to spend our day off shopping." Atem frowned at the thought of having to spend the day searching for clothes. Even as a Pharaoh he dreaded the days of fittings for his royal outfits. "I don't mind sharing. It reminds me of how it used to be."
"I don't mind sharing either but I do think it's about time you have something that's your own. The only thing you have in this time that is yours is that old Pharaoh outfit and that's a bit outdated." Yugi stood and brought the plate of uneaten food to the sink. "If you are serious about staying in this time a new wardrobe would be a great start to establishing your own life here."
Atem's eyebrows shot up at Yugi's words. "Of course I'm serious about staying. You still don't believe me?"
Yugi paused. His back was still turned to Atem. He bit his bottom lip at his poor choice of words. After a few moments of silence, Atem spoke again, realizing what he feared was true. Yugi full trust wasn't restored yet.
"Yugi…" His voice was soft when he spoke. "If you still have doubts I would like us to talk about them. That's the only way we are going to be able to fix this."
"You're right…" Yugi took a deep breath and turned around. He motioned for Atem to follow him and they both sat down on the couch, some distance between them. Yugi fidgeted with his hands, revealing his nervousness. "The truth is… I'm just so afraid that I'll lose you again. You don't understand what it was like when you left."
"I would if you would just talk to me about it." Atem gently reminded him. Yugi had told him he had a hard time when he left but never dived any further into how it affected him.
"I told you it's just too hard." Yugi shook his head. "I don't like to think about it."
"I'm sorry to bring it up again. I just don't like us having secrets." Atem said those words and then twisted his mouth, remembering his own secret.
"Neither do I…" Yugi looked toward Atem and could see the hurt in his eyes even though he was trying to hide it. He knew that Atem blamed himself for everything but in reality it was something neither could control, but it didn't make it hurt any less.
He was trying his best. He felt a tinge of guilt for making Atem wait, even though Atem insisted he should take as much time as he needed. Yugi scooted closer to Atem and bravely took his hand in his own. "Look, I'm working on it, I promise. Since you've first come back I've had a much easier time letting you back in. We've been getting along so well and it's been great."
"But you still can't fully trust me not to leave again."
"I want to so badly…" Yugi squeezed Atem's hand and focused on it as he continued softy. "I may not have shown it at first but I really am unbelievably happy that you decided to come back. But every time I think of you coming back I remember what happened when you left and… It just scares me so much."
Atem nodded, understanding Yugi's trepidation. "I wish I had chosen to stay back then. Our bond wouldn't be so strained right now if I had just stayed."
"No I'm glad you left back then." Atem quickly turned his head to Yugi, his eyes wide in surprise. Yugi gave him a sincere smile as he explained. "Yes it was incredibly hard to watch you leave but you were right. We would've never been able to be truly happy with you trapped in the puzzle. Eventually I would have realized what I had stolen from you by keeping you from moving on. You deserved to be happy and I was just being selfish back then. Plus… If you had stayed in the puzzle you wouldn't have a body of your own now and we wouldn't have a chance at a real relationship now."
"So…" Atem grinned brightly at Yugi's words. "We still have a chance at a real relationship?"
Yugi nodded and brought Atem into a hug. He rested his cheek on Atem's bare shoulder, completely forgetting about the uneasy moment they shared moments ago. "Of course we do. My feelings for you haven't changed. This is just something I have to work through before we can move forward, like we agreed."
Atem returned the embrace and rested his face against Yugi's bed tousled hair. He thought for a moment if he should tell Yugi his secret. If he told Yugi that he couldn't return to the Afterlife maybe they would be able to move forward faster. Yugi could forget about the fear of him leaving again but that wasn't the only reason he kept the secret. He also wanted to make sure that Yugi's faith and trust was fully restored. He needed to make sure that their bond was strong and not consequential.
As a result, Atem decided it was best to continue down the path they were going. They had come so far already and he knew before no time they would be back to how things used to be. He just needed to be supportive and help Yugi through his reservations. He needed to let the relationship fall into place on its own. "And you know how I feel about you. I'll do anything I can to earn your trust again."
"Just be patient. Every day that we get to spend together I can feel my fears going farther and farther away." Yugi pulled away only enough to look up at Atem's face. His smile as sincere as the words he was saying. "One day they'll be gone, I know it… I just need a little more time."
"Take all the time you need." Atem mirrored his smile and brushed away a few pieces of stray blonde hairs from Yugi's face. "After all I will still be here. Like I told you before, I'm not going anywhere."
And with those words, Atem was sure he could see Yugi's shoulders relax just a little more.
Later that day Atem and Yugi made their way to the mall as promised. It didn't go as smoothly as Yugi had thought it would have. Atem's fashion sense was a little outdated but with some prompting and suggesting, Yugi guided Atem toward clothing that would help him fit in during this time period.
It wasn't a surprise that Atem turned out to fit into clothing that was a size larger then Yugi's more comfortably. Yugi was relieved because, even though he would never mention it to his other half, Atem had stretched some of his favorite pieces of clothing.
After browsing a couple of stores and trying numerous outfits, Atem began to relax and actually enjoy it. Once, Yugi even gave Atem an outfit that was very outrageous, didn't match, and was rather vibrant. He couldn't hold back his laughter when Atem stepped out of the dressing room but he soon joined in when he saw just how ridiculous he looked in the mirror.
Atem decided on what he liked and made his purchases. He bought some warm clothing for the cold weather coming, shoes, a jacket, and even some simple jewelry that reminded him of his days in Egypt. He really did miss his old attire but he enjoyed this new wardrobe. Yugi was helping him carry his bags as they made their way through the mall, talking about where they would like to grab a bite to eat.
Atem and Yugi could see the food court in view when Yugi noticed a familiar head of messy, blonde hair pushing past the crowd of people. "Yug!" He called, getting angry looks from those he bumped into. Tristan was following closely behind, shooting apologetic looks to those Joey almost knocked over.
Yugi stiffened as he panicked from seeing Joey. He glanced from side to side quickly before, not so gently, pushing Atem into a store they were near, hiding him just in time as Joey finally made his way in front of him. Atem made sure to hide himself but stay close enough to so that he could see what was happening.
"Yug! I knew that was your spiky head I saw!" The loud, Brooklyn accented voice of his friend caused Yugi to flinch. Joey grinned as he rubbed his fist roughly in Yugi's hair.
Yugi dropped a couple of the bags at Joey's friendly, yet rough assault. "Hey Joey. Wh-What are you doing here?"
Joey motioned toward his brunette friend, "Tristan here was trying to get the cute girl from one of the food stands to go on a date with him."
"Oh…" Yugi turned his attention to Tristan, who looked less then enthused about the situation. "Didn't go well?" he asked.
"No-"
Tristan was cut off by Joey, "It would have gone better if he stopped staring at the company symbol on her shirt… If you know what I mean." Joey laughed and nudged Yugi with his elbow.
"I was not staring!" Tristan denied, but the blush on his cheek betrayed him. "Besides who are you to talk?! Every time you saw Mai you were practically drooling!"
"Yeah but the difference is I had the decency to wait until after we were together to admire the packaging. Like a real gentleman."
"Oh yeah you're a modern day Romeo alright…" Tristan mumbled, crossing his arms.
Joey just rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to Yugi. "Out shopping? I thought you said you were too busy to go out?" Joey asked.
Yugi stuttered a little before looking down at the bags in his hands and at the ones at his feet. He knelt down to collect them and mumbled, "I was but I finished my assignments early so I decided to ummm…. Get some errands done."
Joey eyed him suspiciously. "Ya should have called then. We never get to see ya anymore but Tristan can get shot down any day."
"Why you!" Tristan called before securing Joey in a head lock. Joey let out a choking sound before he could finally get Tristan to let go.
"Try that again I dare you!"
"Say something like that again and I will!"
Yugi laughed, seeing his friends interact in the 'friendly' way only these two could. "Alright guys no need to fight." Yugi stepped between the taller men and they each shot one more glare before dropping the subject.
"Hey Yugi, did you want to do hang out now?" Tristan asked. "We were going to head over to 'Burger World' for a bite. We know it's your favorite."
"Uhm I would love to but I should probably get back to Grandpa and the shop." Yugi lied.
"You sure, Yug? You deserve a break." Tristan gave him a worried look. Yugi knew the two worried about him but he tried his best to reassure them.
"I'm sure. We'll hang out soon. I promise." Yugi gave them the most sincere smile they could.
Tristan and Joey shot each other a look before shrugging. They seemed to believe him. "Okay. If you change your mind ya know where to find us."
"Thanks." Yugi waved them off and once they were out of site, turned and walked into the store he pushed Atem into earlier.
He found him quickly since he stayed close to the entrance to eavesdrop on the conversation. He was laughing, "Those two really haven't changed much, have they?"
"Not in the slightest." Yugi smiled, relieved Atem wasn't mad for shoving him.
Once Atem recovered from his laughing fit he asked, "Is it true Joey and Mai are in a relationship?"
"Yeah. Mai and Joey both started working at the Duel Monster Academy. It didn't take long for them to get together after that."
"I'm happy for them. They always shared something special."
"I thought the same thing." Yugi gave him a shy smile before walking over to a display of t-shirts and poking at the different fabrics, hoping to avoid the inevitable conversation they were about to share.
Atem walked up next to him and his voice was calm when he spoke, "Not that I don't enjoy being roughly thrown into random stores but… You are going to have to tell them I'm here eventually."
"I know and I will... I'm just afraid of how they're going to react. They can be a bit dramatic."
"I'm well aware but you won't be able to avoid it forever. It's me they are upset with." Atem reminded him. "However they react, I will just have to deal with it. I don't want to come between you and your friends."
Yugi twisted his mouth. He knew Atem was right. "Even in your own body, you're still that nagging, little voice in the back of my head."
Atem grinned and laughed. "And some things will never change."
Now that Atem had his own clothes, he needed a place to keep them. Solomon suggested that he could have the closet that was in the living room to store his new belongings. Since it was full, Yugi offered to help him clean it out the next day.
The next morning the two were in the middle of cleaning it out when Solomon announced he was going to spend the day with a friend. Yugi and Atem waved him off and continued with their task.
Since Yugi had the day off he was dressed more casually then usual. He had on a simple, gray long sleeve shirt and a pair of jeans. Atem was wearing one of the new outfits he picked out with the help of Yugi. He had on a pair of black pants and a dark blue tee that clung to him perfectly. He also had on a pair of thick silver bands on his wrists and a pair of simple, small, silver earrings to complete the outfit.
Yugi had left to bring some jackets upstairs to hang them in his and his grandfather's closets and Atem began pulling boxes out from the bottom of the closet.
He glanced at the contents and one in particular caught his eye. Sticking out of one of the tattered, cardboard boxes was a dusty, leather bound photo album with a picture of Yugi and his friends on the front. Atem pulled out the book and ran a hand over it to rid it of the thick layer of dust.
Atem sat down on the floor, set the book in his lap, and began flipping through the pages. He smiled nostalgically as he browsed through the picture, remembering most of the moments they captured. The pictures contained the happy moments Yugi, Tristan, Tea, Joey and many of Yugi's other friends had shared.
"What's that?" Yugi asked from over Atem's shoulder, startling him a little.
"It's a photo album I found. I hope you don't mind…"
Yugi came around and sat down next to Atem. "No I don't mind." Yugi pulled it over into his own lap and frowned a little.
"Is something wrong?"
"Oh no… Its just… Téa made this for me."
"Oh? I don't remember ever seeing it before."
Yugi shift uncomfortably as he turned a page. "That's because she made it after you left. She thought it would cheer me up."
"That was nice of her." Atem turned and looked at more of the pictures as Yugi flipped through the pages. "These are some of my favorite memories too."
Yugi nodded. "Remember this?" He pointed to a picture of Yugi, Joey, Tristan, and Duke posing and smiling in front of a lake. They all had their arms rapped around each others shoulders.
"I do! It wasn't long after the oricalos incident. We were taking some time off to relax in that forest." Atem paused before continuing with, "I clearly remember Rebecca hanging all over you."
Yugi shuddered at the memory. "Yeah… That was… Uncomfortable."
"Was it darling?" Atem teased, remembering all nicknames Rebecca used to call Yugi.
"Yes." Yugi stated firmly. "She was way too young for me anyway."
"That's all?"
"Well… I also had someone else on my mind at the time."
"Whoever could that have been?" Yugi gave him a look causing Atem to chuckle. He turned his attention back to the photo. "You look so happy."
"I was. I was just glad we were back together."
"As was I. It felt nice to have our souls next to each other."
Yugi pointed to another picture. "This is a picture of you."
Atem looked at it carefully. It was a picture of Yugi getting ready for a friendly duel against Joey. He knew Yugi meant it was a picture of him while he was in control but was unsure how Yugi could tell. "It is? How can you tell?"
Yugi shrugged. "I just can. Whenever you were in control you made me look different… It was the way you presented yourself, always with more confidence."
Atem squinted his eyes a little trying to see what he meant. Yugi did look like he was standing a little taller and his face more serious. "I think I can see."
Yugi frowned at the thought of all the memories they shared but Atem never truly got to be apart of any of them. He was always the shadow behind Yugi.
Catching an idea, Yugi passed the book back to Atem and pulled the box closer to him. Atem gave him a questioning look as he searched through the box with a specific item in mind.
"Yes!" Yugi called as he pulled out a small, square device and pointed it toward Atem. "Smile!"
Atem didn't understand what was happening so when the flash went off his eyes went wide.
The small camera began printing a small photo.
Atem blinked a couple of times and rubbed the small spots out of his eyes. "Yugi, what was that?"
"A camera." He held it up a little so Atem could see. "I was just thinking about how we have all these memories but we don't have any of you to show for it. I wanted to change that."
"Oh." Atem nodded, understanding now. "That's the picture?" Atem pointed to the small paper Yugi was waving back and forth lightly.
"Yup! It just takes a minute to develop." After a moment, Yugi looked at it and let out a laugh. "You aren't very photogenic, Other Me."
Atem took the picture from him and couldn't help but laugh at the look on his own face. His eyes were wide and his mouth hung open dumbly. "Well if you had warned me it would have been better."
Yugi continued to laugh as he held up the camera up again, this time pointing it at the both of them.
After Yugi and Atem finished cleaning out the closet and putting away all of Atem's new clothes Yugi decided they should do something fun to relax.
They two decided on a video game. Atem was up for the challenge of learning how to use this new piece of technology. After Yugi explained the basic functions of the remote controller and what buttons he should press to do what, they began to play. They sat down next to each other on the floor in front of the television with the coffee table behind them.
The game they decided on was a simple sparring game. Yugi won the first few rounds but Atem picked up on what to do rather quickly.
"Hey," Yugi huffed as his character was kicked to the side again. "You aren't supposed to be this good yet! You only just learned!"
"What can I say," Atem began as he successfully defeated Yugi's character and the words 'Winner' flashed over his character. "I'm a quick study, Partner."
Yugi pouted slightly, determined to beat Atem and pressed 'play again'. Both of the characters on the screen had their power restored the two started pressing buttons again. Atem took the lead again and Yugi was not happy about this.
"Come on! Let me get a jab in!" Without taking his eyes off the screen Yugi reached out and poked Atem in the side a few times, but stopped when he squirmed and let out an uncharacteristic, high-pitched squeak.
Both men stopped and slowly turned toward each other, the game forgotten.
"Atem," Yugi said carefully, raising an eyebrow. "Are you… Ticklish?"
"No." Atem stated firmly in a quiet voice, trying to sound as convincing as possible.
Yugi smiled, not believing him for a minute. His voice may have been firm but his nervous eyes gave away his fib. "I think you are lying." Yugi shifted a little closer to Atem.
"No I'm not!" Atem denied, inching away from Yugi and his devious grin. He knew exactly what was on the smaller ones mind.
Not a moment later Yugi jumped and before Atem could get away, Yugi was attacking his sides. Atem let out a loud roar of laughter as Yugi's fingers ran up and down his side, pinning him on his back. He was having a hard time holding on to Yugi's slim wrists while he was squirming from the tickling sensation running through him body.
As Atem begged the younger one to stop he only received a chuckle from above as Yugi continued. Finally Atem was able to squirm away from Yugi just enough to twist his body so he was laying on top of Yugi. Atem straddled Yugi's hips and pinned his wrists above his head.
All laughter ceased and now the only thing the two could hear was their heavy breathing. Yugi's eyes widened at the position they found themselves in.
Atem noticed and released Yugi's wrist resting his hands flat against the floor near Yugi's head.
Yugi brought his hands up and rested them firmly on Atem's shoulders, steadying himself.
"Atem?"
"Yeah?"
Yugi didn't respond. He was too busy staring up into the intense gaze in Atem's eyes. They just kept finding themselves in these close situations. Each time it became harder for them to pull away.
Atem was sure if Yugi wasn't flushed from tickling him, he'd have blushed by now. He wondered for a moment is he should pull away but then he felt Yugi's grip on his shoulders tighten, as if he was making sure he wouldn't float away.
He studied the smaller ones face, searching for any reason for him to stop what was happening. His eyes were wide and his breathing was heavy, not in shock but more like in… anticipation.
Atem searched, but found no reason to stop. He decided now was as good as any to take his chance. Very slowly he began lowering his face closer to Yugi's and he felt no resistance. Yugi released his grip on Atem's shoulders and instead began to snake his slim arms around his neck. Atem dropped onto his forearms and their chests connected.
Atem saw Yugi close his eyes as his face was just inches away and heard his sharp intake of breath. He closed his eyes and just barely brushed his lips against Yugi's slightly parted, silky pair.
When their lips met, Atem relished in the sensation as adrenaline shot through his system. He let out a soft moan and wanted to press them down harder but he forced himself to pull away just far enough to gauge Yugi's reaction.
He could feel Yugi grasp the back of his shirt a bit tighter as he pulled away, as if he is trying to keep him close. Yugi was breathing through his slightly parted lips and his chest heaved up against his own.
Yugi's arms tightened, pulling Atem closer. Atem realized Yugi was trying to urge him on and he granted him his wish. Atem covered his soft lips again, this time with a little more force and it was Yugi's turn to let out a muffled moan.
Atem smiled against his lips, and continued. He felt one of Yugi's hand move up and his fingers running though his hair as he pressed Atem's head even closer to his own.
Atem was swallowed up in the sensations, wanting even more of the man underneath him. He parted his lips slightly and ran his tongue delicately across the others bottom lip, asking to be granted access. Yugi let out a gasp but before Atem could enter he was pulled out of his whirlpool of pleasure by a loud knocking.
Atem sat up quickly, pulling himself off of Yugi in the process. He leaned his back against the coffee table when he heard the second round of knocking on the front door.
Yugi felt the weight leave him and he sat up slightly, leaning back on his elbows. His eyes were dazed, not really knowing what was happening.
"I… I think you… Uhm… Should get that…" Atem gasped, trying to catch his breath.
"Uhm…" Yugi blinked a few times, and then shook his head, trying to focus his thoughts. When he realized that Atem was talking about answering the door he sat up fully. "Yeah… O-Okay."
Atem watched Yugi stand on shaky legs. Had that really just happened? He let the tips of his fingers glide over his lips, touching the spot where Yugi's lips were just a moment ago. He smiled against his fingers. Before he could think through exactly what happened, he heard loud voices coming from the stairwell.
He stood, but before he could follow the voices, a familiar blonde popped out of the stairwell, followed by Tristan and a flustered Yugi. Tristan had his arm draped over Yugi's shoulders. Yugi was trying to convince Joey it wasn't a good time but Joey wouldn't take no for an answer.
Joey took a few more steps into the living room before he stopped in his tracks, Tristan and Yugi stopping directly behind him. For a moment there was nothing. Joey and Atem just stared at each other with wide eyes.
Atem raised and hand to wave and said, "Hello."
His voicing seemingly breaking Joey's stupor and he narrowed his eyes dangerously. "You," He spat out.
Joey lunged forward and before Yugi could stop him Tristan tightened his grip on his shoulders.
Atem was caught off guard and found himself suddenly pushed roughly back into a wall. Joey had a death grip the collar of his shirt and his fists dug into Atem's collar bones painfully.
"How dare you show your face around here again!" Joey yelled in his face.
"Hello to you too." Atem choked out, trying not to anger the man in front of him anymore.
Unfortunately this didn't work and instead Joey pulled back his fist and it landed directly against Atem's cheek with a loud crack.
Atem's head snapped to the side and he knew things were only going to escalate from here. Before Joey could grab onto Atem's shirt again, he shifted and grabbed onto Joey from behind. Since Joey was considerably larger then Atem, he had a hard time holding onto him.
Joey struggled against Atem's grip and threw his elbows back, effectively landing multiple blows into the ex-Pharaoh's sides.
Atem released him and clutched his sides in pain. He went down on one knee trying to catch the breath that was knocked out of him.
While the two fought, Yugi was trying to escape Tristan's grip. "Stop it Joey! Tristan let me go!" When they saw the Atem go down, Tristan let go and Yugi rushed forward to kneel beside Atem.
Joey had pulled back his leg to land a few kicks to Atem but stopped short when Yugi came between them.
"Joey calm down!" Yugi held up his hands. "You don't have to do this."
Joey placed his foot back on the ground but his anger didn't subside. "Of course I do Yug! How can you even stick up for him after what he did?!"
Yugi turned and put an arm around Atem's shoulders, steadying him as he tried to catch his breath. "It's complicated Joey."
"Not to me! He needs to know that he can't just hurt ya like that and get away with it!"
"We're working through it…" Yugi whispered as he looked at the spot Joey punched Atem. His cheek was starting to swell a little.
"Working through it?" Joey asked.
"Yes. Now enough." Yugi said calmly.
"But Yug-" Joey tried to protest again but was cut short.
"I said enough!" Yugi turned and glared at Joey, showing him that he was serious. "I appreciate you trying to stick up for me but this is something I need to handle on my own." Joey pressed his lips tightly together and crossed his arms.
Now that Joey was quiet, Yugi turned his attention back to Atem. He was still slumped over but his breathing was calmer. "Are you okay?"
He nodded. "I'll be fine." He stood up, still holding his sides.
Yugi guided him over to the couch and once he was seated said, "Let me get some ice for your cheek."
Yugi walked to the kitchen to grab an ice pack out of the freezer. When he turned, he jumped. Joey was standing behind him with his arms crossed and he was giving Yugi a harsh glare.
"Would ya like to tell me what the hell is going on here?" Joey demanded.
Yugi fiddled with the pack a bit and responded simply with, "Atem came back."
"And you accepted him back like it was nothing?"
"Of course not. He apologized and we are working through things." Yugi tried to step to the side to go around Joey but Joey stepped in front of him again.
"How could you accept him back so easily?"
"It wasn't easy Joey. It took weeks for us to get to where we are now." Yugi explained. His grip on the ice pack tightened.
"Don't you remember what it did to you?"
"You think I could forget?" Yugi raised his brow, surprised. He would never forget how painful it was to let Atem go.
"You spent so long getting over him. You worked so hard…" Joey's face softened, concerned for his best friend. "How can you be willing to go back to that place?"
Yugi shook his head fiercely. "I'm not going to go back to that place."
"How can you be so sure?" He asked.
"He said he's not going back."
"And you believe him?"
"It's different this time…" Yugi said softly, trying to believe his own words.
"How?"
Yugi looked down. He wanted to believe Atem so badly but he always had this fear in the back of his mind. Usually he could suppress it but hearing his friend's doubt only intensified those feelings.
Joey stepped forward and put a hand on Yugi's shoulder. "Yug, I don't want to see you go through that again. If he leaves-"
Yugi snapped his head up. His words sounded desperate in his own ears. "He's not going to! He says he doesn't want to go back. He wants to stay here." If he kept saying it maybe it would be true.
"That sounds awfully familiar, don' it?" Joey let go of Yugi and returned to the living room leaving Yugi to his own thoughts.
His fingers began to numb from the tight grip he has on the ice pack as he went over Joey's words in his head over and over agian. The fear of losing Atem brought a crushing pain to his chest. He began to shake slightly, the fear take hold.
Yugi took a deep breath, trying to push away the panic and overwhelming feeling in his chest as he made his way back to the living room with only one thing on his mind.
What if Joey was right?
Author's Note: There you go! Like I said before I hope to have the next chapter up in a few days.
Please review! Its the only way I know you liked it or hated it!