Yeah, I know, it's really ear;y in the morning, but between the early shift and family time later, this is the only time I have to update. Happy Easter everyone! I do not own Yugioh, Hold me now by Red, or Alive by Meatloaf, enjoy! [YUGI, YAMI, and ATEM]

Chapter 8

"Yugi?" Yami asked cautiously.

He was in his arms, crushing Koneko in between them. She meowed in protest. Yugi didn't care though, his only concern was getting as close to Yami as he possibly could. A different set of arms wrapped around them both, making Koneko growl. Yugi just sighed in contentment, his mates were safe.

"Yami." Atem sighed.

"I know, but I don't want to." Yami said sounding as if something was tearing him apart inside. Yugi looked up to see his face torn, and Atem's resigned.

"Neither do I, but we don't have a choice anymore." Atem said hugging them closer making Koneko hiss.

"I'll take the kitten, you take him." Yami said in a sad voice taking Koneko from him.

"Yugi, I want you to close your eyes, and hide your face in the crook of my neck. Do not move from this position until I say its okay to." Atem said bending down until they were eye level. Yugi nodded, and Atem picked him up toddler style. Yugi closed his eyes, and hid his face in the crook of his neck.

Atem rubbed his back, before walking out of the room with him. He sat down on something, and Yugi heard movement around the room, before two simultaneous clicks, and they were moving again. They were walking down the stairs, and Yugi was hit with a strong smell of bleach.

"Make sure you get it all." Atem said.

"Yes my King." A voice responded.

"So to Sakura?" Yami asked.

"Yes, he'll be safe there." Atem said.

If you make one wrong move with the gun to your head
You'd better walk the line or you'll be left for dead

I'm a runaway train on a broken track
I'm a ticker on a bomb that you can't turn back
This time, that's right
I got away with it all and I'm still alive

Let the end of the world come tumbling down
I'll be the last man standing on the ground
As long as hot blood rushes through my veins
I'm still alive

Yugi fished blindly for his phone, before finding it and opening it.

"Don't come home." Sakura said in the form of a hello.

"Why not?" Yami asked grabbing the phone from him before Yugi could even respond.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Yami shouted.

"No, no, I understand, of course we want him safe." Yami said sounding aggravated.

"Yeah, thanks for the heads up." Yami said before his phone was being shoved back into this back pocket.

"What happened?" Atem asked.

"They found out where he lived. Sakura and Mr. Mutou are fine; they're staying in the werewolves caves. Now what are we going to do?" Yami said as Atem stopped walking.

"Something we're not going to like." Atem said as Yugi felt him pivot and head in the opposite direction.

"No, Atem, no!" Yami said sounding as he was walking fast after them.

"What do you suggest then, Yami? For us to put a leash on his collar, and drag him around like a lost puppy?" Atem snarled stopping.

"No of course not, but isn't there a better option?" Yami asked sounding kind of pitiful.

"Better think of it quickly." Atem said moving again.

"Come on Atem, they'll never let us in." Yami almost whined.

"I know." He said quietly as a pair of doors was opened.

"So are you ready to recommence this meeting that you just ran out of?" Mahad asked.

"Is that bl-mph!" someone started to ask but was cut off.

"Shh, Yugi's sensitive." Marik whispered to them.

"I want all humans out of the Palace today." Atem said in a strained voice.

"No I won't-!" Yugi started to protest his eyes shooting open. He saw a flash of dark red on black, before a hand was covering his eyes.

"No, Yugi, keep your eyes closed, keep them closed." Yami said in his ear.

"Perhaps you two should change." Seth proposed.

"We can't, at least not at the same time." Atem said rubbing Yugi's back.

"Why not?" Seth asked.

"His instincts are have latched onto ours and have created a death grip." Yami said.

"What happened?" Elizabeth asked.

"Thick headed weaklings, that's what." Yami growled out.

"Seth, can I talk to you?" Atem asked handing him off to Yami who dropped something that sounded heavy on the ground.

"I don't want to go." Yugi sniffled clinging to his mate.

"It's what's safest though. A lot has been happening over the past couple of days that you're unaware of. We want to keep it that way." Yami said sitting down and handing him something soft and furry. Yugi held Koneko close, listening to her soft purrs.

"Come on Yami. Isis, Marik, Elizabeth, Noah, and Grant, move them out, all of them. I want every human in the presence of a werewolf or vampire that you trust completely at all times. One to a human." Atem ordered before they left.

Once they were in the hallway, Atem took Yugi again, and Yami took Koneko from him. He wrapped his arms around the back of his neck, holding him as close as he could. He needed his vampire strength now so they didn't leave him with strangers. He wanted to be with his mates, he felt safest when he was with them. He trusted them.

"Go to sleep, Yugi." Atem said.

He shook his head and clung closer to him. He couldn't go to sleep. If he went to sleep, when he woke up they would be gone. They'd be gone and he'd be in the arms of a stranger, and vampire he didn't know. No he wanted his mates, he needed his mates.

"Go to sleep, Little One." Yami said.

"No, you'll disappear." Yugi whined.

"This isn't going to work. He's too hyper aware of what's going on." Seth said.

Yugi, we're not leaving you with strangers. We're leaving you with Seth, Seto, and Jou. Okay?

No, I wanna stay with you.

Apparently not.

Zip it you, well we'll see you at school in two days. Just try to last until then, okay Beautiful?

No, I want you guys. I only want you.

Well we'll be right here, in your mind, whenever you want to talk. Just reach out with your thoughts and we'll respond.

It's not the same!

Atem set him on his feet and tilted his head, kissing him. He poured emotions of love into the kiss. Yugi soaked it up greedily, pouring his need for the man back into the kiss. Atem pulled away, and held him close.

"I love you Yugi, that's why I need you to stay here where you'll be safe." Atem whispered into his hair.

Yugi's eyes widened. Of course he had always felt the emotion, but this was his first time hearing it. What was sad was he couldn't say it back and mean it. He squeezed his eyes shut, and just hugged Atem back.

"Atem." Yami said quietly.

"I know, but I don't want to." Atem said sounding as if he was smiling in his sadness.

"We haven't given ourselves any other options." Yami responded pulling Yugi gently out of his arms. He lowered his head towards Yugi's, pausing and letting his minty breath wash over Yugi's face before taking his lips in an as loving embrace as Atem did. When he pulled away he too hugged Yugi to his chest.

"I love you too, Yugi. Promise us you'll stay here until it's safe to come home?" Yami asked sounding so torn inside. He couldn't tell them he loved them and mean it, but he could give them this, no matter how hard it was going to be for him.

"I promise." Yugi said hugging him tightly.

"Guys, we need to get back." Seth said.

"Not that it matters." He amended quickly. Yugi could only assume that he had received a twin glare.

"Stay." Atem whispered kissing his forehead, and then he was alone. He opened his eyes to see Kaiba's mansion before him. Sighing, he walked inside. He wasn't going to be very pleasant company, he already knew that.

[Time skip]

Yugi pushed the broccoli around on his plate. It seemed that Marik had the same idea as Atem and Yami, because Malik was here too. Only where he was enjoying his time, Yugi was like a wet rain cloud that was meant to be avoided. Meant to be, he wasn't being, but he was meant to be.

"Yugi, eat it, don't play with it. You too Malik." Kaiba said.

"We can't." Yugi said.

"And why not?" Kaiba asked.

"It gives us uncontrollable munchies. It makes Jou's bottomless pit look like a joke." Malik said.

"Wait, weren't you in detention when Marik and I were comparing side effect notes?" Yugi asked confused.

"You think I pay attention in detention?" Kaiba asked.

"Hey that kind of rhymes, Yugi. Attention detention, attention detention, attention detention." Malik said trying to get him to smile. He merely rolled his eyes and shook his head. That was another thing, Malik and Jou had been trying to get him to smile all day, didn't they realize he didn't feel like it?

"I'm home! How're our guests?" Seth asked walking into the room.

"It is quite the tongue twister." Jou said.

"Happy and moody, just as I left them." Seth said sitting down and pulling Jou into his lap.

"Drop him." Kaiba said without even looking up from whatever it was that he was reading.

"He's just in my lap!" Seth complained.

"I said drop him." Kaiba said fixing him with an icy glare. Seth grumbled something that sounded a lot like 'yes, oh cold one' as he put Jou back in his own chair. Yugi couldn't help it, he cracked a grin.

"Uh! I wanted to be the first one to make him smile!" Malik complained at Seth.

"Well it's not like I meant for him to smile at my horrible treatment." Seth argued back,

"Yes you did, that was your intention, I just know it!" Malik said back jumping out of his chair and pointing at him.

"It was not you crazy human!" Seth said looking at him like Malik was crazy.

"Our friends are not crazy!" Jou said jumping in. Yugi looked across the table at Kaiba, who looked up and winked at him. It gave Yugi the impression that this was very normal. His grin grew.

"See, look, look you're making him smile more." Malik said pointing at him.

"Well, good he needs to smile! I'm tired of listening to Atem and Yami complain about their wet sack of a boyfriend." Seth said jumping out of his chair. Yugi's jaw dropped, Atem and Yami complained about his moods? Kaiba grabbed a piece of his broccoli and chucked it at Seth's head.

"Do not insult our guests!" He said.

"Don't throw things at me!" Seth said grabbing a piece of Malik's broccoli and chucking it back at Kaiba.

"Then don't insult our guests!" Kaiba said catching it and chucking it back at him.

"Psst, Mokuba, we're going to need messier foods if we're going to have a food fight." Yugi whispered to the six years old next to him. He grinned and hopped out of his chair and went into the kitchen.

"Second course!" the cooks said coming back out with very messy foods and Mokuba was right behind him. He slid back into his chair and winked at Yugi. Yugi winked back, making Mokuba laugh.

"Um, okay." Kaiba said confused sitting back down.

Yugi put mashed potatoes, sliced fruit, cake, pie, applesauce, a can of cheese, and ice cream on his plate. Malik had also caught on and was loading his plate with messy foods too. Mokuba's was loaded as well. Kaiba took a small helping of the less messy foods, and Jou was just filling his plate.

"Hey Seth?" Yugi called out to the vampire.

"Yes?" he said turning his head to get a face full of mashes potatoes.

"Yugi!" Kaiba reprimanded.

"In no way am I a wet sack. A wet blanket perhaps, but never a wet sack." Yugi said grinning at the vampire as he wiped the potatoes off of his face.

"Okay, you want a food fight, you got it." Seth said as he scooped up a small cake and chucked it at Yugi.

"No, no!" Kaiba said trying to stop something that had already began.

Yugi ducked, and it seemed he didn't need to. Seth seemed to have terrible aim as it hit Mokuba instead. Malik burst out laughing at him, so Mokuba grabbed a piece of pie and threw it at him. He ducked, and it hit Jou instead. Jou paused in wolfing down the chicken leg he was currently eating to pick up a spoonful of mashed potatoes and throw it at Kaiba, since he didn't know who had thrown the pie. He gasped and ducked, letting the food hit the wall instead.

So an all out food war commenced, by the end of it food was everywhere and on everyone. Jou was complaining about how it was such a waste as Kaiba squirted canned cheese into his mouth. The cooks were angry that their creations had been abused in the way that they were. Seth, Mokuba, and Malik were having a heated discussion of who won the food fight. And Yugi was talking happily with his mates, through their link.

…Seth, Mokuba, and Malik are still trying to figure that out.

Well, we're happy you're feeling better.

Who said I was feeling better? Sure I'm a little happier now, but I still miss you guys.

We miss you too.

Why did I have to leave?

Because we love you too much to continue to keep you in harm's way.

Okay.

What are you guys planning on doing tomorrow?

I don't know, why did you want to do something?

We can't, we have to clean up some stuff.

Okay, I'll be fine, don't worry about me. As long as we have this link we're never truly apart, right?

Right.

But can you maybe come by for a little bit?

Yami can.

Yay!

So happy, alright I'll come around noon.

I'll be in the hammock!

Good night, Yugi.

Night 'Tem and 'Ami.

Yugi jumped off the lilac couch and spun around the room, chanting Yami's coming over tomorrow. Kaiba's eyes narrowed while the rest just watched with amusement, as he spun right out of the room and towards one of the full bathrooms. It had felt like decades since he had had a shower. He walked into the bathroom, locked the door, and shed his clothes.

Yugi turned on the water and hopped under the hot stream of water. The water pelted against his back, almost feeling as good as one of Atem's massages. Yugi sighed; he really needed to get these new urges under control. He knew that Atem and Yami had explained that it would take him several months, sometimes even years to keep them under control. He was starting to believe them. It didn't matter how many times he had looked at it like a game, he always fell back on his desperate need for them. He wondered if Atem had ever been this bad with Yami, and he was just acting like it had always only been Yami who had had an unnatural craving for his attention.

He sighed and shook it off. He started to wash his hair and body while singing Hold me now by Red. When Yugi was done he turned off the water and opened the curtain to see Seth sitting on the toilet. He screamed, and yanked the shower curtain up to cover his body.

"What are you doing?!" Yugi yelled.

"I was ordered to not let you out of my sight by our King." Seth explained with eyes closed.

"I don't think that meant follow me into the shower." Yugi complained.

"But I didn't, I followed you into the bathroom." Seth said like he was confused.

"Get out!" Yugi ordered.

"I can't, when the King gives and order, I have no choice but to obey." Seth said standing up and turning around to face the reflective window, his eyes opening.

Hey King, you better rethink that order you placed on Seth by tomorrow, or there will be serious consequences for your lack of action on the issue.

What issue?

The one where he followed me into the bathroom whilst I was taking a shower.

Oh good, he's doing his job.

And he just saw me nude.

He what?!

It shouldn't be a problem; after all he's just doing his job. Yugi could hear Yami mentally laughing at Atem.

Maybe you should have been more specific. Yugi could just see Atem rolling his eyes.

I'll take care of it tomorrow.

Thank you!

"Atem said get out while I get a towel on, and you're not to follow me into my room whilst I'm getting dressed." Yugi said making up orders so he could get his way.

"He told me no such thing." Seth said stubbornly.

"SETO AISU KAIBA!" Yugi screamed at the top of his lungs.

"What?" he asked rudely poking his head inside the bathroom.

"Remove him." Yugi said pointing at Seth.

"Come on, I'll let you cuddle with my boyfriend." Kaiba said motioning to him.

"Ah, I think it'll take a bit more than that to disobey a direct order from my King." Seth said studying his fingernails.

"Fine you can make out with him, now let's go." Kaiba said clearly annoyed.

"We're getting there." Seth said.

"Do you want to share our bed tonight?" Kaiba asked and if he were an anime character he would have an angry sign on his head, Yugi was sure of it.

"Almost there." Seth practically sang as he wagged his eyebrows at Yugi.

"One second." Kaiba growled out walking away. Yugi would swear he saw Kaiba's bottom half in wolf form. Jou's exclamation only confirmed his thoughts.

"Yo! What do you think you're doing rich boy! We have guests, you can't go around transforming!" Jou yelled for the whole house to hear.

"Seth has a proposition for you." Kaiba growled out.

"Yes I'll have sex with him to get him out of the bathroom." Jou said like it was no big deal.

"YES!" Seth shouted jumping up and running out.

Yugi blinked, huh, that was easy. It seemed Jou didn't care who was on top, as long as he got bottom. Kind of like him, he wondered if Ryou was that way too. Something to ask him once he got his pajamas on.

Yugi stepped out of the shower and slipped on the floor slightly, resulting in him grabbing the curtain, and accidently pulling it from the bar. He still ended up on the floor; he just didn't make any noise when he hit it. Maybe he really was accident prone, as he seemed to attract all kinds of trouble. No, that just made him a trouble magnet. It was like he had a big sign flashing over his head saying 'I like trouble or come and get me.' Yugi snickered to himself; it was a completely ludicrous thought. He grabbed a towel out of the cabinet and wrapped himself up in it. Yugi grabbed his clothes and went up to his room.

He got out his star patterned pajamas, and put them on. He made his way back downstairs to see an image that he couldn't help cracking up with laughter over. Kaiba was in between Seth and Jou. Jou didn't have any pants on and his shirt was half open. Yugi had to admit his snitch covered boxers were pretty nice. Seth was trying to push Kaiba out of the way so he could get to Jou, and his own clothes were in disarray. His shirt was falling off, and his pants were unzipped and unbuttoned giving him and Malik a good view of his V. Kaiba's shirt had all of the buttons popped off, leaving his chest exposed, who knew he was so ripped? His pants hung loosely on his hips.

"What's going on?" Yugi asked plopping down in Malik's lap.

"Well, Jou gave his consent, so apparently in Seth's deranged mind that means now. It doesn't matter to him if there are other people on the room, he wants Jou now. Kaiba on the other hand has more sense and is trying to convince him that it would be better if they took this up to one of the bedrooms. As you can see, it's not working very well." Malik commented as Seth was finally able to fling Kaiba aside so he could get to Jou.

"I know what might work. Hey Seth!" Yugi called out as Seth was about to lie on top of Jou. Seth didn't respond he just looked at him, one arm wrapped around Jou. He looked slightly deranged, like his mind was only half there, the rest having been consumed by some sort of instinct.

"Let's take a second to pause and think about what you're doing. How do you think Yami, Atem, and Marik will respond when they hear you had sex with Jou and Kaiba right in front of Malik and me?" Yugi asked him calmly. Seth's eyebrows furrowed before he scooped up Jou and threw him over his shoulder, retreating with him to Kami knew where.

"Thanks Yugi." Kaiba said running after them.

"Welcome Kaiba!" Yugi shouted after him.

"Well, now that they're gone, I have a question." Malik said nervously playing with the velvet of the chair.

"Yes?" Yugi said to showing he was listening.

"What's it…what'sitlikehavingsexwithavampire?" Malik asked in a rush.

"Sorry?" Yugi asked not quite catching what he had said.

"What's it like…having sex…with a vampire?" Malik asked more slowly.

"Oh, exhilarating. Why?" Yugi asked a bit obliviously.

"Because I was thinking about telling Marik that I was ready." Malik said blushing. Yugi smiled widely before giving his friend a bone crushing hug.

"If I do this, do I have to become his mate?" Malik asked nervously.

"No, bedsides being a mate…it complicates everything. You'll constantly be after their attention. You remember when we went on that camping trip? Just you, Ryou and I?" Yugi explained before asking.

"Yeah." Malik said nodding.

"When we got back, I attacked them in a very demanding way for attention, and we were only separated for three days." Yugi said sliding off his lap and onto the floor.

"Is it hard, even now, to be away from them?" Malik asked looking down at him.

"Yes, very." Yugi said sighing.

"If they know it's difficult for you, why did they bring you here?" Malik asked.

"Because they want me safe." Yugi said.

"What happened?" Malik asked fiddling with the cuff of his long sleeved shirt.

"I was almost attacked by four vampires in my own room. If I hadn't had that mind link, I have no doubt in my mind that I'd be dead right now." Yugi said shuddering at the thought.

"You weren't the only one." Malik said rolling up his sleeve to show not one, but two patches on his arm.

"When? How?" Yugi asked staring in horror at the bandages.

"Saturday, that's when my feeding days are, I was walking through the Palace to get to Marik's room, when they came out of nowhere and pinned me to the wall outside his room. They both bit into my arm and I screamed for Marik. He pulled them off and ripped them to shreds right in front of me. He then turned to me and I threw myself in his arms. Never have I ever been so happy that I had a vampire as I was then. He took me to Isis and she put bandages on my arm over the bite marks. I was confused and asked why Marik couldn't just heal them. They told me it was because Marik's fangs hadn't made those marks. Only the vampire who bit me could heal them, and as they were dead, these marks would heal on their own, but they would be scars. Marik took me back to his room, where he just held me close. I had to practically force him to feed from me. After he did, he just held me even closer; I've never seen Marik look so torn and broken before." Malik told his story before moving his sleeve back down and bowing his head, a few tears slipping down his cheeks.

Yugi didn't say a word; he just wrapped his arms around his friend. Malik crumbled and cried into his shirt. Yugi held him, rocking him back and forth, as he cried himself to sleep. He would ask him in the morning if Malik's sudden urge to have sex with Marik came from this experience, but right now, his friend needed his rest. It was obvious that this had been eating him up inside. Yugi moved the chair into a laying position, and pulled a blanket off the couch next to them. He tucked the blanket in around them both and just held his friend, who needed so much more comfort than he was willing to admit.

Atem?

Hmm?

Why didn't you just tell me?

Tell you what?

That humans were being attacked in the Palace and that was the real reason for wanting me out of the Palace?

Who told you?

Does it matter? That's why you wanted me to leave the meeting isn't it? You didn't want me to know what was going on.

Sigh, yes.

I understand, Yami doesn't need to come tomorrow. You have your hands full enough without worrying about me too. I'll see you at school on Friday.

Yugi, we will be worrying about you anyway.

Yeah, but I need to work on being less needy. This separation will help with that.

I guess.

Besides it's been a while since I've just hung out with the guys.

What are we?

Men.

Go to sleep, Yugi.

Sucks that that works over long distances too…

Not for us.

Hope that explains things a little better. Shoot, I gotta get moving! thanks to everyone who are/have following/favorited this story. Also, thanks to everyone who reviewed Guest and User alike. Please review. Midnight ;p