Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh!

Chapter 7: Leaving Home

A/N: In this chapter you will get a little preview of the religion and I just wanted to make the following very clear this is not Ancient Egypt. This is an alternate universe which I have made up, that being said the temple is loosely (and I mean loosely) based on the temples found in ancient Greece. I will also use the name of Egyptian deities but they are not the same ones found in Egyptian mythology. So please don't review just to tell me something was not accurate. I wasn't going for accuracy.

Sleep for Yami that night did not come easily. He tossed and he turned before he ended up climbing out of bed with every intention of leaving Atemu to sleep. However, before Yami fully crawled out of bed Atemu sat up.

"Where are you going Yami?" Atemu inquired. Yami paused and bit his lip, Atemu's voice did not have the gravely sound ones voice gets when you get wake up which means Atemu hadn't been sleeping much either.

Yami sighed, "Just go back to sleep Atemu." Yami said as he continued to try and crawl out of bed.

Atemu lightly grabbed Yami's wrist, "I am just worried about you Yami. You have not been sleeping well and I can feel from your heated skin that your fever has spiked again. I don't want you wandering off somewhere alone."

Yami shot Atemu a glare, "Well maybe I just want to be left alone Atemu. Have you never considered that? I'm not some precious bauble you can lock away in your damn palace. I am a person with feelings and right at this moment I. Want. To. Be. Left. ALONE!" Yami growled as she shoved Atemu's hand away.

Atemu sighed, "Fine, go. Just either tell me where you are going or stay in the house." Atemu said.

Yami reached out and grabbed Atemu by the front of his tunic drawing him close so they were almost nose to nose, "Perhaps I didn't make myself clear Mr. Pharaoh, I do not answer to you and until wedding vows are shared you do not get to control where I go, what I do or who I speak to. If I decide that I want to go for a walk by myself I have every right to do that. I don't answer to you Atemu." Yami hissed before he shoved Atemu harshly away from him and finished climbing out of bed.

Yami swayed slightly once he got to his feet but he quickly steadied himself and he headed for the door.

"Yami I'm not trying to control you. I just want to make sure you are okay." Atemu called as he followed Yami out of the room and caught up to him in the hallway.

"I thought I told you to leave me alone Atemu." Yami growled.

Atemu sighed, "Yes you said for me to leave you alone but…."

"No, I'm pretty sure leave me alone is pretty simple. You don't need fancy private tutoring to understand that phrase. It means I leave and you don't follow me around like a lost puppy." Yami interjected.

"Yami you aren't even listening to me." Atemu snapped, his own eyes narrowing in frustration.

"I already told you that I don't have to listen to you Atemu." Yami snapped.

Atemu reached out and grabbed Yami, pushing him against the wall. Atemu made a point to make sure that he didn't apply enough pressure to harm Yami, just enough to make him stay put. "Dammit Yami will you shut you damn mouth and listen to me for three seconds. I am not trying to control you and if you had been in peak health I really wouldn't give a damn where you wanted to go on your midnight stroll. The difference is you are sick, you are running a fever and I'm worried that you are going to collapse somewhere. That is the only reason I am demanding to know where you are going. Because for some unknown reason I care about you and I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Well no one asked you to care about me. Now let go of me Atemu." Yami growled.

Atemu narrowed his eyes at Yami before he bodily dragged him back into his room and tossed Yami back on the bed. "You want to be left alone, then stay in here Yami. You stay here and I'll leave." Atemu snapped before he turned and stormed out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

"Fuck you Atemu." Yami shouted before he turned over and laid flat on his back starring up at the ceiling, tears silently sliding down Yami's face. He had already lost his best friend, the person he loved more than anything, he was also going to be losing his home and now he was even fighting with the only person he would know when he got to his new home. But at the same time he was not going to let Atemu control him. Yami didn't care if he was the damn Pharaoh, hell he didn't care if Atemu really was a god in human skin he was not going to tell Yami how to live his own life. It was bad enough Atemu had turn up and ruined everything. He wasn't going to strip Yami of his freedom too.

Atemu stalked through town fuming. The last two days had literally been the worst two days of his entire life and that was really saying something since he had already lost both of his parents and a younger sibling to the realm of the gods leaving him completely devoid of family. Technically that wasn't true, he did have his uncle but Atemu was neither blind nor stupid. He knew his uncle was more likely to slit his throat than he was to offer comfort or advice. And the priests were cast into their roles just as Atemu was in his.

Atemu glanced around him double checking where he was going, he still wasn't overly familiar with the village Yami resided in and he really didn't savor the idea of getting lost after dark nor did he want to leave Yami alone for too long. However, right at this moment Atemu believed that it wasn't just Yami who needed the space. Up ahead Atemu was able to make out the structure of the temple he had been looking for.

Atemu quickly made his way over to the silent temple. The priests like the rest of the village were all fast asleep. That worked out great for him. Atemu slowly made his way inside the dark, silent stone structure. He walked past the many intricately painted columns depicting the gods and their great power. Atemu didn't even glance at the divine stories since he had memorized most of them when he was still growing up.

Atemu made his way into a small room located directly in the center of the temple. The room was small and made of marble with the entire room decorated with an intricate mural of cut tile and gold leaf. Atemu was more focused however on the statue resting in the center of the room, the closest he would be able to get to actually commune with the god was directly in front of him. Atemu carefully toed off his sandals and made his way into the room. Atemu came to a stop about 5 feet from the base of the statue before he got down on his knees and rested his head upon the tiled floor. "Praise onto the Gods. May you reign forever and may we forever acknowledge your power and glory." Atemu whispered against the floor. Atemu paused for a moment to collect his thoughts.

"It is your humble servant, Atemu son of Aknamkanon. I come to you seeking your divine wisdom and guidance and also to beg your forgiveness for it seems I have slighted you in some way that I cannot fathom." Atemu whispered.

"I have come to this village because my God chosen, Yami, turned sixteen years old. He is an amazing young man. Both strong and loyal. He is every bit my equal as I knew my God chosen would be. He was everything I could have hoped to find in a partner." Atemu said.

Atemu paused briefly before continuing, "I do not question your wisdom. However, since I have arrived here everything has gone wrong. My god chosen is perfect. However, I am not. I have angered you and for that I apologize. I wish I knew what it was I had done that would have my God Chosen hate me so much. I have foolishly been willing away the days to meet him because I have craved someone that I can trust, someone that would care about me and not the crown that I wear upon my head. Please I beg of you please forgive me my mistakes. Or tell me how I have angered you Ra so that I may properly atone for my missteps." Atemu had to paused again as he heard his voice begin to crack.

"You more than most know how much my God Chosen means to me and how much I have desired their companionship. I know that I should not be demanding more than you have already gifted me with. You have been truly kind to me and I by no means am ungrateful. I know that these things take time and that a relationship will not bloom overnight. I just…" Atemu trailed off with a sigh as his voice once again cracked and this time he felt the beginning of tears gathering in the corners of his eyes which Atemu hastily wiped away.

"I just had hoped that I would not have to overcome so much adversity with my God chosen." Atemu concluded. Atemu then slowly lifted his head from the floor and gazed upon the statue. He knew the Gods were good and they were not unnecessarily cruel. And if they wanted his relationship with his Yami to be difficult and a fight then Atemu would fight. It just wasn't what he wanted. Then again he knew what he wanted didn't matter. To anyone.

Atemu slowly got to his feet and toed back on his sandals. Was it really too much to ask for there to be one person in the whole world that cared about him as a person. Who wanted to make sure he was alright, who cared what his opinion on something was. Someone who wanted to know who he was and not the crown upon his head. Someone he could share his secrets, his fears, his wants and dreams with. Someone that he could trust unconditionally. And sadly that wasn't looking like Yami would ever want to be that person for him. And that hurt. That really hurt.

Yami was the only person it ever really could have been. The only other people who cared about him at all had already died and the ones remaining didn't care who he was or what he felt as long as he sat on the throne and impersonated an unfeeling statue they didn't care. He didn't have a single person he could even honesty say was his friend.

Atemu sighed as he made his way out of the temple and back towards Yami's house. He had been gone for about an hour and he really wanted to go back to check on Yami. That fever he had was really starting to worry him. Atemu made his way back into the house and headed back up the stairs. He walked into Yami's room and saw that Yami had drifted back off into a fitful sleep. He was still tossing and turning and Atemu had a feeling that Yami wasn't getting any kind of actual rest.

Atemu sighed as he sank down on this knees. He reached out his hand and lightly rested it on Yami's forehead. Just like before he had left Yami was burning up. Atemu got back up and headed back outside, he ripped the edge of his cape before he walked out to the well. He lowered the bucket into the well before carefully pulling it back up. Once he had the bucket he carefully unhooked it from the rope and carried it into the house and back up the stairs.

He knelt down once again beside Yami's bed and dunked the torn cloth into the ice cold water. He carefully wrung out the excess and brought the cloth up to Yami's sweat soaked brow. Atemu slowly slid the rag down from Yami's forehead and lightly stroked the side of Yami's face. Yami was an amazing person and he looked truly beautiful while he slept.

Atemu shook his head as he redunked the cloth into the bucket. He really needed to stop thinking this way. Yami was not his soulmate. He didn't love him, hell he didn't even like him. The last thing Yami wants to be burdened with is Atemu's stupid emotional connection. Just because Atemu is an overemotional sap who allowed himself to fall in love with the idea of his God chosen was stupid. And it was in own fault that he was getting his heart broken.

This didn't stop it from hurting any less.

Atemu rung out the rag before he stroked Yami's face with it once again. At least it looked like Yami was settling down somewhat. Atemu lightly pressed a kiss to Yami's brown before he rested the cloth once again on Yami's heated skin. Atemu then made himself comfortable on the floor.

Yami had said he wanted Atemu to leave him alone. He could do that. He will find a way to do what Yami wants even once they get back to the palace if Yami wants nothing to do with him Atemu will respect that. After all, he was very used to people not seeing him. He would just have to force himself to treat Yami just like everyone else. No matter how painful that was going to be.

Yami woke up the next morning and stretched, a piece of fabric falling into his face when he sat up. Yami frowned when he looked at the fabric since it looked like a piece of Atemu's cloak. Speaking of Atemu Yami didn't see him anywhere.

Yami slowly got out of bed. Damn his stomach hurt a lot but unfortunately he couldn't just lie in bed all day since he had promised Atemu that they would be leaving today. Yami sighed as he slowly got up and started to shove stuff into a bag. He really didn't want to leave but he knew that he had to. Atemu could not hang around forever and it wasn't worth Yugi's life for them to give into the temptation and end up being together when they couldn't.

Once Yami had finished packing his bag he slowly made his way down the stairs and saw his father sitting at the table eating breakfast.

"About time you woke up sleepy head your God Chosen has been up for hours getting the horses ready and supplies together. You must be excited." Amun said.

"Yeah. Ecstatic." Yami mumbled under his breath.

"Well I for one am happy things are working out so well for you Yami. The Pharaoh is a good match for you. The Gods could not have chosen better." Amun said.

Yami shot his father a look, "And you get nothing out of this arrangement?" Yami snapped.

Amun gave Yami a pointed look, "Will there be benefits because my son is marrying the Pharaoh? Of course. Those same benefits would be for anyone whose child was chosen to marry him. The Gods decided to bless our family. Who are we to question their blessing?" Amun said sharply.

"And you did nothing to help them along." Yami snapped.

Amun got to his feet, "What did you just say to me?" Amun growled.

"That is quite enough of that." Atemu snapped as he walked back into the house.

Amun bowed his head in respect before he sat back down, "My apologies Pharaoh, my son was merely speaking out of turn."

"And I thank you for dropping the matter. Yami and I will be leaving shortly. I would appreciate it very much if you do not cause him any further stress." Atemu said before he walked over to Yami and grabbed his bag.

Atemu didn't even glance in Yami's direction before he turned and headed back outside. The sooner they left the better it would be for everyone. Atemu loaded the last bag onto the second horse and secured it. Atemu rested his head briefly against the horse's flank. He was exhausted mentally, physically and emotionally but for Yami's sake he had to suck it up.

Atemu slowly lifted his head from the horse and headed back inside. "Yami, it's time for us to leave." Atemu said.

Yami sighed before he head out the door. If he didn't leave right now then he didn't know if he would ever be able to force himself to leave.

"Have a safe trip." Amun said as he followed the pair outside. Atemu helped Yami up onto the horse before he climbed on as well wrapping an arm loosely around Yami's waist.

"Yami, Yami wait don't go."

Yami's head snapped up to where Yugi was sprinting down the street. Yugi had tears streaming down his face and just looking at him tore Yami's heart in to.

Yami forced himself to turn to Atemu, "Well what are you waiting for, let's go?" Yami asked.

"You can say good-bye to your friend Yami if you wish to." Atemu replied.

Yami forced his voice to be firm even though to say this was killing him. "I told Yugi good-bye yesterday. There is nothing further that I need to say to him." Yami said, "So what are you waiting for Atemu? Let's go."

Atemu sighed but he did press his heel into the horse's side and the horse started to trot forward.

"NO! Yami don't go. Please don't go. We can figure it out. Yami!" Yugi shouted as he stumbled over his feet and fell to the dirt.

Yami forced himself to keep looking forward. He knew that if he got off the horse the only way he would be able to get back on the horse was if he was dragged kicking and screaming. And so he stayed on and left Yugi sobbing on the ground as he and Atemu rode out of the village and to the capital.

A/N: And that does it for this chapter. Please read and review.