A/N: Our first chapter from Atem's POV! Warning for a death description! Hope you like!

Atem

I close the door to my studio crankily and look upon the vast emptiness of my room while the sun is still so high…

What the fuck am I doing here?! I should have gone after him. I had the entire way home to turn myself around and go after him… but no.

The fuck is wrong with me?

Angrily I toss my keys to the table beside me and flop heavily onto my bed. At least the sun has warmed it to a nice comfortable temperature, but I just feel so guilty and confused and frankly ticked off to fully enjoy it.

My studio is my entire house. A small room in the corner is my bathroom and my kitchen is parted by a half wall, but apart from that everything is open planned. The high ceiling slants at an angle and connects to entire wall length windows that faces the sun at all hours of the day. From here I get the morning sun as it rises and most of the afternoon sun. Specifically I have no curtains for this reason because frankly I love it's warmth. It reminds me of the only good thing of home that I miss.

My furniture is luxurious and modern, though spending time with Yugi today makes me think of everything I have and I realise I don't have much in the way of entertainment. My massive round, black silken bed resides squarly in the middle of my windows to ensure every inch of it is warm. Polished wooden floors are protected by fluffy red carpets and various abstract paintings decorate the walls. I honestly don't know what they represent but I liked their strokes and use of black and red colours on pure white.

But none of this matters because I'd give it all up to fucking understand what the hell goes through that boys mind. Why is he so damn confusing?

One minute he seems as drunk on desire as anyone else who gets close to me and the next he's pushing me away. I don't understand. I can't figure out whether my charm works on him or not. His glow is too bright to be that of a normal human, but he resists me remarkably well. It's almost like he's choosing to be woo'd by me but he's more than capable of shaking me off like I was any other human.

Then there's his obsession with love. He's so certain that everyone around him find love but he doesn't stop to think that maybe they're not and he just gives up too soon. It's what he did with me during coffee, Kaiba clearly came back for seconds today… how many others has he blown off because they haven't fallen for him in a second? He's too impatient and he lets his emotions control his every whim. He's unpredictable, chaotic and infuriating - and it bothers me so much more than it should that he's hurt.

What did I do? I thought telling him his supposed affliction hasn't worked on me and won't work on me would ease him, but it achieved the exact opposite. He's so certain I will lose my mind sooner or later but I can't tell him I won't. I'm a demon… I can't fall in love. He's a curiosity to me because he's the first human to resist me…

Just like I'm apparently the first to resist him… This phenomena can't be magical can it? His scent is hard to pick. He smells human, but he's lived a human life for far longer than I have - but his soul is too bright. It's incredibly uncommon for a human to live as long as he has and remain pure.

So… lets play with the idea he is right. Everyone falls in love after meeting him. Well, he's either cursed, has a charm on him that he probably doesn't realise what it is, or he's some kind of spirit. I doubt it's the latter - pretty sure he'd know. He seems to have absolutely no idea why this happens, but it's happened enough in his years that he's learned how it works. He was surprised that waitress didn't fall for me and he fully expected her to. Was it because he touched her or because he pushed her towards me? Suggests his power works on either contact or proximity and given his history I would say proximity. Which means it might not be a charm… unless he keeps something on his person at all times like a necklace? It's more likely he's cursed.

Well, I should probably confirm all this first before I go spouting he's cursed.

I stretch far and wide, twisting my back and rubbing against the hot silk for a moment until my mood has lifted enough to push myself up. I don't know why I'm doing this, but I honestly have nothing better to do than figure this out. If I can, then maybe …

Maybe what? He'll listen to me, trust me? Why do I care?!

Whatever. One problem at a time. Maybe if I can figure out what's going on I can then decide what I want from him.

***
Cup a Joy. It's my first stop. This is where we met for coffee that day and it just happens to be my lucky day. The waitress he attempted to make me fall in love with is working the counter. She was beyond flustered when he left me with her, but if she's working then she shouldn't give herself to me freely.

"Hi, what can I get ya?" She asks me happily. She's got a spring in her step and a bright smile. She's cute - not Yugi cute, but cute. I keep my glasses on but lean on the counter smoothly.

"Do you remember me from a few days ago?" I ask cooly. She squints and scrunches her nose but then recognition takes her.

"I think so. You were with someone else. Kinda hard to forget the King of Games was here and you two look pretty similar."

I smile, both because of our likeness and his title. I must learn more about that. He seems more well known than I thought. "Yes. How has life been since then?"

"Pretty good actually, but um can I get you anything? There are customers waiting."

I glance behind me to see a small line forming, so I stand aside to let the elderly man behind me order.

"Serve them, I can wait."

She's slow to accept but handles the line of customers expertly. In the meantime I wait and people watch. I recognise one of the patrons though. She's a sweet girl, short black hair, nothing special. But what I find most intriguing is that I recognise her as one of Yugi's previous dates; and she's here with someone else sharing a milkshake.

My interest is currently still serving, so I swander over to the girl at the table and politely introduce myself.

"Sorry to intrude ladies, I won't take up too much time. My name is Atem, may I ask yours?"

The young lady with the black hair, Yugi's previous date, flusters but shrugs.

"Veronica."

"Veronica. Lovely. Veronica, may I ask if you know someone named Yugi?" I ask her politely. Immediately recognition flashes in her eyes and she relaxes.

"I do. He's sweet."

"Yugi's how we met." Her partner quips happily and they share a cute giggle together.

"I see?" I enquire.

"Yugi and I were having coffee when Jess walked by." Veronica says dreamily.

"I had seen her with him but I didn't want to intrude." Jess, her date, admits shyly.

"We didn't stay long, but as we were leaving he took my hand and walked me over to her." Veronica says happily.

"We hit it off from there real quick." Jess adds.

"I keep forgetting to thank him. He disappeared after that and I haven't heard from him since. Are you a friend of his?" Veronica asks me.

"Yes. Actually I had seen you with him that day, thought I would come over and see how your doing since then." I say happily and they beam together.

"I couldn't be happier. This is the happiest time of my life." Veronica breathes dreamily.

"Same. I love this dork so much." Jess laughs, earning her an embarrassed light tap of her hand.

"That's good to hear. Well I won't take up more of your time. Thank you for your help."

"Oh!" Veronica reaches for me and I'm quick to avoid her touch but politely wait. "If you see Yugi can you thank him for me? Please?"

I smile and nod curtly before returning back to the counter. So that's one couple happily found around Yugi. Just as he described. Their love seems genuine too, but it has only been a few weeks since then. It's not enough to prove anything.

The waitress smiles at me and she's alone again, good. A small moment is all I need.

"So where were we?" I ask her cooly and she smiles.

"You were asking if I remember you with the King of Games?"

"Right. I was wondering if you were free after your shift?"

"Sir, I have a boyfriend, I can't. Sorry."

"A boyfriend?" I ask curiously. "How disappointed should I be?"

She laughs but takes a valid step away from me. "We just started dating yesterday actually, but I'm very happy. I'm flattered, really, but I can't."

I raise my hand in defence and take a good step from her. "Can't blame a guy for trying. I hope you two are very happy." I say happily, tipping my invisible hat to her and stalking back out.

So… she's got a boyfriend now, as of yesterday. It fits the bill… but it's still not enough. I need a relationship that's long been established. His friends - Ryou and Maaarik? I think? Where would I find them?

I have two options: Yugi's apartment, or his work. I don't really want to surround myself with all those people, but his colleague seems to know him. Maybe he'll know Ryou and Marik. Alternatively Yugi's apartment may still carry their scent.

The shop is closer and a stronger lead in all honesty. So grudgingly I shove my hands in my pockets, keep my head down and head there.

***
I spend the next few hours chasing down leads his colleague Duke was happy to give me. They were subtle of course for Yugi's protection, but useful. He found his wife through Yugi via a connection he already had with his wife's brother, Joey and I learned he worked at Kaiba Land as an entertainer.

After finding where that was I located Joey eventually. He's a blonde tall man with a thick accent. He was very defensive over his fur suit but I honestly couldn't have cared less what he did for money. On his break he told me that he and Yugi had been friends since he moved here. They hung around a lot but he didn't find love until a few months into their friendship. The love he found, one miss Mai Valentine, is also a duelist and the three of them competed once - but Joey only entered the competition because Yugi had and thus met her through him. It's a loose connection but the fact he didn't find love for months after meeting is significant to me.

He told me that Ryou worked at the museum, so that was my next stop and after walking around for far too long I eventually found him just as he was about to leave.

He was surprised to see me, excited too and asked me a lot of questions about how Yugi and I are doing. I told him I was curious as to how Yugi's love life had been going and he was so easy to get information out of. He told me how he and Marik met, which matched Yugi's story perfectly and told me about a lot of other instances of the same thing happening. From when they were kids out of the city, to when they both moved here just over 10 years ago. All of them sounded the same: One or more would meet Yugi, and within the next week at most they would find love, though most happened on the same day.

I asked him why it took Ryou and Joey longer than that to find love and he couldn't answer me that. He supposed Marik and Mai just weren't around for them to fall… but I'm not certain it works that way. Unless Yugi's power isn't to make people fall in love but rather find their true love - but that would suggest he's some kind of fate and not cursed. Which would suggest a spirit perhaps or a god… an angel maybe…

Angel… That would account for his light and purity, but Cupids are exceedingly rare to find and none of them reside on earth. Not to mention he would know immediately that I am a demon. Cupid or not he would want me dead. I fail to think he doesn't know…

Ryou told me where they used to live and I let him go after that as I noticed he was getting rather fidgety and the scent coming off him was remarkably familiar. He had plans to go see his boyfriend, and if he didn't before meeting me he did now.

Yugi grew up several hours up north. I could fly there and investigate but I think I'll leave that for tonight. For now, I might pay a visit to the library.

I easily charm the librarian into finding me everything she has on curses, charms, spirits and angels, as well as complete access to a computer, and after charming her one more time for a cup of coffee she leaves me to my devices. What she does next is not my problem. I'm a simple patron seeking knowledge, it is not my fault if she's easily influenced.

***
I spend the next few hours combing through the books she's given me, all except the bible which I have promptly pushed aside and hidden from my sight. It's whispers are not welcome and not helpful. Not that the books she's given me are much better.

There's a lot of information on spirits and demons, most of which though I already know and the rest is just dribble. Especially the demons. There's one book that's gotten most of it's information correct. Uncomfortably so. It's kind of strange that there's summoning rituals and a shopping list of everything you need to summon a demon promptly followed by a simple 'do not summon a demon' warning. Like that is going to stop a human that's come this far.

I'm pretty certain Yugi isn't a spirit. None of these match, unless he was some kind of Japanese spirit but I doubt he's a widow… So I can safely rule that out.

He could be hexed, however according to the history available to me on the computer there's no sign of that. But his childhood isn't well known. Interestingly he is an orphan though. His parents died when he was a baby and he was given to the church in Falls Creek and raised in the orphanage. He was adopted at age 4 into a loving family and attended Falls Creek private school. He lived a quiet life though, there's no other records other than he moved here just over 10 years ago by himself. His adoptive parents though I can't find more on.

So… he's not a demon because he would have died on those holy grounds. If he was cursed as a baby it would have been purged under the care of the church. He could have been afflicted after his adoption…

As for the book on Angels there is very little. Cupid are typically described as the God of desire, erotic love, attraction and affection. He has many names but seems to be one person, not a race - which is not true. All depictions are that of a baby - which again, not true. So that's not helpful. But… it doesn't rule it out.

So he could be cursed if he was cursed after adoption. I need to contact his adoptive parents. Thankfully I have their names here. If he wasn't cursed, he could have been charmed, hexed, et cetera OR he could be a cupid…

I wonder how his parents died. It didn't say. I can ask his adoptive parents tomorrow, but they might not know. Unfortunately I cannot contact the church… Never thought I'd say that.

There's still so much to go through. I've hardly crossed out anything aside from spirit and demon. I'm honestly leaning towards cupid but only because his soul is just so bright. If he was cursed or anything else then he wouldn't be so bright, but if he is a cupid he should naturally despise me. Not to mention it is unheard of for heaven to lose an angel… let alone a child.

Oh… which he would be. Young full blooded angels are not common and cupids are typically full blooded, not created. It's not unheard of but if he is 28 years old in human years then he is a child. He would be very young… He could be a nephalem… Angels will hunt down and kill the parents of a nephalem but they generally don't let the child live either. If he's a nephalem then that would account for his age and the lack of wings. I'm afraid I'm just spitballing here though, I only know so much about angels. I can't even go home to ask someone who would know more than I do…

I hear someone clear their throat behind me and I smile at the thirsty librarian tugging at her blouse.

"Sorry to bother you, but the library is about to close. Would you like to borrow those books you're looking through?" She asks politely, chewing her lips idly.

"No I am done with them thank you." I say and she nods and comes over to collect them, bending over low in an attempt to seduce me. It would work… were I not more interested in other puzzles.

I eye her curiously as she piles the books on her trolly and reach for the pen in her pocket smoothly. "There is one thing you could do for me though, sweetheart.." Stealing a piece of scrap paper nearby I write down the names of Yugi's adoptive parents before signing off the computer and handing her back her pen with the folded note.

"If you could search those names in a Falls Creek phone book I would be very grateful." I say smoothly with a little wink. She giggles and promptly leaves and I allow myself this time to stretch and rub my temples.

So much reading and only a step closer.

"What are you?" I whisper to the air.

***
I knock on the door and step back, patting out my suit and waiting patiently. I hear movement and smile politely shortly before the door opens. Greeting me is a sweet old lady, her graying hair pulled into a tight bun upon her head and a sweet apron with ducklings on it across her chest. She's a stout woman, wide but her smile is bright. Her soul is a lovely shade of white, dim with age but no less tantalizing. I feel familiarity with her. Her soul has been touched by a remarkable young man and I know in the depths of my soul that I have found her.

"Hello, can I help you?" She asks sweetly. Her voice is wavering, but she is strong despite her appearance.

"Hello. My name is Yami. I represent the church of Falls Creek. I'm following up on the children who were once under our care, but I'm afraid I've been unable to contact one of our children. I believe you adopted him as a young boy, he would have been 4 at the time."

"Oh, Yugi?" She asks happily, her soul flickering brighter for just a moment. I smile and nod politely.

"Yes. May I come in and talk to you about him?" I ask and she happily opens the door for me.

"Of course! Please, come in."

Her home is a beautiful one, decorated in doilies and ornaments and old furniture, plenty of mirrors. I take my shoes off respectfully and follow her down a small hallway to a cosy room with large armchairs and fluffy pillows and cushions - so many cushions.

"Can I offer you some tea?"

"I am fine, thank you." I say politely and gesture to the photos I spy on the wall. "Are they Yugi?"

She beams and collects them for me, coming over to sit by me on a couch.

"Yes. He's so precious. He was always such a good boy." She is so proud of him. It's lovely to see he belonged to a loving family.

"He looks it. How is he now?"

"He seems well. We speak sometimes. He lives such a busy life. He's the King of Games, don't you know? My son, a famous star in society."

"That is wonderful. Where is he now?" I ask kindly.

"He lives in Domino. He moved there a long time ago. But he visits on Christmas, calls every other month - when he remembers. Poor thing keeps busy. I keep telling him he should come back up here. But he enjoys the city life. I couldn't say why, there's too many people. Too many people rushing about, never stopping to appreciate what's around them."

She's wise, and very sweet. There's something about her that I see in Yugi. He's also observant of the world, much deeper than he lets on.

"Mrs. Moto, may I call you that?" I ask her and she smiles happily.

"Please, call me Yui. I'm far too young for Mrs. Moto." She laughs and I share in her mirth. She laughs like him too. It's hard to believe she adopted him and isn't his real mother.

Just now a man enters the room. An elderly man around her age. He walks with a slouch and he comes to half my size because of it. He smiles though and points at me while looking at his wife.

"I knew you had a young boy toy, Yui." He says light heartedly.

"Oh you." Yui blushes. "Simon this is Yami. He's here on behalf of the church to talk about Yugi."

"Yugi? He's not in trouble is he?" Simon, Yugi's adoptive father I presume, asks with a hint of concern.

"I certainly hope not, sir. I am simply conducting research on the orphans who came to the church. I've been unable to contact him but I was lead to your lovely home."

"I see, I see. Well we have his number…?"

"That would be lovely, thank you." I nod politely and he waves me off.

"I'll be but a moment. I'm not as spry as I used to be." He says, waddling back out of the room at a snails pace.

They're lovely people, perfect for Yugi's parents.

"Anyway. I had a question about Yugi's childhood." I pose to her and she hums quizzically.

"Oh? He was a lovely boy. Always getting good marks, except in sports. He hated sports."

I chuckle lightly at that. I can see that quite easily if I'm honest. He's a lithe little thing. "Actually, did he have any trauma growing up? I can see he lived in a loving home, but outside of the home was he ever bullied, attacked perhaps, did he have a good social life?"

"Hmm. Yugi loved his friends. He was always doted on by everyone he met. People and children alike all loved him. He did have a history of bullying come his teenage years but he had great friends to help him through it."

"What did they tease him for?" I ask curiously.

"He never said. He was sad sometimes. Always about being lonely because he was the only kid in school without a girlfriend. He's such a special boy though, I always told him to keep his head high, that love would find him just as we did."

That is sweet… and makes a lot of sense. If everyone he knows has always found love then his quest for it begun well before he moved. Likely when he started becoming romantically intrigued by others. Which explains why it's so hard for him to give me a chance.

"Do you and your husband, Yugi included, follow the faith of the church?" I ask idly.

"Oh of course! Though if I am completely honest, Yugi doesn't as closely. He hasn't completely disregarded our faith but we raised him to be able to choose his own faith. He's a good boy. We're very proud of him." She says sweetly. She must think I'd be offended if they didn't… but I can see she is earnest. Oh the chaos that would ensue if she knew she had invited one like me into her home. She is lucky I have no desire to harm them.

But I haven't gotten much closer. How do I broach the topic of possible curses? It sounds like Yugi lived a very good life here. No one hated him, why would they? It sounds like he's had affect on people ever since he was a boy. Whoever cursed him would have to be immune to his natural aura… which means a powerful witch or a demon… demons aren't big on curses though. We prefer to deal our damage personally. A witch though… she would need a reason and the only one I can think of is revenge. What kind of person would want revenge on an innocent child though?
"Yugi's biological parents: do you know how they died?" I ask carefully, emmitting a small amount of charm to ease her suspicion. I'm supposed to be asking about Yugi, not his real parents, and if anyone would know then it would be me as a member of the church.

"They… they were murdered. He was being looked after I believe by friends of the family when his parents were found dead in their homes. We haven't even told Yugi this. Their murders were too gruesome and he was content enough to know that he was loved."

"I see… may I ask how they were murdered? Were their killers ever found?"

"Sadly no, they haven't been found I do not believe. They… they were tortured. I do not know much about them other than what the police told us about the case. They had to see, in case their killers ever came for us. They couldn't determine if the killing was deliberate or an accident, but it seemed the murderers were not happy after they had killed them." She says sadly.

"Why is that?" I ask kindly.

"Because their house was torched." Simon says upon his return. He hands me a note containing Yugi's number and address… perfect. At least now I can watch the outside of his house if I need to.

"Torched?" I ask curiously. Simon seems less than pleased unlike his wife, but still he takes a seat in the armchair across from me and nods with a sad grimace.

"You won't tell Yugi any of this?"

"I give you my word, sir." I say politely. He eyes me, searching but eventually relents - with only a little help from me…

"The inside of the families house was more or less intact with only minimal signs of struggle. The doors and windows were locked, no killer found inside. Only the bodies of Mr and Mrs. Moto was found. Scorch marks were found on the roof and direct area around them, but everything else was untouched. Their bodies were burned from the inside out, their eyes and insides completely disintegrated. The crib upstairs was also found scorched. There were no signs of theft and no theories on how the killer managed to do so much damage to them and not the rest of the house. Even to this day the case hasn't been closed."

… I see. Their deaths were gruesome indeed. I can understand why they never told him how they died. But I am grateful they told me because now it is clear. They were killed by angels… and the only reason they would kill someone on earth is if they had committed a crime against them… such as fleeing to earth or housing an infant angel.

Yugi's light, his affect on people, the deaths of his parents, being taken in by the church - he's a cupid alright. A cupid raised as a human, never knowing what he is or why he's here. This is why he doesn't understand why the things that happen around him happen, but he's smart enough to recognise how it works. To an extent. He doesn't know anything about detecting a demon because as far as he's concerned he's human. It's possible his exposure to humanity has kept much of his spiritual powers inactive. Much of what he is must be slumbering within.

"I'm sorry. So what does this have to do with Yugi now?" Simon asks curiously. I'm testing his patience here. I should leave soon. I have all I came for.

"Simply wanting to know if any past traumas could affect the boy now. I see he would have been too young though. I thank you both for your hospitality, but I must be off." I say politely and they stand to join me.

"It was a pleasure to meet you Yami." Yui smiles happily.

"Do give Yugi our best. And tell him to call us. He's overdue as it is." Simon says in a friendly manner as they see me out.

"I will. Thank you so much."

They close the door on me and I walk down the humble street. It is quiet here and peaceful and I can imagine the little angel carelessly running around, laughter on his lips without a care in the world. He would run among the grass, roll down the hill with his friends, climb trees and get stuck… and no one was the wiser.

The angels that killed his parents… they clearly knew of the boy. They would not destroy his cot otherwise. They could not sense him though… I wonder if his parents placed a marker on his soul. That would account for his hidden qualities. He'd have grown up a normal cupid otherwise but as it stands the young angel has no idea what he is.

Now I must decide if I should tell him or simply leave him be.

My instincts tell me to flee. To leave the country and let fate run its course. I would be safer if I did. I did not flee Hell to become a victim of an angel. If Yugi knew of his power, if his instinct instructed him to kill me… even cupids despise demons.

But he is no ordinary cupid. Not anymore. Whatever reason his parents had to seek refuge here on Earth, their decision has led Yugi to have an extremely unique experience. I cannot predict how he will react to the truth but sooner or later those angels will find him. That they haven't is remarkable. Perhaps… perhaps I should protect him…

Maybe.

I will observe first. I can't just tell him over a coffee that he's an angel, he won't believe me. He'll think I'm coming onto him again…

Damn it what am I thinking? I'm an Incubus, I don't need to interfere with this. He caught my attention because I sensed he was different. Now I know he could easily kill me if he knew how and I'm thinking of ways to let that happen? If I wanted to die I would have remained in Hell. Where did this sense of honour and loyalty come from? I should be immune to him.

…

Damn it.

Just leave it Atem. Leave it. You got your answers. Just drop it and go. It's what he expects anyway.