A/N: I hope you like! Let me know what you think? :D

Yugi

I can't stop smiling. My cheeks hurt and as much as I want to try and stop smiling simply to let my muscles relax, he keeps flattering me and touching me, it's impossible.

"I mean it." He continues.

We reach my apartment door which gives him exactly the right amount of time to pin me to it. He breathes down my neck and I feel a sly hand hitch up my shirt so he can squeeze my hip.

"You are a beacon in my dark existence and I know not how I am ever to repay you properly - but I will gladly spend every breath, every beat of my heart that beats solely for you, trying to do so."

"You don't have to." I laugh. I'm fumbling with my keys and I almost drop them when he lifts my collar and softly sinks his fangs into my neck. "Tem…"

"I love the pet name you have given me." He purrs, licking the tiny little wound he left me. "My master." His voice is a whisper so close to my ear, and the title sets my blood aflame.

The door opens and a single step in is all it takes for him to push us the rest of the way in. I turn to meet him, ready to capture his wanting lips. I hear the door slam behind him half a second after I am pushed against my wall.

I toss my keys aside somewhere and wrap my arms around his neck while his hands rip at my shirt. He's already attacking my belt and I am lifting my hips to help him.

He calls me his master and yet I am the one not in control of anything. Of him, of myself. He hungers for me so desperately and I am too willing to give in. I wonder if I should play along. Make him wait. Make him resist. Make him obey -

*ahem*

Everything stops. His hands, my hips, our breathing. We break the kiss to stare alert at the noise that halted us and to my absolute horror - we are not alone.

Not only is Tea here - because of course she is - but in my living room sits awkwardly Ryou, Marik and to my surprise Shadi who looks less than impressed.

Marik whispers something to Ryou and he snickers silently. Tea is glaring at us so angrily that I feel like we are both in danger. Shadi merely looks unimpressed and continues sipping his drink…

"Welcome home, darling." Ryou speaks up finally, mocking the pet name. I hear Atem growl quietly, his surprised expression turning to one of warning. I lightly tap his ribs and he looks shocked at me but bows his head and lets me off the wall.

"Ryou… everyone…" I straighten myself up quickly, feeling and patting my clothes and silently thanking the lord he didn't manage to undo my pants.

He turns his back to everyone and I glimpse him doing the same, but I feel his irritation bubbling under the surface and see how annoyed he is with how tense his shoulders are. I can still lightly hear the low growl but he'll be okay.

"What are we all doing here?" I ask them, forcing as much patience as I can through my voice but I'm sure they can see through my half-assed ruse.

"We -" Ryou happily gestures between himself and Marik, who is excitedly looking between myself and Atem with clear imaginations that make me a little uncomfortable. "Are here to ask you some questions. Thought you'd be here after work…"

"I live here now…" Tea says flatly. I feel I'm going to get a scolding later.

Then I look at Shadi and … honestly I don't know him well enough to know what kind of tone to take with him. I'm annoyed he's here and interrupting what would have been another glorious moment, but he looks just as annoyed to be here.

Atem stands close beside me. So close his arm brushes against mine as he folds them over his chest. He stares straight at Shadi as if he'd just grown a second head. "And what are you doing here?"

"I'm so glad you asked, because I am here…" He stops to point directly ahead. We take a few steps forward and look upon the large blue rubber tub left on my dining table. It's quite large and full of damp, crumpled clothing - all of it smelling very strong of some kind of perfumes and chemicals.

"For that." Shadi finishes.

"Well no one's stopping you from taking it." Atem muses innocently as he examines the articles of clothing without touching anything.

I shake my head, biting my lip to stop from laughing. I know whats happening here and Atem is clearly playing innocent.

"I brought it here." Shadi grumbles.

"Then why are you here for it?" Atem shoots back at him cheekily. He is going to get a smack at this rate.

"You owe me new clothes. A whole new wardrobe." Shadi declares.

Atem raises his brow and a smirk tugs at his lips. "You can't hold me accountable for what I do when I'm dying."

"You weren't dying, you were fornicating with my clothes!"

"I was not!"

"Was to!"

"ENOUGH!" Tea yells above them and they both hold their tongues. I'm in the same mind as Ryou and Marik over this. Watching them argue is incredibly funny to watch but Tea is obviously not impressed. "Atem, buy your friend some new clothes. Shadi, put those on the balcony, please? They're … strong."

Marik rises to help Shadi with the tub and Atem puts his weight on one hip with a roll of his eyes as he grumbles.

"Now." Tea says sharply, getting all of our attention. "If you two can stop fawning over one another for 5 minutes, I think we're all owed an explanation or two."

"I don't think I can. My survival is in jeopardy and Yugi is the only one who can save me." Atem says dramatically, pulling my close by the waist all of a sudden. I laugh and it takes all of my control not to sigh when he brushes his nose along my neck. "Yes it would be a tragedy were you to perish…" Tea mutters quietly.

"It would for some." He shoots back quickly.

"Okay." I push against Atem's chest for him to let me go and I face the entire room. "In the kindest way possible, would answering your questions get you all out of my house?"

"Yes." They all say in perfect unison. I nod and grimace and turn to Atem. He looks less than pleased but I see he understands though. They've a right to know what's going on and if he's well enough to court me then he's well enough to answer them.

"Fine!" He groans and reluctantly follows me to sit down. He drags a dining chair with him to perch on while I take a comfy seat on my coffee table. Tea, Marik and Ryou are happy on the couch and Shadi stands in the corner, arms crossed and curious.

"There's an armchair - you don't have to stand…" I offer but he politely raises a hand and offers a small shake of his head.

"I am quite happy standing."

Okay… well I'm not about to awkwardly take the chair so I'll stay here. I clap my hands and look at each of them.

"Where do we start?"

"We should share what we all know." Tea says plainly. "We are all of us aware that Yugi and myself are angels, Cupids to be precise and we are all aware that Atem is a demon - an Incubus."

"Correct." We all except Atem agree together.

"We all know that recently Ryou was possessed by another demon we now know as Amar - correct?" She continues.

Again, we agree. I'm surprised Shadi knows too but then I guess they filled him in while we were gone. I look at Atem to gauge his response but his poker face is well crafted. He looks unphased at all, as if we didn't just name her.

"In that case. Should we each ask a question one at a time?" Tea suggests.

"May I go first?" Marik asks happily. None of us disapprove so with an eager nod he takes a breath.

"None of you look like angels or demons…"

I know what he means. Right now they're as human as they are.

"We could show you, but as an Incubus I doubt we would get far in the way of questioning… although!" Atem perks at a very less than sensible idea. I hear the gears turning and a faint image of a mass of bodies together enters my mind as he looks at me. A wild blush crosses my cheeks.

"No!" I snap at him, perhaps a little too sharply. He pouts and huffs and slouches in his spot, chin in his palm. "I'm sorry - but no." I say much softer but it doesn't soften his mood. Poor thing is thinking with one brain cell again and while I want to accommodate, I am not down for an orgy with my friends.

"Atem has the right idea though." Tea muses quietly. I think she completely miss read what just happened but Atem has instantly perked again, throwing me a smug, proud grin.

"She's not about to suggest what you are thinking." I tell him firmly and his proud expression falls again.

"I…am likely not. But a small demonstration isn't too much to ask for." Tea suggests.

She stands gracefully to face us all and I feel the energy around her stirring. Light begins to shine around her, making her skin glow. Then out of the light her wings take shape. Large, white and powerful wings. Her feathers are pristine and glossy, perfectly shaped, perfectly preened and cared for. They are fluffy underneath and sleek.

Apart from the first time I saw her not too long ago, I haven't actually seen her wings. Back when she found me she was too fast for me to really look at them, so this is technically the first I've seen them myself. They're beautiful. Gorgeous even. I want to touch them. How soft are they?

"Wow!" We all except Atem breathe. Even Shadi has joined us in our awe.

She smiles and holds out a wing for us to touch. I'm so nervous my hand is shaking but as my fingers brush against the surface I feel a wave of excitement come over me.

They're so impressive. So glamorous. So perfect. Suddenly I want a pair of my own to be proud of.

"They're beautiful." Ryou sighs happily.

"They're real!" Marik exclaims with a laugh.

"I've never seen anything like it." Shadi agrees.

"You've seen my wings." Atem grumbles sharply but Shadi waves him off as if he was nothing. Poor Atem. I wonder if he feels jealous. I pull my hand back just in case. I can gush about it later to Tea in private I'm sure.

"You have wings too?" Ryou asks him excitedly.

Atem looks surprised for a moment, stunned into silence but then a wicked grin comes across his beautiful face.

"Much more than that."

The electricity in the room falters and flickers and I know this feeling well. Their energies are so different but as Atem slowly morphs and adopts his demonic form a proud smile falls upon my face. His wings spread as wide as they can behind him without knocking things over, his ivory horns spread from the crown of his hair. His hands are painted ashen black as his nails grow into claws. What they don't see is the splendor underneath where I know his clothes hide his beautiful gem-like scales, but the markings under his eyes burn his skin. He blinks his fiery eyes and stretches his mouth, running his long slick tongue over extended fangs. I know he's showing off. And I love it.

"WOW!" Marik and Ryou both laugh. Fear, amazement, astonishment - whatever they're feeling it has them staring wide at him as if hypnotized. I don't blame them. He's such a specimen and he's all mine.

I see them take a step to him, and another… and another.

I don't like it.

I quickly stop them, pulling on their clothes light enough to get in between them. They don't look at me. They look through me, passed me, straight at my boyfriend.

"He's impressive, yes… and mine." I say to them very firmly. Firm enough to get their attention.

I don't know what they see but after a short moment they blink and shake their heads, looking at one another first before nodding.

"Yeah of course." They say quietly. They steal another glance at my boyfriend and I feel them struggle, but they barely manage to bring themselves around to go sit on the couch again.

I still feel the need to stand between them though, so instead of taking my place on the coffee table I opt for standing close to him. I touch his shoulders protectively, keeping him close and making my stance clear. He is mine. He is theirs to look at, but mine to touch.

"Okay…" Ryou breathes. I watch them closely, vigilantly. Neither are looking at us, though Marik is stealing little glances where he can. Ryou's hands are tightly clenched in his lap and his eyes strictly forward. "So… definitely real."

"Atem."

I look at Shadi still standing near Tea. Curiously he doesn't appear to be as drawn to Atem as my friends are but I'm not ready to let my guard down.

Shadi looks amused if anything though. "Put your clothes on, we won't get anything discussed like this."

"Fine." Atem huffs and whines but he dismisses his demonic side as easily as shivering. His wings puff into smoke, his horns fade from sight. His hands regain their colour and the teardrop markings on his cheeks close like a healed wound. His eyes were once aflame but now they appear a deep velvet red, like the densest blood.

He quirks his brow at Shadi playfully and smirks at me. I smile at him too. I feel a lot more comfortable now he's appearing this way. Not so much for my sake but because now Ryou and Marik should have an easier time resisting him.

Still. My place is beside him, between him and anyone else who might desire him.

"Satisfied?" Tea asks them.

"Very." Marik says too quickly for my liking. I love the guy, which is why I'm really glad that they're not looking our way to catch me glaring at him.

"Yes. Thank you." Ryou says a lot calmer and kinder, but I hear his strain and I see how tense he is. I need to invest in a spray bottle.

"Then who would like to go next?" Tea asks around.

No one speaks up though. The boys are unable to and I suspect Shadi knows as much as Tea and Atem. I could ask a question… but I'd rather talk to Atem in private than risk sharing information he doesn't want shared.

"Then shall I?" Tea asks us. No one moves to disapprove. "Amar. Who is she?"

Fuck.

This is what I wanted to avoid. Atem trusted me with that information and I know it was hard for him to do so. But now he's being cornered for that information and all because that bitch decided to allow Ryou to learn her name.

As expected I feel him tense. He sits straighter, he shifts uncomfortably. He says nothing.

"Does it matter?" I ask quickly, standing in the path of everyone's attention. "She's a Daeva, right? Isn't that all we need to know?"

"It would help to understand why she has fixated on Atem." Tea points out.

"How though? Her reasons aren't going to make her weaker. We can't just form an argument and change her mind. We should be focusing on -"

"Yugi." Atem's voice is quiet behind me but it silences me instantly. I look at him and his eyes are closed, his frown is deep. He looks resigned.

"You don't have to tell them." I say to him quietly, touching his arm gently.

"It is because of our history that she attacked your friend. She could have killed him. We are incredibly lucky she decided to keep him alive for whatever reason. What happened to him, you and myself is my responsibility. The least I owe is an explanation." He says softly.

"But…"

"It's okay." He smiles at me and it disarms me. I know he's made up his mind. He's so brave to do this, but I'm also sad because I know he's taking everything that happened very personally. I need to help him see that what happened wasn't his fault.

He takes a deep breath and I sit beside him, leaning against his arm and lightly stroking his thigh affectionately. He has my support.

"Amar as she is now is a stranger to me. However she is what remains of someone close to me when I was still human 5000 years ago. She was my mistress, I was her slave and I believed her friend. I trusted her and there was a time where she trusted me too. But it was not I who betrayed her. Rather it was her parents that betrayed us. I do not know in what manner she was killed, nor did I have any idea that she was a demon until recently. Apparently she has been hunting me, but I did not know this." He says strongly. I'm glad he didn't tell them everything. He could have if he wanted to and I'd have supported him, but I'm glad he found a way to tell them what is necessary without delving too deep.

"She knew you… very well. You didn't know her?" Ryou asks him.

Atem opens his mouth to answer her but Tea cuts in first. "It's possible." She appears to be deep in thought. "Hell is a massive plane of existence. It is extremely possible Atem never met her demon side. Actually she is quite younger than Atem. Atem became a demon 5000 years ago, but if I'm correct she is likely in her 3500's."

"I would assume the same." Atem assents. Wait, are they… being civil? "My name is known throughout Hell. I am not surprised in the slightest she knows of me. It would not take her long to investigate and realise I am the very same she remembers. But she is a Daeva. She's young. I would not associate with her kind even if I were not a fugitive."

"Why are you on the run?" Marik asks innocently.

Now this… I don't know. He always answered that question with a question of his own, asking why wouldn't he leave Hell as if it were obvious. But… that isn't really an answer.

"That isn't relevant." He says stiffly. Alright. That's clear enough for me to know he does not want to discuss that.

"It could be." Tea says. "If you broke a law, if you killed someone important, if you inadvertently betrayed her in some way."

"I killed no one of importance, I could not have betrayed her on a personal level and any laws I broke does not affect Daeva's. The only way this is personal is her memory of us as humans." Atem is firm in his stance and she considers his words.

"I believe Yugi's point from earlier is rather relevant." Shadi says all of a sudden. "Amar's interest in Atem is trivial. Daeva's are the torturers of hell. They thrive on chaos and the pain they bring. They are evil incarnate. Angry, ferocious, sociopathic and crazed. It is sound enough to understand that the remnants of her memory is enough to aid her fixation with Atem. The rest is just her new nature as a Daeva."

"You raise a valid point, Shadi." Tea agrees. Does this mean he's off the hook? "Assuming that Atem hasn't angered her then yes, her memory is enough to cause her fixation."

"So how do we stop it?" I ask. Honestly that's all I care about in regards to her.

"She needs to die." Atem's voice is so quiet and so cold it makes me uncomfortable. I look at him, half convinced that he didn't say that; but he sits there, eyes cast down in thought. His mind is troubled. I can feel the dark cloud hanging over him.

"There's gotta be a safer way." Ryou offers optimistically.

"There isn't. Once a demon fixates, there are few methods to be rid of it. Exorcism, banishing, protective charms or an angels blessing helps. But a Daeva is of a different class. They will not stop the hunt. We could banish her, we could hide behind our charms, we could run… but in the end she holds the power. Charms become our prisons, the world becomes her hunting ground and running tires you out eventually. The only sure way to be rid of her, is to kill her." Atem explains clearly.

This is… so real isn't it?

I don't know why but the thought of her dying makes me kind of sad. I mean she attacked my best friend, she's the reason Atem got so hurt, she tried to kill me, she thrives on torture… but… she's a link to Atem's past. She's a loose end he may not want to close. If I can teach him to love then what if she's not incapable of change too… and what of the side of her that went to heaven? This Daeva version of her is his only link back to his past.

Why does it have to be this way?

"So how do we kill her?" Shadi asks cooly. I suppose someone needed to ask that.

"That will not be an issue." Tea responds. "The more complicated part is capturing her. She knows where Yugi lives. She believes this to be Atem's nest. No matter how much we protect this apartment, this building, this block, Yugi will be the lure she will use to attract Atem. Even if we masked him so she could not detect him, she will use his friends, she will blend in. She may not be a head-hunter or an assassin, but she is an excellent huntress."

"I will not allow her to threaten him." Atem says so firmly even I feel a shiver.

"No one doubts that. I saw first hand how much you will protect him." Tea smiles at him fondly. It's kind of nice to see though. I've never known her to be kind to him.

"But… Yugi can't just go into hiding then, can he? I mean you said she'd never stop. Even if he went to Alaska, she'd find them eventually." Marik asks. He's right.

"So… what, we wait for her to strike? Or do we lure her out?" I ask absently. I didn't mean to voice that. I don't want to be bait.

"I don't like the idea of you being bait mate." Ryou reads my mind and I smile at him.

"Nor do I." Atem agree.

"There is no telling when she will strike. I don't think it's reasonable to ask Yugi to remain in hiding until she does." Tea says.

Shadi speaks up then. "So we wait and remain vigilant. I suggest all his friends be protected so they cannot be used against him and try to limit her ability to track him."

"I agree. That way we can limit her path and try to better predict her next movements." Tea agrees.

"So we do nothing for now?" I ask.

"It seems so." She shrugs.

I sense something troubling Atem though. He is tense and his mind is buzzing. What are you thinking?

He looks at me and breathes deeply. He offers a weak smile, clearly not meant to assure me but to acknowledge my concern. He's forming a plan… but he does not wish to share it. Why?

"Well then… are there more questions?" He addresses the room with a fresh new tone meant to change the topic.

"I have loads." Marik says and Ryou promptly elbows him. "Uh but not about anything important."

"Yugi. I'd like a detailed list of everyone close to you and where they live or work. I'd also like a list of where you frequent besides work and the bedroom." Tea says. I know that last is a joke but it's kind of hard to smile at the moment. This whole thing is suddenly so real…

"Okay." I say quietly.

"I think then it's time we take our leave." Shadi announces. It's not like I like kicking people out of my house but I am so relieved he proposed that. I would really appreciate some time to just be for a bit.

Marik and Ryou stand and we're all gathering to say goodbyes.

"I have more questions but it can wait for later." Ryou says to me and I offer a small smile. "You okay?"

"I'm fine." I say automatically. He knows me well enough to know I have a lot on my mind. But there's so many people here. I'd much rather talk to him in private later.

"Well thank you for answering our questions." Marik says happily behind Ryou.

"Of course." Atem bows his head politely.

"I shall go too. I know a few places I can visit and frankly I do not wish to be here while the two of you are together." Tea says. I smile at that though. I understand. Atem's in heat, and while the both of us may not be in the mood right now that could change at any moment.

"I'm also leaving." Shadi says. "I need a new wardrobe and I have just the account to use for it."

"Dionysus's account is for the staff." Atem says flatly.

"I am staff… but not that account." Shadi shakes his head.

Atem frowns. "That is my account."

Shadi shrugs, a playful smirk on his face. "They were my clothes."

"...Fine." He's not happy but by the look of things he may have deserved this.

Atem digs out his wallet and tosses it to Shadi lazily. Shadi looks more than pleased as he pockets it.

With that we said our goodbyes and saw them all out… but I feel weighed down. That conversation was heavier than I expected…

A hand snakes around my hip and pulls me close to a hot and eager body. "Where were we?" His voice purrs by my ear and it makes my skin tingle.

I smile and sigh, leaning against him. I take his hands and hold them over my stomach. He was trying to slip his fingers under my belt but I'm not feeling it at the moment. How can I after a conversation like that?

He kisses my cheek, my jaw, my neck, my shoulder, and I let him but …

"You are troubled, my light?" He whispers softly between little kisses wherever he can.

"Yeah…"

He sighs softly and nudges the side of my head before resting his chin on my shoulder. "What is on your mind?"

"You can read it…" I mumble quietly. Everything we talked about just feels a bit much.

"Thank you, but I'd prefer you talk to me." He says quietly.

It feels nice to hear that honestly. I take a moment replaying moments of the conversation, just trying to pinpoint exactly what has me feeling this way.

"I feel… wrong. Like… don't get me wrong, I do not want Amar anywhere near my friends or you or me… but to kill her? I agree with Ryou, is there really no better way?"

He squeezes me gently. "There isn't, Yugi."

"But… I mean can't we talk to her? Figure out what she wants and compromise?"

He laughs softly and leans his head against mine. "There is no compromising with a Daeva."

"But she used to be human. She remembers you? Maybe there's some part of her that can be reasonable." I offer. He turns me around with a long sigh and I look into his eyes. Surely there is something else we can do.

He looks into mine sympathetically and brushes my hair behind my ear. A sad smile pulls at his lips. "Amar… what is left of her is not the part of her that may have been willing to talk. Please understand, she has her name, she has her memories, but she is not the girl I knew."

"But how do we know that? You retained your good self, why can't she?"

"I am my whole soul Yugi. I am unsent. She is not. She died 5000 years ago and her soul was judged. The pure moved on while the purged was sent to Hell, to simmer and gather with thousands of other souls until what sin of hers won an internal struggle for dominance and became what she is now. She is not my Amar."

"Okay… but still, what if -"

"Yugi, my light." He sighs softly, stroking my cheeks and catching the tears beginning to form. "She would see you and your friends suffer and agonize before relenting and taking your lives, and she would not stop there. She would bring your souls back to Hell to be tortured for eternity. All that before she considers trading you in for me."

She would…? I … I suppose he's right but … why? I just…

He touches my chin and I aggravatedly wipe away more frustrated tears.

"I just didn't want this. Why can't we all just live in peace? There's enough death and injustice and pain in the world without us actively intending to kill someone. Murder is wrong, no matter who it is or what for."

He sighs again and pulls me into a firm embrace. I eagerly bury my face into his chest and feel my walls crumbling under his hold. He wraps his arms around me and rests his chin upon my head. He kisses me and nudges me and gently we sway.

"You are too good for this world, my love." He whispers. "Try not to dwell on this too much. We are not planning on murdering her in cold blood. In fact, when you think about it, we are simply preparing for the worst. If her death should come, it will be in the defence of those you love."

… I suppose he's right there. I would see him and my friends safe before anything. I just wish it didn't need to come to this. "This is so real." I whisper sadly. I cannot stop the tears any more but I do not want to cry, so I hide in him, squeezing him close and trying my hardest to gain some control.

"I know. But I and Tea will do all we can to protect you."

I push off him and look straight into his dark red eyes angrily. "It's not me I'm worried about. I don't want you or anyone else getting hurt. I don't want her to take the people I love away from me. I don't want you or Tea or Ryou or anyone else getting hurt either from her attack or in our defense. I just… I don't want this."

"I know. I know." He says softly, pulling me back in. I fall into his embrace again, listening deeply to the sound of his heartbeat. It's slow and calm to my surprise and as he hushes me gently and pats my hair, and as we sway ever so softly, I feel myself calming.

He's right. I need to try and not dwell on this. There's nothing really we can do right now except try to protect ourselves. Wishing things were different won't make it so.

I push off him once more but I hold him close. He searches my face carefully before he nuzzles my cheek affectionately. It makes me smile a little and then he smiles… and then I smile wider. I love him so much. If anything happens to him…

"Stay with me?" I ask weakly and he laughs lightly.

"I intended to."

"Good."

So what do we do now? I'm still not quite in the mood. I could do with some cuddling. "Would you… like to watch a movie with me?"

I just realised this is probably the first time I've had him in my house and we actually have the chance to be domestic. This might be one of the most coupliest, wholesome things we've ever done outside of a date.

He smiles, strokes my cheek and lifts my chin to plant a gentle kiss upon my lips.

"I would love to."