Prompt XX: Soul

Yugi barely had a moment to sink his teeth into the deer when Atem blurted, "Do you think everything has a soul?" He blinked and glanced over, startled, and the God Dragon continued in just as rushed a voice, clearly embarrassed. "Like, everything? Plants, bugs, everything?"

Yugi pulled the meat from the bone, blinking, and wondered. Did everything have a soul? He was relatively sure even the elements did, but rocks and dirt seemed unchanging. Unless water or wind stirred them, they never seemed to evolve or yield in any way. He couldn't imagine they had souls. And what of water? It was mostly unchanging but for when seasons came and went. And even then it seemed miniscule unless there was a flood or drought.

"I think…animals and humans have them." He paused and looked over, swallowing the rest of his mouthful and puzzling over the question once more. When his parents had told stories, they'd never implied as to whether everything did or not. In most stories, the elements seemed alive, but did that mean they had souls? "The elements too, maybe, but bugs and plants… I don't know."

Atem flicked his tail in something mirroring agitation. Yugi considered him, unsure, but the God Dragon looked away again almost immediately. He wasn't mad at him, nor did he disagree. He just…was agitated. Whatever was going on in his head was tumultuous. Even the gem on his forehead had darkened slightly, cloudier than he'd seen it in days.

"Is this because of the nightmares?" he asked before he could rethink the approach. Atem's head snapped toward him immediately, eyes sharp and burning as they bore into his. He almost flinched at the ferocity glimmering in his gaze but it faded after a moment, replaced by quiet frustration. "Sorry. I didn't mean to…"

Atem shook his head slowly, voice low. "You have every right to ask. And I'd be stupid to deny it."

Yugi opened his mouth to argue. It wasn't stupid. It was a coping mechanism and had been one of several ways he'd learned to survive on his own. There was nothing wrong with it, though his hearts threatened to explode with warmth. Atem wasn't denying it as he normally did, wasn't closing off and turning away from him as he did when he was usually scared or unnerved.

It was a newer development, and only the tiniest display of trust, but Yugi adored him more than ever for it. He couldn't have put into words how amazing it felt to know Atem even trusted him enough to say when he wasn't okay or ask for help, or tell him about his nightmares and terrors. He'd only done so once or twice, mostly regarding the nest before the Blessing, but Yugi also wondered if it stemmed from guilt.

Atem had knocked him over when he'd tried to wake him. The God Dragon had surged up, thrown him onto his back, and loomed over him snarling. It had only lasted a heartbeat before he'd withdrawn and moved away, recognizing him and dismissing his aggression and fear. But it had stuck with Yugi just because Atem had finally said he was having nightmares about the nest, about Seto begging him for help. Yugi couldn't tell if it was because he trusted him that he'd explained or if it was because he had likely felt so guilty.

A cold sensation swept through him, his spine seizing as if with ice. Atem was so deathly still, as if he were waiting for something, and Yugi wondered for a moment if he'd missed something. But abruptly Atem looked away, flicking his tail.

"Atem?"

"They just keep growing. I…I Blessed them when I was afraid to and…" Atem abruptly turned to him again, eyes searching his. "What if I did something wrong? I Blessed them when I felt I shouldn't have."

Yugi shook his head. "You don't wish ill on them. As far as I'm concerned, you couldn't have Blessed them with negative intentions."

Atem flicked his tail, then narrowed his eyes. "You just stood there when I almost ate them."

Yugi waited for him to say something else but the God Dragon remained silent, eyeing him almost suspiciously. He tilted his head, puzzled. "You're the God Dragon between us, Atem," he said gently. "You thought you sensed something that I couldn't, and you've never wanted to harm someone out of pure malice—let alone eggs."

Atem blinked, stiffening faintly, and opened his mouth.

"You know I'll stand by you no matter what happens," he added, shaking his head. "If you'd eaten them, I would helped you."

"Why?" he blurted, voice harsh with annoyance. He lashed his tail and looked away. He forced himself to lower his voice and lose some of the anger in his tone, but the words were still clipped. "Why? You're better than this. You're better than me. Why would you just follow what I do like that?"

Yugi was quiet for a moment. "I'm not better than you," he said finally, softly, and Atem could see him shake his head in the corner of his eye. "And you're not giving yourself enough credit, Atem."

Atem blinked and flicked his tail as he looked him over. A long minute passed before he huffed. "Do you even…know how infuriating it is that you never even get upset with me?"

Yugi blinked, startled, and then laughed. Atem couldn't even blink before he'd run over to lick him vigorously. "It can't be nearly as infuriating as listening to you when you get upset with yourself."

"It's almost as annoying as listening to your heavy snoring," he retorted.

"It's a sign I'm still alive," Yugi growled playfully, licking him from beak to crown and wiggling before repeating the action. "You enjoy it, and I know you do. So, shush."

Atem couldn't argue. He did enjoy listening to him snore most nights. He sounded like a sudden thunderclap when he first fell asleep, then evened out into a more consistent rumbling throughout the night. Atem sometimes listened to it for hours when he couldn't fall asleep, thinking of it as his own little personal thunderstorm inside the den. It was comforting and felt safe, and it almost always helped keep the worst of his nerves at bay.

"You have no proof."

Yugi growled and pounced on him, slathering him with even more licks before nipping his shoulder and snuggling against him. "You love it. Just say you do."

Atem scoffed. "I wouldn't love a snoring bear in my den, Yugi."

Yugi laughed and pulled back to look at him. Atem couldn't tell what he saw in his expression, but whatever it was it made him wiggle before bathing his face once more.