Guest: Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoy the series!

Chapter XI: Wound

Atem hummed as Yugi spat the poultice atop his paw. Yami ran forward to investigate, sniffing and bristling before turning and running off. He hissed and then raced forward again, sniffing, and then let out a chirp of pure disgust. Yugi laughed softly and butted his shoulder and Atem studied his face for a long moment. The hatchling looked puzzled and disgusted by the smell, but he'd been flustered and indignant formerly when Yugi had gently nudged him from Atem's paw to be able to place the poultice. He'd huffed and hovered, then become curious and run over to Yugi to investigate his actions.

Yami chirped as he got to his paw, tilting his head and studying the gooey mess. Atem flexed his toes and curled his right paw toward his chest. He closed his eyes as he put his chin atop the limb, and exhaled slowly. His eyes opened to slits as Yugi moved about again. He watched him lay a few feet away.

"Yami, hey, come lay with me, okay?" he called softly. Atem blinked and watched the hatchling consider, pouting at the edge of his paw, and then he finally chirped and went to lay with Yugi. The Gandora turned to him, searching his face. "How does it feel?"

Atem yawned. "It's not as aggravated. It still stings, but it is no longer throbbing." He studied him. "I know Timaeus worries excessively, especially because of the time he spent with me when my side was such a jagged mess. But I promise a broken paw won't be the end of me."

Yugi laughed softly and shook his head. "That would be sad, after everything you've been through," he snickered. He shook his head again and smiled wider. "I don't expect a broken paw to kill you. I just don't want you to further hurt yourself in the meantime. I don't want it to become infected."

"It won't. I know how to clean it properly." Atem looked down at Yami who was staring pointedly at the poultice again. He glanced at it sideways and then turned back, curious as he narrowed his gaze. "He must really dislike the smell."

Yami chirped and Yugi snorted. "I don't know if it's that so much as he wants to lay with you." He nudged the hatchling and licked his head. Yami spun around to face him and squeaked loudly before turning back to glare at the poultice once more.

"He can lay with me if he'd like. I don't mind."

"I don't want him to rub it off or anything. If I'd thought about it, I would have grabbed some moss and layered it atop so he could lay on it and not mess up the application." Yugi shifted his weight. "I guess I could still do that if you'd be willing to watch him in the meantime."

Atem didn't understand his phrasing, and he didn't know how to question it without sounding aggressive and offended. He shook his head and looked away. "No, I… I am tired. I would rather rest."

Yugi was quiet for a moment, then said gently, "Okay, bright sky, rest well. I'll go hunting again when you wake."

He went to argue, but his eyes were glued shut and he was so tired he could barely think straight. He dozed off instantly, his mind blank and black for a long moment, until slowly the darkness became disturbed. The image was strange and slow to form, with the core of it a brilliant white marred only by two pinpricks of glittering gray. Atem found himself peering at these two bursts of colors until his eyes felt they might burn.

The gray burned into silver, then brilliant gold. The world shimmered about him for a moment, then became a gray and blue-streaked cavern. His shadow stretched about the walls as if it were trying to devour the space before him. The air seemed thicker than before and there was a distant roar as water raced by.

Atem saw nothing before him but for the length of his shadow. It was dark gray, then a deep black that hurt his eyes. Atem bristled faintly, studying his shadow there upon the walls. It stretched and lengthened and after a moment its teeth parted and snapped at the air as if to devour prey.

He found himself urged forward as something pressed upon his paws. It nipped and bit at his heels, forcing him to continue moving. He padded along, traveling for what felt miles until his paws began to ache and his stomach lurched. A strange pain pulsed through his left paw, surging up through his wrist and into his shoulder. He snarled softly, startled, and whipped around as he heard noise.

A pure white dragon stood before him.

Atem stared and bristled more fiercely, peeling his lips back further to show the ridges of his teeth. He pressed his wings into his flanks to comfort himself and bristled more pointedly.

"Ironheart?" he breathed out. He flexed his claws and narrowed his eyes. "What…?"

The Judgment Dragon stood tall, staring at him with glowing gray eyes that seemed to burn like the sun. Atem studied him, unsure, as the other male came forward. His eyes looked like gemstones the closer he got, face like the moon against the clouds and glittering as if laced with stars.

"I wanted to see the shadow that envelopes you now, but you hold too much power. I cannot see it."

Atem bristled and shook his head. "I have none."

"You have a great many. You do not understand them, but I can see them. You are strong enough I cannot read your shadow. Your…hatchling is the only thing I can read from you clearly."

He bristled and backed up a step, snarling softly. The words were familiar but incorrect. He'd missed something. One of his statements—was it missing or was it wrong? Atem could not remember.

"Can you see him?"

"I would not know he existed if I did not see you now. Your presence tells me of his existence."

"Is there anything else?"

"No. Your pain is too crippling to see beyond."

"This pain…it resides in the future?"

"It has yet to come." His eyes lost their glow and his face its shimmer. In an instant he blinked and the color dulled to nothing. "It will cripple you for a while, but you will survive. As you always have."

As you always have.

The phrase echoed for a moment in the dull chasm surrounding them. The river was nonexistent, the noise smothered into nothing. When he looked beyond the white male, he found himself frozen in place.

A tiny red dragon stood before him, just behind the white male's feather-like tail. It peered up at him with brilliant golden eyes like a pair of suns, glittering and warm and soft. Its head tilted up and it opened and closed its mouth twice. The movement was almost stunning to him. Their mouth was narrow and small and the tongue he saw was a brilliant blue like the sky.

"I'll kill you," his voice growled. Atem blinked and raised his head, turning. He stood defiantly, snarling and bristling. Ironheart peered back at him, calm but somber. "If you speak a word of this to him. Yami is mine."

"Yes. Yami is yours."

Atem locked eyes with the hatchling standing behind the other male's back paw. Their eyes glowed for a split second. Pain lanced through his paw violently, surging through the limb. His eyes snapped open and he jerked his wounded paw. His breath came in a hiss and his mouths ached. He turned his head and bristled, startled, and then froze.

Yami lay with Yugi, chin upon Yugi's left paw and eyes wide open. He watched Atem closely, gaze bright and glittering, and opened and closed his mouth silently. Then he chirped softly. The hatchling scrambled away from Yugi as the Gandora snored and remained fast asleep.

Yami got within an inch of him. He stood there a moment, chirped once more, and then rubbed against his shoulder. He moved across his paw where it was bent toward his chest and crawled past it to his other leg. He went to his wound and curled up beside it, smacking his lips as he snuggled against his paw.

Atem considered him for a long minute, staring before he finally looked away. Yami was snoring when he blinked slowly and glanced toward Yugi again. The Gandora was still fast asleep, curled slightly away from him. Atem looked to Yami again, mind racing.

The little red male looked so familiar. He knew the species he resembled somewhere. He did. He didn't know why he couldn't place it, but he had the smallest inkling. There was something there, even if he could not recall it properly. It was there, trying to claw its way to the surface yet unable. He just did not know why it was so impossibly buried.

Atem settled for the inability a long while later, sighing softly and looking away. Yami was still fast asleep when Atem lowered his head to his other paw. He closed his eyes, then opened them again. His gaze shot to the hatchling and a small bite of alarm surged through him.

Ironheart claimed he had powers.

Had he passed them along to Yami?

Was he a God Dragon because Atem was?

It added up.

He'd done the impossible and saved Yugi while in his egg. He'd been born beneath the eclipse and seemed to understand what they were saying. He'd fallen asleep on his paw and the pain had faded, just as it seemed to have now. And he'd been awake when Atem had woken. He'd dreamed of him…

Or perhaps Yami had walked into them.

Had he crept into Atem's dreams to see what Ironheart had said?

Or had he meant to wake him so he could lay there on his paw?

Had he just wanted to be able to lay with him, to try to heal it for him?

Atem supposed it didn't matter. Yami was docile and sweet. He wanted so badly to help. He could see that, just from how upset he'd been when the poultice had been placed. He'd likely wanted to do it himself without an outside influence.

The God Dragon sighed softly and closed his eyes, yawning. His paw didn't even have a residual sting or ache as it had before. The pain was nonexistent and his entire body felt warm.

Then he froze.

His eyes snapped open again and he looked over before he could stop himself.

Yami had crept into his dreams. He had to have. It must have been an extension of the ability he'd displayed before. He'd implanted that image into his head. He'd shown him the path to the cavern in the cliffs. He'd shown him where to go, provided him the perfect place for Yugi to recover from his fall in the ice.

Atem bristled faintly, horrified.

Yami had to be the reason he'd seen that cave. He had to be the reason Yugi had survived. And he had to be the reason the eclipse had come.

He watched him a moment, studying intently. Yami was still asleep, untroubled if he truly could hear his thoughts, and Atem found himself almost nauseous.

How could an eclipse—meant to bring destruction and despair—herald such a tiny creature? How could it possibly mean to announce a dragon who seemed to care for his parents so much?

Atem faltered for a moment, then leaned forward to sniff him. Yami was fast asleep, happily snoring. He smelled of sunlight and moss and berries and maybe even the softest hint of lemon. Atem sniffed a moment longer, then parted his top mouth and drew in a deeper breath. He smelled of mist and rainwater and warmth.

He couldn't imagine the little dragonet before him could possibly be ominous in any manner. He was so sweet already. All he seemed to want was to cuddle with them. He just wanted to cuddle and sleep and eat and…hear his voice.

Atem looked away and lay his head down again.

It didn't matter. Yami had every right to a life as he did. He'd been born, surviving what was likely the worst egg laying experience one could endure. He'd hatched despite what could have likely been seen as neglect among his choices. He'd eaten and rested and he would likely be hungry again soon.

Atem closed his eyes and lay his chin on his paw.

He'd protect him no matter what. That was his role, not to question Yami's existence or the meaning behind an eclipse. It didn't matter. Superstition did not rule his life.

He refused to let it.

As he'd told Ironheart, Yami was his son.

When Atem woke again, Yami was still asleep on his paw, the poultice was still slathered across his skin, and Yugi was awake. The Gandora had moved over to his side, curled up as if he were falling asleep again. But when Atem shifted his wing to drape over Yugi's flank, the other male turned his head and blinked bright, warm eyes.

"Hi!"

Atem snorted. "Hello."

Yugi shifted his head to lay his chin on his paw, peering up at him with brilliant glittering eyes. "I didn't mean to wake you."

He shook his head. "I don't think you did. I don't know what did. I just…woke up, I think." He yawned and glanced over again. Yami was undisturbed atop his paw, refusing to budge and snoring softly. He turned back. Yugi hadn't looked away from him, it seemed. His eyes were bright and glowing and staring up at him. Atem wondered at the sight, tilting his head. "What about you?"

"I woke up and got lonely so I came over here."

Atem stiffened faintly, then glanced over at Yami and back. "He came over here when I had a nightmare. He's…very drawn to my paw apparently."

Yugi smiled and shook his head. "I'd be obsessed with my father's paw being wounded, too." He shifted his weight and got up. "I wanted to check on it earlier but Yami is so cute sleeping like that. So I thought maybe I'd go catch some fish again."

He blinked and tilted his head. Yugi was not upset with the fact Yami had chosen to go to him when he was asleep? Atem couldn't figure out why he wasn't at least slightly embittered. Anyone else would have been. He didn't understand why Yugi did not find the smallest inkling of unease and bitterness toward Yami having declared him his favorite.

Although, then again, if Atem was right and Yami was trying to heal his paw, favoritism might have nothing to do with it. He might have liked his voice, but he was not sure that meant he cared for him beyond healing his wound. But he did not speak his suspicions. Instead he nodded and licked Yugi's forehead before the Gandora turned to trot away.

"I'll be back quickly, okay?"

"Okay."

Atem watched him go, then looked over. Yami blinked his eyes open and looked up. He smacked his lips, yawned, and then chirped as he went to press his paws into the side of his face. He licked his cheek and purred, then jumped down to the space between Atem's paws. He went back to the wound, nudging, and squeaked at him as if with determination.

Atem was reminded of Yugi's stare when they'd first met and looked away for a moment. He didn't want to remove the poultice yet. It was comforting to see it there, if only because it reminded him of Timaeus. But the moment passed. He glanced toward Yami, then looked back down.

He licked it away, ignoring the bitter taste, and looked it over. Yami hurried to see as well, eyes wide. He trembled after a moment, then squeaked and darted about. Atem stared at the spot and then looked over. Yami squeaked and chirped, dashing around before hurrying to lick his beak and run away again. Atem watched him run laps, chuckled, and lowered his head to his paws.

What was he supposed to tell Yugi?

The gaping wound was gone.

"Atem!"

He jerked and spun around, startled. Yugi was mere inches away, eyes wide with shock, entire body stiff with excitement and bewilderment. He sat extremely straight, tail around his paws and mouth opened in a startled smile. He opened and closed his jaws twice and then smiled faintly as he tilted his head.

Atem looked to where his eyes were aimed and realized he was staring at his paw. The God Dragon smiled tightly and mumbled, "Maybe it wasn't as deep as we thought."

Yugi looked at him as if he had grown an extra head, then snorted. He looked as if he wanted to argue, but his expression only grew warm as he smiled and turned away.

"Maybe."

But his eyes were on Yami, and Atem knew for a fact he understood. It was apparent he suspected his divine genes had been passed along to Yami. He supposed it only made sense, regardless of whether or not Yami had been capable of healing him. It came to the fact he'd survived. He had to be divine to even make it so far as to hatch.

Atem blinked and looked down at the dragonet. Yami was bouncing about, chasing the unfortunate squirrel that had wandered into the den. Yugi was positioned to block the entrance if it ran that way, but it'd become too afraid of Atem to move from the back of the den. So it kept racing from one corner to the next with Yami chasing it. He was small, barely twice the size of his prey, but the hatchling was absolutely devoted to the chase.

He squeaked, launched himself, panted, chased until he fell over, and lay there huffing. When he got his second and third and fourth winds, he chased it until it collapsed and lay there with its tail twitching and its eyes wide and glaring. It did not make a noise but for breathing heavily, and Yami stopped a few inches away, circling it.

Would he kill it?

Atem shifted his weight and considered. He had none of his teeth or claws to make the necessary blow. But he'd exhausted the animal and likely he could wear it out until it collapsed if he so desired. He could likely run it ragged, so that it fell dead before him.

Yami halted abruptly, turned his head toward him with wide eyes, and then squeaked loudly. He looked scandalized, as if he didn't know why Atem might have said such a thing.

It took him a moment to realize he hadn't spoken.

Atem bristled faintly and narrowed his eyes. Yugi had moved to his side, grinning. "Yami, hey, let it go, okay? I don't think it wants to play anymore," he said gently. The hatchling chirped, glanced at it, and then hurried over to them, taking a seat. Atem looked at Yugi sideways as the Gandora moved forward and slowly grabbed the animal by the tail. He trotted out of the den even as it tried to twist around and flailed in an effort to escape. Yugi came back a moment later without the squirrel and hurried over to Yami.

He butted his rump and licked his face. Yami squeaked as if in protest and hurried behind Atem. The God Dragon glanced down at him, tilting his head. Yami rubbed his face with his paws and gave Yugi an undignified huff. Atem snorted and Yugi snickered.

"I have a feeling he doesn't like grooming. So I'm going to groom him every day."

Atem burst out laughing when Yami jumped to his paws and squeaked defiantly, glaring. "I don't know, Yugi, I think he could probably take you," he chuckled. The Gandora growled playfully, crouching down and wiggling his rump. Yami didn't move until he sprang, and then he hurried between Atem's front paws to use him as a physical shield.

"Am I expected to protect you from Yugi grooming you?" he said playfully, grinning. "I shall not in the slightest. He loves grooming. The more time he invests in you, the less he'll worry about me."

Yugi burst out laughing. "Wow, Atem."

He snickered. "What? I figured I should tell him why I'm going to abandon him whenever he seeks safety during grooming." He turned to Yugi. "I'm trying to be a good parent."

Yugi sprang at him, nearly knocking him over as he vigorously licked his face and trembled with excitement. When he finally stopped, Atem felt his face would never dry. Yugi was panting from the effort before he sprang at Yami, grabbed him with a paw, and pulled him forward. Yami squeaked and glared and struggled but Yugi held him in place. Atem snorted and shook his head, stretching lazily.

A moon passed. They'd settled into something of a routine. Every other meal was red meat Atem regurgitated for Yami while Yugi let him settle on his head to be able to reach Atem's top mouth. Smaller mammals were chased into the den every day after meals to get some of Yami's energy out, as stories hardly worked for him. He listened and paid attention, but when they thought he was asleep and settled for rest themselves, he'd pop up and wander to the entrance. He never tried to run away, merely sitting at the lip and watching outside with huge, curious eyes. But Atem still had to scold him, if only because the one time he wasn't diligent would likely be when Jaden came.

And Atem lived with that constant fear in the back of his mind. Yugi seemed to have brushed it aside as more of a one time instance, but Atem was sure it wasn't. There was no way Jaden would back down so easily. It didn't make sense. It went against his character; he was known for his persistence.

It was why the edicts had happened. Jaden had insisted three species a threat and he'd gone after them for it.

Atem understood why he'd done so at the core of it. Slifer, Felgrand and Gandora Dragons were all extremely dangerous. He understood that logic, but he'd never known what had forced Jaden to truly try to strike them from existence. It made little sense.

What had pushed him to that point?

Being dangerous didn't make sense as the sole reason.

Every species was dangerous. If motivation was given, all of them lashed out and turned deadly. What specifically had pushed him over the edge regarding the three of them?

He wondered if that was part of Jaden's problem with him. He was a God Dragon, and a Slifer. Perhaps because of the edict, Jaden was paranoid he'd turn out uncontrollable and vicious. He didn't know. He didn't truly care.

At the end of it, he'd come out on top.

He had far more to lose.

Atem glanced over to find Yami staring at him around chewing on a deer haunch. His eyes were wide and owlish and he sprang to his paws after a moment, quivering. Atem thought for a moment he might be reacting to the tension he'd unwittingly displayed, but the hatchling hurried toward the entrance.

"Father," he chirped, spinning around to face Atem with huge eyes, "is that Ti…Tim…Timaeus?"

Atem blinked and bristled faintly, then got to his paws. He glanced toward Yugi sideways, finding the Gandora standing at full alert. He bristled and stared, but the look in his eyes was of pure elation rather than alarm. Atem snorted when he blurted, "Oh! You found your voice!"

Yami blinked and looked over, then smiled and puffed his chest out. "I've been practicing!"

Atem tilted his head, then nodded slowly. He remembered Yami sitting a little away from them, opening and closing his mouth. He'd thought he was just uncomfortable, that his egg teeth might have been falling out and he was struggling to get his jaw situated more comfortably. But he'd failed to lose any, and it was clear now what he'd been doing.

He'd been silent as the grave until that very moment. He'd ceased chirping and purring and squeaking a few days before. It made sense he'd been focusing his energy on speaking instead. Yugi had just spoken to him the day prior as to whether he thought Yami might be mute. Atem had snorted and said if he was unable to speak, as long as he was able to hear and could learn cues through body language it didn't matter in the slightest.

Yugi was over at the hatchling's side in an instant, licking him as Yami squealed, "No!"

He gave Atem a desperate look but Atem pretended not to see it, looking all around the den as if something might catch his attention. It was when he was focused on the ceiling that he felt something hit him. He blinked and looked down. Yami lay defeated at his paw, eyes half-closed and tongue outstretched.

Yugi burst into laughter. "You should have known better than that, Yami," he teased. He came over and nudged the dragonet in the side. Yami sprang to his paws and away from him, huffing and giving him an annoyed glance.

Atem blinked and raised his head. "So it is," he mumbled, fascinated as he looked toward Yami. "How did you know it was Timaeus?"

"He was here when I hatched! I remembered him." Yami looked increasingly proud of himself. He stood straight and puffed his chest out, standing at attention as he beamed with pleasure. Atem chuckled and Yugi smiled wider, shooting Atem a look that said He's amazing. "Can I meet him this time?"

"No," Atem snarled before he could stop himself. "You're not old enough to meet him."

Yami looked as if he'd snapped his teeth at him, startled and visibly shaken. He looked wounded to be rejected the opportunity. Atem huffed and ignored the expression, turning to Yugi. "Watch him while I speak with Timaeus."

His mate nodded, unwavering in support as always, and offered a small smile to Yami as he went to his side. Atem heard him whisper that he was just super protective of him, that Yami was so special to them that they wanted to keep him hidden as long as possible. Yami didn't answer—or if he did, Atem did not hear it.

I forgot to mention earlier, but Yami calls Yugi and Atem both the same names. "Father", "Dad", and "Daddy" are interchangeable between the two of them.