Chapter XIII: Sunlight

"Wait, what?" Yugi sputtered, bristling with shock. "You mean to tell me Timaeus shall be moving into our territory and you didn't think to ask me before you extended the invitation? Atem, what?"

"I would say I had a lapse of judgment, but I told myself never to lie to you unless necessary," Atem answered with a shake of his head. "I thought about it before, but when I spoke to him it became abruptly more clear. He is an easy answer to the question of camouflage."

"You trust him that much? He could eat him for all we know!"

"He wouldn't. If he had the malice in him to do that, he would have let me die when my side rotted." Atem hesitated, then glanced over at Yami. He shivered and flicked his tail, pressing his wings into his sides and suppressing a sigh. "Yugi, you know I would not place him or you in danger. I—"

"Timaeus is going to stay here?" Yami interrupted, eyes wide as saucers. He scrambled to his paws and raced over. "That's great!"

Atem saw Yugi bristle a moment longer before he abruptly relaxed and leaned forward. He butted Yami's shoulder, closing his eyes, and hummed softly. The hatchling peered up at Atem in excitement, gaze like gemstones.

"I… Yes. He'll come here in a couple of moons. In the meantime, we will keep to our habits. One of us remains in the den at all times. The other will hunt. We will switch places until the time comes that he can join us." Atem paused. "We need to move dens soon. It'll be better to take residence in the mountains and the cliff den, Yugi."

He blinked and his entire face lit up with excitement. "The den in the peak?" he asked, body tensing and then loosening with a tremble. "With the river stones and the soft sand? The one we…"

When he trailed off, Atem found himself glancing at Yami. He knew what Yugi was hinting at. He remembered well enough the conversations they'd had prior to his egg hatching. He remembered all too well what he'd asked of him.

Atem shook the thought and turned back. "Yes. I want to return to our den." It was the one den that didn't seem solely his own. Yugi's scent was stamped throughout. He'd played with stones and eaten there. He'd darted about and lay around and rolled on his back and groomed him. "I want to go back and we can rest there. It's our safest den by far."

Yugi seemed to realize the significance of the phrase our as well, entire body trembling with elation. His eyes lit like stars and he looked as if he wished he could purr. He rubbed beaks with him and exhaled softly, losing every bit of tension he'd possessed formerly. Atem relaxed in turn, relieved Yugi was no longer angered. When he glanced over, Yami was watching them with interest.

"Ooh, that's going to be amazing!" Yugi exclaimed, trembling with excitement before looking at Yami with huge eyes. "I wanted that to be your first ever den, but that didn't actually happen. Oh well! You're going to be raised there from now on!"

Atem blinked and wondered for a moment. His eyes shot to Yami immediately, mind racing. Was that an accurate statement? The den would hold all four of them if Yugi was okay to allow Timaeus inside with them. But the problem became stagnation. If he did not move so often around, who might spot them around the vicinity and spread word? He'd moved often for a reason when he was taking challenges from suitors. It had protected him from surprise ambushes from overeager suitors or younger males hoping to carve their name through his hide.

And Yami being so young and existing as he did caused various problems.

If he so much as moved the wrong way, Jaden would find them.

The other solution was to trust Timaeus with Yami for long periods of time. They could pretend to migrate about different dens for the sake of keeping their location private and Timaeus might remain with Yami in the meantime.

But Yugi would never agree to that. And even Atem didn't think he could convince himself the situation so dire.

He sighed softly and looked away. Yugi turned to look at him, puzzled, but Yami's eyes were sharp and glittering with a thousand thoughts behind them. Atem turned away immediately again, fighting a bristle and a small growl that threatened to rise in the back of his throat.

Yugi turned to him abruptly. "You trust Timaeus enough to let him stay in the den with Yami?" he demanded. "If you have even the slightest hesitation, Atem…"

"I don't. I trust him. He won't hurt him." Atem glanced over. Timaeus thought Yami was a miracle. He was right, of course, but he'd called him precious as well. He'd never called Atem precious but for teasing before. If he cared so much for him so soon, there was no question of the fact he'd protect him with his life. "Are you okay with that?"

Yugi looked chastised, as if he'd forgotten the most important part of the arrangement. Yami had to be okay with it as well. He had to agree and feel safe with Timaeus.

"Absolutely!" Yami chirped, jumping to his paws. "I like him!"

Atem snorted and shook his head, turning away. Yugi opened his mouth to speak, but Yami continued more determinedly, "He saved my daddy!"

Both of them spun to face him, frozen for a split second.

Yugi recovered first, nodding. "He did," he agreed quietly, looking at Atem sideways. "And I owe him a lot for that."

"Yami," Atem said slowly, ignoring the way Yugi looked so grateful for the fact, "what do you hear?"

It was one of the most profound questions he'd ever asked, but the hatchling smiled and raised his chin proudly. "I hear a lot! Yugi is wondering what you meant and you're worried what this ability means for me." He paused. "Oh, and—and ooh! I'm a God Dragon for sure!"

Atem bristled faintly. "Is that so? You're a God Dragon as well?"

Yugi looked to him. "He's just saying what I'm thinking. I was thinking that so he repeated it." He paused. "Although, considering everything, I don't think for a second that was ever a question."

Atem looked over and pictured a path of brambles and mist, narrowing his gaze as he considered the hatchling closely. He could feel him now. There it was. It was like a breeze caressing his flesh. It tickled at his thoughts and made his body feel oddly cold. It was almost as if he'd submerged his head underwater. The sensation made him bristle, but it was pleasurable even as it was uncomfortable. It was far away the longer he pictured brambles and tangled undergrowth, until it became nothing but a distant sensation that soon faded.

Yami frowned and watched him, then looked at Yugi. "He's blocking me."

"Blocking…?" Yugi looked over. "Atem…"

"He doesn't need residence in my head," he snapped. "It's not okay."

The Gandora looked as if he might argue, then shook his head and looked away. "You're right; he doesn't. No one deserves their privacy taken like that." He turned to Yami. "But you could also learn to control it. If you don't see a reason to snoop in someone's thoughts, then maybe you shouldn't do it."

Yami shook his head. "I don't know how to stop it. It's…just…everywhere." His eyes shot to Atem, remorseful as he ducked his head. "Sorry, Father. I didn't mean to upset you."

Yugi looked between them and quickly said, "It's okay, Yami! You just don't know how to control it yet! I'm sure when you learn, you won't do that again, right?" He gave him a wide smile and glanced at Atem sideways as if in warning. "There's nothing to apologize for, because you didn't know any better. Neither of us can do that, so we couldn't teach you not to."

Atem was somewhere between startled and frustrated Yugi had said that. How could he possibly justify the invasion of privacy by blaming it on them? Atem could not read minds. He'd never considered others could do that to him. Ironheart had looked into his future through his shadow and aura. He had not sought a path through his mind, his memories, or his senses.

Yami had been capable of these things and never once reconsidered his actions. It was true they could not truly fault him, but it was by no means theirs, either.

Atem looked at his paws, furious but swallowing away his anger as a few heartbeats passed. He startled when he felt something rub against his paw. He turned his head, watching Yami rub his arched back and quivering wings against him. He was purring and nuzzling his wrist, entire body trembling with what Atem assumed was affection.

He still didn't feel any unwavering devotion as Yugi seemed to. Every interaction with Yami felt stiff and tiring when he did not initiate. But that wasn't the hatchling's fault. Atem knew it was his. It was always his. He was just afraid. And he was stupidly closed off from him. And he didn't know the best manner in which to solidify a bond with him. It felt impossible, even when he forced himself into interaction.

He still had that moment of wonder, where he debated whether Yami was meant to be an ill omen despite his core nature seeming so carefree and docile. Yami seemed only to want to please them and make sure they were okay, even if he did interlope in dreams and thoughts without permission.

Atem butted him and licked his shoulders. Yami trembled and pressed more firmly into his leg. The Sky Dragon considered him a moment, then licked and butted him again, almost throwing him onto his back. Yami shook himself out, slightly dazed, and stared up at him in surprise.

"I'm not angry."

Yami blinked, tilted his head, and then plopped down to glare at him from a seated position. "You're just mean," he announced.

Yugi was bristling from the corner of his eye, and Atem couldn't tell if he was upset on his behalf or Yami's. For a split second they stared at each other, and then Yami sprang for his chin. He clipped him with a head butt, wobbled on unsteady paws from the impact, and then whipped around to glare at him again.

Atem couldn't help but burst out laughing. "What was that?"

Yami huffed and glared, but his eyes were shining and his mouth kept twitching. "You're a meanie!" He stomped his front paws, then snickered and quickly growled in an attempt to hide it. "Big meanie!"

Yugi snickered and smiled, almost radiant with laughter and affection. He took a seat, relaxing, and looked at Atem so fondly it made his hearts squeeze in his chest. Yami leaned forward after a moment to rub beaks with him, purring again, and then darted off to make a lap around the den.

"Yami…"

"I'm trying to tire myself out," he said without pausing, whipping around and going the direction he'd just come. Atem watched him speed around, turn and double back, and return to his original route several times more. "I'm too wound up to sleep."

Atem blinked. His eyes wandered to Yugi who looked puzzled as he watched their son dart about the den. They watched him whip around, spring about and dart around, and Atem remembered for a moment his own efforts as a hatchling. He moved forward to disrupt his path and Yami skidded in an effort not to hit him but still tumbled into his paw. He rolled a couple of inches, then sprang to his paws and looked at him expectantly.

"Here, take a seat. I'll tell you a story instead."

Yami blinked, eyes growing huge, and scrambled to take a spot that he could rest comfortably in. Atem watched him test spots, curling up several times before getting up and wandering. It was only after the fourth time that he realized he was doing so to see which spot smelled the most of them. He was plopping down to make the scent come up—limited as it was—and then decided from there where he'd rather be.

Yugi watched him intently, so interested he didn't even seem to realize what Yami was doing. He just looked curious, peering at him in wonder, and didn't seem the least bit put off by the display.

Atem stretched himself out and shifted forward to grab Yami. The dragonet dodged the first paw reaching for him. The second he laughed as Atem caught his tail and gently dragged him backward. Yami spun around, placing both paws on his beak and licking rigorously, and Atem snorted.

Yugi came forward immediately, plopping down and trembling with excitement. Atem snorted again and Yami paused licking before resuming immediately after. He stopped a few heartbeats later, pausing and then racing over to do the same to Yugi. The Gandora looked startled but instantly relaxed and quivered with joy. Yami continued bathing his face for a moment, then plopped down with a small noise bordering contentment and exhaustion. When he turned around again to face Atem, it was to ask, "What story did you want to tell?"

He hesitated, then looked over at Yugi and away again. What did he want to tell? Atem didn't even know what story he should share. He'd just hoped to get Yami to settle for a moment so that he could think long enough to decide.

Watching him interact with Yugi had distracted any decision, however.

He pushed ideas around, until finally he bristled with excitement. He'd forgotten to tell Yugi about the northern region. He'd forgotten all about penguins and killer whales.

"I know what I'll tell you about."

Yami had gotten taller in a span of two moons. Yugi was so excited whenever he saw the hatchling he quivered and flexed his claws and looked so amazed and proud of him that Atem wondered how many times it had crossed his mind the dragonet wouldn't make it. Atem spent much of his time wondering if Yami truly would become taller than him, or if he'd become more lethal due to Yugi's genetics. He spent time laying with the hatchling as he sprang about and tumbled after prey they chased into the den. He never made even the slightest inclination toward a kill blow.

His egg teeth had fallen the moon prior and his primaries had come in, soft but sharp enough to cut through flesh. His claws had grown sharper, thicker and longer. He could have easily dug his claws in and torn through flesh and muscle. He could have easily eaten anything that came into the den, from the squirrels to the rabbits to the fawns. Yugi had caught them easily enough for him, chasing them into the den or doing as he had the first moon they'd been mates and bringing a fawn to the den.

Yami clearly enjoyed chasing deer more than squirrels. The fawns were the same size as him so he darted at them and chased and could more easily block them without the same effort. He didn't have to put in that burst of speed he did for squirrels. He chased and cut them off and wiggled his rump. He tagged them with his paws and darted away and back and played with them much as Yugi used to try to encourage him to when they were first mated.

But Atem didn't play tag. Tag was dangerous. Turning his back on another dragon could get him killed. He wasn't ready for death by any stretch, so he refused. He may have trusted Yugi more than he bothered to put into words, but he could not shake that fear. Suitors had tried to attack him if he took his eyes off them when they were declared the losers of their challenges. And his siblings had taken advantage of his turned back every chance they'd gotten when they were younger.

Turning his back had become something he refused. Even if he was surrounded, he faced the horde before he dealt with the distractions. The dragons that came for his hind legs or sides were second to those in front of him. He did not cater to their diversion techniques. If one sprang for him from behind, he'd use his wings to deflect it.

He'd done so before. He could easily do so again.

Atem forced the thoughts from his head and looked over his shoulder. "Yugi," he murmured, turning back and finding his mate immediately facing him; that had never changed, despite Yami's presence. If Atem said his name, Yugi whipped around no matter what he was doing prior. He had his attention immediately, without question. "I'm going to sunbathe. My scales are itching. I… Why don't you take Yami out of the den for a little while? Not far, but just enough to let him see more?"

Yugi stared at him as if he had grown an extra head. "Huh?"

"I need sunlight and I'm sure Yami does as well." He thought his scales seemed too dry, maybe slightly duller than they should have been. Atem wasn't sure if that was from rolling around in the den and its dusty environment, or if it was the lack of sunlight he knew the dragonet got. They'd been too afraid to let him out before, due to his small size. Atem had been sure an eagle could have caught him if they'd just tried. Now he was too large for that, just big enough he'd be too heavy or appear so to scare them off.

"He's still part Sky Dragon," he said quietly, finally, when Yugi seemed unable to stop gawking at him. "And we need sunlight. He'll also need to go near the river at some point, so he can get more moisture in his scales."

Yami was considering them both curiously. But he turned to Atem with a huge grin, all sharp needle-like teeth and brilliant, glowing golden eyes. "I get to explore!"

"You'll stay close to Yugi, within eyesight at all times, but yes. That does mean you can explore as long as you're close by."

Yami nodded immediately and turned to Yugi with a tremble of excitement. "Oh, this is going to be great!"

Yugi hesitated a moment, then looked to Atem and back. When he smiled, it was nervous and awkward. "Where will you be in the meantime?" he managed, sounding small and quiet.

Atem blinked and tilted his head. "I have faith you'll be okay, Yugi." He said it as gently as he could, though he wondered if the words seemed as condescending to the Gandora as they did to him. His mate looked over, pupils flipped horizontal, and shivered. "He'll be okay with you there to watch him, little gem."

Yugi opened and closed his mouth, then looked at Yami. "I…"

"I'll stay right where you can see me!" Yami promised, springing forward. He rubbed beaks with him and turned to Atem. "He'll be fine. We'll be fine!"

He didn't doubt it. Even if something did happen, he knew Yugi would defend Yami with his life if it came to a fight or encounter of any kind with the other predators. He knew for a fact Yugi would keep anything from happening that would be irrecoverable.

"I know." He looked at Yugi. "Unless you'd rather he came with me to sunbathe. I could take him to do so, but you'll need to accompany us for the sake of distraction if someone comes to challenge me."

He saw Yugi consider this, and then the real possibility of suitors returning to their usual patterns made him bristle. His eyes shot to Yami and then back and for a long moment he hesitated. And then finally he nodded.

"He can't go to the river with you if there might be other dragons to come through." He nodded again and turned back to their hatchling with a strained smile. "You'll stay within sight at all times."

"Absolutely!"

"Okay."

"If you don't," Atem said quietly, "you won't have a repeat of this venture anytime soon, Yami. You understand that, yes?"

He nodded. "I do."

"Good." He shook himself out and turned to Yugi. "Shall you be okay with this arrangement? I won't force you to do this."

He shook his head. "Yami needs the exercise. I could use the exercise and sunlight, too. So I…I'll do it!" He smiled again at Yami, and this time his expression wasn't strained and his eyes had brightened significantly. "We'll be fine, just like you said."

Yami jumped at a stray beetle as it wandered about the path near their paws. He sprang, overshot it, spun around, and trapped it between his claws. It stopped short at the sudden appearance, then turned as if to make its way backwards, and stopped again. Its antennae wiggled and it seemed to reconsider its path. Then it began moving forward once more. It touched his claw, slowly worked its way around the tip, and continued along. Yami waited for it to make it a few feet away, then sprang again.

This time it was cupped between his paws as he lay down behind it, wings tucked into his sides and eyes wide with excitement. He watched it as it froze, considered again, then made a frantic dash toward his claws. It tried to climb them and fell back immediately after. It whipped around, then wiggled its antennae again and tried once more to climb the smooth groves of his claws.

It got no further, collapsing immediately down again. Yami snickered a few times, then smiled and pulled his paws away. It darted off as quickly as it could upon realization and Yami waited before springing once more.

The small increments of movement kept him within Yugi's sight at all times. The Gandora didn't even have to stop and wonder where he'd gone. He merely smiled and came to his side each time, eyes bright and sparkling with affection.

"You look so much like Atem when he was younger," he commented, eyes brightening somehow further. Yami thought he looked like he had stars in his eyes when he glanced over. "It's amazing."

He smiled when he saw a split second image of the Sky Dragon, much smaller and lankier, with huge wings and small paws and glittering teeth and bright eyes. He was pouncing about much like Yami himself, though at another point he stopped and peered up at a tree. When he did so, he spun around twice and then a third time. Then he swung his tail, the blades sweeping halfway through the trunk which seemed twice as wide as he was long. The God Dragon peered up at the branches high overhead, pressed a paw against the trunk, pushed his weight heavily and failed to budge the tree, and then pulled away to slam his wing into the wood. It creaked and crashed, held up by neighboring trees where its branches tangled and refused its full collapse. The Sky Dragon tucked his wings into his sides, glanced around, and then turned and wandered away without a second look.

Yami wondered if he'd ever look so regal. Atem always looked so impressive, whereas what little Yami could see from their thoughts he was small and lanky and lacking.

"I'm so glad you look the most like him," Yugi continued in a soft voice. "I would love you even if you didn't, but I always wanted little Sky Dragons running around. Tiny Slifers are all I used to dream about when I was younger."

Yami tilted his head. "Really?" he murmured, blinking. "What about Atem? Did he always dream of a clutch?"

"He did when he was younger, but he… I-it wasn't a long-lived dream." Yugi almost seemed to choke on the words, and Yami found himself peering at a large tree with huge gaping branches overhead. As he watched, the leaves changed colors from soft green to a deeper shade, and on the end of each branch was an immense yellow oval with strange pores. A deep, sharp stench came to him and his mouth ached as the sting of it became unpleasant and sour. Yugi looked away guiltily. "Atem is… Atem didn't… I don't know what Atem used to dream of."

Yami didn't think Yugi was lying, but the words seemed only half-true if even that. He turned away. "Okay." He followed the beetle as it scurried along again. He sprang for it once more, then paused.

Who was that?

He raised and turned his head, blinking. It didn't feel as terrible and strong as Jaden had, by far much mellower and nowhere near as intense. But there was something in the signature that tugged at his flesh. He knew it from somewhere. He just didn't know why. He didn't know how he understood the feeling, the trail of ice and dim warmth like the first day of spring.

He turned around to ask his father, when Yugi abruptly snarled and sprang forward. He was headed straight for him. Yami blinked and turned his head, then bristled and flattened himself to the ground.

They were standing right in front of him.