Atem was beginning to worry when Seto would take longer to wake up a second time. Even though the pharaoh couldn't see the sun, he sensed when it rose and set. Approximately three days was how long it took for Seto to actually open his eyes.
"Where...?" The CEO's voice was raspy. Eyes not yet focused as he searched.
"I'm here." Atem moved closer with a plate of food. He never seen the spirits that brought them, but whenever he awoke new food had been brought.
The choices were grapes, jerky, and crackers. Although not ideal, the food wouldn't easily go bad. Water had also been brought. Atem made sure to hand one of the water bottles. He felt a sense of relief as Seto sat up to drink.
Atem noticed how Seto moved. Sluggish and not entirely focused. It was as if a fog had taken over Seto's cognitive thoughts. As if the CEO was relying on basic needs rather than thinking. The sight slightly disturbed the pharaoh.
To his relief, Seto appeared to improve after some water and few bites of grapes. Even though Atem wanted to see the CEO eat more, he wasn't going to waste energy arguing with the most bull headed man to ever cross his path.
"How long?" Seto's voice was still rough.
"Approximately three days."
A tug of a frown adorned the CEO's face. Atem counted to a full minute when the answer fully processed. The pharaoh wondered why Seto was this out of sorts. He had never seen him like this. Seto had always been quick to gather himself and walk off as if nothing happened.
"Perhaps damage control. Shadi hasn't come back with news." Atem had long hours pondering what was taking so long for anyone to find them.
Mokuba and Yuugi, in particular. If only he could retain a mental link between himself and Yuugi. It would certainly solve the current predicament.
"Hmn." Seto was still out of sorts.
"How are you feeling?" Atem was growing suspicious. He hoped he hid the growing panic within his mind with the way the other duelist was acting.
"Tired."
"You slept for three days." The pharaoh couldn't hide his concerns anymore.
"I woke up when Kisara told me to. In the dream, she sounded scared."
Seto was really out of sorts to even mention her name. Or perhaps this was serious enough for him to recognize that details shouldn't be withheld. Either aspect rattled Atem to the core.
Timidly the pharaoh reached with a hand. Placing on Seto's back, right over where his heart should be. That was when Atem noticed for the first time.
"How are you even alive? Your Ba is nearly empty!" Atem panicked.
It was like looking into a pool that had centimeters left of water. As if a drought had gone for too long. Even some of the mud was near bone dry. Atem silently berated himself that he took so long to catch on.
Seto leaned into the pharaoh. The exhaustion was apparent. His face burying into Atem's chest. Instinctively the pharaoh cradled him. Soon as his arms held Seto, the brunette was asleep once more.
"Mahado." Atem knew his friend will answer.
"Yes, my pharaoh." The spirit appeared. Dark Magician knelt.
"Can his Ba recover on its own, or does it need help? And, if it needs aid, how?" Three days should have given enough to heal. Maybe not entirely, but surely in a better state.
Silently Mahado scanned Seto's Ba. His expression grim.
"That duel took too much of a toll on his Ba. It would take a very long time to recover naturally, if he can even survive that."
"How can we help?" Atem wasn't going to give up. He had given up his right to rest in peace. There was no going back from taking action.
"...Unfortunately, due to our circumstances, the best option would be pouring some of your own Ba to his."
"I sense there's more to this." Atem heard the silent but.
"It will permanently tie your lives together."
Long moment of silence.
"As in...one of us dies, the other will, too?"
"In some cases, yes. In others, to keep one alive the healthy Ba will merge with the dying. Think of it similar to when I merged with my Ka to continue serving you. That is when someone owes a life debt to the receiver. However, there is another side to this same action. Married couples will carry this practice so they can journey through the After Life together."
"Why are you mentioning this?" Atem regarded Mahado with guarded curiosity.
"The layers of his obsession. In this state, I was able to see the core. He regrets not giving you a chance of friendship and more."
Atem's eyes widened. Mahado would have laughed if the situation wasn't so dire. Even the sight of faint blush on tanned cheeks was adorable.
"He can't possibly - "
"Take a good long look at his state right now." Mahado calmly interrupted.
Reluctantly Atem did. And the pharaoh can see it now. Even though Seto's skin had a sickly tone, the expression of pure contentment was enough. The sight threw the pharaoh in a dizzying loop. Of all the reasons behind Seto's recent actions, was over a crush?
"That's absurd." Atem commented.
"To most, yes. But what if you were his first crush?" Mahado brought up a point.
Atem still found it odd. That was until he thought over the past. He had truly been the only person to dance toe to toe. Challenge head on without fear. Atem noticed early on that action earned Seto's respect. What if that same route applied to potential lovers?
"Of course he would be obsessed." Atem grumbled to himself.
"Do you understand now? By tying your Ba together, it would be taken as a marriage pact. Not as a token to owe your life to the other."
Atem glanced at Seto once more. And he couldn't find it within himself to be mad. While the pharaoh was upset, he couldn't hold it against the man in his arms. If the roles were reversed and Atem were in his shoes, he might have done the same.
"How do I do it?" Although the pharaoh was uncertain if he loved Seto, he cared deeply. That should be enough to connect their Ba successfully.
"Imagine a full cup. You are that cup. Then reach out for the empty cup to pour your life essence. But be careful not to pour too much. When you sense a deep exhale that is the sign to stop."
"An exhale?" Atem was puzzled.
"When given sudden life the Ba will be so relieved it can be felt. It would be like breathing in deeply and held, then feeling the heavy exhale."
So Atem focused. He imagined his own cup. Full to the brim. The pharaoh felt around for the near empty cup. Atem felt Seto tense in his arms when he found it.
"Pharaoh." Mahado's voice briefly pulled Atem out of concentration. He read concern in dark eyes.
"Are you certain you want to do this?"
"Yes." Atem answered without hesitation.
Mahado accepted the answer. Although the inquiry probably didn't need to be said, the servant wanted to give the pharaoh one last chance to back out. Atem closed his eyes to focus once more.
He imagined tipping his cup over, just enough to begin pouring. The first few drops met an invisible barrier. The man in Atem's arms trembled almost violently. Of course Seto would be suspicious and wary. He likely had no idea what was happening.
"Do you trust me?" Atem asked both aloud and from his soul to Seto's.
The trembling eased.
Yes. Seto pulled down the barrier.
Atem continued. This time he gasped as he sensed it working. A bridge connected between their souls. At first hot and intensely passionate, much like how their duels were. When it almost became unbearable a calm warmth took hold.
Fluttering, like a butterfly freely wandering.
Then Atem felt the exhale. A warm gust of air. A breeze that had been held back unleashed. The pharaoh ended the pact. As he did, Atem collapsed to the ground. Exhaustion pulled him into slumber.
That evening rescue found the pair still entangled in each other's arms.
