Atem awoke in a bed. He hadn't realized the aches and pains his body had for sleeping in the ruins until now. The pharaoh glanced around to take in his surroundings. He was in a room, but he didn't recognize where.
He can sense Seto was nearby. Atem stretched as he sat up yawning. That was when an outfit caught his eye in a chair. And he immediately knew aibou was also here.
Atem smiled as he put on the black sleeveless shirt and matching leather pants. Yuugi knew his style, and even left him the choker and matching bracelets he had favored when they shared a body.
Once he was done, Atem left his room to explore to find Yuugi. He entered a hallway, and to his left he can hear Yuugi. And other voices. A few of their friends. Curious, Atem followed the sound to a living room to discover Yuugi and Marik on a large tablet in a video call with some of the others.
Yuugi sensed his approach and turned. Immediately he rushed for a hug, and Atem laughed at the enthusiasm. Marik moved the tablet so whoever they were talking to can see.
"Well I'll be damned! Howdy stranger!" Joey greeted.
"Good to see you, too." Atem peered around Yuugi's hair. Briefly his eyes focused on aibou for a second. "You've grown."
"You didn't notice the last time we seen each other?" Yuugi raised a brow as he pulled away.
"Of course I did. But it's different actually being able to hug you."
"I'll give you that." Yuugi laughed.
"So uh, guess this is permanent? That you're staying?" Joey asked.
"I don't regret what I did, if that's what you're really asking." Atem caught on. He can read it clear as day in their faces.
"Even tying your souls together?" Yuugi inquired, tone reserved and his eyes expressed his wariness. Atem also noted a hint of anger.
"No. Why are you upset about it?" The pharaoh was confused.
"Because it's permanent, even into the next life." Yuugi kept his tone reserved.
"I don't see a problem with this?" Atem really didn't.
"I just - " Yuugi caught himself from raising his voice further. He breathed in to exhale before continuing. "What he did shouldn't be rewarded something like that."
"He was dying." Atem expressed.
"Even so it just looks like enabling."
"I can assure you he didn't want to at first." The pharaoh revealed. "I insisted. He gave in. So technically, you're being mad at the wrong person."
"Wait, he initially refused?" Marik blinked, earning a nod.
"I think he would chew me out for saying this, but he was scared."
"Of what, the magic?" Joey asked.
"Probably." Yuugi can see it.
Atem felt a wave of emotions not his own. There was hurt, mixed with boiling anger and a hint of sadness. He blinked, focusing on Yuugi first. And the pharaoh realized that he wasn't the source.
Setting aside his shock, Atem chased after. He caught Seto trying to leave from a separate hallway. Atem caught his wrist, ignoring the heated glare from Seto in the process.
"It's not like you to run." Atem gently comments. Behind him, Yuugi and Marik paused in their approach.
"I don't have to explain myself to them if they already have an opinion." Seto huffed, keeping focus only on Atem. He was purposely ignoring their audience. But Atem knew it was Yuugi he refused to acknowledge.
Why? Atem wondered. He thought over the conversation Seto listened into. The emotions swelled after Yuugi agreeing to Joey's theory.
"You knew what I was doing. And what it meant." Atem was shocked. Seto looked away, and Atem didn't have to see his eyes to know the guilt was destroying the taller duelist on the inside.
Secretly, the pharaoh was impressed. And he also wished he paid more attention to Seto in his acceptance of magic and his past life. Atem recalled the moment Seto called forth Obelisk in desperation. That should have been the first key into Seto knowing more than what he let on.
"And you didn't want to accept at first because...?" Although the pharaoh had a feeling why, he felt that hearing it would be easier. Atem was silently encouraging Seto to say it, knowing that the others would let go of their opinions by hearing the CEO's answer.
Blue eyes regarded him, catching on. The wrist Atem was grasping trembled ever so slightly. Just enough that only he would notice. The pharaoh squeezed gently as reassurance.
"After everything I've done I don't deserve you."
Atem smiled. Seto blinked, as if he didn't expect such a reaction.
"Well, you're stuck with me. Might as well adjust to it and do our best to make it work, right? You should know by now I don't enjoy conflicts." The pharaoh's tone was playful. He was staking his claim to stick by his decision.
Through the bond Seto was confused, grateful and relieved. Atem wondered why there would even be doubts in the CEO. Then again, it wasn't like they were very close. They shared a mutual respect having worked together a few times. Yet Atem couldn't shake the suspicion Seto developed insecurities during his inability to let go.
"...Kaiba? I'm sorry. I was wrong about you." Yuugi meant every word.
"Hmph. Out of everyone, you of all people have a right to be protective over him." Seto finally acknowledged him.
"I'm literally right here." Atem pouted.
"Yeah, but I should know better than to judge so quickly. Especially when it comes to you." Yuugi admits.
"Hellooooooooooo!" Joey called out from the living room. "Where did everyone go?"
"I should get back to him. Feel free to join us when you two are done." Yuugi left, pulling Marik with him.
Atem noticed the twinkle in Yuugi's eyes and lightly blushed. When they left he glanced up at the CEO. Seto's expression was guarded, even his eyes. But Atem knew he was apprehensive.
"Shall we talk somewhere more comfortable?" The pharaoh suggested.
They chose the table at the dining area. Although they could still be interrupted or risk others eavesdropping, the idea of visiting each other's room might spread rumors. Atem knew this option would be the least stressful to the CEO.
"He accepts you. Just because he was upset over assumptions doesn't mean Yuugi will interfere with us." Atem assured when they sat down.
"Yet you don't return the same feelings that I have."
"That doesn't mean I'm not interested." Atem watched Seto blink, then the faintest hint of color in his cheeks. The pharaoh smiled, having never seen the other flushed before. Atem knew Seto was also doing his best to control it.
"What? Did you assume I was straight?" Atem smiled. "As if the style I prefer to dress myself is anything like that."
"Even with your fashion sense, you didn't give any clear indication you liked anyone that way. So it wasn't like I can assume anything." Seto countered, clearly ruffled.
"Because for the longest time I didn't have my own body." The pharaoh didn't ever cross that boundary. Although Yuugi didn't mind if he did, this was a personal boundary Atem set on himself.
"And, the world kind of made relationships beyond friends impossible." Atem added, for this was another valid point.
It would seem Seto agreed, for he didn't respond. They both recalled how it was one event after another with hardly any breaks in between. The world being in danger used to be more than demanding than running a company, in Seto's opinion.
"When did you start wondering which way you preferred?" Atem asked curiously. "I believe I started just around the time of your Battle City tournament."
"To be honest, I didn't believe anyone would even want to stick to me in that sense."
"So you resigned to forever be alone? That's sounds lonely." Atem tilted his head.
"I alone took hold of Kaiba Corp., changed its foundations and stared down every competition unflinching from a young age. Playing the game meant opening myself up to every weakness being utilized if I slipped up." Hence being overprotective of Mokuba was left unsaid.
"That doesn't mean one has to give up happiness." Atem pointed out.
"I've given up everything else." The CEO shrugged.
"Yet here we are." Atem sensed the change in the atmosphere.
For a long moment Seto was silent. To the pharaoh, it felt as if he stared at a living dragon ready to lash out. Atem had never made that connection before just how Seto was similar to Blue Eyes.
"...Did you ever watch over us?" Seto asked, his tone reserved.
"Sometimes, yes. But I will admit I only periodically checked in on everyone. And I never glanced for more than a few seconds after some months. Adjusting being away was tedious on my end simply because I didn't want to miss out on everything."
"Then you likely didn't know I tried every method short of suicide to get over you."
Atem stared, hoping that admission wasn't including what he thought. Seto avoided his gaze and the pharaoh's heart sank.
"I'm sorry." He regretted not catching on something was wrong a long time ago.
"When Mokuba forced an intervention, I snapped out enough to think, what if I can still see you? And so I focused entirely on that to the point of disregarding the consequences and dangers."
"Was this when you realized it might be more than just beating me in a duel?" Atem wondered.
"Somewhere along the way. I chose not to process it."
"Why?" Atem pressed.
"I was already living in regret, I wasn't going to allow grief to control me."
"You do know denial is the first step in grief, right?"
"Don't lecture me." Seto's tone darkened. Even his eyes, and that was when Atem noticed something.
"Your eyes."
"What about them?" The CEO was confused.
"There's life in them again. When you were setting up the duel in hopes to pull me back to the living, your eyes were dead. No life or light in them."
Atem expected Seto to snap. To be angry over the implications. Instead the broad shoulders slumped in defeat. And the pharaoh had never seen this man so broken before.
"I am sorry for not noticing any of the signs of your pain and suffering. If you would allow me to make up for it, I am willing." Atem softly offered.
"I don't want your pity." Seto hissed, the smallest bit of his old self piercing through the broken shell.
"This isn't pity when I care about you enough that I want us to at least try to mend everything over and open to more in the end." Atem held his ground. "You can take your time on accepting my offer. For this there won't be a deadline. When you're ready just tell me."
It took everything in the pharaoh to make his body get up and leave. His heart sank when Seto took to avoiding him. Up until a few days later, when they were all flying back home, Atem thought it wouldn't happen anytime soon.
That was until a hand timidly reached for his. Atem stirred awake to glance over, briefly wishing the seats were more comfortable to allow better sleeping positions. When Atem realized Yuugi was still asleep, he looked up to see Seto.
There was a silent question in his eyes. And Atem answered by intertwining their fingers. If they weren't surrounded by others the pharaoh was certain Seto would have cried.
