Chapter XCVIII: Guidance

Yugi felt as if his entire body were on fire, thrumming with an energy he couldn't contain. He trembled and shivered, then bristled and flicked his wings, then pounced forward. The abrupt movement made Atem startle and spin on him, a snarl on his face that quickly melted. Yugi wiggled his rump and pounced away, dancing about in a small circle before racing back. Atem had not moved but to watch, head tilted.

"Why are you so excited?"

Yugi didn't know how to answer. There were multiple reasons. Did he say one and list the rest when Atem spoke? Or did he rush into all of them and then wait for Atem to answer? He trembled, spinning around in a circle and almost chasing his tail. He whipped around to face him again after a long moment, lifting his head and grinning.

Atem's expression didn't change. He seemed curious but also mildly concerned. There was no amusement to be found and Yugi was almost crushed to realize how much distance existed between the two of them at that moment. It was almost crippling, and for a heartbeat Yugi forgot how to breathe.

"I… You remember your time in the egg!"

Atem didn't immediately seem to realize what he was hinting at. He blinked once, then looked away. "Yes. And I recall you asking me once if I thought I'd hatched so small because I chose to let my siblings live." He fell quiet for a moment, then glanced at him sideways. "I told you no, and I never thought of it again. But hearing Dimitri sneer at me about how my Blessing allowed them to hatch made me remember. I've been sitting on the realization for a while now, and I didn't plan to say anything until Jaden began his tirade."

Yugi felt his hearts twist. "You're…so upset. Why? Why does that upset you? That's… You let your brothers live, Atem. None of the three of them allowed another sibling of their own nest to survive. I don't see that it's anything to be ashamed of."

Atem shook his head. "I'm not…of that." He fell silent for a long time. "I… Ironheart… When he died…"

Yugi blinked and stood straighter, eyes widening. "What about it?" he breathed, stunned when Atem abruptly turned away again. He saw his eyes flicker toward the mountain and Yugi wished they'd already fled for the den to check on Yami again, but they'd agreed to stay on paw and travel by land to ensure the other three had no reason to suspect Yami was still with them. "Atem, you're scaring me."

The Sky Dragon smiled bitterly. "He said Yami would be the most dangerous force of nature, that… He said it relied on us to teach him everything and more, to make sure he didn't end up like Dimitri or Jaden." He looked to him now, and their eyes locked as the God Dragon picked his words. "But…how much did we teach him? How much did we manage to mentor him? I feel like he left so soon that I didn't…teach him anything. And…what if he's not ready? What if he can't face Dimitri and survive? What if that's what scares him so much?"

Yugi stiffened for a moment, unable to fight the wave of horror that crashed down his spine for a split second. He shook his head after a moment. "Atem, you taught him plenty. You guided him a lot more than you think. He may be afraid now, but I'm sure he'll find a way. You always did."

Atem bore his teeth. "By my ability," he sneered. "I found a way with my ability."

He flinched and blinked, then huffed. "No. Maybe it influenced a few things, but not enough to change you. You're smarter and kinder than you give yourself credit for. Your ability may stem from survival and battle instincts, but you wield them. They never consumed you and you've always had full control of them."

"So you say, but what of lashing out at Timaeus when he came to visit me? What of that? I certainly didn't have control of them then, did I?" he spat. His voice rose an octave with fear. "And that doesn't mean anything for Yami. I didn't teach him to fight. And I… He had to kill Bakura. I let that happen."

"You didn't," Yugi snapped, stepping closer and wishing he could have rubbed against him. But Atem would have spat at him and withdrawn and Yugi wished more than ever he still trusted him enough to continue a conversation even when it hurt him so much. "You didn't let that happen. Yami saw what you didn't. He used your ability when you were willing to sacrifice yourself for him. It had nothing to do with wanting or letting Yami kill Bakura."

Atem drew his lips back further to show the ridges of his teeth. "Is that so?" he sneered. "I didn't let it happen? And yet I couldn't save myself and my ability failed me then, didn't it?"

"You were more worried about Yami than yourself. In fights, you worry about you alone and no one else. You don't have your attention split like that. Yami chose to kill Bakura to save you. It had nothing to do with your ability failing." Yugi shook his head. "Atem, dear heart, listen to me. If you never hear me say anything again, then heed me now, okay? Yami loves you. He adores you. He chose to save you then. And he'd do anything for you now. Whatever you think you didn't teach him, I'm sure he knows. He trusts you more than anyone. He believes in you more than anything. And I know he calls on you when he struggles. You are his guiding star, and he knows you aren't perfect. He knows you're one of the most beautifully imperfect dragons alive. And all you need to do is trust in him in turn."

The God Dragon looked away again, glancing at the sky overhead, and barely spoke loudly enough to say, "I need to summon snow."

"Atem."

Yugi spun around immediately, snarling, and his mate stopped walking without turning back. Yugi wanted to lunge, but stopped himself there, snarling and bristling. He almost salivated with anger for a split second, but suppressed the instinct as he stared at the other male standing feet away. He wished he could have taken his head off. He'd deserve nothing less.

"Yugi," Atem said softly, still unmoving from his stance, "restrain your temper. He wouldn't have spoken if he planned to attack me."

He should drop dead, Yugi thought spitefully, but didn't speak out.

Atem didn't turn around immediately. Yugi wondered for a moment if he was scared, but realization came through a split second later. Atem had realized what his ability was. And ever since he'd gotten a little nastier, voice harder and sharper and angrier. Yugi wasn't sure, but he thought he was suppressing the very real urge to lash out without discretion.

"What are you doing here?"

"I suppose that's the best greeting I could expect from you."

Yugi glanced at Atem sideways. "You deserve to get your head taken off for setting paw here," he spat when Atem did not respond. He glared at the golden-scaled male and lashed his tail. "I should pee on your bones."

Atem let out a snort caught between surprise and laughter. "Yugi."

"Well, I should," he insisted, though he risked a glance at his mate again. Atem had turned to him with a surprised, amused expression. "I should pee on his bones!"

"It's nice to see nothing has changed where you're concerned. Had I any doubts you were stuck to his flesh like a fly, I'm assured now," he sneered, though Yugi noticed with growing anger that he never turned away from Atem. "I saw the other three. I'd almost assumed you were dead when they left after such a long time."

"You brought our mother and father, Valon and Mana here."

"They wished to see you. And I was under the impression it was better I play mediator if things went wrong and your carcass was what we found instead," Malik answered. His lavender eyes flashed like gems and his head snapped toward Yugi when the Gandora stepped forward. "Keep your little pest on a chain, Atem. I am not in the mood to discipline a hatchling."

"You think you'd fare so well?" Atem asked quietly. "He crushed Rafael's skull and snapped his neck in a matter of heartbeats. Do you think yourself stronger than Leviathan's half-brother?"

Malik looked at Yugi with narrowed eyes. "I heard it was an unprovoked attack. He said something to Atem and you just went insane."

"His payment was just and overdue," the God Dragon answered lazily. Yugi watched him shake himself out in his peripheral and relaxed slightly. "As far as I am concerned, Rafael was treading thin ice and he finally punched a hole through the sheet. He deserved every bite and droplet of blood."

"You would support him no matter who he killed. I don't take your word for much."

"I didn't suppose you would."

Yugi huffed. "I wish I'd gotten my claws into you as well, before the news got around," he hissed, somewhat petulant. Atem didn't say anything and Malik watched him with burning eyes. "Although, I'd have rather gotten all three of you at once."

"You didn't even get Bakura. That little brat you created did." Abruptly he turned to Atem again. "I heard he was dead. And then suddenly he wasn't."

"Is that why you fled to the western region?" Atem returned quietly, and Yugi glanced at him in surprise. "I heard the lovely rumor you sought protection from Leviathan, as if he'd stand in my way should I rampage."

Malik tilted his head. "He is the god of war. You think you could hold your own against him?"

Atem chuckled. "Very much so, yes."

Yugi looked between them, a burst of pride surging through him. Even if Atem was poking fun at his brother, he didn't sound even the slightest bit intimidated or unsure of himself. He knew he could hold his own against the Divine Serpent, and the truth of that realization made his entire body tingle with warmth.

It may not have been the self-respect Yugi had always hoped Atem would display, but the strength wasn't misplaced and the God Dragon was not cowering in the slightest.

As long as he stood on all four paws and faced down those in his way, Yugi would accept it gratefully.

"You have a lot of gall to say that so dismissively. Do you truly think you could hold your own against the Leviathan?"

"I know I could, yes." Atem stepped closer and lowered his voice. "I'm already going to kill Jaden one day. Why not the Leviathan with him?"

Yugi suppressed a flinch, horrified. He opened and closed his mouth once, startled, and his eyes shot to Malik again. The Winged Dragon stared at Atem for a long time, then chuckled.

"You've certainly gotten braver. I don't suppose you got such ego from your lovely Gandora, right, Atem?" he snickered. He shook his head slightly and turned to Yugi again. "Do you still tell him all those lies to stroke his ego?"

"I killed Rafael for questioning him. Do you think I won't do the same to you?" he spat. He barely suppressed the urge to lunge forward. He bore his teeth and glanced at Atem sideways once more. "Why are you here? You brought your siblings here and your own parents. Did it never occur to you if the other three actually had been after Atem, things could have gone downstream?"

Atem snorted softly. "Yugi, why would he ever consider anyone else when he comes to taunt me?" he asked, then snickered a little louder as he shook his head. "Feel free to explain your presence here, Malik. It's been nice to trade barbs but I'm tired of it now."

"Mother was frantic to find you when the eclipse happened. She was afraid it might have been an omen, especially because of Yami." He leveled Atem with a cold look. "And what of him? Is he still alive?"

Atem didn't answer for a long moment. "As far as I know, but I suppose anything can happen in the span of an hour," he said quietly. "What concern is it of yours?"

"It's not. I just thought I would feign interest."

"Oh?" Atem scoffed. He opened his mouth, then paused and looked over his shoulder. Yugi followed his line of sight and shivered. The hatchling paused a few feet back and watched them both intently. Atem turned away first. "I suppose I commend your efforts."

"Thanks. I try." Malik was trying to spot what had gotten their attention when Yugi turned back. Snorting, he turned to Atem again. "What happened? You didn't have an answer so you pretended to hear something? I'd expect as much from the mongrel, but you? Madness doesn't run in Slifer genes."

"It's not a first generation trait, sorry to disappoint."

Yugi looked over as Yami began to move again. He had picked his way around to Atem's side, studying Malik with wide, curious eyes. The golden male seemed oblivious to his presence altogether, and Yugi remembered Honda and the other three gods being blind even when he stood directly before them.

"That is a sad discovery," Malik dismissed. He never looked away from Atem, though now Yami stood between them. Yugi would have assumed he was looking at Yami had it not been for the expression of indifference on his face. "Madness would suit you, considering you both produced and raised a hatchling."

"Yes, well, maybe it's me madness runs through," Atem said quietly, and Yugi could see him struggling not to move around Yami to see better. But he kept his head up and his eyes locked on his brother despite Yami mostly blocking him. "I've often wondered."

"You aren't worried they got to him while you've been moping about the forests on your own?" Malik sneered. "I know Jaden wanted to eat him alive."

"No, not quite to eat," Yami answered, and Malik sprang backwards, snarling and spitting with shock. "He just wants me dead. As nasty as he may be, it would be swift. Eating me alive does not quite fit that criteria."

"How in Paradise?" Malik spat, bristling and stepping back with his teeth bared. Yugi was amazed to see him salivating heavily with shock and outrage. "Who are…? Yami?"

"That took embarrassingly long, Malik." Yami stepped away and toward Atem, taking a spot at his side, and looked to his father. It was so stupid, but Yugi's hearts skipped beats and joy surged through him as he looked between them. Yami blinked and smiled at him, but his words were only for Atem. "Timaeus is back."

Atem glanced at him sideways. "Good."

Yami searched his face for a moment, then smiled a little wider. The expression was soft and warm, and Yugi could only guess it was in regards to what he must have sensed from Atem. He had to know what Atem had realized. But when he looked him over, the adoration in his eyes was a lot more than just pride. Yugi almost trembled he was so elated to see the expression again.

"Everyone left with their limbs attached."

Atem huffed. "Sadly enough."

Yami laughed and butted his shoulder. "It must have been so hard," he snickered, "for you to not hurt someone without reason."

Yugi smiled warmly and glanced at Malik in the corner of his eye. The golden male had not moved but for blinking in surprise. His lavender eyes were cold, burning, as they took in the scene, and yet he stood completely still and watched them without so much as a snarl.

He doesn't plan to hurt anyone. Unless you attack him, he's not aiming for a fight, Yami said softly, rubbing against Atem's side as if he were a small hatchling once more. He turned to Malik after a long minute. "Are you well, Malik?"

The golden male eyed him for a moment and leaned forward, scenting the air before humming. "You look much older than you are, yet you're so small. Why is that?"

"Must run in the family," Yami returned easily, stepping forward and studying him. "What are you doing here anyways?"

"I was told you read thoughts."

"I do."

"Then why ask?"

Yami laughed softly. "You and Seto are so much alike in that coldness. Bakura was a glacier of anger and yet the two of you are just lukewarm pond water in comparison."

Malik blinked at the mention of their brother's name. "I heard you killed him."

"He came for me. Why shouldn't I have been the one to do it?" Yami asked slowly, voice dipping with the smallest hint of anger. "I was taught to protect myself when I had to."

"That's true. Bakura would have eaten you had he gotten the chance. If you were truly so small as Seto claimed, he would have tried to swallow you whole."

"I wouldn't have tasted good even then." Yami had lost much of his friendliness, staring at the golden male. He was not tense and Yugi could see no hint of anger in his frame, but he'd clearly sensed something he hadn't before. Abruptly the hatchling turned to Atem. "Your parents are near the valley with Mana and Valon."

Atem looked at Malik. "Were you the search party?"

"Surprise," he drawled, never taking his eyes off Yami. He looked as amazed as Seto had when they'd first met, as if the world had stopped for a brief second and Yami was the reason for it. Had Yugi been foolish, he would have thought it was infatuation like the moment he'd seen Atem. But the expression on Malik's face was of mere surprise and fascination, nothing like affection. "Mana and Valon will certainly be glad to see you. They've been whining about how they haven't seen you since that one time for hours."

Yami was silent for a long minute. "I'll go see them," he announced, and turned to Atem. He looked as if he wanted to say something, but he only smiled after a moment and leaned forward to rub beaks with him. He mirrored the gesture with Yugi and turned away, trotting ahead.

"Does he get that attitude from you?" Malik muttered, watching him go. Yugi bristled when the golden dragon turned to face him. "That incessant need to step in when Atem is so much as looked at in a way you don't like?"

"Considering Yami hears and sees your thoughts, I wouldn't think it comes only from me."

"Sees them?" Malik grinned and turned to Atem. "Been thinking about me, little brother?"

Yugi hit him so hard and fast Malik couldn't dodge it. His head snapped to the side and blood dripped from his cheek in four brilliant streaks. He snarled softly and looked over, teeth bared in annoyance. "I'll do worse," Yugi promised, stepping closer.

Atem looked fond but exasperated. "I'd assume so. They both get so prickly." He shook his head and looked over his shoulder. Yugi followed his glance to see he was peering up at the mountain, likely wondering if Timaeus should be left alone much longer. He turned back almost immediately. "Yami has a lot more tact, though. He didn't hit you. He just made you feel smaller than you are."

Malik blinked and snarled softly. "Quite the talent he has."

"You're not even denying it. How strange. Did he scare you so much?"

"You never came after me when he was thought dead."

"You were never reckless enough to come here without Bakura or Seto present. When you retrieved the body, you didn't return again." Atem fell silent for a long moment. "I'm not sorry he's dead."

"I wouldn't be if he'd come after my clutch, either." Malik flexed his wings, tucking them into his sides, and Yugi was amazed they were standing so close without even the smallest hint of tension in their muscles. He hated that he was the only one posed to strike again, but if it meant Malik couldn't get to Atem, what did it matter? Let him be considered the aggressor. "I had no qualms with you as far as having a nest went. It didn't matter to me one way or the other. Yami was or wasn't a rumor. When I saw him at the camp I didn't even consider him for more than a moment. I thought you must have adopted him. Seto was so insistent but Yami…looks like a Fire Dragon."

"I'm aware."

"It would have been the perfect camouflage had you claimed he was just a random Uria hatchling you'd taken in."

Atem was quiet for a moment. "I'd never met one of them before."

Malik grinned. "I have. They're wild little beasts," he snickered. He bore his teeth in the widest smirk, eyes glinting. "I've only met three of them before and they were family. The female almost took my head off for drifting too close to her nest. It was a shame. She looked like a Slifer at first glance."

Yugi bore his teeth. "Don't tell me you thought you'd mate with her."

Malik glanced at him sideways, dismissive. "I don't wish to be tied down. When you die, Atem's lifespan will shorten to nothing. Your lifespan is already nothing. Atem won't even make it to a thousand before you die."

Yugi almost flinched. He wasn't wrong. He was barely sixty years and Atem had to have hit two hundred if he was not younger. They'd never tossed about numbers or discussed it before. Age wasn't a true worry of any matter, but for Yugi did worry he'd condemned him to a short life. Atem likely hadn't even hit his peak yet. He still had growing to do…

Yugi fought another flinch and bore his teeth. "Drop dead," he snapped instead.

"Death will be welcomed when that time comes," Atem dismissed, and Yugi looked over in surprise. Did Atem really not harbor any resentment toward the fact his life would end so early? Sky Dragons were known for losing their willpower entirely when their mates passed. They stopped eating and drinking and their hearts slowly failed one by one. How could Atem not be upset he'd had a portion of his life stolen? And how could he not wonder how much of it had been taken?

Yugi had the distinct and horrifying impulse to apologize, to say he hadn't meant to do that. He wanted to say a thousand things, but none of the words came to the surface. He couldn't even form them in his head now that he tried. There was so much, from hurting him whenever he'd mounted him, to his lifespan, to lying to him when he'd hidden Yami's departure, to not being present to fight every suitor that came…

"I have no desire to live to the millions. The world will continue without me when the time comes, as it did before." Atem looked in the direction Yami had gone. Yugi could see the faint longing in his stance, as if he wanted nothing more than to follow him. After a long moment he turned back. "Why did you come here with them? Why were you with them?"

Malik hadn't looked away from the red male the entire time they'd been standing there. It was as if he were afraid to look away, as if Atem might lunge forward and rip him to pieces if he did. "I went to visit them. I do that occasionally."

"Timing is oddly coincidental."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Malik tilted his head. "Coincidental? What does it coincide with that's so coincidental?"

Yugi blinked and shivered. Dimitri. "Did you ever meet Seto's clutch?"

Malik looked over. "Yes. I met all five of them. Why? What does—? Oh. That's true then?" he asked, snorting. "I can't believe it. Seto created a Divine?"

"No," Atem said blandly. "He's half Seto's, not fully."

Malik blinked and stared. "Wait… Kisara ran off with another male?" he asked slowly, then snickered. "And Seto was so desperate he came here to ask your aid? Are you serious right now?"

Atem smirked. "It's not that simple, Malik."

"Oh, please, don't start with the Sky Dragon bonding. I already know. I'm so tired of hearing about it." He looked as if he wanted to dig his claws through his skull to avoid it. Yugi grinned at the annoyed expression on his face despite the anger toward the dismissal. He had no right to sneer at Atem like that. "Look, if Seto didn't make him, who did? Obviously it wasn't you, and I'm sure Jaden and Yusei would have been mounting before they'd run off with Kisara. Leviathan, from what I understand, doesn't care much for mating to begin with."

Yugi had always wondered about that. He'd never heard once of the God Dragon attending gatherings for mating cycles. He'd never even heard of him looking at a female with interest. The Leviathan had been the only God Dragon besides Atem who had never been looked to taking a mate. Even Jaden and Yusei had coupled for a while, even if it seemed more to cover Sartorius's existence then anything.

Atem was quiet for a long minute. His eyes flickered toward where Yami had gone and abruptly he turned and began to pick down the path. Yugi hurried to take his spot behind him, creating a barrier between the two brothers. Malik didn't seem to move for a long time, then huffed and slowly picked his way after them.

They continued for a while in silence, until Yugi heard a heavy thud and leaves crunching. He stiffened, alarmed, but Atem's lack of concern was comforting as they continued. He peeked past his mate and almost laughed.

Valon and Mana were chasing Yami across the clearing as the Divine wove around trees and circled around twice as fast. Valon slammed into Mana when he tried to turn and they rolled in a sloppy pile of limbs. Whining and biting at each other, they untangled and rushed to stand once more.

"No fair. Why did you get faster?" Mana whined. She shook herself and plopped down, then blinked and looked over. When she saw Atem she raced over, squeaking, "Atem!"

Valon looked over as well, shook himself out, and strode over with a more dignified stance. Yugi snickered at them as he stepped around and looked at Yami. The hatchling wasn't winded, watching his playmates for a moment before turning to him.

"They've been waiting for you both to come see them."

Yugi barely had time to process the words before Mana leaped forward and rubbed beaks with him. She was trembling with excitement, as if he were the God Dragon instead. He smiled as he butted her shoulder and she darted away to pounce at Yami again. The Divine waited a moment, then dove beneath her and turned around before she'd even landed again.

"Mana is annoying," Valon said to Atem. "Can I have Yami as my sibling instead?"

Atem snickered and shook his head. "No, he's too special. I'm sorry."

Valon huffed. "I tried," he grumbled, then looked past him. "Oh, you're still here."

Malik trotted past them and into the clearing. "Yeah, moron, I'm still here."

Yugi growled softly but didn't speak as Malik moved toward the center of the small spot. Atem didn't speak, though he finally turned to Yami. The hatchling halted knocking Mana aside to look over, tilting his head and studying him. Yugi thought for a moment he'd spoken to him, until Yami turned back and pounced away to approach them.

"I need to go again soon."

Atem looked unsurprised. "For what?"

"I have a few things to do. I have to be stronger when Dimitri comes here next," he said quietly. "And he's going to. His fear of you will turn to hatred and he'll come back. By that time, I need to be able to handle him."

Yugi glanced at Atem sideways, then turned back. "How long?"

Yami shook his head. "I don't… I don't know."

"Can we help?"

Yami blinked and laughed softly. "No, but thank you. I have to do this." He turned to Atem again, searching his face. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop earlier, but what Yugi said was true. I do call on you when I need guidance. I use you as my north star and I'd sooner pray to you than a deceased god long passed. You taught me well, no matter how much you doubt it. Ironheart…was afraid of things he saw that could have been. None of them came to fruition."

Atem opened his mouth, expression one of pure frustration, and Yami shook his head.

"I love you," Yami whispered. "You and Yugi are my world. And I draw strength from you both. Just…keep your heart open. You've been so closed off because I hurt you, but I need you to do this. You don't understand how much I'm relying on you. And that's not your fault. I've run you in circles and I've worn your patience. I know I have. And I'm sorry. But… Atem…"

When he struggled for words, the God Dragon shook himself out.

"You ask for forgiveness, and I don't know how to grant it."

Yami smiled and tilted his head. "You did once, when you returned to the den. After Bakura tore your side open and you fled. Do you remember that? You forgave me then for what I did. Can you do it again?"

Atem glanced then at Yugi, the look in his eyes cold and sharp and aching. Yugi almost flinched when he saw the haunted glint, but it passed after a moment. Atem turned away.

"I guess we'll see if I'm so capable."

Yami was quiet for a long time, then leaned forward and licked his face. "I adore you. There are no greater parents and no better father. No matter how hurt you are now, you've always been brave, strong, and true. Remember that. If you remember nothing else, remember that."