Title: Love Me
Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Characters: Yami no Yuugi/Atemu & Mutou Yuugi
Prompt: # 21 Friends
Word Count: 7.447
Rating: G
Summary: School continues, life and the daily grind continue and Yuugi, opening up to the people around him, finds himself busy with schoolwork and obligations, and his former teammate...
Author's Notes: second in a mini-trilogy (from the prompts Teammates, Friends, Lovers). Made up surname for Atemu. Made up first name for Yuugi's mother.
"Yuugi! Time for school!"
"I'm already awake, kaa-san!" Yuugi stood in front of his desk, lifting up the golden puzzle to move its chain around his head. He had finished it shortly after winning the CapMon tournament with Atemu, much to his grandfather's surprise. After all, he'd been working steadily on it for the last eight years; just briefly after meeting the Egyptian transfer student, Yuugi had slid the last piece into place, silently making a wish when the puzzle was finally solved.
As he left his bedroom, he bumped into his mother. She smiled at him, but refrained from ruffling his hair. She also didn't call him 'Yuugi-kun' anymore. Mutou Kyoko had noticed that her son had gone through such a change the last few months, he had grown and matured and it wouldn't feel right to treat him like a small child. Yuugi wasn't lonely anymore, he had friends now, and he felt happy and content. She had never seen her son this happy before, and she was glad his life had taken such a positive turn.
"I'm going to get some breakfast, kaa-san," Yuugi said. She nodded. He had to hurry up, because Anzu would soon stop by to pick him up. By default, Jounouchi and Honda would walk with her, and the four of them would walk all the way to school. Who could've imagined that two school bullies could turn out to be such loyal friends? Who could've imagined that just over a year ago, Yuugi brought games to his class to spend his time in solitude, with only Anzu to talk to? Now he walked with his friends to school and spend more time with them than he did at home; which was fine with his mother, as long as his grades didn't suffer.
"Good morning, jii-chan!"
"Ah, good morning, Yuugi," the elderly man said, putting his newspaper down. "You're quite used to your new class, right?"
"Yes," Yuugi said, smiling brightly. He was glad he had passed; now he had only a few more years to go before graduation. People would still take him for a freshman though; he wasn't that tall, certainly not compared to Jounouchi and Honda. Atemu wasn't much taller than him, but the Egyptian carried himself with such weight around that he managed to look much more mature and wise than the entire group combined.
"I'm glad you have such a good time at school," Mutou Sugoroku nodded. "Any chance of Atemu-kun visiting the GameShop again soon?" He chuckled at the blush appearing on his grandson's face. Atemu had kept true to his word, and had visited Yuugi over the summer holiday. Sugoroku had showed him the store and the new craze sweeping the nation: Duel Monsters. He had explained the basics of the card game to Atemu, just as he had to Yuugi and before he knew it, the two boys were in a heated competition. He was amazed at how quickly Atemu picked up on the game, but recalling how he mastered CapMon in just a few weeks and winning the tournament with Yuugi, it shouldn't have come as a surprise, really. Yuugi had been walking on clouds for weeks, especially after Atemu stayed long enough to have dinner with the Mutou family.
"I don't know, jii-chan, but I hope so. The entire school is into Duel Monsters, and I'll convince him to buy his cards at our store!"
"Good," Sugoroku teased him just a little more, before picking up his newspaper again. Yuugi wolfed down his breakfast, grabbed his book bag and ran out of the kitchen while still munching on the last of his pancakes.
Yuugi waved as he ran outside. Anzu and Jounouchi waited for him, and by default his friend Honda. Yuugi called him his friend as well; Honda and Jounouchi weren't bad at all once you got to know them. And now that the both of them had dropped their bullying entirely, they were fun and nice people to be around with, albeit a little rambunctious. Yuugi was a little sad that Atemu couldn't be here, but he lived on the other side of town, in a 'fancy schmancy neighborhood', as Jounouchi liked to call it.
After greeting each other, they made their way over to school, talking about events and people. Jounouchi wanted to learn everything about Duel Monsters and Honda was playfully picking on him that he was never going to be smart enough to learn the rules to the game, laughing at Jounouchi's mock-angry reaction. It was so much more fun to walk with others to school, Yuugi thought, instead of being all alone. Yes, this last year had been one of the best years of his life, and mostly because he got to know Atemu.
He was wondering how the Egyptian really felt. They had spend a lot of time together, Atemu helping Yuugi with his homework (math, history and geography) and Yuugi had helped Atemu with his vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation. Even though he thought Atemu's heavy accent was cute, he sometimes was hard to understand when he stressed the wrong syllable. And his accent wasn't the only cute thing Yuugi had been thinking about. Would he really describe someone like Atemu as 'cute'? Well, yes..!
"Yuugi, why are you so quiet? Are you thinking of the upcoming test?"
"Test? What test?" Jounouchi blurted out. Anzu smacked him against the shoulder.
"The one Kazumi-sensei has been talking about for weeks?"
"That one? I thought he was talking about NEXT week!"
"Jounouchi! When will you ever learn to pay attention?"
Yuugi couldn't help but snicker at his friends' bickering, but no, he wasn't really worrying about the test. After all, he had been studying with Atemu and he was convinced he could handle the test. It bothered Yuugi slightly that Atemu never invited him at his home, though. They spend lots of time in the library, but Yuugi was quite curious to see how Atemu lived. He didn't ask or push, he wanted Atemu to invite him spontaneously, not enforce himself upon him. It was just curiosity, Yuugi told himself, but spending time with Atemu always made him gleeful and happy, wherever he was…
In class, they quickly took their places. They had arranged it so that they were all sitting next to each other: Atemu next to Yuugi, Anzu next to Atemu, and Jounouchi and Honda next to Anzu. There was still some time left before the sensei would arrive; the students were greeting each other, talking loudly as they took their seats. Atemu arrived on time as usual, greeting the others before sitting down and taking out the books from his bag.
"Good morning, Atemu-kun," Yuugi beamed at him. His day didn't start off right if he didn't hear Atemu's deep "Good morning, Yuugi" in return and he wasn't disappointed today. He watched how the Egyptian took his seat next to him, and how every movement was full of grace and regality. With a content sigh, Yuugi waited for the sensei to arrive.
Domino High had its own library, but Atemu preferred the local library, housed in a four-story building not very far from the school. It had its own multimedia department, a cafeteria and of course, a huge collection of books, in all kinds of fiction and non-fiction genres. Yuugi had never been so often in the library as with Atemu, but he could see the advantage of studying here. It was an environment that didn't distract him like at home, and they had all the information they needed at their fingertips when they had to work on a project.
Today, Atemu would help him with math, a subject that came very easy to the Egyptian, but was always a struggle for Yuugi. He didn't mind too much, though - Atemu would sit next to him to point things out while explaining, and Yuugi didn't mind at all the other being so close that he could smell him, could touch him… even though Yuugi never did. He wished he was as brave as to touch Atemu, or ask him about… well, how he felt. Atemu never spoke of personal things; the one time he dropped a female name (and scared Yuugi), was when he mentioned the housekeeper. His father, Akumanukanon Sa-neb-Merire, had rented the penthouse apartment in one of the most upscale suburbs in Domino City, including serving staff. Yuugi figured that a man with his status as a diplomat wouldn't settle for anything less.
He didn't know if Atemu had a mother or any other siblings, as he never spoke about it. Yuugi was dying to find out more about him. He wasn't realizing yet how much he was crushing on the other, what did he know about crushes or love? He had liked Anzu before, and he still liked her as a friend, but not in a romantic way. She had moved into the background when it came to romance, and Atemu had taken her place as the one person Yuugi was dreaming about. As a friend, Yuugi valued Anzu greatly, but he wasn't looking at her anymore as someone to be with, someone more than just a friend. With a sigh, Yuugi eyed the stack of books in front of him. Atemu liked consulting multiple sources to verify what he was studying, and when it came to math, he was making no exception. Yuugi was getting dizzy from just reading the titles…
"Ah, here we are," Atemu said, leafing through a particularly heavy book, "to solve this equation, we have to take out the current denominator…"
"Math is too hard," Yuugi blurted out.
"It is not my favorite subject either," Atemu confessed. "I used to like it, because my father is very good at it. I could always ask him for help, so I pretended not to understand it. It was one of the few times my father would actually sit down and help me."
Yuugi wished to know more about Atemu, but when the other did divulge something about his private life, Yuugi always felt sad. There was so much loneliness speaking from Atemu's words, even though the Egyptian probably wasn't feeling about it the same way. He didn't make a lonely impression, but still..! It reminded Yuugi of how he felt a little over a year ago, before he had any friends.
"Your father is extremely busy, isn't he?" Yuugi asked.
Atemu nodded. "Lately he has been a lot at the National Museum. There is going to be an exhibition of Ancient Egyptian artifacts soon." He looked at Yuugi and his eyes went to the golden puzzle dangling from his neck. "Would you like to go to the exhibit? I have unlimited access and I can always take someone with me, free of charge."
"Go to an exhibit with you? Of course!" Yuugi knew his cheeks were turning red, but he hoped Atemu would chalk it up to the excitement of the exhibit and nothing else. Atemu smiled in return.
"I thought you were interested," he said warmly. "Ever since you started wearing that puzzle, I knew you would have interest for the fine culture of my home country."
Yuugi blushed some more. It felt so natural to wear the puzzle, even though it was quite heavy. He had gotten some attention because it was made of gold, but strangely enough, nobody tried to take it away from him. It was a little bit silly to think the object protected him, but Yuugi had never felt safer in his life. He couldn't deny the Egyptian roots of the object: it bore a huge golden Eye of Horus on its front. The wish he had made was to have friends and it had come true, especially after the CapMon tournament. Yuugi hadn't bothered to research the puzzle or Ancient Egyptian culture… but the fact that Atemu invited him over for the exhibit, made him feel all warm and happy inside.
"Let us finish our homework," Atemu said. Always duty first, but his diligence and discipline was slightly rubbing off on Yuugi. His grades were better than ever, which made his grandfather and mother happy and proud. He nodded, taking the book from Atemu and staring at the difficult text.
"Why don't you explain it to me, Atemu-kun…"
Childish perhaps, but Yuugi counted the days until it was Saturday. He was excited about Atemu's invitation to spend an entire day with him at the National Museum. Ancient Egypt was fascinating, but Yuugi couldn't care less if the exhibit had been detailing bugs or clay artifacts or whatever boring subject: he was gong to spend the day with Atemu! Hurriedly, he climbed the stairs and went through the huge entrance. Blinking, he found himself in the hallway; he'd never known it was so large. Next to the reception area was a tall billboard providing information on the multiple exhibits and next to it was a large banner with the announcement of the Ancient Egyptian one. Yuugi started to smile as he saw Atemu standing close to the banner, talking to a tall man.
Atemu saw him and waved at him. Yuugi all but skipped to stand next to Atemu and greeted him cheerfully. He felt the taller man's eyes immediately resting upon him and sliding towards his puzzle. It made him feel really uncomfortable; such a gazing, stern look.
"Father, may I introduce Mutou Yuugi to you," Atemu spoke formally. Yuugi blushed deeply. This was Atemu's father? "I asked him to visit the exhibit with me."
"Certainly," the man answered, and his voice was just as deep and held the same authority as Atemu's; it rang through the entire hallway. "I am pleased to meet you, Mutou Yuugi. I am Akunamukanon Sa-neb-Merire, Atemu's father."
"Pleased to meet you, Merire-sama," Yuugi stammered.
"I am glad that my son has found someone who shares his love for his homeland," the man continued. "I am sure you will find the exhibit to your liking. I see you are wearing the puzzle, as my son described. May I ask how it came into your possession?"
"My grandfather brought it home with him," Yuugi said. "He was quite an archaeologist back in his younger years."
"I see. Fascinating. I will leave you two to visit the exhibit now."
"Will I see you tonight, father?" Atemu asked.
"I will be late," was all that the man said before turning around and leaving. Yuugi didn't know what to say. Atemu looked at his father's retreating back with a mixture of annoyance and sadness on his face, but it was gone quickly - when he looked at Yuugi, his gaze was strong and confident as ever.
"Shall we go?"
"Yes," Yuugi said. He would've said "yes" to anything Atemu suggested, he thought. Atemu went ahead and guided him through the exhibit. It was much more fascinating than Yuugi imagined, and it was obvious that Atemu knew a whole lot about it. Not only because of his own background, but also because he was genuinely interested; history was his strongest subject at school. He didn't have any ambitions to become an archaeologist, though.
"You're perfectly cut out to be a tour guide," Yuugi teased him. Atemu chuckled briefly.
"And tell the same story over and over again? No, thank you. I have to find something else to do."
"Did you have something in mind?"
"I am not sure. I do want to go to university, but what to study..? There are so many possibilities, and I do not want to pick out the wrong one."
"We still have some time left for graduation," Yuugi answered good-naturedly.
"And you?"
"Me? Uhm…" Yuugi scratched the back of his head. "Something with the GameShop, I guess."
"Is that something you want?"
"I haven't given it much thought," Yuugi said, slightly embarrassed. "I think I want to continue the store. I like working with games and teaching others how to play. But I'm not really sure if I want to keep a store open until my retirement."
"You could travel first," Atemu said as he moved on to another display case. There weren't many other visitors around, yet he kept his voice low. "See something of the world."
"I think you saw a lot already, didn't you?" He just blurted it out. Yuugi had no idea if he was coming on too strong by asking, but it was too late to take his question back now.
Atemu shrugged. "Yes, I have been to quite a few countries. My father has taken this position for a longer term though, so that I could finish high school properly. It is not fun to change school every two years."
"I can imagine," Yuugi said. He had a hard time enough with this school, let alone a new one every other year. "So you're really going to stay around here for a while longer?"
"Yes I am," Atemu laughed and poked Yuugi in the shoulder. "Why are you looking all red?"
"Sorry, sorry," Yuugi tried to cover his embarrassment up, "I just get a red face very quickly."
"You do, hm?" Atemu pretended to think, then smiled and moved along to another display case. "Want to hear something more about Ramses II?"
"Sure," Yuugi beamed at him. He would never get tired of listening to Atemu's voice.
"Jii-chan, is that you?"
"I just needed something from the attic, Yuugi."
Yuugi slid off his chair and traipsed to the door of his bedroom. He was very fond of his grandfather and it was easier to confide in him than his mother. It went without saying that Yuugi loved his mother just as much, but he felt that he could discuss certain topics better with his grandfather.
"Jii-chan, can we talk for a minute?"
"Of course, Yuugi. Something on your mind? How was your day with Atemu-kun?"
"It was really amazing! He knows so much about Ancient Egypt! Did you know that the masterpiece of the exhibit is a stone slab with a nameless Pharaoh on it, who looks a bit like him? He even wears a puzzle like me!"
"That's fascinating, Yuugi. I don't think I told you exactly how I got the golden puzzle box, right?"
"You'll have to tell me, jii-chan," Yuugi nodded at him. "But… I really wanted to talk about something else."
"All right." Sugoroku wasn't offended that Yuugi didn't want to hear his story right now. He could see something was bothering his grandson. He was glad that Yuugi trusted him enough to talk to him.
"Jii-chan, when did you know that… well, you… wanted more of a friend than just…being friends?"
"Ah, I see." He settled down on Yuugi's bed. "You met someone special, haven't you?"
Yuugi nodded and his grandfather smiled, but didn't pry any further.
"Love is a fickle thing, Yuugi. It's quite easy to fall in love, but it's hard to maintain. Love is the basic element of a relationship, but not the only thing a relationship thrives on. You have to have faith. Trust. You have to find comfort and solace in the other, and strength and dedication. You're never going to make it on love alone."
Yuugi's hope faltered. "I don't even know if… that someone reciprocates the feelings, jii-chan. I just…sort of found out for myself that… well…"
"I know you don't remember much of your grandmother," Sugoroku said regretfully. "I had to really win her charm back in the good old days. She thought I was nothing but a reckless gambler, and I had to really work hard to convince her and sweep her off her feet - but I succeeded, and we were married for almost forty years." He heaved a sigh.
"I know you loved her very much," Yuugi said. "I wish I got to know her better."
"That's life," Sugoroko said. "She passed away unexpectedly, and if it were up to the both of us we'd be still married, of course… but that doesn't answer your question, Yuugi. I knew I wanted to be with your grandmother the first moment I met her, but really, I think that love at first sight is quite rare. It's better to build up a strong basis first, a good friendship, instead of falling in love heads-over-heels."
"And what is that person is… distant, jii-chan?"
"That's a tough question." He tilted his head a little, stroking his beard as he frowned in thought. "You know, I don't think that anyone is really distant. Everyone needs human contact, even if they don't show it. People who are distant often hide themselves behind some kind of wall, just like you used to hide behind your games, Yuugi. Find a way to break through that wall, and you will find that person much more open to you."
"That's neat, jii-chan." Yuugi felt torn between a little bit of hope and no hope at all. How could he ever get through Atemu's wall? Why was he exactly hiding behind his distant attitude? Sugoroku cleared his throat.
"Is it, by any chance, someone I know..?"
"It is," Yuugi blushed once more and he hated how his cheeks colored like that. He wasn't some kind of blushing maiden..! At least, he didn't think he was… "But I don't want to tell you who it is, jii-chan. Not yet."
"I don't want to impose on you, Yuugi. You'll tell me when you're ready." Sugoroku tilted his head a little. "Tell me more about the museum?"
"Atemu-kun told me a lot about Ramses II," Yuugi said. "According to history, he was over ninety years old when he died, and he had ruled for over seventy years!"
"It's been a while since I've visited the museum. Perhaps I should go too…"
"I think you'd like it, jii-chan. Atemu-kun has free access because his father is in charge of the exhibit," Yuugi said. "Would you like me to ask him for a free pass?"
"I'm not a freeloader," Sugoroku shook his head. "I'll pay for my own ticket."
"I'm sure it's not a problem, jii-chan. Oh, I met his father, by coincidence," Yuugi said.
"Really? You met Akunamukanon Sa-neb-Merire?"
"Yes! He's really tall, and so severe! He scared me."
"He's a well-renowned diplomat," Sugoroku said. "But I wonder how much time he spends with his son."
"I think Atemu-kun might be very lonely," Yuugi said and wanted to slap himself mentally. Great going, what a way to expose himself, why didn't he tell immediately he was crushing on him?
"In that case, you should ask him over for dinner again," Sugoroku said, not picking up on Yuugi's words. "No one should feel lonely, and your mother and I certainly don't have any objections to such a well-mannered guest!"
"Jii-chan!"
"Just ask him, Yuugi," his grandfather said with a wink, and he got up from the bed. "Now if you'll excuse me, this old man has some more stuff to do."
On his way to school. Yuugi was still mulling over his conversation with his grandfather. What was Atemu hiding behind his distant attitude? Yuugi kept thinking that he was lonely, but what if it was something different? He decided to stop worrying and try to change it, slowly but surely. Atemu was his friend, he couldn't let him go… he wanted to be with him, that was for sure. But that still left the question if Atemu was interested in him that way, if he was interested in 'that way' at all…
He lifted up his head just in time to smile about one of Jounouchi's wild stories. He was like an open book, there was nothing distant about Jounouchi. Or about Anzu, or Honda, or Otogi who joined the group when they had classes together. They all had accepted Atemu into their circle, even if he was a little different. Yuugi made the firm resolution to try to bring down these walls. After all, he had managed to ask Atemu if he wanted to be his teammate and he hadn't been rejected. And if Atemu wasn't interested at all, why would he spend so much time with Yuugi, helping him study and taking him to an exhibit?
"Good morning, Atemu-kun," he greeted the Egyptian in class.
"Good morning, Yuugi," he said. "Ready for the math test?"
"Thanks to your help, I'm better prepared than ever!" Yuugi felt a little warm inside, when he saw Atemu's lips turn into a smile. A small one, but a smile nonetheless. That had to mean something, right? He settled into his chair and leaned a little into the other, so that the rest of the gang couldn't overhear him. "I would like to invite you for dinner," he said quickly, his voice almost hoarse with tension. Atemu looked a little surprised; was he coming on too strong after all?
"I gladly accept the invitation," Atemu answered, relieving a huge weight from Yuugi's chest. He was behaving like a silly teenage girl in love! But... perhaps he was in love already? Falling in love was easy, his grandfather had said, but to keep the relationship strong and healthy was hard work. Yuugi rummaged through his book bag and tried to keep his mind at ease. Sooner or later, the moment would come to find out… and he wasn't sure if he was ever going to be ready for it.
The smell wafting from the kitchen was heavenly; Yuugi was almost drooling. His mother certainly was cooking up a storm; she was convinced that Atemu hadn't tasted the real Japanese kitchen yet. She was making a lot of dishes, like a buffet, and both Yuugi and grandfather couldn't wait to taste it all. Atemu hadn't arrived yet, but Yuugi was expecting him any minute. He had set up a Duel Monsters board game in his room and was shuffling the cards in his deck when he heard the doorbell ring. He was mid-way thundering down the stairs when he realized his enthusiasm was really… well, overwhelming. Yuugi halted for a moment before continuing his way down in a more sedated manner. His grandfather had opened the door already and was welcoming Atemu, who took off his coat, shaking off a few drops of rain.
"The forecast predicted a thunder storm," he said, "but for now, it is only raining."
"I'm glad you weren't completely soaked wet," Yuugi said. Atemu agreed and hung up his coat before Yuugi's grandfather could do it.
"I take it you boys want to play some Duel Monsters before it's time for dinner," Sugoroku said. "Well, get going then, I'll call you when we're going to eat."
"Let's go upstairs, Atemu-kun," Yuugi said and blushed at the suggestion. He loved spending time with his friends, but he loved spending time with Atemu even more… he could barely keep his mind focused. The question kept tumbling through his mind: what this love, what he was feeling? Wanting to be with someone else this badly that it almost took his breath away? He quickly went upstairs, trusting Atemu to follow him before his grandfather would see his conspicuous red cheeks.
"I really like this game," Atemu said when he settled on the floor, opposite of Yuugi. He had brought his own deck along, centered around the Dark Magician, one of Yuugi's favorite Duel Monsters as well. "Do you think it will be just as popular as CapMon?"
"Grandfather sells more starters and boosters decks every week," Yuugi said. "I don't think it'll be much longer before tournaments are being organized. Do you know Kaiba Seto?"
"I have never met him, but I have heard of him. Is he not supposed to be with us in class?"
Yuugi nodded. "I think he has some kind of permission to take classes with private tutors, instead of going to school. After all, he's the president of KaibaCorp."
"A CEO, at such a young age? Just like Otogi, right?"
"Yes, only Otogi-kun's store isn't operating multinational like KaibaCorp., so he still takes classes with us. Kaiba-kun really is the exception to every rule."
"Hm-m. Is that why you mention him?"
"Oh? No, not at all! I meant to say that he's also interested in Duel Monsters, in fact he's working on a way to evolve the board game into something more… how to explain it… something beyond just the cards and the board? Making it more tangible? He's using some kind of holographic 3D system to bring the monsters and effects to life. Grandfather hopes he's going to get invited when the system is launched."
"That would be amazing to see," Atemu said. He put his deck down to pick the first five cards in his right hand. "If the stories about his intelligence are true, then I am sure Kaiba is the right person to come up with that kind of technology."
"True." Yuugi also drew his five cards, and quickly rearranged them in his hand. He was glad that he could muster the same poker face as Atemu; virtually nothing could be read off of his opponent's face.
"I summon Winged Dragon Guardian of the Fortress," Atemu put the card on its appropriate place on the slot, "and one card face-down. End of turn."
Trap card or magic card? Yuugi felt an adrenaline rush surging through his body. Playing games was so much fun, and he was happy that he hadn't found only a friend in Atemu, but also an excellent player. Let's see...he had his trusty Summon Skull in his hand, but also one of his magnet warriors - Gamma, to be exact. But to recklessly attack Atemu's summoned monster… he had to think of a way to encounter the trap card, and if it was a magic card… he had Mirror Force in his hand, but Atemu knew he had that card in his deck, so he would have thought of a way to counter it.
"I summon magnet warrior Gamma," Yuugi finally decided and put his card on the board, and he put his face-down Mirror Force on its appropriate place. "I declare attack on your Winged Dragon!"
Atemu removed his card and deducted 100 lifepoints from his total. Yuugi was intrigued. The other hadn't played his magic or trap card yet, what could he have in mind?
They were so engrossed in the game that they didn't notice Yuugi's grandfather until he was in the attic room with them, a little wheezing from climbing up the stairs.
"Jii-chan!" Yuugi exclaimed, startled.
"I've been calling you for five minutes now that dinner is ready," Sugoroku said, without any annoyance in his voice. His eyes fell immediately on the Duel Monsters game board. "Ah! Who's winning?"
"Atemu-kun," Yuugi said, just as Atemu said Yuugi's name.
"Well, it seems that you're both even matched," the older man said, much to his enjoyment. "But leave the dueling for now, let's eat first."
They followed him downstairs and as soon as they were coming down from the attic, a huge thunder rolled through the air, lightning forking through the sky.
"We didn't even notice the rain turning into a storm," Yuugi said, slightly embarrassed. Atemu looked a little intimidated.
"I hope there are still taxis driving despite the bad weather."
"Now boys, don't get all worked up," Sugoroku said, "I'm sure it won't be raining all evening and night, so let's just get something to eat now."
"I'd love to," Yuugi said, noticing now how his stomach was grumbling. He and Atemu went into the kitchen, where Yuugi's mother put that last dish on the table, a bowl of chicken teriyaki. Atemu saw the many bowls on the table, overwhelmed.
"I wanted you to taste a variety of the Japanese kitchen," Yuugi's mother explained. "Have a seat, and have a taste of everything, if you like!"
"Thank you," Atemu said and sat down next to Yuugi. He took up his chopsticks; sometimes he still fumbled with them, but his confidence made up for any mistake he made. Besides, no one was as impolite as to point out minor mishaps to their guest; it was about warmth and sharing dinner together.
Yuugi loved it when his mother made all these dishes; she really was a good cook and it was incredibly fun to have a little bit of everything. He made sure that Atemu got served a hefty plate full: teriyaki, korokke, yaki gyoza and of course takoyaki. Yuugi's mother was pleased to explain all the ingredients, and a lively conversation was held about cooking and culture. Atemu had to confess his regrets of not being able to even fry an egg; the household staff took care of all the cooking. He had developed a rich palate due to all the international cuisines he had experienced; Egyptian and Japanese foods were definitely his favorite. He finished his plate, eating the last of some fried rice, when he declared himself really full.
"Well, you're still growing," Yuugi's mother smiled, "you can have more if you want to."
"Thank you," Atemu said, his cheeks a little rosy. Yuugi was sure that the Egyptian was feeling comfortable and that he enjoyed eating together with other people. He couldn't imagine how it was like to eat alone all the time. Atemu had never made it a secret that his father wasn't home often, and the housekeeper left as soon as dinner was prepared. Atemu had smiled and laughed at dinner, and it was a wonderful sight to Yuugi. He was so different than in class, with his formal speech and distant attitude. Here, at Yuugi's home, he even had been joking and laughing out loud. What a difference! Yuugi couldn't help but stare at him, watching how those golden ankh earrings moved with every movement, how the strands of his hair were dancing…
"I will help you with the dishes," Atemu volunteered, but Yuugi's mother reacted as if in shock, even though she was flattered by the offer.
"You're our guest, Atemu-san," she said, "please enjoy spending your time with Yuugi."
"Would you like to continue our game?" Yuugi asked immediately. Atemu didn't have to think twice and they went upstairs again to continue their mini-tournament.
Five duels and a few hours later, Atemu and Yuugi were shuffling their decks. The thunderstorm outside was still going on, and lightning was visible through the large window in Yuugi's attic room, while the heavy rain poured on the glass.
"I really enjoyed this evening, Yuugi," Atemu said.
"Me too," Yuugi was quick to answer. He glanced at his alarm clock on the nightstand; it was almost half past ten. It was a good thing that tomorrow was Saturday; on a normal weekday, Atemu couldn't have stayed as late as now. And the moment had arrived that he had to go home…
"You have a really kind family," Atemu said. He put his deck next to the board, a silent sign for Yuugi that the dueling was over. He was okay with that; it was getting late and one could play Duel Monsters for only so much in one sitting.
"I'm really glad you like them," Yuugi said. "I love jii-chan, and kaa-san of course… they have always been there for me."
"And your father?" Atemu asked. "He is not around much, is he?"
Yuugi shook his head. "He's always away on business."
"Much like mine," Atemu said, a little sullen. "I cannot believe how he chooses to spend so much time at work... there is much more to life than just work alone!"
"Yes, there is," Yuugi agreed. "And whenever my father does come home, it feels strange. Like he's some kind of guest, instead of my father."
"I see my father mostly during the weekends," Atemu said, "but even then, if there is something at work or his phone rings off, he will pay more attention to those things than to his own son."
"How about your mother?" Yuugi asked tentatively.
"She passed away when I was very young."
"I'm sorry."
"My father never remarried. It would have been better, I guess. A wife would probably keep him from working all the time, and demand to spend time with his family."
"Do you feel lonely?" It was out of Yuugi's mouth before he realized it. It just went out like that, as the atmosphere had turned confidential between them.
"Sometimes, yes." Atemu heaved a sigh. He folded the game board up and pushed it into Yuugi's direction. "I like being at school, with you and the others, and I like spending time at the library. But whenever I come home… I have some distant family in Cairo left and sometimes I use Skype to talk to them, but it is not like there is a real connection between us, you know? Not a father-son like connection."
"Well, you're always welcome here," Yuugi said spontaneously, and blushed once more.
"I know." Atemu chuckled. "Thank you, but now it is getting close to midnight. I should be really going home."
Yuugi wanted to say "Too bad", but he managed to not blurt it out. As he got up, he put the board game and his deck onto his desk and followed Atemu downstairs again. Sugoroku just came out of the living room as he heard the two boys pass.
"I'm afraid you can't go home now," the elderly man said. "It's thundering and raining outside."
"I can call a taxi," Atemu said.
"The streets have flooded. I doubt you will find a driver for the night." Sugoroku looked worried. "I wouldn't want your father to risk picking you up here. Due to the storm, parts of the city are without electricity. Traffic lights have stopped working."
"That is really bad," Atemu said. "Can I call my father, then? I want to know if he is safe at home."
"Sure, the phone is right over there."
Atemu walked into the living room. Yuugi looked outside, also worried. He hadn't realized how heavy the rain and thunderstorm had increased. It was pitch dark outside. He heard Atemu talking in his native language; despite some static, the phone network wasn't suffering too badly from the stormy weather. As soon as Atemu was finished, he walked back to Yuugi and Sugoroku.
"My father is at the Museum and cannot make it home," he said, his voice emotionless. "He tried calling for a taxi, but none are dispatched in this weather."
"Does he need to stay at the museum for the night?" Yuugi asked, horrified. He couldn't imagine the man sleeping on a cold exhibit floor.
"I know there is a special room behind the offices, with a bed. I think the previous curator had installed it, he was just as tied to the museum as father is."
"Well, in that case, you can spend the night here," Sugoroku said. "We're not going to send you through this bad weather."
Atemu seemed to hesitate. "I…I have not counted on staying for the night," he said.
"You can borrow anything you need from Yuugi. We have a guest room to suit your needs," Sugoroku said.
Yuugi's heart was beating rapidly. Atemu was going to spend the night at his house. In the guestroom… not his room!
"Jii-chan," Yuugi started.
"Sleepovers are for girls," his grandfather said, deadpan. Yuugi blushed tremendously, and he could even see Atemu turn a little red.
"Stop teasing them," Mutou Kyoko came to her son's rescue, "if they help bringing the futon upstairs, Atemu-san can sleep in Yuugi's room."
It was customary that guests should get the best of everything, but Atemu insisted that he should sleep on the futon, not in Yuugi's bed. Yuugi insisted that Atemu, as the guest, should sleep in his bed.
"Don't argue all night over it," Sugoroku said as he helped setting up the futon. "And don't talk too long too loud, all right? Some people in this house need their sleep."
"Good-night, jii-chan," Yuugi said and all but worked his grandfather out the door. Atemu couldn't help but chuckle. Yuugi's mother brought up some toiletries: toothbrush and toothpaste, some towels and an extra pair of pajamas. They prepared to go to bed, Yuugi dressing himself in his sky blue star shaped pajamas, Atemu in the burgundy red pair, which complimented his skin. Yuugi knew it would be weird to say that out loud, so he didn't say anything at all.
After a while, they were finally in bed - in their separate beds, and no matter how Yuugi had insisted that Atemu should take his bed, the Egyptian had stubbornly occupied the futon before Yuugi could and he decided it wasn't worth arguing about. He switched off the lights and for a moment the bedroom was completely dark. Yuugi had never put up curtains for his angled window, and he was content to see the moon shine through, despite the bad weather.
"With all this rain, you must miss Egypt," Yuugi said.
"We have rain in Cairo too," Atemu answered, amused. "I do not mind the rain. As long as I am not caught inside it."
"Do you miss Cairo?"
"Sort of. I miss the sun. I enjoy the warmth, and the atmosphere in Cairo is very different than here. Warmer, more exuberant, perhaps. Japanese people are a little distant."
Yuugi didn't know whether to smile or to cry. Atemu thought that Japanese people were so distant, while he was the master of keeping everyone at a distance himself. He couldn't blame him, really. After all, he had lived all over the world and didn't stay long enough anywhere to form a good, solid friendship with anyone…
"Are you going back to Cairo?"
"We go back for the summer holiday," Atemu said. "I am not sure if I go back permanently. It all depends on my father's job."
"You've seen so much of the world."
"True." His voice sounded forlorn. "But it's also nice to stay somewhere for a while."
"I hope you can stay for a while longer indeed," Yuugi whispered. A long silence followed. It made Yuugi feel uncomfortable. Had he said something wrong?
"I hope so too," Atemu finally said. His voice was soft and all but void of any emotions; Yuugi couldn't read anything into it. He assumed however, that this was the end of their conversation; Atemu stopped talking and the silence was comfortable this time. It had to be past midnight by now, and Yuugi felt his eyes starting to get heavy. He yawned before snuggling into his pillow.
Yuugi woke up a few hours later from another heavy bout of thunder. It had stopped raining, but the lightning hadn't worn off yet. Yuugi turned around to look at his clock; it was half past two. The pale moonlight shining through the attic window had crept a little further, onto the futon. Atemu was lying on his side, his face towards Yuugi's bed, sound asleep. Yuugi leaned a little over the edge of his bed. Atemu looked so much younger when sleeping, no frown or stern look marring his features. He looked his age, a boy of just seventeen, instead of the almost-adult of twenty, whose attitude he mostly carried.
Yuugi leaned a little closer and touched Atemu's cheek, very, very carefully. What would he say if the other woke up? There was a bug on your cheek, I just brushed it away? Yuugi studied Atemu's face in the weak light of the moon. He was fast asleep, otherwise he would've felt him caressing his cheek, wouldn't he? Yuugi listened to his even breathing and once he was convinced Atemu was still asleep, he touched him again. He didn't realize his pressure was a little firmer and he stroked the other's hair, re-arranging the golden bangs.
"Sleep well, Atemu," he said and blushed furiously because he hadn't used the proper honorific. Atemu would never grant him the honor to address him with his first name. Yuugi rolled himself into the covers. He turned on his side to find a good position to sleep into, knowing that his dreams would be wonderful tonight.