A Home of Our Own

A Home of Our Own

Summary: A series of separate Neko Fics that will culminate into a longer story about love, loyalty, and belonging. Kimi ga Iru AU
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-gi-oh. If I did…*begins to laugh evilly*
Warning: Attempted Rape
Author’s Note:To new readers of my fics, I hate to say this, but you actually have to read ALL my other fics to understand anything. Seriously. I’m trying to save you the trouble of being confused so here’s the order: Kimi ga Iru, You Can Do That, Tegami, With You, Heart of Gold, White Sweethearts, Flyte Time, and Summer Time Magic which does a brief cross over with Still


Change


Atemu purred as the brush was run through his hair again and again. It pleased the neko to no end when he was being pampered in this way. He closed his amethyst orbs and smiled, feeling content.

A golden collar was snapped on and his cheek was caressed by a loving finger. He opened his eyes and leaned into it.

“Mistress…” his ears flattened as they were petted and he grabbed the woman’s wrist delicately, before kissing her hand.

“Yes, you are beautiful…my dear Atemu.” The woman scratched under his chin and his purrs increased.

Ever since he’d been picked up from the specialty shop when he was a kitten, he’d been instantly in love with the young woman who’d become his guardian. He hardly cared as one of his paws was drawn away to have the nails clipped, looking into the woman’s eyes the whole time.

“Ready for the show?”

He chuckled. “I’m ready to win for you.”

“Even if you don’t, I’ll still love you.”

He was about to respond when instead, he yowled in pain. He hissed and clawed at the attendant. “My nail!”

The woman tsked and sent the attendant away, taking the clippers herself. She blew a blond curl of hair out of her eyes and grabbed a small stool to sit on.

“I can’t believe this…god, the pageant is two hours away!”

Atemu growled, eyes narrowing. “I don’t want to see that one again! Ever!”

“Of course Atemu…” she soothed, dabbing at the blood that was welling. “Goodness, I think I’ll sue. She really got you…”

The Egyptian tri-color gave a smug look and relaxed into the padded chair. “I’ll still win you know. I’m the best Egyptian tri-color in the area.”

The woman laughed. “Oh? And what about your brother? Hm? You two still should realize there are dozens of Tri-colors running around Egypt.”

Atemu shrugged. When EFCs became wildly popular, people began demanding a number of breeds. Soon, there were as many EFC species as there were cat breeds, however, Egyptian Tri-colors were rare. Bred specifically for the former President of Egypt, the genetically enhanced Nekos were rather exclusive and were only available to those with a large cash flow.

The woman gently bandaged the finger and stood up, shooing the other attendants away as well as she began to brush Atemu’s hair herself. “When your brother comes, I’ve got something to tell you both?”

“Um…” Atemu began purring steadily, already off in his own world, his crimson tipped black tail flicking every now and then.

“You conceited kitty you…”

The twelve year old neko smiled, fond of the once negative accusation. When he’d come as a kitten, he’d been very uppity to say the least. Not only was he the pride and joy of the breeding center, they said he and his brother were going to be bought by the new President himself. That was enough to give anyone a big head.

The woman smiled, running her fingers through Atemu’s hair. It was crimson right at the tips, three wonderfully crooked streaks of gold running up the front through his ebony mane. She delicately blew at his ears, also crimson tipped ebony.

The door came open, and another Neko sauntered in, plopping into the chair beside Atemu. He played at the tag on his collar and looked over at the woman.

“Mistress, I want to wear the Pyramid ornament for today’s show…”

The woman snapped her fingers and two women came forward to attend the newly arrived neko. He crossed his arms and let them brush his hair and pluck at his eyebrows.

“I don’t even know why I put up with this. I want to go outside!”

“You just came from outside Brother.”

“Oh shut up Atemu!”

The neko laughed and reached over to pat his brother’s arm. “Relax Yami. We’ll win, we’ll come home, and you can go run the streets all you want.”

One of the maids spoke up. “Mistress, Yami could perhaps use a bath before the show.”

The woman stopped brushing Atemu’s hair and went over to the neko, frowning as she got closer. “Oh god! You’ve been in the garage again! You smell like exhaust!”

Yami sniffed and looked away, ears flattening. “Who cares. I don’t want to go to your stupid show anyway!”

The woman took Yami’s paw and smacked it, the neko crying out. She hadn’t hit him that hard, but it was a reaction from the usual lack of discipline.

“You hit me! Atemu!”

The other neko sighed. “Don’t raise your voice at the Mistress. She loves us, she takes care of us.”

The woman crossed her arm and waved dismissively. “Go, take him to his room. Take a bath Yami. I mean it!”

The neko gave a plaintive meow and the maids tried to get him out of his seat.

“I’m perfectly clean! I refuse!”

Before the woman could react, the doors came open again and a little boy tumbled in. When he finally righted himself, he was flat on his rump, staring around the room with wide violet eyes. He was in a white shirt and shorts, things EFCs only wore when they were straight from Breeding or Adoption centers.

He wiggled his tail for a moment then pushed himself off the floor with great effort, hopping over to a table filled with golden ornaments, ribbons, and combs. His tail waved behind him, ebony with tiny gold flecks in it, ending in a magenta. His hair, was black as well, with four golden bangs hanging soft over his face, the tips of his hair the same magenta as his tail.

Milk claws came out as he reached for the table top, standing on tip toes.

An older man rushed in then, looking out of breath. When he saw the kitten, his eyes widened.

“Yugi! No!”

The boy looked over, a claw in his mouth as his other hand caught the table cloth and everything came crashing down. The boy was perfectly fine and was about to run back over to the old man when a large, pyramid type ornament bounced off his head.

Over in their chairs, Atemu and Yami tried to suppress their laughs, the blond woman covering her giggle.

“Sugoroku, is this –”

“GRANPAAAA!” the boy wailed, starting to cry. Loudly.

Atemu and Yami covered their ears, grumbling for someone to shut the boy up. The woman shuffled over to Yugi and picked him up, rubbing his head and stroking his ears.

“It’s okay little one! Mistress is here now!”

The boy stopped crying and started to sniffle, reaching for the old man. “Grandpa! Stranger!”

The man walked over and patted the kittens head. “It’s fine Yugi. Remember I said I’d be taking you to your new home today? This is it! This is your new guardian! Say hello to Miss Kujaku. Mai will be your new guardian.”

Yugi sniffed and blinked at the woman. “You smell pretty.”

The blond woman laughed, stroking Yugi’s ears till he began to purr. “Well thank you Darling. You’re in for a real treat today!”

“Snack?” he asked, reaching to touch the woman’s hair.

Mai stopped him and kissed his chubby little paw. “Not quite! But you can have some.” She nodded to a maid who left the room. “We’re going to Pageant today! And you can come see your new Big Brothers win!”

Over in their chairs, Yami and Atemu were no longer amused. They’d never expected another Neko in the house, let alone another Egyptian Tri-color. The kitten was too cute, too sweet and competition was written all over him as their mistress began to tease and tickle the boy, delighting in his giggles.

Sugoroku went over and kissed Yugi’s forehead. “I left his belongings right outside the room. Some of his favorite toys and that sort of thing.”

“Grandpa, where are you going?”

“Back home Chibi. Now be good for Grandpa!”

The boy tried to get out of the woman’s hold. “I’m going too!”

“Yugi, now stay here. You live here now.” The man started to leave and Yugi started to cry.

“Grandpa! Grandpa!”

Sugoroku left and the kitten began to cry again. Mai put him down after the doors were closed and the boy went over to the doors, jumping for the high handles. She went back over to Yami and Atemu.

“He’s your little brother now. Look out for him.”

Yami snorted and crossed his arms. “That brat is no concern of mine.”

Atemu frowned. He and Yami were twins. Surely the mistress realized there’d be no quick acceptance of this squalling brat into their group. He looked at the boy, hard. He was much to pale to be a full blooded Tri-color.

“He isn’t even a real Tri-color Mistress. He’s too pale.”

The blond nodded. “He is. The EFC breeders in Domino have gotten permission to begin a new strain. His parents were from Egypt, but his mother had British Alabaster blood.”

Atemu’s lip curled. “Then he is a bastard.”

Yugi had begun to push at the doors and cry, beginning to claw at the wood.

Yami smirked. “Mistress, he’s clawing the doors.”

The woman went over and took Yugi by the hand. “No!”

Yugi kept crying as he was led over to the chairs. Atemu and Yami stared him down and he quieted immediately, hiding behind the woman’s legs. He’d previously ignored the two nekos sitting in the chairs and now decided they looked very unkind.

A maid knelt near him and he jumped away. “I want my Grandpa.”

“Take him to his room.” Mai said, sighing. “And take Yami to have a bath…we’ve got to get this show on the road.”


Inside his room, Yugi threw a tiny tantrum. He wanted his Grandpa, not all these colorful and fun toys.

He heard the door open and slid under the bed. Feet came over to the bed, high heeled feet.

“Come on out Yugi. We’re leaving now.”

“I want my Grandpa!”

The woman sighed and Yugi had no idea what was going on as the bed was lifted and he was dragged out.

“I didn’t want to do this, but you’re really misbehaving. I would have thought they’d’ve trained you better. I don’t know why I just didn’t get a British Alabaster.” She motioned to the butler. “Put him in the travel kennel and make sure you get on that leather collar I bought. If he bites, put on the muzzle. I haven’t had this much trouble since I tried to make Yami and Atemu sleep in different rooms.”

Yugi cried as he was carried away and put into a cage. He was moved into the back of a large van, poking his hands out of the tiny bars, meowing plaintively. “Let me out!” he whined.

In the seats in front of him, Atemu and Yami sat together, the big Pyramid hanging from Yami’s neck. He purred as Atemu groomed his ears.

“Brat’s making noise…”

Atemu licked his brother’s ear. “Just ignore it. Undignified little creature…”

Yami watched Yugi’s paws come through the bars and laughed. He looked just like one of those cats in the cardboard cartons.

“Ridiculous…” he sighed, leaning on his brother and licking the Neko under the chin.

Yugi spent three hours in the cage, watch various people and leashed or free ranging Nekos walk by. Any one who asked his mistress why he was in the cage was told it was because he was misbehaving.

Around the second our, he’d fallen asleep next to a plushy doll that was shoved in by the mistress. He wanted his grandpa.

When he awoke, they were back home and the cage door was open. He crawled, bringing the doll with him. He was in his room. He scratched at the collar on his neck and went to use the bathroom in the adjacent room. When he came out, he was hungry.

“Hello?” he called, walking over to a pile of puzzle like toys. He sat down and began to play with them, his tail waving behind him.

The door opened and Mai came in. “It’s time to eat. Be on your best behavior! There’s a guest with us tonight.”

Yugi followed the woman, catching up and grabbing her hand. “Is it Grandpa?”

“No honey…” she stroked his hair and earned a purr. “But, if you sit at the table and act like a big boy, I’ll take you to see him.”

She took him in the dining room and sat him in a chair next to Atemu who was next to Yami. Both Nekos wore gold medallions, proof of their wins.

Yugi looked at the guest. He was a scruffy looking man with blond hair and cruel eyes. When he looked at the mistress, Yugi noticed he kept looking at her body and not her eyes. He looked up at Atemu and Yami and both Nekos seemed displeased.

“Yugi, this is Keith! Say hello.”

Yugi peeped a hello and the man laughed, loud and harsh.

“Nice one ya got there Mai. He one of those Tokyo Tri-colors?”

The woman nodded. “Got him imported to Domino though. Cost me a bundle.”

Yugi would have listened to them, but was more interested in the food they gave him. He watched Atemu and Yami use utensils and copied them.

By the end of dinner, he was tired and didn’t object as Atemu yanked him out of the dining room, followed by a pissed off Yami.

“Can you believe it!? How dare that ass show up again!”

“He’s trouble Yami…big trouble…”

‘Think she’ll fall for him again?”

“Weren’t you at dinner?” The Neko growled. “It’s already happened…”

****

Yami and Atemu tanned by the pool while a seven year old Yugi played in the pool. It’d been two years since they’d gotten the kitten and although they still didn’t accept him, he was tolerated. They had things to worry about.

Mai was getting ready to marry that Keith asshole.

They couldn’t believe it. He treated her like crap, he drank, he went out for long periods of time.

Atemu sat up as he saw Mai coming out to them. Yami flipped up his sun glasses and motioned for Yugi to come out of the water. They all waited for her to get close and when she did, she held out her hand.

“We did it! Just now!”

Atemu swore. “I thought you said there was going to be a ceremony!”

“I know, but Keith said he wanted it as soon as possible! Isn’t this great?!”

Yami snorted and looked away, while Yugi went over to the woman and looked at her hand. “That’s pretty.”

“Thank you Chibi.”

Yugi nodded. “It’s pretty but Keith is a rat bastard. Can I have a snack?”

Mai blinked at Yugi then looked at Atemu and Yami. “Who taught him those words? Which one of you has been bad mouthing my husband?!”

As if on cue, the man showed up, grinning sinisterly. “Don’t matter baby. They’re just animals after all.” He kissed her and narrowed his eyes at the twins. “There’s gonna be some changes around here…starting with your pissy attitudes.”

Atemu and Yami stood up. “Mistress, are you going to let him talk to us that way?”

Mai was caressing Keith’s cheek. “Hm?” She looked at them and frowned. “Stop being mean to Keith…”

The twins frowned and walked away, taking Yugi with them.

“Atemu…”

“I know brother…”

***Flash Forward Five Years****


Atemu let out one last yowl as his neck as was broken upon impact with the wall. Yugi’s tail twitched and he backed up, tears forming in his eyes. He couldn’t believe it, but he believed it.

After the Mistress had died mysteriously, two years previously, Keith’s brutality, which had been subtle and kept hidden from Mai before, had been ratcheted up, especially after custody of the prize winning Tri-colors had been given to Keith. Not only had they suffered brutal beatings and starvation periodically, all the luxury and kindness they’d experienced before was gone. They were forced to sleep on the floor in a dirty room with ratty pillows and sometimes only given water, if the man felt like it. The only time they were cared for properly was before a show, but they didn’t win anymore as judges could tell they weren’t the creatures they were before. Everyone suspected, but no one did anything.

And now, Atemu was dead. It seemed the man had run out of acceptable whores and had gone after Yami for a little pleasure. Starved and weakend from the multiple punishments the Neko received for his “attitude” Yami could barely fight the man off until Atemu came.

He was a tornado of claws and furry and had fought Keith with ferocity neither of them had ever seen.

Keith heaved, wiping blood off his face. “Damn animals! Need to learn your fuckin’ place…”

Yami backed away a long the wall, not caring that his clothes were still ripped or that he two was bleeding from the nose and mouth. He grabbed Yugi, tears running down the boy’s face. In the years since Mai had married Keith, the three had become as close as anything, making sure they they all survived.

Yami was trying to hold back his tears. This was the last straw.

While Atemu could accept losing his pampered position and accept the obedience beatings, he would never allow Keith to rape his brother, his twin, his light. It was a shame his already broken body couldn’t have done more as the man was only suffering from dozens of scratches and near gashes.

Keith rounded on them, still intent on Yami. “You little fuck, I’ll get something out of you. You don’t win anymore, so you’ve got to be good for something…”

He lunged and Yami pushed Yugi away.

“RUN HIKARI!” he screamed.

He’d taken to calling Yugi that when he realized that the boy still had a positive outlook even after all these years.

Keith pinned him down and ripped off his clothes and Yami closed his eyes, knowing what was coming, but it never happened. There was a scream and when Yami opened his eyes, he saw Keith slumped over, his neck slit, three claw marks running across his throat.

Yugi stood there trembling, blood dripping off his claws.

“H-hikari?”

Yugi shook his head and let out a scream of horror. Yami pulled his pants back up and went to the boy, holding him.

“We gotta go! We gotta go!”

“Atemu! We can’t leave Atemu!”

Yami looked over to his dead brother and nodded, gathering the limp body to him. “Let’s go, let’s go Yugi.”

Yugi followed Yami as he ran, his footfalls heavy and clumsy. What was he doing? What were they doing?

What are we going to do…


When they stopped, it was nightfall. Yami’s stomach growled and he put Atemu’s stiff body down. He sniffed the air and spotted some trash cans. Five years had taught him not to be picky.

“Yugi, come on. Food.”

The boy nodded, dead tired but not caring.

They went to the trash can and opened it, tearing through the trash bags with their claws. They found some half eaten chicken and a classic stray cat food, a fish bone with head and tail intact. They didn’t even see the person approaching till light shined on them both.

They froze, Yugi dropping the fish bone.

“Yugi? Chibi?”

Yugi began to wag his tail back and forth nervously. He knew this voice. “G-grandpa?”

“Oh my goodness…it was true! It was on the news, is that you Atemu?”

Yami’s eyes teared up. “No, it’s Yami. Atemu –Atemu is…” He pointed to the body. “He killed him!”

Sugoroku came forward and embraced the Nekos. “You two come on inside, I’ll get Atemu…and we’ll sort this out.”


Two hours later, after police and media and having them take Atemu’s body away to EFC disposal, the two boys were asleep in a heap on the floor in one of the man’s spare bedrooms. Though he did foster EFC kittens, like he did with Yugi, he primarily ran a toy and game shop for Nekos and Humans.

He looked in on them, shaking his head. Those poor boys…and Yugi’s still so young.


****Four Years Later****


Yami looked up as someone entered the Game shop and smiled. “Welcome to the Kame game shop, can I help you?”

“Wow! Mommy look! I want a Neko like him!”

The Egyptian Tri-color smiled and leaned over the counter to smile at the boy. “I’m from Egypt! Where are you from?”

The boy smiled and held the hand of the neko with him, a female with cream colored ears and tail, brown coloring on the tips.

“Shampoo’s from China!”

The neko smiled and gave a victory sign, making Yami laugh. Yugi bounced in, holding a box.

“Yami look! We just got a whole new shipment of alarm clocks for Nekos! They have cool themes like mice and –”

CRASH!

The box slipped from his hands and hit the floor, a few of the clocks bouncing out and breaking.

“Whoops!” he laughed and picked them up, waving at the customers. “Hi!”

“Hi!” they chorused back.

“Yugi? Are you okay?” came a worried voice from upstairs.

“Yes Grandpa!” he called, smiling again as he put the clocks back in the box and took them to the store room.

Yami helped the customers, thinking of the days when he was a show stopper, then a neglected Neko. He may not have the plush beds or fancy collars any more, but this was a better life than he had experienced in a long time.

Change is good…

CRASH!

“Yugi! Enough with the alarm clocks!”

“Sorry Yami!”


****
*EFC: Experimental Feline Companion
*I loved this chapter! It was way more in depth than I had originally written on paper. I realize the ending to Night Walk was a bit short, but I liked it. You’ll be seeing more from them soon. Let’s see…will there be smut coming? Maybe yes, maybe no! Lol, just joking, definitely yes!
*I’d like to thank Wicabeth for the inspiration for this fic!
*Schwarzwald loves ya’ll!