The Ten Things

The Ten Things

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!

Chapter Four

Yuugi and Atemu gazed at one another with a frown, heading towards the kitchen. Neither man said anything as they headed there to meet Arthur. Yuugi had not seen the man since his teenage years. He did not know if Atemu had ever met him. After a few moments, the duo walked into the kitchen, seeing Sugoroku standing in the kitchen, making hot tea. The old man's best friend sat at the dining room table, gazing at Yuugi and Atemu with a raised brow. Arthur had not changed much other than a few added wrinkles to his already pale skin. His hair was combed in an old fashioned way, and he wore a suit that reminded Yuugi of something someone wore in the early twenties or thirties. Blue eyes twinkled in the light, a smile forming on Arthur's face. He motioned for the duo to step further into the kitchen.

"Yuugi it's lovely seeing you again." He stood up and offered his hand for a shake. In the midst of his actions he turned his eyes to Atemu. "Who might you be? I didn't realize that Yuugi had a twin?"

Atemu's expression faltered, face priceless. Yuugi held the same expression, a blush dusting across his cheeks. This was nothing new for the pair. Both men faced this with newcomers in the past. Many people thought that they were some fucked up twin-cest fantasy waiting to happen. If only they knew….

Atemu cleared his throat, shaking his head quickly. "My name is Atemu, Arthur." He paused and motioned towards Yuugi. "We are not related at all."

Arthur dropped his hand from his former shaking position and looked at the two with a dumbfounded expression. "I guess what they say is true. Your twin is somewhere out there, related or not. Luckily you have met yours, Yuugi." He ran a hand through his gray hair, chuckling.

"My apologies for the mistaken assumptions, it's just it's not every day you meet someone who has exotic hair such as the Mutou families."

Yuugi blushed at this, turning his head to the side. He nodded absently, waiting for his embarrassment to cease. Atemu noticed this, rolling his eyes at his former lover's actions. At least some form of Yuugi's teenage self remained. He chuckled under his breath, offering his hand to Arthur.

The elder grasped the Egyptian's hand, shaking it with a firm grasp. The men smiled at one another.

"It's alright. Yuugi and I are used to the assumption by now. Yuugi and I go way back to our teen aged years."

At this comment, Arthur's blue eyes widened. "Oh you are the ex-boyfriend who is staying here and helping Sugoroku with the shop aren't you?"

Atemu retracted his hand from the shake and fidgeted in his stance. "Yes, that's me. I've been here for a while now."

"Hmm… That is rare. I have never known anyone to get along with their former partner so well. This is rare indeed."

Yuugi at this point stepped in, face red. He was tired of hearing about this one-sided conversation.

"Well we're different I guess." He changed the subject moments later. "It's good to see you again, Arthur. Are you ready to enjoy some relaxation?"

Arthur gazed down at Yuugi with a smile, patting the smaller man on the shoulder. He often greeted Yuugi in this manner. The small form of his best friend's grandson reminded him so much of Sugoroku he often found himself amused. Yuugi definitely took after him that was for sure.

"It's good to see you again, Yuugi. It certainly has been a long time." He scrutinized Yuugi's appearance before letting out a whistle. "You certainly have grown into your age, Yuugi. I believe you have even grown a couple of inches since I last saw you."

Yuugi blushed at the compliments. He knew that his grandfather's best friend was trying to be nice. It was obvious he had not grown an inch since he was eighteen as he stood at a full five foot two. However, even if the compliment wasn't true it still was nice to hear them once in a while.

"Thanks, I guess I have. You don't look half bad yourself."

At this point, Sugoroku turned from the stove, carrying a kettle of tea. He smiled at the trio as they spoke.

"Would you all care for a cup of tea?"

It was simply that easy to fall back into routine.

The next couple of hours passed… Arthur and Sugoroku were out seeing a movie and having dinner and drinks after it let out. This situation left Yuugi and Atemu to their own devices for entertainment

Currently Yuugi sat in the living room, curled up on the couch with a journal, writing down bits and pieces of his current thought process. Yuugi wanted to start his first novel since finishing school. He had not been able to write anything in a month due to the stress he suffered from before he moved and when he had returned to Domino. He honestly had returned to Domino in order to get away from his problems, needing a fresh start. Life outside of Domino had not been easy at first. Growing up in a small town meant little to nothing surrounding the area. Once he left and headed out to different portions of the world, Yuugi found himself amazed with how much there was out there. School had been taken in different states: Texas, Florida and it all eventually ended in California. This is where he had run into the beginning and end of his problems.

Leaving Domino also meant leaving and forgetting about his grandfather and worst of all, Atemu. He felt a void in his heart at the thought of the man. It had taken him years to come to terms with his growing depression and feelings towards his first love. Commitment had been the downfall in each of his failed relationships since he and Atemu had ended it years ago. He found nothing of interest in anyone he met. Despite his preferences in men and women alike, no one caught his eye. No one could keep up with his love for games or nights out on the town for drinks at the local bar. Especially before he finally gave up drinking.

No one was good enough. Yuugi told himself daily that no one held a candle to his preferences in a lifelong partner. He had only felt this way about three people, one of which was Atemu. Yet, that was another reason he was back at home wasn't it? He shook his head, chewing on the cap of his pen. Everything was complicated… Nothing should have been this difficult.

Atemu walked down the stairs, seeing the light on in the living room. He raised a brow at it, wondering why Yuugi was still up. It was already midnight and the man was usually lying around in his room by now. A frown marred his features. Had he driven Yuugi out of his room? Cautiously he stepped into the living room, spying Yuugi on the couch, staring at the wall in deep thought. Concern ebbed at his heart. What was going on with Yuugi?

Atemu walked further into the room and tapped the man on the shoulder. "Partner, what are you doing down here this late at night?"

Yuugi blinked out of his daze. He looked up at Atemu. "What do you mean?"

"Why are you downstairs this late? You are usually in your room by now."

Yuugi set his pen and journal to the side. He shrugged at the elder man and sighed.

"Well, I didn't want to bother you. It's your room just as much as it is mine. I wanted to let you watch television without me bothering you with my quietness."

At this statement, Atemu frowned. He took Yuugi's hand urging him to stand up. "You do not have to or need to do that. That is your bedroom, not mine. If anything, you should have told me to come down here. Why don't you come back up now? I think it's getting pretty late."

Yuugi frowned, eyeing the clock on the wall. The time shocked him. How the hell had it been that late already? His grandfather was never out that late.

"Alright, I guess. Just let me stop by the bathroom for my meds." Yuugi said, picking up his things and trudging up the stairs with Atemu behind him.

Yuugi stopped by the bathroom and took his meds, returning to their shared bedroom. He found Atemu staring at him in question. Curiously he pried on the other man's stare.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing…" He started, but the look Yuugi gave him told him to elaborate. "I'm just curious about you. You seem so different these days. I feel like I'm not even talking to my old friend anymore."

"In some ways I'm not the same person. It's been six years, Atemu things are bound to change someone, even me."

Atemu sat down on Yuugi's bed scrutinizing Yuugi's words. His eyes narrowed slightly, tilting his head to the side.

"Yes, it may have, but I have not become someone completely different, Yuugi. " He paused and noticed the grim expression Yuugi sported. "I didn't mean it like that. I mean… Time does change a person and the way they act. Is it not fair for you to give me another chance to at least be friends with you?"

Yuugi gave the man a perplexed look as he pushed his glasses on the bridge of his nose. "Friends….? Are we not friends? We are talking and not arguing… We are hanging out and discussing matters. How does that not make us friends, Atemu?"

"Your definition and my definition of friendship differ completely. Friendship is the desire to spend time with someone who is important to you and not forced. "He motioned towards Yuugi and continued. "This is not a friendship, Yuugi. You and I never would have spoken again had you not returned here in the first place. Tell me… Would you have called me and asked to talk or hang out if you had not been forced to live here with me?"

Yuugi thought this over in his head, feeling his temper flaring. He fought to keep calm in this conversation. He did not need to start another knockdown drag out with his old flame. Cautiously he shook his head, staring into crimson depths.

"No, I wouldn't have. There are some things that take longer than six years to make sense, Atemu. Maybe one day you can realize how things have changed since you made that list in high school. It was not the list that even bothered me. It was the act you put on during our entire relationship. You're quite the actor and you put on a good show until it ended and your true self was revealed." He paused and threw one of his pillows on the floor and some blankets from his closet as well. He formed a pallet on the floor crawling down onto it with a sigh.

Atemu watched this, confusion and hurt running through his mind and heart. "Yuugi…. You know I did not mean that. You know how much I cared, and how much I still care about you. Why can you not let this go and allow me to be your friend again?"

Yuugi turned on his side, staring at the wall, fighting back tears. He took off his glasses and set them on the side of the floor by his pillow.

"There are some things that take time. Maybe I have my reasons, Atemu. I still don't trust you enough to allow that to happen."

The Egyptian man growled low in his throat, picking himself off the bed. He bent down on Yuugi's pallet, straddling the man on it. He forced Yuugi to gaze at him, a glare forming on his features.

"Get off me, Atemu!"

"No! Not until you give me a valid reason for your fucked up thoughts."

"Excuse me?" Yuugi struggled to get out from under Atemu. He couldn't match the other man's strength, causing him to growl low in his throat. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Why can you not let go of your insecurities and allow yourself to be happy just once?"

Finally, Yuugi managed to push the man off him with full force. He growled at Atemu, eyes narrowed. "You have no idea how much shit I've been through in the past six years since you broke my heart you asshat! How dare you try and force your way back in my life after all this time. You never called me or even tried to contact me!"

Atemu's blood began to boil at this. How dare his ex start this mess again? "You start this all over again? How many times do I have to tell you that I am sorry! I knew you wouldn't answer me. Why call you when I know you would ignore me? What gives you the right to say these things to me whenever you never contacted me neither? You are just a selfish brat, Yuugi." He sneered down at him and forced himself to calm down. "And you know what the sad thing is? I can't stop myself from loving you."

He leaned down and pressed his lips to Yuugi's forehead, kissing him softly. He pulled away and trudged himself back onto the bed. There was nothing else he could do for now. Things were already shot to hell. He only hoped that Yuugi would forgive him and admit he still wanted to be friends at least. He could live as friends with him despite his love for the man.

All the while, Yuugi sat there, eyes wide, tears flowing down his cheeks. It had started off horribly for their first night together as roommates. How could they deal with this shit for the duration of Arthur's stay?

Groaning, Yuugi turned on his side again, and curled up with the blankets. He wiped at his tear-stained face. At some point, Atemu must have turned off the lights as the television in the room reflected its light within the darkness.

Yuugi closed his eyes waiting for sleep to claim him. His depression was worsening with everything that had occurred in that confrontation. Could he truly admit that he still felt something towards Atemu after all these years?