Carry On

Thank you thank you to those who are reading and to those who have reviewed! ^_^


A/N: Ahhh…. Sorry for the long delay between updates. To make it up to you this chapter is twice as long, and I moved one event up that was going to take place later. I hope you enjoy it!

~ Ocean


Carry On
By Ocean

Chapter Five – Hot Dinner


The screen door slammed against the side of the house and bounced back on itself, throwing its alliance with the doorframe off so it no longer closed as securely as it once did. Atemu winced when he heard the metallic clang. Breaking the door had not been his intention, but now that he had he felt he might as well add to the guilt by picking up one of the plastic chairs and throwing it across the yard, where it bounced against the fence. The chair didn’t break, to Atemu’s surprise, and with his swirling emotions he wasn’t sure if that satisfied him or not. Breaking something – well, breaking something intentionally, sounded awfully appealing.

What the fuck? It was the only phrase Atemu’s mind could come up with and it was wholly unsatisfying. He didn’t know if he was more shocked by Yuugi’s actions, or his reactions, or the presence and applause of Yuugi’s friends… He hadn’t been this wound up since he read his parents artful letter informing him that he was not to return home until he had, and this was a laugh, decided to live a life of honor rather than of sin and consented to marry the woman that had been chosen for him. Until that point, his parents no longer acknowledged they had a son.

His scowl deepened when he heard footsteps just inside the door, and he found himself tensing to turn and lash out at whoever had followed him. Fortunately no one approached the screen door and Atemu took the opportunity to stride into the middle of the yard as far away from people as he could manage. He contemplated jumping the chain link fence, but the idea wasn’t appealing beyond the initial impulse. He settled for griping the top of the fence and stepping back with his right leg, stretching out his muscles before they had the chance to cramp on him further. He focused on his breathing, calming the rapid intake of breath to a more normal pace, and rolled his head in a circle. These actions wouldn’t take the redness from his face or significantly alter his mood, but at least they would allow him to think more clearly. Hopefully. He was not feeling particularly rational at the moment.

Atemu was fully aware that his feelings for Yuugi were quickly escalating beyond that of acquaintance or friendship. It wasn’t his choice, but he had never been able to curb his emotions when it came to romantic pursuits. He fell hard and fast, sometimes blindly, and had suffered the consequences. It was an annoying detail of his nature and one that he had yet to discover a cure for. He couldn’t say he was particularly surprised that he was falling for Yuugi. The man was the first one to show concern for him in quite some time. Even if it was in a bit of a harsh, abrasive confidence that Atemu found both irritating and amusing. He was certain he was never going to appreciate being called Até.

This wasn’t to say that Atemu felt the insane desire to jump into bed with Yuugi. But what it did represent was a deep affection that was satiated with attention, be it verbal or physical. It was curious to Atemu that Yuugi would lavish so much interest on a complete stranger. He knew he wasn’t anything special or fascinating, except perhaps the fact that he was from a foreign country. He was certain, however, that his Egyptian heritage held no interest for Yuugi. His reaction in the elevator the first night they had met told him as much. It was a relief, actually, not to be questioned incessantly about his country’s past; the favorite question was always, “Are you related to the pharaohs?!” And what if he was? It wasn’t as if being related to royalty that lived four thousand years ago was going to aid him in any way in today’s world. He was not some walking archaeological oddity waiting to be discovered.

Atemu brought his feet beneath him and bent his legs, sitting on his heels and keeping his arms stretched above him on the fence. He couldn’t figure out why Yuugi had kissed him in such a… such an intrusive way. He didn’t know if Yuugi was experienced or not in the art of kissing, though he believed he was due to the confident approach the man had made towards him. But the kiss had been awful in so many aspects. It felt mechanical, reluctant, and downright forceful to the point that any possibility of pleasure was eliminated. Atemu had been shocked when the kiss began, but he became more and more angry as it continued and he noticed that he and Yuugi were not alone. The kiss had been a damn exhibition! And there was little else that Atemu loathed so much as being used and exploited, especially in front of witnesses.

His anger renewed itself. Past hurts and old wounds that had never healed properly resurfaced in vivid imagery and color. What the hell was he supposed to do now?

---

“Out!”

Jounochi laughed, skipping down the stairs ahead of his agitated friend and trying not to trip over Anzu and Honda in the stairwell. Anzu and Honda quickly put on their shoes, but the act could hardly be called conciliatory as they continued to bombard Yuugi with questions about the kiss and the possibility of a future night of free porn. Jounochi hopped around his two friends and reached for the door, looking back over his shoulder.

“So you’ll call us if anything interesting happens?”

“Out!”

“Right, we’ll call you,” Honda said jovially. He put his hands on Anzu’s shoulders and guided her out the door, both of them leaning against each other to support their amusement. Jounochi waved a final farewell.

Yuugi slammed the door behind his friends and fumed at the wood. His anger at himself for putting Atemu in that embarrassing position spilled over onto his friends who seemed only too happy to poke fun. They didn’t mean any harm, he knew, but sometimes they simply didn’t know where to draw the line. And when he drew it for them, the three would join hands and jump over it with triumph in their eyes. Normally this didn’t bother him to the extent that he was bothered now, but when the fun overflowed onto another who didn’t see the humor in the situation and they didn’t stop, Yuugi found that he had no patience for them. He certainly wasn’t feeling any tolerance now.

Groveling wasn’t in Yuugi’s vocabulary, but asking for forgiveness was not a foreign act. Though Yuugi wasn’t sure if it was forgiveness he wanted, or understanding. The only thing going through his mind was the real possibility that all the bridges he had built connecting him and Atemu had just been burned in a blazing fire that he’d willfully set himself. It was stupid and wrong and he had to fix it before things got further out of control.

Yuugi noticed the broken screen door as he went through it to the backyard. That wasn’t a good sign any way he looked at it. Looking up, he noticed that his grandfather was also not going to be very happy about the condition of one of his beloved chairs that lay glistening in the sun on the wrong side of the yard. Yuugi wasn’t really concerned about this, but the indications it gave him told him that he needed to approach Atemu cautiously. Looking around the yard, he spotted Atemu kneeling beside the fence, his arms stretched above his head and his fingers curled around the top rod. Carefully he made his way over to him.

Atemu made no movement of acknowledgment when Yuugi reached his side. He kept his head hung and his eyes closed, and Yuugi licked the inside of his lip as he tried to decide how best to break the silence. He hadn’t really been in this position before, where he was this apprehensive about the possible fallout. He had a stabbing sensation in his chest; Yuugi realized then how strongly he did not want Atemu to leave his life. He didn’t know why, only knew that it was true. It was a drowning sensation.

Taking a deep breath, Yuugi finally spoke. “Atemu?” Using his nickname now was a foolish idea. Atemu raised his head a little, but didn’t otherwise respond. Yuugi decided to plunge ahead. “Let me explain-”

“I don’t want to hear it,” Atemu said harshly, standing and walking a few feet from Yuugi. He crossed his arms and turned his back to the man, not trusting himself to look Yuugi in the eye. “I don’t care.”

Yuugi chewed on his lip, a little confused. “You don’t?” he asked softly, more to himself than to Atemu. “Why not?” he asked more loudly.

“Would it change anything?” Atemu asked curtly.

“Maybe how you thought of me.”

Yuugi saw Atemu’s shoulders sag a bit with his comment, and it gave him some hope that Atemu was at least willing to consider that Yuugi wasn’t entirely evil. He didn’t move any closer, not feeling it was safe to do so just yet. “I’m sorry,” Yuugi said tenderly.

Atemu looked at Yuugi over his shoulder, an expression on his face that Yuugi couldn’t place. “There’s no need,” Atemu finally said and turned to look into the alley. Yuugi was relieved to hear the calm tone that lacked any trace of its former malice.

“Oh, there’s plenty of need,” Yuugi said. “No one should be kissed like that.” He chuckled. “Especially not in front of my friends.”

“You had something to prove to your friends. I get that.”

Yuugi stopped chuckling. Though Atemu didn’t sound angry, he also wasn’t warming up to Yuugi. “You do?” Yuugi blurted out, and then bit his tongue in reprimand. That was a stupid question, and it did nothing but confirm that he had disregarded Atemu entirely for the sake of impressing his friends. Yuugi crossed his arms stiffly, lowering his gaze towards the ground. Somehow, Atemu being understanding was worse than him being upset. You couldn’t apologize to someone who felt there wasn’t a need for one, and without apologizing Yuugi couldn’t relieve his guilt.

Oh. Well, that explained a lot, didn’t it?

“I wasn’t thinking,” Yuugi said quietly, removing the trace of apology from his voice. “They had me so riled up I reacted- I didn’t- I-…” He groaned in frustration. “Can I start over?”

Yuugi thought he heard the touch of a smile in Atemu’s response. “Can you afford not to?”

A lopsided grin pulled its way onto Yuugi’s face and he uncrossed his arms. He walked until he was standing in front of Atemu, which took a moment as Atemu kept turning playfully to make Yuugi earn the face-to-face. Once Atemu relented and let Yuugi look at him, Yuugi reached out and placed his hands on Atemu’s biceps and squeezed gently, coaxing the arms to relax and fall freely. He pulled back and balanced his weight on one leg. He was rather proud of Atemu – and of himself – for being able to get the other man to relax so easily. Atemu hadn’t shied away from his touch as Yuugi feared he might. Instead he had accepted the contact and remained still, though not uncomfortably so.

“I can kiss much better than that,” Yuugi said casually. “So much better. Even if I was going to force a kiss on you I could have made it enjoyable.”

Atemu shrugged, avoiding Yuugi’s gaze. “An enjoyable kiss is hard to come by,” he said. “Anyway, you didn’t force the kiss.” His eyes looked at Yuugi briefly before turning away again. “I’ve had worse. Believe me. I would have pulled away if it was as bad as you seem to think it was.”

Yuugi frowned. He really didn’t like what he was hearing. “You’ve been kissed before?” He shook his head impatiently at Atemu’s scowl. “I mean, of course you have, that’s not what I meant. What I meant is that you’ve had that kind of bad kiss before?” The dark chuckle that was the response left Yuugi feeling cold.

“There’s another kind?” Atemu sighed at Yuugi’s expression. “Kidding,” he said. “You’re placing too much emphasis on this. It wasn’t that big a deal.”

“If it wasn’t then why did you storm out the way you did?” Yuugi demanded.

Atemu hesitated, and the pause confused Yuugi enough to make him lean forward in earnest anticipation. Atemu rolled his shoulders, shoved his hands into the pockets in his jeans, and squeezed his eyes shut. There was a quiet moment before he said: “It wasn’t you. It wasn’t…” His eyebrows angled downward in response to the pain he was feeling inside. “It wasn’t what you think it was.”

Yuugi slapped his hands to his side, gesturing his frustration. “Then what was it?” he asked. “I don’t understand what you’re trying to say. It couldn’t have been a good thing. I didn’t even like it!” He didn’t mean to shout; he was just able to rein in his voice so it sounded miffed rather than angry. It wasn’t easy to do. What he once thought was a cute habit of avoiding straight answers was proving to be the bane of his existence. He turned on the spot and placed his hands on his hips. He glared at the yard for a moment and then whirled around, ready to pounce on Atemu and get some answers. What he saw, instead, was Atemu turning towards the house, his arms stiff at his sides and his head bowed.

“Please don’t, Heba,” Atemu whispered.

Yuugi froze. The pleading tone in Atemu’s voice forced him to stay put as the other man entered the house and walked up the stairs. He replayed the conversation in his head, eyes darting back and forth as he watched the scene play itself out over and over again. This tactic didn’t work. His emotions were too turbulent to simply watch the conversation. Taking a deep breath and focusing his thoughts, Yuugi bent his legs and sat on his heels, letting one hand rest on his knee and the other fold over his mouth.

Let’s see, Yuugi thought. Atemu had been kissed before, kissed badly before, but that didn’t really seem to bother him. Well, he didn’t let it show that it bothered him, but Yuugi was certain it did. Only an unfeeling rock wouldn’t be affected by someone kissing you mechanically. Maybe the badness of the kisses had been unintentional and it was disappointment that he felt? I would have pulled away, Atemu had said. He would have pulled away… It meant he had pulled away before. It was no stretch of Yuugi’s imagination to believe that if Atemu didn’t like something he would leave. This was an interesting thought, however. Atemu hadn’t left after the kiss, despite storming out of the house and hitting the screen door hard enough to break it.

I would have pulled away… There was something about that phrase that was important and it irritated Yuugi to know that he wasn’t seeing it. He had to go back further. Back to the kiss. Now, he had walked up to Atemu and pulled his head down, forcing their mouths together. He’d kept a firm grip on Atemu’s arm to hold him in place, and put pressure on the back of his head to maintain contact from both participants. Atemu had jerked and tried to pull back. Yuugi held on to him more tightly, prepared for a struggle to hold the kiss in place, surprised when Atemu suddenly stopped struggling and relented to Yuugi’s hold. Atemu had kept his mouth open to ease the kiss without his having to respond.

Yuugi remembered that Atemu stopped struggling. The initial tug of his attempt to escape had been great and, with his added height, Yuugi knew that he was not strong enough to hold Atemu against his will. You didn’t force the kiss. I didn’t force the kiss. He didn’t pull away. I-

Yuugi’s eyes burst open and he stared dumbly toward the house. Oh god, really? So soon? He fell that quickly? Yuugi wasn’t sure what to make of this revelation. It was nothing like he thought it would be. He’d never considered it a possibility! How far did it go? Was it a passing crush? Or something more? What now? Was he supposed to interact differently or pretend he knew nothing? Was it even possible to act ignorant?

You didn’t force the kiss.

I didn’t force the kiss.

He didn’t break away.

He didn’t run away.

A shaky smile appeared on Yuugi’s lips, fluttering with the permanence of a butterfly in flight. How cool was this? How cool was it to find someone who felt deeply for you after only a few days? Perhaps he should be skeptical, but at the moment all Yuugi could feel was a light joy that outshone the clouds that had pervaded his mood since the arrival of his friends. He stood confidently and strode to the screen door. He hesitated before going inside. The sudden arrival of elation quickly melted into concern and confusion. Atemu was probably experiencing some reversed Florence Nightingale syndrome. Yeah, that made more sense. Those starving for attention and affection found themselves quickly attaching to the first person who fulfilled those needs. That’s what was happening to Atemu. He liked Yuugi for showing an interest in him, and he was ashamed that he would ask for more from his host. That was all there was to it. Yuugi was fine with this turn of events.

He didn’t believe any of this, but he was willing to go along with the plot until he had a chance to straighten things out for himself. Only then could he approach Atemu. To guide him, all Yuugi had to do was remember one thing, and from this his path would become clear when he was ready to tread on it.

I didn’t force the kiss. And he didn’t pull away.

---

For Gina, the two hours spent cooking from the moment she got home from work could not have passed more quickly. Her apron was askew on her waist and her arms were covered in flour from the rapid mixing of her scratch-bake biscuits. Her fry pan was sizzling enthusiastically. Her cutting board was smeared with tomato juice and the bits of zucchini that didn’t make it into the salad. The miniature fan Gina had placed on top of the refrigerator when she began her marathon of cooking was struggling to keep the heat out of the kitchen. Gina allowed herself to pause at the sink and push her hair out of her face with the back of her hand.

“Yuugi!” Gina called out.

“Almost done mom!”

Gina mentally checked off the cleaning of the bathroom from her list of things to be done and turned her attention to her father. “Dad!”

“All swept!”

Good, Gina thought. She had been trying for weeks to get her father to sweep the front and back porches. If forcing his new girlfriend over for dinner was the only way to motivate him, then so be it. She might be coming over quite often. That only left two more things to do: clean all the glass in the house, minus the windows, and set the table. Taking the time to stir the contents of her fry pan, Gina got out the dinnerware and the table cloth and set them on the table. “Dad, could you-? Oh, thanks,” Gina said, noticing that Sugoroku was attacking the glass top on the dining room table. “OK, then, Yuugi-?”

“Showering!”

Gina huffed. Yuugi had the worst – or perhaps the most convenient – timing for jumping into the shower when his help was needed. This left only two options, and Gina was too busy to entertain the first one. “Atemu?!” she called out before returning her attention to her dinner. If the man was going to live in her house then he was going to be treated as any family member would be. He was as subject to chores as the rest of them.

Atemu walked into the kitchen and placed his hands on the back of one of the chairs. “Yes, Gina?”

“Would you set the table? Oh, and would you be so kind as to motivate my son to make a respectable appearance at the table tonight? None of his casual wear, and definitely no shorts!”

Atemu suppressed the smile that tried to form and cleared his throat lightly. Gina believing that he had that amount of influence over Yuugi was comical. Though having only known Yuugi for a few days, Atemu was well aware of the walking fortress of will that Yuugi presented. Influencing the man to do anything was a monumental task, especially when he was willing to do the task all along and was simply testing how far he could push someone. “I make no promises.”

Gina nodded. “Well, dinner’s ready. I’m going to go upstairs and dress. You can as soon as you’re done with the table.” She untied her apron and bunched it in her hand, walking quickly down the hall to her room. Gina took the opportunity to bang on the bathroom door to harass Yuugi, who shouted his exasperation, and disappeared behind her bedroom door. Yuugi emerged a few moments later and ran to his room, closing his door, and Sugoroku took the absence of his family as the signal it was to run into the kitchen, steal a taste of dinner, and go to his room to absolve himself of suspicion.

Atemu watched the antics as the Motou family disappeared into their respective bedrooms. He shook his head, smiling as he continued to lay out the silverware. The dynamic between the three generations provided him with endless amusement. He sincerely doubted that the family was aware of how endearing they were when together and not bickering. It saddened him to know that he was not part of the warmness they exuded. Yuugi accepted him, of course, but there wasn’t anything more on his part than acquaintance curiosity. Sugoroku was rather indifferent to him, and Gina was not shy about letting it be known she did not like him being in her house. Though she did take advantage of his extra pair of hands when it came to housework. She was an opportunistic woman, to be certain.

Finishing the table, Atemu decided to intrude on Yuugi so he could get dressed as well. He was met with a pillow in the face when he opened the bedroom door.

88 88 88

“That was a lovely dinner, Gina.” The woman smiled brilliantly, if not a little hesitantly. “Thank you.” She turned in her chair to address the young man across the table, raising her glass towards him. “And to you, Atemu. I’d say the wine was a smart addition to the table.”

Sarah hadn’t meant the comment to mean anything, so she missed the disapproval that washed over Gina’s face when she complemented Atemu for improving the meal. It was intimidating to say the least to be in the presence of the Motou family and their recent addition. She loved Sugoroku dearly and was willing to endure their scrutiny, but it left her feeling restless. You would think that at her age she was past embarrassment and shyness, but all it meant was that she had experienced the emotions many more times than the younger generations. “May I help you clear the table?”

“We’ll let the boys do that,” Gina said, pointedly looking at Yuugi and Atemu and ignoring her son’s put-upon sigh. When the two were busy clattering dishes in the sink Gina turned to her father. “You never told me how you two met.”

Sugoroku looked at his daughter for a moment before answering. “We met at a movie theatre, actually. It was quite embarrassing.”

“Oh, it wasn’t that bad,” Sarah said, chuckling.

“Maybe not for you. At least you knew how to read your ticket.”

“I’m not following,” Gina interrupted.

Sarah reached over and patted Sugorku’s hand. “Your father meant to see a movie that was playing in a different theatre, and instead he walked into mine and didn’t realize his mistake until the movie started.” She smiled at Sugoroku’s groan. “Now now, we’ve all done it.”

“I’m sure,” Sugoroku grumbled. “But I doubt many have had someone feel the need to escort them to the right theatre!”

“I didn’t think you needed escorting,” Sarah said. “I just thought you were cute.”

“It must have been the bandana,” Yuugi said as he took his seat at the table, having finished tending to the dishes. “All fashionable seniors are wearing them.”

“Get your foot off the table,” Gina scolded her son. Yuugi casually removed his foot from the edge of the table, lowering his chair back onto all four legs.

“Among other things,” Sarah said, chuckling.

“I don’t understand why you couldn’t have told us about her, dad,” Gina said.

“Yeah,” Yuugi agreed, leaning forward on the table with his arms crossed. “It’s not like we’d bite her head off.” He winked at Sarah, who grinned in return. “We might twist it a little, but we’d never bite it off. It’s too messy.”

“Yuugi!”

“It’s alright dear,” Sarah said to Gina. “No harm done. I’ve a son too. I’m well acquainted with young male humor.”

“Or the lack thereof,” Atemu offered, passing by Yuugi’s chair and playfully pushing his head to the side. Yuugi stuck his tongue out at him.

“Alright, smartass,” Yuugi said. “If you want the attention on you. Where did you go earlier today? You were gone for hours.”

Atemu reached for his wineglass and swirled the maroon liquid. “I was looking for a job.” He took a sip.

“A job?” Gina asked. “Already? Aren’t you new to town?”

Atemu shrugged. “New or not, money is still a required asset.” He wasn’t sure what the ‘already’ comment meant, but he wasn’t interested in finding out. Seeing the expression on Yuugi’s face was enough to tell him to leave it alone.

“Were you able to find one, dear?” Sarah asked.

“Mm-hmm,” Atemu said around his glass. “It actually wasn’t as difficult as I thought it might be.”

“What do you do?” Yuugi asked.

“Business consultant.”

“Wow, really?!” Yuugi turned to face Atemu fully, his excitement quite evident. “That’s awesome! Where’d you get hired?”

“Some business called Kaiba Corporations.” Atemu frowned thoughtfully when Yuugi’s jaw dropped. “What? Was that a bad choice?”

“A bad choice?” Sugoroku echoed. “My boy, you could not have picked a better place if you’re truly a business man.”

“You’ve never heard of Kaiba Corporations before?” Gina asked, stunned.

“No,” Atemu said, suddenly feeling the pressure of being the center of attention. “Of course,” he said, “I haven’t really paid attention to any business outside of Egypt. At least, not any business that didn’t have a contract with the company I was working for.”

“Then why did you choose Kaiba Corporations if you didn’t know anything about it?” Sugoroku asked.

“It was the tallest building in the city. Which also means it’s the most successful business,” Atemu explained.

“Doesn’t that just make it harder to get into?” Sarah inquired. Her tone did not hold the disbelief that Sugoroku and Gina had, and for that reason Atemu was thankful for her participation in what felt like an interrogation.

“Not if you know how to handle successful people,” Atemu said. “And I don’t intimidate easily. Well,” he lifted his glass to his mouth and lowered his eyes, “at least not in the business world.” These last words were muttered into his glass before he finished his drink in one swallow.

Yuugi, who had been silent for some time, finally closed his mouth and grinned widely. “Awesome.” He turned to his mother. “Can you imagine the expression that must have been on Seto’s face when Até walked in?” He turned back to Atemu. “What’d you do to make him hire you?”

“Told him how he could increase efficiency and thereby boost his sales by fifteen percent by next quarter.” Atemu waved his hand. “He would have figured it out anyway, I’m sure. But the trick, you see, is making them believe that they wouldn’t have without your help.” He smiled mischievously; he thoroughly enjoyed the abject delight on Yuugi’s face as he told his story. “Do you know him?”

“Unfortunately,” Yuugi said, chuckling. “Not well, though. We went to high school together, had some classes together, but nothing beyond that, really.”

“I’ll be sure to give him your regards.” Atemu was punched in the shoulder for his offer.

“How much will you be making?”

Atemu was caught off-guard by the question, but before he could answer Yuugi rose to his defense. “Ji-chan!” he exclaimed. “You don’t just ask people that! Don’t answer that,” he directed towards Atemu.

“It’s not an inappropriate question Yuugi,” Gina defended. “He is living here. It’s reasonable to expect him to help out financially.”

“Let me get this straight,” Yuugi said, gritting his teeth. Atemu tried to interject but he couldn’t overcome Yuugi’s anger. “We’re charging our guests rent now?”

“Well, he’s hardly a guest, Yuugi,” Sugoroku said.

“What?”

“We’re not expecting anything out of him that we haven’t expected out of the others,” Gina insisted. “And if he’s working for Seto, it’s not going to hurt him to help out.”

“So if he’d gotten a job that paid him minimum wage you wouldn’t expect him to pay anything?” Yuugi demanded.

Atemu chewed on his lip as the tension continued to rise between the family members. He stole a glance at Sarah, who looked at him with the same sense of hopelessness that he was feeling. He tried again to interrupt, to explain that the reason he had found the job was so he could contribute to the finances while he stayed with the Motous, but the family was too engulfed in their argument to remember that he or Sarah were at the table. It wasn’t long before the three of them stood and moved their conversation outside at Sugoroku’s insistence, leaving Atemu and Sarah to stare dumbly after them. Atemu winced in guilt when there was a shout about a broken screen door.

“Anyway,” Sarah said to break the awkward silence. She waited until Atemu was looking at her before raising her wine glass. She smiled kindly at him. “This was damn good wine. Come over here and share the rest of this bottle with me. I hate to drink alone.”

Atemu laughed lightly and moved himself to the chair Sarah was patting, and the two spent the next hour getting to know each other better.

---

Yuugi yawned, closing his bedroom door behind him. The fight between him and his elders didn’t last all that long, and by the time they’d come back inside Atemu and Sarah were fully engaged with anecdotes and sweet wine. He had sat down to join them while his mother and grandfather went into the kitchen to prepare dessert. Sarah had gone home a little while ago, and the family had retired to their nightly routine of Sugoroku reading at the kitchen table, Gina working on crossword puzzles in the living room, and Yuugi hanging out in his bedroom.

He noticed Atemu next to the bed, pulling on a black sweatshirt that Yuugi had loaned him. “You cold?”

“Yeah, a little,” Atemu said, pulling back the covers on the bed and sitting on the edge, facing Yuugi. “It’s the wine. I’m always cold after I drink it.”

“That must be annoying.” Yuugi went into his closet to change for bed. “You and Sarah seemed to be getting along.”

“I like her,” Atemu said. “She’s really sweet. And smart!” Yuugi could hear the admiration in Atemu’s voice and it made him chuckle. “Do you know she was debating me on some of my theories? And they were good arguments. I tell you, your grandfather should put her to use in his store. She’d double the business in a heartbeat.”

Yuugi emerged from his closet in his plaid lounge pants and white T-shirt and leaned against the doorframe. “Sounds like she won you over.”

“And how.”

“You’re so easy,” Yuugi teased. He sat next to Atemu on the bed. “I wanted to ask you something.” Atemu nodded his head, looking at him easily. Yuugi liked looking at Atemu’s eyes at night. The light from his bedside table reflected off his russet eyes, making them reflect shades of red that sparkled with star-shinning luminosity. It brought them alive while at the same time softening them, inviting Yuugi to partake in their splendor for as long as he chose. He was indulging himself tonight.

“You called me ‘Heba’ earlier today,” Yuugi said softly. “What does that mean?”

The smile on Atemu’s face faltered, but only for a moment, and his eyes fell to the side towards the bed. He had said that, hadn’t he? He was hoping Yuugi hadn’t heard or wouldn’t remember. It revealed more than he wanted to right now. He entertained the thought of brushing it off as a slip into his native tongue, but when he looked at Yuugi he knew that he could not lie to him. The idea just wasn’t appealing.

“It’s just a name,” Atemu said. “It doesn’t have any special meaning.”

“What does it mean?” Yuugi asked, curious at Atemu’s sudden act of shyness. He knew it meant something if Atemu was uncomfortable being asked about it. Yuugi leaned forward, bending down and over until he was nearly nose-to-nose with Atemu, smiling encouragingly when he got his attention. He withheld a snicker when he saw Atemu attempt to hold down the slight redness in his cheeks.

“Game,” Atemu said. “That’s all. Just a word that slipped into my Japanese.”

“Hmm,” Yuugi hummed. That was interesting, wasn’t it? Atemu, so dead set against having a nickname, had gone and nicknamed Yuugi in his head. It was rather sweet, really, and it made Yuugi believe that perhaps Atemu didn’t dislike his nickname as much as he protested.

Atemu coughed nervously. “Anyway,” he said to divert the conversation. “I’m more than happy to pay my way here. It’s the least I can do for the roof and the food. It’s why I got the job after all.”

Yuugi was only half listening, lost in his own examination of Atemu, but he was able to get the gist of what Atemu said. “That’s why you got the job?” He found his heart wrench a little for reasons he couldn’t explain. “You didn’t need to, you know,” he said, his voice soft with sincerity. “I invited you here. You’re a guest, not a tenant. You shouldn’t feel the pressure of having to pay for your space.”

Atemu rolled his shoulders. “I was starting to get bored, too,” he admitted. “I’m used to working, not sitting around.”

“Ever heard of a vacation?” Yuugi ribbed. Atemu laughed heartily, smiling his beautiful smile and shaking his head. “Nope,” Atemu said, and continued chuckling. His good humor settled itself, and then died completely when Yuugi scooted closer to him and leaned forward, very close. Atemu’s eyes widened a bit in surprise and his mouth went dry. “What are you doing?” he asked breathily.

“You have a great smile,” Yuugi said. “Did you know that?” When Atemu didn’t answer he raised his hand, letting his fingertips trail over Atemu’s temple and into his hair. “You probably don’t believe it,” he said to himself, not completely aware that Atemu could hear him. Yuugi twirled a few strands of Atemu’s hair slowly through his fingers, revealing its burgundy shimmer in the lamp light. “You’re handsome too.”

“… am not…” Atemu mumbled, uncomfortable with the attention. He turned his head away, but Yuugi moved with him, running his hand through his hair again. Atemu couldn’t help it; his eyes closed at the gentle touch and his lips parted to release the heat that was building within his chest. This wasn’t what he wanted. Yuugi wasn’t supposed to get this close. “You don’t need to do this,” he whispered, trying to convince Yuugi to stop his ministrations. “We’re over what happened earlier-”

“Need?” Yuugi said, distractedly.

Atemu opened his eyes and looked at Yuugi. He noticed the seriousness in the other man’s eyes, and the depth of their blue color had swirled into hues of royal purple. He swallowed reflexively at the emotion he saw.

“No, there’s no need,” Yuugi said. He brought himself even closer to Atemu, pressing the sides of their legs together and resting his fingers just above Atemu’s ear. He smiled briefly, and tilted his head back so he was looking down his nose at Atemu’s mouth. The change in posture halted whatever response Atemu had been prepared to make. “It’s not about need.” He lowered his chin and rubbed the tip of his nose along Atemu’s cheekbone. “Say it for me, Até,” he murmured.

“What?” Atemu asked.

“What you called me earlier,” Yuugi said. He closed his eyes and let his lips touch Atemu’s cheek, not in a kiss, but in a prelude to one. He drew back slowly, and hesitated just before his lips reached the corner of Atemu’s mouth. “I like it.” He put more pressure against Atemu’s face with his own, emphasizing his words. “Say it…”

Atemu sighed deeply, inhaling and exhaling to savor the moment. His senses were no where near coherent and he wasn’t entirely sure what it was Yuugi was asking from him. This was the reason his response came in the form of a question: “Heba?”

“Yes,” Yuugi sighed, and turned his head the remaining distance to kiss Atemu fully.

This was one of Yuugi’s good kisses, and he knew it was true because of the excitement he was feeling and the hushed sound Atemu made when he chose to release his upper lip in exchange for his bottom lip and bite down gently. The pressure was just enough to be pleasurable without being painful. Yuugi so enjoyed the feeling that he opened his mouth and pulled away only to instantly repeat the act with a little more force. He hummed a little in pleasure, and altered the kiss so he was kissing both of Atemu’s lips simultaneously. He flattened his hand against Atemu’s head and rubbed his thumb slowly over his cheek while keeping his head in place. With his free hand Yuugi held on to Atemu’s arm to better balance himself and give him leverage.

Atemu followed Yuugi’s movements, but it wasn’t active involvement, his mind far too engaged in his emotions to make any conscious decisions. But Yuugi didn’t mind. Even though he preferred active participation, Atemu was excellent at receiving a kiss, acknowledging the effort made with just enough pressure to encourage the kiss to continue. He wasn’t overly vocal, but Yuugi was able to coax short moans and sharp breaths on occasion. Yuugi viewed it as a challenge and worked happily to achieve his reward. He didn’t involve his tongue much, just the briefest of touches every now and then, taking pleasure in the sense of anticipation that danced in the air.

Yuugi took his time satisfying his desire to feel Atemu and give him a proper kiss, slow and gentle, unrushed and thoroughly enjoyed. When he thought he was done he held a single kiss for several moments, intent on ending the kiss to see Atemu’s reaction. He wasn’t prepared for the returning pressure he felt just before he was going to pull back, and he found himself responding very quickly and instinctively. Yuugi tilted his head to the opposite side and was met with such emotion that he moaned himself into the kiss.

Though the kiss didn’t increase in speed, it did increase in intensity, and Yuugi began the intricate dance of his French kiss, lolling his tongue against Atemu’s lips and nipping at them, pulling away and pushing in to heighten the feel of being together. The silence in the room only served to focus Yuugi more onto Atemu, and the hands that he eventually felt on either shoulder encouraged him to push forward. Atemu responded, slowly leaning backwards towards the bed as Yuugi followed him down, not interrupting the kiss, unwilling to allow it to be interrupted. He propped himself above Atemu, allowing the hand that had been on the other man’s arm to slide over to the side of his chest and rub gently up and down.

Atemu raised his head to increase the kiss, and Yuugi met him with equal force. He finally pushed his tongue past Atemu’s lips and into his mouth, searching out and finding his tongue and proceeding to caress and circle around it. Consciously, Yuugi was not aware of the pure emotion Atemu was pouring into him, but subconsciously his body responded and urged him to feel and taste to his heart’s content and Atemu’s bliss. It was quite late when Yuugi and Atemu fell asleep, their mouths pleasingly sore.

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to be continued…