Enigma

AN: I edited chapters 4-7 because some of my timing was off, especially with Dartz. I also added a few things. I'm still not entirely happy with it, but any more revamps are probably going to wait for a bit while I work on the next few chapters, because these upcoming chapters are where I have huge blocks of text already written and next to nothing connecting them together. And, as usual, information and disclaimers are with the first chapter.

And now that you've ignored what I wrote above...

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Chapter 8

“I… I’m sorry about the job, Yugi,” Atemu said as he and Yugi walked side by side, not quite touching..

“I’m not. Keith’s a jerk,” Yugi replied as they entered his apartment building.

“What about a new job? I know some people and you don’t have my reputation,” Atemu offered.

“I took care of it,” Yugi said as he fumbled as he tried to get his keys out of the pocket of his tight leather pants. He finally managed to jerk them out and unlock the door.

“You’re… not going to invite me in? I still owe you for my computer.”

Yugi sighed. “Atemu…”

“Yes, Yugi?”

“Atemu, I like you. I really do. But I’m not in love with you. It’s too soon. And you keep acting like you need to protect me. I don’t want someone to protect me.”

Atemu frowned. “What do you want, then?”

“I want someone to stand beside me as I face the world head on, and… and I don’t think you’re that person.”

“But… Yugi, please. Give me another chance.”

“I don’t think so,” Yugi replied, shaking his head.

“Damn it!” Atemu cried out, punching the wall beside them. Then he grabbed Yugi’s shoulders with a fierce and possessive intensity. “Yugi, you’re the first person I have ever felt this strongly about. Can’t you see that I adore you?”

“And what’s that supposed to mean to me?” Yugi asked with quiet intensity. “What will happen when you no longer adore me? Will I just become another notch on your belt? Or some possession tossed aside for the next pretty thing to attract your attention? I don’t want that to happen to me, Atemu, but with the way things have been going, that’s how I see us ending up.”

“I won’t let it,” Atemu growled. Yugi sighed and pulled Atemu’s hands from his shoulders. He held them briefly and looked Atemu in the eye.

“Goodbye, Atemu.” Then Yugi dropped Atemu’s hands and went inside the apartment.

“Yugi? Yugi!” Atemu yelled at the closed door. Then he pounded angrily on it. “This discussion isn’t over, Yugi.” There was no answer and the neighbors were starting to peek out of their apartments to see who was causing all of the noise. “Fine, I’ll see you tomorrow then.” He walked away then and briefly wondered if falling in love with Yugi was such a good idea.

Inside the apartment, Yugi leaned against the door, his arms wrapped around himself. Looking at the suitcase lying open and nearly full, Yugi shook his head.

“No, you won’t.”

Yugi put Della in her room for the night before he flopped down on his bed and clutched a pillow to his chest. He regretted walking away. There was nothing more in the world that he wanted at that moment than to be in Atemu’s arms. Yugi lay down on his side, pillow still in his grip, his eyes wide. Falling in love had turned out to be such a bad idea.

~*~*~*~*~*~

The next morning dawned bright and cheerful. Atemu, on the other hand, didn’t have to work and slept in late. He didn’t end up in the dimly lit hall outside Yugi’s apartment until late that afternoon. Finding the right door, he knocked briskly and waited expectantly. Then he stared in shock when a pretty red-haired young woman with brown eyes opened it. She peered curiously at him.

“Hello?”

“Um, yeah. I’m looking for Yugi Motou. Is he there?” Atemu asked.

She shook her head. “No. I don’t know a Yugi.”

Atemu frowned. “I could have sworn this was the right apartment… Wait a minute! That’s Della! This is the right place,” Atemu said, pointing at the familiar gray cat peeking from behind the woman’s legs.

“Oh! It must be the house-sitter that you’re looking for!” the red-head exclaimed chattily, “I’ve been gone for awhile doing pro-op, eye surgery, and recovery. My brother paid for it. I was legally blind, you see, but this expensive procedure was able to reverse it and my brother promised to find a house-sitter to take care of Della while I was gone.”

“So your brother would know where Yugi went?” Atemu asked, latching on to that faint hope.

“Well, I guess so,” the woman said, frowning, “But there’s a problem. My brother works for a development company and they just sent him to someplace in Africa two days ago and he isn’t due back for a month. And I remember him being really upset because he wouldn’t be able to call me while he was gone.”

Atemu groaned.

“I’m sorry,” the young woman said after she picked up Della, “I hope you find him.”

“Thank you,” Atemu said, turning away. She watched him leave and then closed and locked the apartment door. Setting Della down, she walked to the phone and dialed a number.

“Hello?”

“Joey? It’s Serenity.”

“Heya, Serenity! Whatcha need?”

“That man you told me about came by. I told him the story you asked me to. He looked so sad. Are you sure this was the right thing to do?”

“I don’t know,” Joey sighed, “But dat’s da way Enigma wants it. Anyways, how’re ya enjoying yer new apartment?”

“It’s nice. And so is Della,” Serenity replied, petting the cat rubbing against her legs.

“Great. Hey, I gotta go. Talk ta ya later, Seren.”

“Bye, Joey.” Serenity hung up and phone and settled down on the couch where Della jumped up onto her lap. She patted the cat absentmindedly, wondering about the poor person who had used to live in the apartment. Della nibbling at one of her fingers broke her out of her reverie.

“Ow! You shouldn’t be eating me, you silly thing,” she scold gently. Della meowed pitifully. Serenity stood and headed for the kitchen. “Come on and I’ll feed you.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Atemu stalked into his apartment, slamming the door behind him. Just when he thought things couldn’t get worse, Yugi up and disappeared. Atemu cursed his luck. Then he blinked as his computer turned on by itself.

“What the fuck?”

Hello, the computer said, the words showing up white against a black background.

“Who… what are you?” Atemu asked, frightened and trying not to show it.

I am Enigma.

“Enigma?”

The screen went blank and blinked twice before a picture of an eye in a pyramid appeared on the screen. Atemu’s eyes widened in recognition.

“The notes…” he breathed before looking around to see if he could see the one that had been sent to his apartment anywhere. The computer beeped and Atemu looked at it again.

You threw them both away. You also asked how we would know if you were interested. We have our ways, as you can see.

Atemu frowned as he got the distinct impression that the computer was smirking at him.

If you’re interested, just say you are and we will proceed from there.

“And if I’m not?” Atemu inquired, wondering if he really wanted to know the answer.

Then you are not and we will leave you alone. Please be aware, though, that if you say no now, you will never hear from us again. There will be no changing your mind. If you say yes, however, you can decide to leave at any time.

“Without penalty?” Atemu asked, not wanting to be trapped.

Without penalty, the computer agreed. We would just ask that you keep what you know a secret.

Atemu thought about it. It was… intriguing. He wanted to know more about this group. Like why they wanted him and how they were making his computer talk to him. Plus, now that there was nothing there for him, it was a chance to get out of the porn industry and on his own merits.

“Alright. You’ve got my attention. I’d like to learn more.”

Wonderful. You will learn more by going to the clock in the shopping mall at 10th Street and Drake tomorrow at 3pm. Wait there and you will be contacted. After that, the screen went blank.

“Is that all?” Atemu asked, but the computer screen remained blank. Atemu blinked, then hurriedly wrote down the instructions. He wanted some answers and damn it, he was going to get them!

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