[YGO] Christmas fic, Puzzleshipping
Dec. 23rd, 2017 10:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
the_goldenpathTitle: Warm Blankets for a Cold Christmas
Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters
Pairings: Mutou Yuugi x Atemu (Puzzleshipping)
Genre: seasonal, fluffy
Warnings: unrepentant cuddliness, diabetes-inducing sweetness, a small touch of angst
Summary: While taking care of their friend’s dog, Yuugi and Atemu celebrate their first Christmas together in a way they could’ve never imagined…
Author’s note: Written for the Christmas Prompt List, as provided by my lovely writing partner in crime. Choice of pairing: Yuugi x Atemu. Prompt: “This one has to have a dog in it. Bonus if somebody originally doesn’t like the dog, but then they grow fond of it”. The holiday itself doesn’t play a big part.
Key: ----------------- = scene change
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Mutou Yuugi woke up to the noise of a dog barking and the sound of a deeper, masculine voice. The first was a bit of an annoyance, the second was music to his ears: the voice of Atemu, his Pharaoh, his lover, his world and his everything. With a smile on his face, Yuugi rolled over to the other side of the bed. It was time to get up, but his bed was far too warm and too comfy to abandon. Atemu was an absurd early riser and that was the only thing about his life Yuugi couldn’t get used to; he preferred his lover close to him, being held by his one and only true Pharaoh, while he whispered sweet words of love in his ear instead of getting up at the crack of dawn. Before his thoughts could wander off too far, the dog barked again. Yuugi chuckled. He could paint a picture of the current situation in the kitchen: Atemu trying to make breakfast while the dog bothered him, running back and forth, enthusiastic to go outside for the first walk of the day. It was actually a very fun and cute sight, and Yuugi decided he didn’t want to miss it. He threw his legs over the edge of the bed and put on his house slippers and his bathrobe before descending the attic stairs.
“No. No! Bad dog! Bad dog!” Atemu frowned at the impressive, purebred German Shepherd dog, shifting around in front of him and hampering him in his every movement, while frantically wagging its tail. “This is not your food, you silly animal. Now get out of my way!”
“She’s very fond of you, mou hitori no boku,” Yuugi said, casually leaning against the doorpost. “She knows you’re going to walk her soon, so she only wants you to hurry up.”
“I would be able to hurry up, if she allowed me to!” As if to demonstrate, Atemu moved towards the fridge and the dog immediately positioned herself between him and the appliance, so he couldn’t reach it. “Aibou! How much longer do we have to attend to this… this beast?”
“Honda-kun will let us know as soon as he’s back in the country again.” Yuugi tried to keep his facial expression as neutral as possible. He detached himself from the doorpost to close the distance. Atemu turned around and the dog got up and propped itself between Atemu’s legs, almost causing him to lose his balance. Slightly annoyed, the former Pharaoh put his hand on the dog’s head to push her away, but she took it as an invitation to play instead and generously lapped at his fingers.
“Aibou! What is wrong with this creature?” He withdrew his hand.
“She’s very fond of you,” Yuugi repeated. It was true. Blankey, the dog in question, had taken a shine to Atemu the very second her owner, Honda, had brought her to the Mutou residence. With pain in his heart, he had to say goodbye to his beloved dog as he had to go to an overseas military training camp. It was the career he had chosen, but Honda had hoped to be on leave for the entire month of December. Unfortunately, all military leaves had been revoked at the last minute and Honda had to scramble to find a good, temporary home for Blankey. Of course Yuugi had answered his friend’s call; he loved to help out and it was the most logical choice. Honda’s parents were too elderly to take care of the demanding dog and the rest of their friends all worked full-time jobs. Yuugi operated his own Game Shop and kept flexible hours, so he simply closed at lunchtime to walk the dog. Atemu studied history at Domino University and conveniently was at home quite a lot, so the majority of the work of taking care of Blankey fell on his shoulders.
Yuugi pursed his lips for a good morning kiss. He’d never take the decision to accommodate the German Shepherd without Atemu’s consent, and he had, albeit grudgingly, agreed; he wanted to help out his friend as well, and how much of a nuisance could it be…? Yuugi had barely managed to reach Atemu or Blankey rose to her full length, pushing with her strong front legs at Yuugi. He wasn’t about to be deterred and ruffled her thick, glossy coat. “See? She’s very defensive of you to boot.”
“I do not care,” Atemu said, irritated. “I cannot move around properly with her blocking my way and jumping at me at every turn!”
Yuugi petted Blankey some more. “You fed her first, right?”
“Of course I did.”
Silly question, Yuugi thought to himself. Atemu was very strict and followed Honda’s instructions to the letter. Of course he would’ve fed her first, it was that Blankey wolfed down her food so fast that she was already at Atemu’s side again before he could blink.
“She knows you’re going to walk her soon,” Yuugi explained. “She’s just enthusiastic.”
“Yes, as soon as I have finished making our breakfast. Is it too much to ask of this dog to be a little patient?”
“She just wants to go outside, mou hitori no boku. Why don’t you go walk her already, while I make breakfast and have it hot and ready when you return.”
Atemu arched an eyebrow. “Why are you up at this early hour anyway, aibou? You do not need to open the shop yet…”
“No, but I heard the dog barking…”
“Another reason why dogs are such monsters,” Atemu said. “The noise they make! They bark! They drool! They jump at you! Look, aibou, now it is even standing between us!”
Yuugi looked down, only to see Blankey nuzzle up to Atemu, pointedly sticking her noise into a certain… private area. He snickered.
“I can see why we’re both so fond of you,” he said dryly.
Atemu snorted, but his cheeks colored an adorable shade of red. “Please, aibou, that is hardly any reason to…”
“Take her for her morning walk, while I prepare breakfast,” Yuugi repeated his earlier suggestion.
“Fine.” Atemu tilted his head for another kiss, thwarted again by the dog, bumping her large head between them. Yuugi shooed both Atemu and Blankey out of the kitchen to get started on breakfast. His eyes fell upon the calendar. End of December already, it was going to be Christmas soon. He loved the festive atmosphere of the holiday season, but it was also the busiest time of the year. With every passing year, it seemed like Christmas became bigger, more elaborate and expensive, encouraged by increasing commercialism and aggressive marketing to give luxurious gifts and send out Christmas cards.
As the holiday in Japan was more focused on spreading happiness and spending time with family and loved ones rather than a religious celebration, especially Christmas Eve was one of Yuugi’s favorite moments. It was thought of as a romantic day, with couples spending time together and exchanging presents as well. This was his first Christmas Eve with Atemu and he wanted to make it everlasting. It had to be very special, and he didn’t mind working hard for his money. Yuugi didn’t think he was in a position to complain: after all, he made a good living off of people buying gaming systems and consoles to put under the Christmas tree and KaibaCorp. usually launched promotions tied to the ever popular Duel Monsters game, which boosted sales even further, making up for the slow first months of the new year. With Christmas Eve almost at his doorstep, what could he do to make it even more special?
While contemplating this, Yuugi prepared a hearty breakfast. Atemu wouldn’t be back soon anyway, taking Blankey for a long, sturdy walk as to keep up with his own health and exercise. He had much better stamina than Yuugi, who abhorred anything physical like that, often having nightmares of his awful PE teacher, Karita-sensei. Now that he had Blankey to take care of, he was forced to go outside and to the park, where he amused her and himself by throwing toy balls or sticks and play the fetching game. Yuugi took the hot pan from the stove and put a piece of salmon on each plate. The rest of the Mutou family had woken up and entered the kitchen: his mother and his grandfather, Sugoroku, took a seat at the large table and admired Yuugi’s hard – and delicious - work. As if on cue, Yuugi heard Atemu downstairs, returning home from his morning walk with the dog. He could feel the cold accompanying him, even though the front door had been open only for a couple of seconds. Domino City had been hit by the most intense, severest winter Yuugi had ever witnessed and Atemu loathed the cold. He hated to bundle up and griped about needing too much time to peel himself out of his shawl, hat, mittens and coat as he walked into the kitchen, shivering.
“Here you are, mou hitori no boku,” Yuugi gave him a huge plate with rice, fried salmon and a bowl of miso soup. In passing, he touched his lover on the cheek, taken aback when his fingers met icy skin, despite having dressed up so heavily to face the freezing temperatures. Blankey stuck her nose into the air to sniff loudly and curled herself around Atemu’s feet. He heaved a sigh.
“Busy day today?” Sugoroku asked in general.
“I expect a lot of customers,” Yuugi answered. “Last-minute shoppers, and Kaiba announced discount prices on the previous version of the Duel Disk and its dueling software.”
“I have class and I need to visit the library,” Atemu said. “Before the Christmas break, I want to finish my paper to receive extra credit.”
Yuugi was enamored by Atemu’s passionate devotion to his studies. As he didn’t go to university himself, it was decided that Atemu should get the chance – and he had taken it with both hands. It was what he wanted and what he enjoyed very much, despite the mind-boggling amount of work he had to do. Of course, taking two studies (one master in history with focus on Ancient Egypt in particular, and one master in political science) was double the workload, and the former Pharaoh made it a sport to attain every extra credit and participate in all the curricular activities. Yuugi gazed at Atemu over the edge of his teacup, his heart beating with love and pride for his Other Self. He got distracted by his mother, talking about her meeting with a group of volunteers later today, to decorate the city with Christmas ornaments… and the next second, Atemu wiggled his legs as Blankey had put her head on his knee, staring up at him.
“What do you want, dog?” he asked, impatiently. “I have walked you and I have fed you…”
Sugoroku hid his smile behind his bowl of rice. If it weren’t for his age, he would’ve loved to walk the dog himself. “I wonder if she ever wants to go back to Honda…”
“She better be,” Atemu said. “She is too large for this household! If only she were a cat – so much more elegant, beautiful and neater!”
“Where did you walk to?” Yuugi’s mother asked, before he could launch into his infamous “cats are superior in every way” rant. Her tactics worked immediately.
“The Saikaku district,” he answered, distracted. “This reminds me, I have to call city hall to file a complaint. There is a building site… Yanagimachi Company..?”
“Yanagimachi? Aren’t they the biggest real estate developers, from affordable apartments to corporate buildings?”
“I believe they are, but they are not very professional. Actually, their building site is very dangerous,” Atemu said. “They have dug a very deep hole to lay the foundations of their recent construction, but they do not fence it off when they leave the site after business hours. With all the icy rain and snow as of late, it could create a very dangerous situation.”
Yuugi frowned. “You’re right, they should at least put up a fence or a warning sign. What if someone would fall into that hole?”
“I will make some calls later. The public should be properly notified and if the company is breaking rules, their building permit should be revoked.” Atemu helped himself to a second bowl of rice and Yuugi shoved another piece of salmon on his plate. In another thirty minutes, it was time to open the store and get to work. He looked at Atemu enjoying his breakfast, and he smiled at the sight of Blankey with her head on his knee. Every now and then Atemu tried to shove her away, but she wasn’t to be deterred and always returned, looking up at him with her big, brown eyes – unfortunately, Atemu was pretty much desensitized to it because of Yuugi using his patented puppy eyes look on him… however, it was such an adorable sight that it melted Yuugi’s heart. He kept staring at the cute scene in front of him until his mother reminded him that it was really time to get dressed and he had to hurry upstairs, otherwise he’d be too late.
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It was cold, so very cold. Yuugi stuffed his hands deep inside his pockets and hopped from one foot to another while he waited for Blankey to retrieve the toy ball. The German Shepherd plowed through the heavy snow with ease and returned to him, ball firmly clenched between her jaws. Yuugi retrieved the ball and threw it again, the dog immediately racing after it. It was nice to be outside, despite the cold. It had been so busy at the Game Shop all morning that it was nice to clear his mind before returning to the store again. Blankey dropped the ball in front of him again. Yuugi checked his watch.
“We should go back,” he told the dog. “I’d like to have some lunch, too.” He put her on the leash and gave a gentle tug. Honda had raised her nicely and she was quite obedient, responding to the command and joining Yuugi’s side to return home. When he left the park, Yuugi went to the right instead of taking his usual route home. He was close to the Saikaku district and he was curious about the dangerous situation Atemu had mentioned earlier. Blankey certainly didn’t mind the extra mile. It didn’t take long for Yuugi to reach the construction site. He could immediately see why it was so dangerous: a grotesquely large pit gaped at him, the bottom already filled with icy water and looking deceivingly shallow due to the fallen snow, coating the steep sides. As it was, the Yanagimachi company had put up some ‘fences’, consisting of a few thin metal sheets, stuck haphazardly into the ground, without warning sign. Kids, or anyone else for that matter, would have no trouble entering the construction site, unaware of the actual danger they were in. He didn’t see an employee who he could call out on it. Where was everyone? Yuugi made a mental note to ask Atemu if he had called city hall yet. For now, he was going home to get lunch, warm himself and Blankey up and continue his day.
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Yuugi’s mother had taken the liberty to decorate the living room with a genuine Christmas tree, in his absence. She just finished switching on the festive lights when Yuugi returned home.
“Kaa-san! I didn’t know you were vulnerable to tacky commercialism,” he teased her.
She blushed lightly. “I just want to create a cozy atmosphere.”
“Don’t worry, you succeeded,” Yuugi said. He did enjoy the decorations, it wasn’t quite traditional but not over the top either. Perhaps he should better get used to changing traditions. Anzu had emailed him pictures of the Christmas lights and trees in New York where she attended her school for the performing arts, and he had gotten an instant headache from the overwhelming intensity and brightness of the decorations. Before he returned to the store, he quickly searched out Atemu. He found him in their bedroom in the attic, behind his desk, surrounded by books and the laptop in front of him.
“Mou hitori no boku,” Yuugi said as he kissed him on the top of his head. “You’re going to break your head if you keep studying so hard.”
“I have exams coming up, right after the holiday,” Atemu said sternly. “I want to maintain my perfect score, aibou.”
“I know you do. You’re going to pass with so many flying colors that it’ll make everyone jealous. Then you’ll be no longer a Pharaoh, but Professor Atemu.”
“I still have a long way to go,” Atemu answered but he appreciated the sentiment, leaning back and pursing his lips, ready to receive a kiss… if it weren’t for Blankey jumping on top of him, unceremoniously throwing herself between them.
“Blankey!” Yuugi hadn’t seen the dog in the first place, and her quick reaction totally surprised him. Happily stuck between Yuugi and Atemu, who sighed under her weight, she allowed Yuugi to pet her.
“Stop petting her, aibou, you are confirming her behavior,” Atemu said, sounding a little out of breath. "She is not allowed to jump on top of people like that and she should be chastised, instead of being reward her with pets and hugs.”
“Sounds to me like someone is jealous,” Yuugi couldn’t help but comment.
“Jealous? Me?” Atemu protested. Yuugi used the opportunity to kiss him quickly before Blankey could intervene again.
“I have to go back to the store, I’ll talk to you later,” he said. Atemu flailed with his arms.
“You are leaving me here with this… this monster on top of me?”
“Think of her as your study buddy,” Yuugi commented and then hurried out of the room, laughing while being followed by a string of colorful Ancient Egyptian curses.
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The afternoon turned out to be far, far busier than Yuugi could’ve ever imagined. He even had to call for his mother’s and Atemu’s help, to gift-wrap all the items and presents bought. After closing hour, everyone was exhausted. Sugoroku, exempt from working due to his age, decided to treat the family and called for take out: delicious and exclusive sushi and sashimi dishes, a real luxurious delicacy. Happy and with a full belly, Yuugi was all but prepared to enjoy a lazy evening at home, when a problem arose: Blankey. Usually in the evening, he and Atemu would walk the dog together, but he was so tired…
Yuugi turned to the one he loved with all his heart, so much more with every passing day. “Mou hitori no boku…” he said.
“From that tone in your voice alone, I know you want something from me,” Atemu said, “something that will involve me suffering a great deal.”
“You know me better than anyone else,” Yuugi said and batted his eyes at him. “Would you mind terribly if I skipped walking Blankey with you tonight? My feet are killing me. I’ll reward you with a massage when you come home.”
Atemu didn’t seem too overly fond of the idea; well, the massage was very tempting of course, but to go outside on his own again to walk the dog, in this cold, rough weather… it had started to snow, just very lightly and Atemu was exhausted himself. However, duty called and with a sigh, Atemu went to retrieve the leash. Blankey enthusiastically danced around him, barking in anticipation.
“Obnoxious animal,” Atemu said. “Why could you not be a cat and use a litter box?” He looked over his shoulder at Yuugi, innocently whistling. “Very well then, but I expect an amazing massage in return.”
“I promise,” Yuugi said and blew him a kiss. “You’re too cute for this world. Dress up extra warm, okay?”
Grudgingly, Atemu did as he had been told and he donned a scarf, stuffed his unruly hair under a hat, put on his mittens and added an extra scarf at the last second. Blankey didn’t waver from his side, wagging her tail furiously.
“Yeah, yeah, just a moment.” Atemu’s voice was muffled by the layers of clothing as he attached the leash to Blankey’s collar. “We are going for a short walk, though. It is so cold!”
The dog tugged at the leash eagerly. Atemu followed Blankey outside, hissing at the cold wind biting at the visible parts of his face. Just a quick walk through the Saikaku district, past the building site and back again, then he’d be done for the evening and receive a delicious massage as a reward. Atemu picked up the pace and walked briskly, even Blankey had to hurry to catch up with him, her enthusiasm diminished visibly because of the bad weather.
“Well, do your business so we can go home,” Atemu tried to encourage her when he saw the dog fussing around in the snow. He hated the cold so much and longed for the warm atmosphere of the living room with its cozy decorations and lots of scented candles. He could imagine that it wasn’t much fun to do your business outside, in this kind of temperature, so he tried to retain his patience. Blankey shook off the snow on her coat and resumed her pace, occasionally biting at a lost snowflake, fluttering in front of her face. Atemu amused himself watching his breath condense in the air as he continued his walk, when all of the sudden, Blankey tugged harshly at the leash and barked.
“What is the matter, you silly dog?” He tugged in return, trying to get her to walk into the opposite direction. Blankey was facing the construction site, barking loudly at a high pitch. Did she see someone or something? Atemu noticed the shoddy ‘fence’ (apparently someone had taken notice after his call to city hall, but this could hardly be called an improvement), but why was the dog barking? He couldn’t see a thing and it was so cold. “Come on, we are going home.”
She didn’t obey him. Instead, tugging with all her might, she forced him to enter the construction site, still barking and howling.
“No! No! Bad dog! Bad stupid dog! Home! Home!” Atemu had no choice but to follow the dog, unable to match the strength of a full-grown, young and headstrong German Shepherd dog. She dragged him towards the large pit. “What are you doing? This is the wrong way!”
He took a deep breath to scold the dog again, when he heard it. Very faint. Very childlike. A voice. He immediately fell silent and listened intently. Yes, he heard it again. Definitely a child’s voice. Here, outside in the cold… alone… at a construction site? Cautiously, he approached the pit. To make matters worse, the only light came from the street lanterns and made it difficult to see what was going on and what was in front of him. Blankey barked again. The unprofessional workers hadn’t even put up construction lights and with the falling snow, Atemu’s sight was even poorer. His heart skipped a beat as Blankey halted at the edge of the pit. No! It couldn’t be… that the child was down there? The dog dug with her front leg into the wet sand, with every intention to descend.
“No! Stay!” Atemu mentally thanked Honda for raising Blankey so well that she listened to commands issued by other people than her owner. True to his command, Blankey stayed put, but her whole body trembled, and not from the cold. Fixated on the pit, Atemu looked into the same direction and his heart skipped a beat again. A young child was down there, completely soaked from the icy rain and snow that had amassed in the pit. Crying softly, the young girl or boy had barely any strength left. Atemu didn’t hesitate for a second. He descended the slippery slope, the mud soiling his clothes, the wet sand sticking everywhere. It was hard to keep a balance but he managed to reach the bottom without sliding or falling. When he put his feet on the layer of snow, he sank until his thighs into a sea of freezing, paralyzing cold. How deep was this pit? His teeth chattered. So cold!
“Shh, shh, it is going to be alright,” he said in an attempt to soothe the child. It was a boy, skin and lips blue-ish. He had to hurry. “What is your name? Where are your parents?”
The boy didn’t answer, he simply hiccupped as the tears froze on his cheeks and chin. Atemu noticed the deep tracks behind the child, all the way down; he probably had slipped somewhere and slid down all along the steep hill, straight into the ice-cold water pooled at the bottom. Atemu waded towards him and pulled the second scarf from around his neck, thanking himself mentally for adding the extra layer. He reached the child and pulled it out of the snow. As he feared, the child’s temperature was alarmingly low, his body feeling cold and stiff.
He quickly wrapped the scarf around the boy and cradled him tightly against his chest, trying to share any possible kind of warmth. Blankey continued to bark. Atemu realized he had to climb out of the pit, but that was easier said than done. Descending had been fairly effortlessly, but getting back up? The walls were extremely slippery and he could barely feel his own legs anymore, his feet stuck into the muddy, icy water. He took a few steps forward, each step costing him tremendous amounts of energy. Trying to find his balance while still pressing the child against his chest, Atemu patted the muddy soil. Despite the freezing temperatures, it hadn’t frozen solid yet. He would sink to his elbows into the sludge, and lose his grip immediately.
He tried to think of another solution desperately. Call for help? How? He had left his cell phone at home, not thinking he would ever need the device when walking the dog. Yelling or screaming? At this hour, and with this weather, people stayed at home and nobody would hear him. He tried again, to no avail. He shifted the child’s weight onto his other arm and tried once more. Suddenly, Blankey was in front of him and sunk her teeth into his sleeve, yanking at the fabric.
“No, no, bad dog!” Atemu pushed the child towards Blankey. “The little one first,” he said sternly as the dog threw him a quizzical look. “Here!” Atemu all but shoved the young boy towards the dog and Blankey seemed to understand; she carefully sank her teeth into the jacket of the child, at the scruff of his neck, and pulled.
“Yes, yes, good dog!” Atemu complimented Blankey as the dog dragged the child up the hill with all her might. She growled and grumbled and groaned, not having much grip on the wet soil either, the continuously falling snow making it even more difficult. Atemu was worried about the dog, but even more so about the young boy; he barely moved, he didn’t cooperate and he was silent, eyes staring into nothingness. “Go on! Go on!” he urged Blankey, hoping that as soon as she would reach the top again, the dog would find someone to help the child. She was out of his sight now, and it was time to get out of this pit. Atemu tried to claw his way through the mud. His hands sank into the wet soil, large clumps sticking to his mittens and the rest of his clothes, weighing him down. There was nothing he could hold onto, nothing firm he could grasp and pull himself out of the mud. It was so cold..! Groaning in frustration, he told himself not to give up. He couldn’t give up, he had to get out of this horrible pit! He didn’t know how much time has passed when Blankey popped up in front of him again, grabbing him by his sleeve anew.
Atemu was glad to see the dog, until a fearful thought hit him. “Did you not bring the child back to safety?” he asked, exasperated. He couldn’t believe Blankey abandoning the young boy at the construction site, just to come back for him! “Stupid dog,” he muttered but there was no vehemence in his voice. The child was hypothermic and in need of medical assistance. How could Blankey just leave him up there? Wait… he could send the dog for a message, couldn’t he? “Aibou,” Atemu sighed, the usual fondness clear and obvious in his voice despite the stress of the situation, “go get him… get him!”
Blankey yanked so hard at his sleeve that he could hear the fabric rip. Atemu heaved another sigh. His strength was depleting rapidly. It was so cold… he was so tired… every inch he moved, he slipped back two inches, and every little movement took out so much energy and effort. His clothes were wet and heavy from the mud and his body was starting to feel numb. He could barely feel his legs, or his feet anymore… “Goddamn cold,” he muttered to himself and when Blankey tugged at him once more, he all but pushed the dog away. “No! Aibou!”
Was it because of his harsh voice or did the dog truly understand she needed to get help? Atemu blinked. Blankey was gone. It was silent as a grave while he was struggling to get out of the pit. He had very little strength left and he realized he was lying face down in the mud. It was touching his skin, cold yet soothing, and he noticed his breath, fleeing away from him in small puffs. Yuugi would be here soon. Blankey would get help for him and the child. It was going to be alright. He sure hoped it wouldn’t take long, because he still was looking forward to that massage. Yuugi’s hands on him. Yuugi’s warm hands on him, as always every movement gentle and filled with love. They had loved each other from the moment they laid eyes upon each other. Maybe it didn’t feel like ‘love’ in the beginning, when they first met – but how strange could a relationship start when your first memory was being woken up from a millennia long slumber by a young, bullied boy? His first act hadn’t been to ask the boy’s name, but to take revenge on the bully, and on everyone who dared to touch or hurt his vessel, his… everything…
At the start, they had hidden it from their friends as it was an awkward situation to begin with, sharing a body and all, and there was always that crippling fear of having to say goodbye, especially when Atemu’s memories became clearer and clearer, and everything was gearing towards that Ceremonial Duel… his return to the Afterlife… Despite his fatigue and his precarious situation, Atemu smiled. The Ceremonial Duel had changed their lives. He had never been so happy as to lose a duel before; yes, he wanted to see his friends and family in the Afterlife, but they could wait just a little longer. The Gods granted him a body as recognition for the sacrifices he had made, and he had flung himself into Yuugi’s arms, laughing and crying, as they could be together, finally, for the rest of their lives.
Atemu squinted. A small light shone upon his face. Yuugi..? Blankey had really understood him and had gotten help! The sound of rustling fabric reached his ears. Confused, he strained to lift his head up. Someone kneeled in front of him, a tall man dressed in Ancient Egyptian attire carrying the regalia of a Pharaoh, his wise eyes resting upon him.
“F-father?” Atemu’s voice was breathless.
“My son,” the man answered, visibly emotional.
“Father!” Atemu’s smile widened and he commanded all his energy to lift up his right arm. “Help me, father!”
“My son.” Akunamukanon didn’t take his hand, but reached for his face instead. A soft, warm gust of wind caressed Atemu’s cheek. “My heart bleeds. I cannot help you, as I cannot touch you in the mortal world.” Another gust of warm, gentle wind. “You are so strong, my son. You do not need my help. No matter how much I long to take you into my arms, your place is not yet with me. Not for a very long time to come.”
“I do not understand, father…” Atemu tried to get closer. “I am not strong… I am afraid..! Is this another one of your tests? Have I failed the previous one?”
“My son, you have never failed me.” Akunamukanon shook his head as he smiled at him, slowly fading away. “Remember my words. I am so proud of you.”
“Father!” Atemu cried out, he yelled, he shouted until his voice was hoarse, but Akunamukanon didn’t come back. Had he imagined seeing his father? Was he hallucinating? He had to. He was going into shock from the cold, wasn’t he..? Atemu clenched his hands into fists, trying to move forward with renewed energy, but to no avail. His fingers were too cold and cramped to do anything.
“My Pharaoh,” another voice called out to him. A strong voice, filled with loyalty and dedication. “I have never doubted you for a moment.”
Atemu knew who was speaking even before looking up. “Mahaado,” he breathed his name and shivered, not from the brutal cold, but from the bright, warm light surrounding his friend, with such fierce protection and devotion that he could almost touch it. “Help me, Mahaado.”
“My Pharaoh,” the magician spoke lovingly, yet sad. “I cannot help you. I am not of this world...”
“Please, do not say such cruel things…”
“It is not my place to take you with me, no matter how much I would,” Mahaado said. “I will wait for you, my Pharaoh. I will always be with you, no matter what.”
“Please, do not leave me!” Atemu begged as the light surrounding Mahaado started to fade. Desperately, he crawled towards him. The magician smiled, albeit with forlornness.
“I am always by your side,” he answered. “One day, I will greet you properly at your court again, my Pharaoh.”
“Please..!” Atemu yelled, but Mahaado was gone and he collapsed. He had no more strength left. He couldn’t give up, he didn’t want to give up… but his body was giving out on him, everything felt so cold, so numb… He was going to freeze to death here. It was so dark… where had the light gone to? Why was it so silent? Maybe… did he hear something, a voice, in the far distance? Maybe… was there a light on his face, at the edge of darkness? Maybe… he didn’t know. He couldn’t feel it. He couldn’t see it. His eyes slid close.
----------------------------------------
“Mou hitori no boku…”
He recognized that voice. It was a voice he knew all too well, and Atemu turned his head into the direction it came from, tiredly and slowly.
“Aibou…” was that his own voice? So hoarse? He coughed and immediately, a glass of lukewarm water was pressed to his lips. He sipped gratefully.
“Open your eyes, mou hitori no boku, please…” Why did Yuugi sound so strained? So grief-stricken? Atemu didn’t understand. He didn’t understand either why it was so hard to open his eyes. Everything took so much effort, and all he wanted to do was to sleep… finally, he opened his eyes and blinked weakly. Yuugi turned around from putting the glass of water back on the nightstand, and he grabbed Atemu’s right hand, holding it between his own. He didn’t recognize the dimly lit room.
“Where are we, aibou?”
“The hospital,” Yuugi said and lowered his eyes. He squeezed Atemu’s hand gently, avoiding his gaze. It was confusing. Atemu wanted to say something but it was hard to form a coherent thought and to come up with the right words… and there was some kind of weight on his lower body, he couldn’t tilt his head far enough to see what it was. The only thing he could see right now, were the tears blinking in Yuugi’s eyes.
“Aibou…”
“I’m sorry I was so selfish, mou hitori no boku,” Yuugi blurted out. “If only I had gone with you, none of this would’ve happened!”
“What happened..?”
“You don’t remember?” Yuugi sounded shocked. Worriedly, he gazed at Atemu. “You’re tired,” he concluded, a little relieved. “You haven’t rested enough.” He draped the warm blankets around him and kissed him on top of his head. “Sleep, my Pharaoh.” It was the last thing Atemu heard as his fatigue got the better of him, and he sank back into a safe, sound slumber.
--------------------
When he opened his eyes again, much easier this time, Atemu could still feel that weight on his body and he craned his neck a little. It wasn’t Yuugi, but Blankey: she was lying on top of him, her head, front paws and torso on his legs. As soon as Atemu shifted his position, the dog looked up and stared at him, letting out a weird, soft howl.
“Silly dog,” Atemu said, “what are you doing here?” He moved his hand on top of Yuugi’s head, petting his hair. His Other Self had fallen asleep in an awkward, painful looking position in his chair next to the bed, his hands clutching the blankets. So this was a hospital room; it was quite spacious and comfortable, as far as he could see. On the nightstand next to him was a huge bouquet of flowers, with a card attached to it. He couldn’t read it from where he was lying, so he let it be. A shiver of cold went through him. Cold… snow… what happened? The last thing he remembered, was taking the dog for a walk. Bad weather…the construction site… “The child,” Atemu suddenly gasped. The young boy! Had he survived? His brusque movement woke up Yuugi, jerking him out of his sleep.
“Aibou,” Atemu said and he only had a second to draw his next breath as Yuugi wrapped his arms around him extremely tightly, burying his head in the crook of his neck. Atemu returned the gesture, his arms around Yuugi, fondly stroking his hair. Yuugi wasn’t crying, but no words were spoken at this point; they were simply drinking in each other’s presence, absorbing each other, hugging and cuddling under Blankey’s watchful eyes; not even the dog choose to break up this moment between them.
“You were so cold when we found you,” Yuugi said, his voice slightly muffled. “I thought… I thought you weren’t going to make it. You were barely responsive, and what you said was in Ancient Egyptian. We pulled you out of the mud… I was so afraid that you might lose a limb, or even worse… it was a miracle that you climbed out so far of that pit yourself, mou hitori no boku. You were halfway.”
“I climbed..?” Atemu remembered the slippery hill and constantly losing his grip, struggling to get even an inch forward. He had lost count of the times that he slipped after having fought to hard to gain a couple of millimeters. His father… Mahaado… he subconsciously tightened his grip on Yuugi, who didn’t protest. “I do not remember much, aibou… it was so cold indeed…”
“Mou hitori no boku…” Yuugi pecked him on the cheek. “There’s someone who really, really wants to meet you.”
“Alright.” Atemu nodded, even though he wasn’t really looking forward to a visitor; he wanted to spend time with his loved one. Yuugi broke up the hug reluctantly, and he went to retrieve the visitor: he stuck his head outside the door to beckon someone in. Atemu didn’t recognize the man, followed by a woman, but the young boy on her arm definitely rang a bell.
The couple moved to the side of his bed and bowed to him deeply. “Thank you so much for saving our Shusaku-kun,” the man said, his voice trembling. “We’re sorry for causing you so much inconvenience, Mutou-sama. Please forgive us! I was working late and my wife was on her way to pick me up from the office… and when she passed the building site, Shusaku-kun wandered off faster than she could react and before she knew it, he had slipped down the slope, into the pit…”
“It was not your fault,” Atemu said, glad to see the child with blushing cheeks and clear, bright eyes. “The construction workers failed to properly fence off the area.”
“If it hadn’t been for you walking your dog,” the woman took over, “Shusaku-kun would’ve perished from the cold. I tried to go after him, but I couldn’t make my way down. I decided to get help, praying that my son would survive long enough…”
“She walked barefoot to the next district to get help,” Yuugi provided. “Cell phone reception in that area didn’t work properly either, and in the time it took her to find someone at that hour and alert the authorities, Blankey arrived at the Game Shop, carrying Shusaku-kun. I immediately knew something was wrong, and ran after her… only to see you lying face down on that slope, in the mud, not moving at all… I was so scared!”
“You saved our child,” the man said. “For this, we can’t thank you enough.”
“Please come visit us when you have recovered,” the woman said and she bowed to him again, her voice loaded with tears. “You will honor us greatly, Mutou-sama.” They said their goodbyes and Shusaku waved at him, safe and warm in his mother’s arms. When the family was gone, Yuugi quickly searched out Atemu’s embrace again.
“I should’ve gone with you,” he repeated. “I was so selfish! Yes, I was tired, but so were you… I just didn’t feel like going outside, so I pressured you into doing it... I’m so sorry, mou hitori no boku. How can I ever make this up to you?”
“You still owe me a massage,” Atemu said.
“I know.” Yuugi smiled at him. “You’ll receive one, and many more, once we’re back home.”
“When can we go home?”
“As soon as the doctor gives you a clean bill of health. You had hypothermia, and we had to warm you up very slowly to restore your core temperature. I watched you all night, keeping you warm under the blankets… and you have a very special blanket, as you’ve undoubtedly seen…”
Atemu snorted, but it lacked its usual effect. Blankey didn’t seem impressed either; she kept her head still, but her gaze never left Atemu. “So far, everything looks fine, and I’m assuming you’ll be released later this afternoon.” Even though Yuugi’s voice sounded optimistic, he looked downtrodden. “It’ll be Christmas Eve this evening, and thanks to my selfishness you can’t enjoy it properly…”
“Who says I cannot?” Atemu cuddled him closer. “I do not know what you had planned, but we can still enjoy it..?”
“I hadn’t made any definitive plans yet,” Yuugi said. “I wanted to use the time you were away walking the dog, to think about what we could do together. I wanted to make it extra special, as this is our first Christmas… and look how I’ve ruined it…”
“Please stop, aibou… it was not your fault. We are all safe and sound, and we are going to celebrate Christmas Eve together.” Atemu searched for another topic, as to not pile up on Yuugi’s feelings of guilt. “The flowers,” he said, “did you..?”
“No, they’re from Yanigimachi,” Yuugi said. “A representative delivered them personally, and he wanted to talk to you too, to offer apologies for their bad business… it was a string of mishaps and miscommunications, or so he claimed. I send him away.”
Atemu reclined into the pillows. “It can wait. As long as they have taken precautions now…”
“The building site has been properly fenced off, don’t worry,” Yuugi said. “No one can fall into that horrible pit anymore.” He kissed him on the cheek. “I’ll get you something to eat. You slept through breakfast and I’m sure you’re hungry.” He broke up the embrace and straightened himself. “Oh! By the way, Blankey hasn’t left your side since you’re in the hospital. She refuses to leave your bed, but if she’s too much of a bother to you…”
“Leave the silly dog,” Atemu said. “If it had not been for her, I would not have heard the child crying.”
Yuugi patted his hand. “I’ll be right back.” He left the room and Atemu was alone, surrounded by silence. He didn’t mind. He felt pretty okay, warm and cozy in bed. Now that Yuugi was gone, Blankey took the opportunity to shift her position and she got up, only to drape herself all over Atemu, putting her head on his chest and looking at him with her large, beautiful eyes. He brought up his hand to gently pet her.
“Thank you for saving the child,” he said. “You are not a silly dog after all.”
She made a low, grumbling noise, licked her lips and bumped her nose against his chin, then put her head back on his chest. Content, she settled into her new position and it was obvious she wasn’t going to move anytime soon.
“You are heavy,” Atemu said but he didn’t tell her to leave and he didn’t push her away. Instead, his hand remained on her body, petting and stroking her fur. When Yuugi returned with a tray filled with food, he found the both of them asleep, softly snoring in sync; warm, safe and sound.
---------------------------
Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters
Pairings: Mutou Yuugi x Atemu (Puzzleshipping)
Genre: seasonal, fluffy
Warnings: unrepentant cuddliness, diabetes-inducing sweetness, a small touch of angst
Summary: While taking care of their friend’s dog, Yuugi and Atemu celebrate their first Christmas together in a way they could’ve never imagined…
Author’s note: Written for the Christmas Prompt List, as provided by my lovely writing partner in crime. Choice of pairing: Yuugi x Atemu. Prompt: “This one has to have a dog in it. Bonus if somebody originally doesn’t like the dog, but then they grow fond of it”. The holiday itself doesn’t play a big part.
Key: ----------------- = scene change
Mutou Yuugi woke up to the noise of a dog barking and the sound of a deeper, masculine voice. The first was a bit of an annoyance, the second was music to his ears: the voice of Atemu, his Pharaoh, his lover, his world and his everything. With a smile on his face, Yuugi rolled over to the other side of the bed. It was time to get up, but his bed was far too warm and too comfy to abandon. Atemu was an absurd early riser and that was the only thing about his life Yuugi couldn’t get used to; he preferred his lover close to him, being held by his one and only true Pharaoh, while he whispered sweet words of love in his ear instead of getting up at the crack of dawn. Before his thoughts could wander off too far, the dog barked again. Yuugi chuckled. He could paint a picture of the current situation in the kitchen: Atemu trying to make breakfast while the dog bothered him, running back and forth, enthusiastic to go outside for the first walk of the day. It was actually a very fun and cute sight, and Yuugi decided he didn’t want to miss it. He threw his legs over the edge of the bed and put on his house slippers and his bathrobe before descending the attic stairs.
“No. No! Bad dog! Bad dog!” Atemu frowned at the impressive, purebred German Shepherd dog, shifting around in front of him and hampering him in his every movement, while frantically wagging its tail. “This is not your food, you silly animal. Now get out of my way!”
“She’s very fond of you, mou hitori no boku,” Yuugi said, casually leaning against the doorpost. “She knows you’re going to walk her soon, so she only wants you to hurry up.”
“I would be able to hurry up, if she allowed me to!” As if to demonstrate, Atemu moved towards the fridge and the dog immediately positioned herself between him and the appliance, so he couldn’t reach it. “Aibou! How much longer do we have to attend to this… this beast?”
“Honda-kun will let us know as soon as he’s back in the country again.” Yuugi tried to keep his facial expression as neutral as possible. He detached himself from the doorpost to close the distance. Atemu turned around and the dog got up and propped itself between Atemu’s legs, almost causing him to lose his balance. Slightly annoyed, the former Pharaoh put his hand on the dog’s head to push her away, but she took it as an invitation to play instead and generously lapped at his fingers.
“Aibou! What is wrong with this creature?” He withdrew his hand.
“She’s very fond of you,” Yuugi repeated. It was true. Blankey, the dog in question, had taken a shine to Atemu the very second her owner, Honda, had brought her to the Mutou residence. With pain in his heart, he had to say goodbye to his beloved dog as he had to go to an overseas military training camp. It was the career he had chosen, but Honda had hoped to be on leave for the entire month of December. Unfortunately, all military leaves had been revoked at the last minute and Honda had to scramble to find a good, temporary home for Blankey. Of course Yuugi had answered his friend’s call; he loved to help out and it was the most logical choice. Honda’s parents were too elderly to take care of the demanding dog and the rest of their friends all worked full-time jobs. Yuugi operated his own Game Shop and kept flexible hours, so he simply closed at lunchtime to walk the dog. Atemu studied history at Domino University and conveniently was at home quite a lot, so the majority of the work of taking care of Blankey fell on his shoulders.
Yuugi pursed his lips for a good morning kiss. He’d never take the decision to accommodate the German Shepherd without Atemu’s consent, and he had, albeit grudgingly, agreed; he wanted to help out his friend as well, and how much of a nuisance could it be…? Yuugi had barely managed to reach Atemu or Blankey rose to her full length, pushing with her strong front legs at Yuugi. He wasn’t about to be deterred and ruffled her thick, glossy coat. “See? She’s very defensive of you to boot.”
“I do not care,” Atemu said, irritated. “I cannot move around properly with her blocking my way and jumping at me at every turn!”
Yuugi petted Blankey some more. “You fed her first, right?”
“Of course I did.”
Silly question, Yuugi thought to himself. Atemu was very strict and followed Honda’s instructions to the letter. Of course he would’ve fed her first, it was that Blankey wolfed down her food so fast that she was already at Atemu’s side again before he could blink.
“She knows you’re going to walk her soon,” Yuugi explained. “She’s just enthusiastic.”
“Yes, as soon as I have finished making our breakfast. Is it too much to ask of this dog to be a little patient?”
“She just wants to go outside, mou hitori no boku. Why don’t you go walk her already, while I make breakfast and have it hot and ready when you return.”
Atemu arched an eyebrow. “Why are you up at this early hour anyway, aibou? You do not need to open the shop yet…”
“No, but I heard the dog barking…”
“Another reason why dogs are such monsters,” Atemu said. “The noise they make! They bark! They drool! They jump at you! Look, aibou, now it is even standing between us!”
Yuugi looked down, only to see Blankey nuzzle up to Atemu, pointedly sticking her noise into a certain… private area. He snickered.
“I can see why we’re both so fond of you,” he said dryly.
Atemu snorted, but his cheeks colored an adorable shade of red. “Please, aibou, that is hardly any reason to…”
“Take her for her morning walk, while I prepare breakfast,” Yuugi repeated his earlier suggestion.
“Fine.” Atemu tilted his head for another kiss, thwarted again by the dog, bumping her large head between them. Yuugi shooed both Atemu and Blankey out of the kitchen to get started on breakfast. His eyes fell upon the calendar. End of December already, it was going to be Christmas soon. He loved the festive atmosphere of the holiday season, but it was also the busiest time of the year. With every passing year, it seemed like Christmas became bigger, more elaborate and expensive, encouraged by increasing commercialism and aggressive marketing to give luxurious gifts and send out Christmas cards.
As the holiday in Japan was more focused on spreading happiness and spending time with family and loved ones rather than a religious celebration, especially Christmas Eve was one of Yuugi’s favorite moments. It was thought of as a romantic day, with couples spending time together and exchanging presents as well. This was his first Christmas Eve with Atemu and he wanted to make it everlasting. It had to be very special, and he didn’t mind working hard for his money. Yuugi didn’t think he was in a position to complain: after all, he made a good living off of people buying gaming systems and consoles to put under the Christmas tree and KaibaCorp. usually launched promotions tied to the ever popular Duel Monsters game, which boosted sales even further, making up for the slow first months of the new year. With Christmas Eve almost at his doorstep, what could he do to make it even more special?
While contemplating this, Yuugi prepared a hearty breakfast. Atemu wouldn’t be back soon anyway, taking Blankey for a long, sturdy walk as to keep up with his own health and exercise. He had much better stamina than Yuugi, who abhorred anything physical like that, often having nightmares of his awful PE teacher, Karita-sensei. Now that he had Blankey to take care of, he was forced to go outside and to the park, where he amused her and himself by throwing toy balls or sticks and play the fetching game. Yuugi took the hot pan from the stove and put a piece of salmon on each plate. The rest of the Mutou family had woken up and entered the kitchen: his mother and his grandfather, Sugoroku, took a seat at the large table and admired Yuugi’s hard – and delicious - work. As if on cue, Yuugi heard Atemu downstairs, returning home from his morning walk with the dog. He could feel the cold accompanying him, even though the front door had been open only for a couple of seconds. Domino City had been hit by the most intense, severest winter Yuugi had ever witnessed and Atemu loathed the cold. He hated to bundle up and griped about needing too much time to peel himself out of his shawl, hat, mittens and coat as he walked into the kitchen, shivering.
“Here you are, mou hitori no boku,” Yuugi gave him a huge plate with rice, fried salmon and a bowl of miso soup. In passing, he touched his lover on the cheek, taken aback when his fingers met icy skin, despite having dressed up so heavily to face the freezing temperatures. Blankey stuck her nose into the air to sniff loudly and curled herself around Atemu’s feet. He heaved a sigh.
“Busy day today?” Sugoroku asked in general.
“I expect a lot of customers,” Yuugi answered. “Last-minute shoppers, and Kaiba announced discount prices on the previous version of the Duel Disk and its dueling software.”
“I have class and I need to visit the library,” Atemu said. “Before the Christmas break, I want to finish my paper to receive extra credit.”
Yuugi was enamored by Atemu’s passionate devotion to his studies. As he didn’t go to university himself, it was decided that Atemu should get the chance – and he had taken it with both hands. It was what he wanted and what he enjoyed very much, despite the mind-boggling amount of work he had to do. Of course, taking two studies (one master in history with focus on Ancient Egypt in particular, and one master in political science) was double the workload, and the former Pharaoh made it a sport to attain every extra credit and participate in all the curricular activities. Yuugi gazed at Atemu over the edge of his teacup, his heart beating with love and pride for his Other Self. He got distracted by his mother, talking about her meeting with a group of volunteers later today, to decorate the city with Christmas ornaments… and the next second, Atemu wiggled his legs as Blankey had put her head on his knee, staring up at him.
“What do you want, dog?” he asked, impatiently. “I have walked you and I have fed you…”
Sugoroku hid his smile behind his bowl of rice. If it weren’t for his age, he would’ve loved to walk the dog himself. “I wonder if she ever wants to go back to Honda…”
“She better be,” Atemu said. “She is too large for this household! If only she were a cat – so much more elegant, beautiful and neater!”
“Where did you walk to?” Yuugi’s mother asked, before he could launch into his infamous “cats are superior in every way” rant. Her tactics worked immediately.
“The Saikaku district,” he answered, distracted. “This reminds me, I have to call city hall to file a complaint. There is a building site… Yanagimachi Company..?”
“Yanagimachi? Aren’t they the biggest real estate developers, from affordable apartments to corporate buildings?”
“I believe they are, but they are not very professional. Actually, their building site is very dangerous,” Atemu said. “They have dug a very deep hole to lay the foundations of their recent construction, but they do not fence it off when they leave the site after business hours. With all the icy rain and snow as of late, it could create a very dangerous situation.”
Yuugi frowned. “You’re right, they should at least put up a fence or a warning sign. What if someone would fall into that hole?”
“I will make some calls later. The public should be properly notified and if the company is breaking rules, their building permit should be revoked.” Atemu helped himself to a second bowl of rice and Yuugi shoved another piece of salmon on his plate. In another thirty minutes, it was time to open the store and get to work. He looked at Atemu enjoying his breakfast, and he smiled at the sight of Blankey with her head on his knee. Every now and then Atemu tried to shove her away, but she wasn’t to be deterred and always returned, looking up at him with her big, brown eyes – unfortunately, Atemu was pretty much desensitized to it because of Yuugi using his patented puppy eyes look on him… however, it was such an adorable sight that it melted Yuugi’s heart. He kept staring at the cute scene in front of him until his mother reminded him that it was really time to get dressed and he had to hurry upstairs, otherwise he’d be too late.
It was cold, so very cold. Yuugi stuffed his hands deep inside his pockets and hopped from one foot to another while he waited for Blankey to retrieve the toy ball. The German Shepherd plowed through the heavy snow with ease and returned to him, ball firmly clenched between her jaws. Yuugi retrieved the ball and threw it again, the dog immediately racing after it. It was nice to be outside, despite the cold. It had been so busy at the Game Shop all morning that it was nice to clear his mind before returning to the store again. Blankey dropped the ball in front of him again. Yuugi checked his watch.
“We should go back,” he told the dog. “I’d like to have some lunch, too.” He put her on the leash and gave a gentle tug. Honda had raised her nicely and she was quite obedient, responding to the command and joining Yuugi’s side to return home. When he left the park, Yuugi went to the right instead of taking his usual route home. He was close to the Saikaku district and he was curious about the dangerous situation Atemu had mentioned earlier. Blankey certainly didn’t mind the extra mile. It didn’t take long for Yuugi to reach the construction site. He could immediately see why it was so dangerous: a grotesquely large pit gaped at him, the bottom already filled with icy water and looking deceivingly shallow due to the fallen snow, coating the steep sides. As it was, the Yanagimachi company had put up some ‘fences’, consisting of a few thin metal sheets, stuck haphazardly into the ground, without warning sign. Kids, or anyone else for that matter, would have no trouble entering the construction site, unaware of the actual danger they were in. He didn’t see an employee who he could call out on it. Where was everyone? Yuugi made a mental note to ask Atemu if he had called city hall yet. For now, he was going home to get lunch, warm himself and Blankey up and continue his day.
Yuugi’s mother had taken the liberty to decorate the living room with a genuine Christmas tree, in his absence. She just finished switching on the festive lights when Yuugi returned home.
“Kaa-san! I didn’t know you were vulnerable to tacky commercialism,” he teased her.
She blushed lightly. “I just want to create a cozy atmosphere.”
“Don’t worry, you succeeded,” Yuugi said. He did enjoy the decorations, it wasn’t quite traditional but not over the top either. Perhaps he should better get used to changing traditions. Anzu had emailed him pictures of the Christmas lights and trees in New York where she attended her school for the performing arts, and he had gotten an instant headache from the overwhelming intensity and brightness of the decorations. Before he returned to the store, he quickly searched out Atemu. He found him in their bedroom in the attic, behind his desk, surrounded by books and the laptop in front of him.
“Mou hitori no boku,” Yuugi said as he kissed him on the top of his head. “You’re going to break your head if you keep studying so hard.”
“I have exams coming up, right after the holiday,” Atemu said sternly. “I want to maintain my perfect score, aibou.”
“I know you do. You’re going to pass with so many flying colors that it’ll make everyone jealous. Then you’ll be no longer a Pharaoh, but Professor Atemu.”
“I still have a long way to go,” Atemu answered but he appreciated the sentiment, leaning back and pursing his lips, ready to receive a kiss… if it weren’t for Blankey jumping on top of him, unceremoniously throwing herself between them.
“Blankey!” Yuugi hadn’t seen the dog in the first place, and her quick reaction totally surprised him. Happily stuck between Yuugi and Atemu, who sighed under her weight, she allowed Yuugi to pet her.
“Stop petting her, aibou, you are confirming her behavior,” Atemu said, sounding a little out of breath. "She is not allowed to jump on top of people like that and she should be chastised, instead of being reward her with pets and hugs.”
“Sounds to me like someone is jealous,” Yuugi couldn’t help but comment.
“Jealous? Me?” Atemu protested. Yuugi used the opportunity to kiss him quickly before Blankey could intervene again.
“I have to go back to the store, I’ll talk to you later,” he said. Atemu flailed with his arms.
“You are leaving me here with this… this monster on top of me?”
“Think of her as your study buddy,” Yuugi commented and then hurried out of the room, laughing while being followed by a string of colorful Ancient Egyptian curses.
The afternoon turned out to be far, far busier than Yuugi could’ve ever imagined. He even had to call for his mother’s and Atemu’s help, to gift-wrap all the items and presents bought. After closing hour, everyone was exhausted. Sugoroku, exempt from working due to his age, decided to treat the family and called for take out: delicious and exclusive sushi and sashimi dishes, a real luxurious delicacy. Happy and with a full belly, Yuugi was all but prepared to enjoy a lazy evening at home, when a problem arose: Blankey. Usually in the evening, he and Atemu would walk the dog together, but he was so tired…
Yuugi turned to the one he loved with all his heart, so much more with every passing day. “Mou hitori no boku…” he said.
“From that tone in your voice alone, I know you want something from me,” Atemu said, “something that will involve me suffering a great deal.”
“You know me better than anyone else,” Yuugi said and batted his eyes at him. “Would you mind terribly if I skipped walking Blankey with you tonight? My feet are killing me. I’ll reward you with a massage when you come home.”
Atemu didn’t seem too overly fond of the idea; well, the massage was very tempting of course, but to go outside on his own again to walk the dog, in this cold, rough weather… it had started to snow, just very lightly and Atemu was exhausted himself. However, duty called and with a sigh, Atemu went to retrieve the leash. Blankey enthusiastically danced around him, barking in anticipation.
“Obnoxious animal,” Atemu said. “Why could you not be a cat and use a litter box?” He looked over his shoulder at Yuugi, innocently whistling. “Very well then, but I expect an amazing massage in return.”
“I promise,” Yuugi said and blew him a kiss. “You’re too cute for this world. Dress up extra warm, okay?”
Grudgingly, Atemu did as he had been told and he donned a scarf, stuffed his unruly hair under a hat, put on his mittens and added an extra scarf at the last second. Blankey didn’t waver from his side, wagging her tail furiously.
“Yeah, yeah, just a moment.” Atemu’s voice was muffled by the layers of clothing as he attached the leash to Blankey’s collar. “We are going for a short walk, though. It is so cold!”
The dog tugged at the leash eagerly. Atemu followed Blankey outside, hissing at the cold wind biting at the visible parts of his face. Just a quick walk through the Saikaku district, past the building site and back again, then he’d be done for the evening and receive a delicious massage as a reward. Atemu picked up the pace and walked briskly, even Blankey had to hurry to catch up with him, her enthusiasm diminished visibly because of the bad weather.
“Well, do your business so we can go home,” Atemu tried to encourage her when he saw the dog fussing around in the snow. He hated the cold so much and longed for the warm atmosphere of the living room with its cozy decorations and lots of scented candles. He could imagine that it wasn’t much fun to do your business outside, in this kind of temperature, so he tried to retain his patience. Blankey shook off the snow on her coat and resumed her pace, occasionally biting at a lost snowflake, fluttering in front of her face. Atemu amused himself watching his breath condense in the air as he continued his walk, when all of the sudden, Blankey tugged harshly at the leash and barked.
“What is the matter, you silly dog?” He tugged in return, trying to get her to walk into the opposite direction. Blankey was facing the construction site, barking loudly at a high pitch. Did she see someone or something? Atemu noticed the shoddy ‘fence’ (apparently someone had taken notice after his call to city hall, but this could hardly be called an improvement), but why was the dog barking? He couldn’t see a thing and it was so cold. “Come on, we are going home.”
She didn’t obey him. Instead, tugging with all her might, she forced him to enter the construction site, still barking and howling.
“No! No! Bad dog! Bad stupid dog! Home! Home!” Atemu had no choice but to follow the dog, unable to match the strength of a full-grown, young and headstrong German Shepherd dog. She dragged him towards the large pit. “What are you doing? This is the wrong way!”
He took a deep breath to scold the dog again, when he heard it. Very faint. Very childlike. A voice. He immediately fell silent and listened intently. Yes, he heard it again. Definitely a child’s voice. Here, outside in the cold… alone… at a construction site? Cautiously, he approached the pit. To make matters worse, the only light came from the street lanterns and made it difficult to see what was going on and what was in front of him. Blankey barked again. The unprofessional workers hadn’t even put up construction lights and with the falling snow, Atemu’s sight was even poorer. His heart skipped a beat as Blankey halted at the edge of the pit. No! It couldn’t be… that the child was down there? The dog dug with her front leg into the wet sand, with every intention to descend.
“No! Stay!” Atemu mentally thanked Honda for raising Blankey so well that she listened to commands issued by other people than her owner. True to his command, Blankey stayed put, but her whole body trembled, and not from the cold. Fixated on the pit, Atemu looked into the same direction and his heart skipped a beat again. A young child was down there, completely soaked from the icy rain and snow that had amassed in the pit. Crying softly, the young girl or boy had barely any strength left. Atemu didn’t hesitate for a second. He descended the slippery slope, the mud soiling his clothes, the wet sand sticking everywhere. It was hard to keep a balance but he managed to reach the bottom without sliding or falling. When he put his feet on the layer of snow, he sank until his thighs into a sea of freezing, paralyzing cold. How deep was this pit? His teeth chattered. So cold!
“Shh, shh, it is going to be alright,” he said in an attempt to soothe the child. It was a boy, skin and lips blue-ish. He had to hurry. “What is your name? Where are your parents?”
The boy didn’t answer, he simply hiccupped as the tears froze on his cheeks and chin. Atemu noticed the deep tracks behind the child, all the way down; he probably had slipped somewhere and slid down all along the steep hill, straight into the ice-cold water pooled at the bottom. Atemu waded towards him and pulled the second scarf from around his neck, thanking himself mentally for adding the extra layer. He reached the child and pulled it out of the snow. As he feared, the child’s temperature was alarmingly low, his body feeling cold and stiff.
He quickly wrapped the scarf around the boy and cradled him tightly against his chest, trying to share any possible kind of warmth. Blankey continued to bark. Atemu realized he had to climb out of the pit, but that was easier said than done. Descending had been fairly effortlessly, but getting back up? The walls were extremely slippery and he could barely feel his own legs anymore, his feet stuck into the muddy, icy water. He took a few steps forward, each step costing him tremendous amounts of energy. Trying to find his balance while still pressing the child against his chest, Atemu patted the muddy soil. Despite the freezing temperatures, it hadn’t frozen solid yet. He would sink to his elbows into the sludge, and lose his grip immediately.
He tried to think of another solution desperately. Call for help? How? He had left his cell phone at home, not thinking he would ever need the device when walking the dog. Yelling or screaming? At this hour, and with this weather, people stayed at home and nobody would hear him. He tried again, to no avail. He shifted the child’s weight onto his other arm and tried once more. Suddenly, Blankey was in front of him and sunk her teeth into his sleeve, yanking at the fabric.
“No, no, bad dog!” Atemu pushed the child towards Blankey. “The little one first,” he said sternly as the dog threw him a quizzical look. “Here!” Atemu all but shoved the young boy towards the dog and Blankey seemed to understand; she carefully sank her teeth into the jacket of the child, at the scruff of his neck, and pulled.
“Yes, yes, good dog!” Atemu complimented Blankey as the dog dragged the child up the hill with all her might. She growled and grumbled and groaned, not having much grip on the wet soil either, the continuously falling snow making it even more difficult. Atemu was worried about the dog, but even more so about the young boy; he barely moved, he didn’t cooperate and he was silent, eyes staring into nothingness. “Go on! Go on!” he urged Blankey, hoping that as soon as she would reach the top again, the dog would find someone to help the child. She was out of his sight now, and it was time to get out of this pit. Atemu tried to claw his way through the mud. His hands sank into the wet soil, large clumps sticking to his mittens and the rest of his clothes, weighing him down. There was nothing he could hold onto, nothing firm he could grasp and pull himself out of the mud. It was so cold..! Groaning in frustration, he told himself not to give up. He couldn’t give up, he had to get out of this horrible pit! He didn’t know how much time has passed when Blankey popped up in front of him again, grabbing him by his sleeve anew.
Atemu was glad to see the dog, until a fearful thought hit him. “Did you not bring the child back to safety?” he asked, exasperated. He couldn’t believe Blankey abandoning the young boy at the construction site, just to come back for him! “Stupid dog,” he muttered but there was no vehemence in his voice. The child was hypothermic and in need of medical assistance. How could Blankey just leave him up there? Wait… he could send the dog for a message, couldn’t he? “Aibou,” Atemu sighed, the usual fondness clear and obvious in his voice despite the stress of the situation, “go get him… get him!”
Blankey yanked so hard at his sleeve that he could hear the fabric rip. Atemu heaved another sigh. His strength was depleting rapidly. It was so cold… he was so tired… every inch he moved, he slipped back two inches, and every little movement took out so much energy and effort. His clothes were wet and heavy from the mud and his body was starting to feel numb. He could barely feel his legs, or his feet anymore… “Goddamn cold,” he muttered to himself and when Blankey tugged at him once more, he all but pushed the dog away. “No! Aibou!”
Was it because of his harsh voice or did the dog truly understand she needed to get help? Atemu blinked. Blankey was gone. It was silent as a grave while he was struggling to get out of the pit. He had very little strength left and he realized he was lying face down in the mud. It was touching his skin, cold yet soothing, and he noticed his breath, fleeing away from him in small puffs. Yuugi would be here soon. Blankey would get help for him and the child. It was going to be alright. He sure hoped it wouldn’t take long, because he still was looking forward to that massage. Yuugi’s hands on him. Yuugi’s warm hands on him, as always every movement gentle and filled with love. They had loved each other from the moment they laid eyes upon each other. Maybe it didn’t feel like ‘love’ in the beginning, when they first met – but how strange could a relationship start when your first memory was being woken up from a millennia long slumber by a young, bullied boy? His first act hadn’t been to ask the boy’s name, but to take revenge on the bully, and on everyone who dared to touch or hurt his vessel, his… everything…
At the start, they had hidden it from their friends as it was an awkward situation to begin with, sharing a body and all, and there was always that crippling fear of having to say goodbye, especially when Atemu’s memories became clearer and clearer, and everything was gearing towards that Ceremonial Duel… his return to the Afterlife… Despite his fatigue and his precarious situation, Atemu smiled. The Ceremonial Duel had changed their lives. He had never been so happy as to lose a duel before; yes, he wanted to see his friends and family in the Afterlife, but they could wait just a little longer. The Gods granted him a body as recognition for the sacrifices he had made, and he had flung himself into Yuugi’s arms, laughing and crying, as they could be together, finally, for the rest of their lives.
Atemu squinted. A small light shone upon his face. Yuugi..? Blankey had really understood him and had gotten help! The sound of rustling fabric reached his ears. Confused, he strained to lift his head up. Someone kneeled in front of him, a tall man dressed in Ancient Egyptian attire carrying the regalia of a Pharaoh, his wise eyes resting upon him.
“F-father?” Atemu’s voice was breathless.
“My son,” the man answered, visibly emotional.
“Father!” Atemu’s smile widened and he commanded all his energy to lift up his right arm. “Help me, father!”
“My son.” Akunamukanon didn’t take his hand, but reached for his face instead. A soft, warm gust of wind caressed Atemu’s cheek. “My heart bleeds. I cannot help you, as I cannot touch you in the mortal world.” Another gust of warm, gentle wind. “You are so strong, my son. You do not need my help. No matter how much I long to take you into my arms, your place is not yet with me. Not for a very long time to come.”
“I do not understand, father…” Atemu tried to get closer. “I am not strong… I am afraid..! Is this another one of your tests? Have I failed the previous one?”
“My son, you have never failed me.” Akunamukanon shook his head as he smiled at him, slowly fading away. “Remember my words. I am so proud of you.”
“Father!” Atemu cried out, he yelled, he shouted until his voice was hoarse, but Akunamukanon didn’t come back. Had he imagined seeing his father? Was he hallucinating? He had to. He was going into shock from the cold, wasn’t he..? Atemu clenched his hands into fists, trying to move forward with renewed energy, but to no avail. His fingers were too cold and cramped to do anything.
“My Pharaoh,” another voice called out to him. A strong voice, filled with loyalty and dedication. “I have never doubted you for a moment.”
Atemu knew who was speaking even before looking up. “Mahaado,” he breathed his name and shivered, not from the brutal cold, but from the bright, warm light surrounding his friend, with such fierce protection and devotion that he could almost touch it. “Help me, Mahaado.”
“My Pharaoh,” the magician spoke lovingly, yet sad. “I cannot help you. I am not of this world...”
“Please, do not say such cruel things…”
“It is not my place to take you with me, no matter how much I would,” Mahaado said. “I will wait for you, my Pharaoh. I will always be with you, no matter what.”
“Please, do not leave me!” Atemu begged as the light surrounding Mahaado started to fade. Desperately, he crawled towards him. The magician smiled, albeit with forlornness.
“I am always by your side,” he answered. “One day, I will greet you properly at your court again, my Pharaoh.”
“Please..!” Atemu yelled, but Mahaado was gone and he collapsed. He had no more strength left. He couldn’t give up, he didn’t want to give up… but his body was giving out on him, everything felt so cold, so numb… He was going to freeze to death here. It was so dark… where had the light gone to? Why was it so silent? Maybe… did he hear something, a voice, in the far distance? Maybe… was there a light on his face, at the edge of darkness? Maybe… he didn’t know. He couldn’t feel it. He couldn’t see it. His eyes slid close.
“Mou hitori no boku…”
He recognized that voice. It was a voice he knew all too well, and Atemu turned his head into the direction it came from, tiredly and slowly.
“Aibou…” was that his own voice? So hoarse? He coughed and immediately, a glass of lukewarm water was pressed to his lips. He sipped gratefully.
“Open your eyes, mou hitori no boku, please…” Why did Yuugi sound so strained? So grief-stricken? Atemu didn’t understand. He didn’t understand either why it was so hard to open his eyes. Everything took so much effort, and all he wanted to do was to sleep… finally, he opened his eyes and blinked weakly. Yuugi turned around from putting the glass of water back on the nightstand, and he grabbed Atemu’s right hand, holding it between his own. He didn’t recognize the dimly lit room.
“Where are we, aibou?”
“The hospital,” Yuugi said and lowered his eyes. He squeezed Atemu’s hand gently, avoiding his gaze. It was confusing. Atemu wanted to say something but it was hard to form a coherent thought and to come up with the right words… and there was some kind of weight on his lower body, he couldn’t tilt his head far enough to see what it was. The only thing he could see right now, were the tears blinking in Yuugi’s eyes.
“Aibou…”
“I’m sorry I was so selfish, mou hitori no boku,” Yuugi blurted out. “If only I had gone with you, none of this would’ve happened!”
“What happened..?”
“You don’t remember?” Yuugi sounded shocked. Worriedly, he gazed at Atemu. “You’re tired,” he concluded, a little relieved. “You haven’t rested enough.” He draped the warm blankets around him and kissed him on top of his head. “Sleep, my Pharaoh.” It was the last thing Atemu heard as his fatigue got the better of him, and he sank back into a safe, sound slumber.
When he opened his eyes again, much easier this time, Atemu could still feel that weight on his body and he craned his neck a little. It wasn’t Yuugi, but Blankey: she was lying on top of him, her head, front paws and torso on his legs. As soon as Atemu shifted his position, the dog looked up and stared at him, letting out a weird, soft howl.
“Silly dog,” Atemu said, “what are you doing here?” He moved his hand on top of Yuugi’s head, petting his hair. His Other Self had fallen asleep in an awkward, painful looking position in his chair next to the bed, his hands clutching the blankets. So this was a hospital room; it was quite spacious and comfortable, as far as he could see. On the nightstand next to him was a huge bouquet of flowers, with a card attached to it. He couldn’t read it from where he was lying, so he let it be. A shiver of cold went through him. Cold… snow… what happened? The last thing he remembered, was taking the dog for a walk. Bad weather…the construction site… “The child,” Atemu suddenly gasped. The young boy! Had he survived? His brusque movement woke up Yuugi, jerking him out of his sleep.
“Aibou,” Atemu said and he only had a second to draw his next breath as Yuugi wrapped his arms around him extremely tightly, burying his head in the crook of his neck. Atemu returned the gesture, his arms around Yuugi, fondly stroking his hair. Yuugi wasn’t crying, but no words were spoken at this point; they were simply drinking in each other’s presence, absorbing each other, hugging and cuddling under Blankey’s watchful eyes; not even the dog choose to break up this moment between them.
“You were so cold when we found you,” Yuugi said, his voice slightly muffled. “I thought… I thought you weren’t going to make it. You were barely responsive, and what you said was in Ancient Egyptian. We pulled you out of the mud… I was so afraid that you might lose a limb, or even worse… it was a miracle that you climbed out so far of that pit yourself, mou hitori no boku. You were halfway.”
“I climbed..?” Atemu remembered the slippery hill and constantly losing his grip, struggling to get even an inch forward. He had lost count of the times that he slipped after having fought to hard to gain a couple of millimeters. His father… Mahaado… he subconsciously tightened his grip on Yuugi, who didn’t protest. “I do not remember much, aibou… it was so cold indeed…”
“Mou hitori no boku…” Yuugi pecked him on the cheek. “There’s someone who really, really wants to meet you.”
“Alright.” Atemu nodded, even though he wasn’t really looking forward to a visitor; he wanted to spend time with his loved one. Yuugi broke up the hug reluctantly, and he went to retrieve the visitor: he stuck his head outside the door to beckon someone in. Atemu didn’t recognize the man, followed by a woman, but the young boy on her arm definitely rang a bell.
The couple moved to the side of his bed and bowed to him deeply. “Thank you so much for saving our Shusaku-kun,” the man said, his voice trembling. “We’re sorry for causing you so much inconvenience, Mutou-sama. Please forgive us! I was working late and my wife was on her way to pick me up from the office… and when she passed the building site, Shusaku-kun wandered off faster than she could react and before she knew it, he had slipped down the slope, into the pit…”
“It was not your fault,” Atemu said, glad to see the child with blushing cheeks and clear, bright eyes. “The construction workers failed to properly fence off the area.”
“If it hadn’t been for you walking your dog,” the woman took over, “Shusaku-kun would’ve perished from the cold. I tried to go after him, but I couldn’t make my way down. I decided to get help, praying that my son would survive long enough…”
“She walked barefoot to the next district to get help,” Yuugi provided. “Cell phone reception in that area didn’t work properly either, and in the time it took her to find someone at that hour and alert the authorities, Blankey arrived at the Game Shop, carrying Shusaku-kun. I immediately knew something was wrong, and ran after her… only to see you lying face down on that slope, in the mud, not moving at all… I was so scared!”
“You saved our child,” the man said. “For this, we can’t thank you enough.”
“Please come visit us when you have recovered,” the woman said and she bowed to him again, her voice loaded with tears. “You will honor us greatly, Mutou-sama.” They said their goodbyes and Shusaku waved at him, safe and warm in his mother’s arms. When the family was gone, Yuugi quickly searched out Atemu’s embrace again.
“I should’ve gone with you,” he repeated. “I was so selfish! Yes, I was tired, but so were you… I just didn’t feel like going outside, so I pressured you into doing it... I’m so sorry, mou hitori no boku. How can I ever make this up to you?”
“You still owe me a massage,” Atemu said.
“I know.” Yuugi smiled at him. “You’ll receive one, and many more, once we’re back home.”
“When can we go home?”
“As soon as the doctor gives you a clean bill of health. You had hypothermia, and we had to warm you up very slowly to restore your core temperature. I watched you all night, keeping you warm under the blankets… and you have a very special blanket, as you’ve undoubtedly seen…”
Atemu snorted, but it lacked its usual effect. Blankey didn’t seem impressed either; she kept her head still, but her gaze never left Atemu. “So far, everything looks fine, and I’m assuming you’ll be released later this afternoon.” Even though Yuugi’s voice sounded optimistic, he looked downtrodden. “It’ll be Christmas Eve this evening, and thanks to my selfishness you can’t enjoy it properly…”
“Who says I cannot?” Atemu cuddled him closer. “I do not know what you had planned, but we can still enjoy it..?”
“I hadn’t made any definitive plans yet,” Yuugi said. “I wanted to use the time you were away walking the dog, to think about what we could do together. I wanted to make it extra special, as this is our first Christmas… and look how I’ve ruined it…”
“Please stop, aibou… it was not your fault. We are all safe and sound, and we are going to celebrate Christmas Eve together.” Atemu searched for another topic, as to not pile up on Yuugi’s feelings of guilt. “The flowers,” he said, “did you..?”
“No, they’re from Yanigimachi,” Yuugi said. “A representative delivered them personally, and he wanted to talk to you too, to offer apologies for their bad business… it was a string of mishaps and miscommunications, or so he claimed. I send him away.”
Atemu reclined into the pillows. “It can wait. As long as they have taken precautions now…”
“The building site has been properly fenced off, don’t worry,” Yuugi said. “No one can fall into that horrible pit anymore.” He kissed him on the cheek. “I’ll get you something to eat. You slept through breakfast and I’m sure you’re hungry.” He broke up the embrace and straightened himself. “Oh! By the way, Blankey hasn’t left your side since you’re in the hospital. She refuses to leave your bed, but if she’s too much of a bother to you…”
“Leave the silly dog,” Atemu said. “If it had not been for her, I would not have heard the child crying.”
Yuugi patted his hand. “I’ll be right back.” He left the room and Atemu was alone, surrounded by silence. He didn’t mind. He felt pretty okay, warm and cozy in bed. Now that Yuugi was gone, Blankey took the opportunity to shift her position and she got up, only to drape herself all over Atemu, putting her head on his chest and looking at him with her large, beautiful eyes. He brought up his hand to gently pet her.
“Thank you for saving the child,” he said. “You are not a silly dog after all.”
She made a low, grumbling noise, licked her lips and bumped her nose against his chin, then put her head back on his chest. Content, she settled into her new position and it was obvious she wasn’t going to move anytime soon.
“You are heavy,” Atemu said but he didn’t tell her to leave and he didn’t push her away. Instead, his hand remained on her body, petting and stroking her fur. When Yuugi returned with a tray filled with food, he found the both of them asleep, softly snoring in sync; warm, safe and sound.
