Adult-FanFiction.org : Yu-Gi-OH

Mistaken Assumptions	By : tavia454 Category: Yu-Gi-Oh > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 17844 -:- Recommendations : 3 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh, I make no money off this story! Bummer!

Chapter List
- 17
- 18
- 19
AN (voice is muffled by bomb
shelter): For all those who think that the Pharaoh gave in a little
too easily, yeah, you're right. He did, but in his defense his mind
is definitely elsewhere at the moment. He'll figure himself out
eventually, right now he has one goal in mind. As for Yugi, he's also
going to be a little OOC in this chap (and the ones to come) but come
on, one person can only take so much shit and he hasn't regained his
balance from all that he's learned over the past couple of months.

Do not worry though, they'll
get it together here soon enough. (grins) enjoy!

Thank you to Reniaya88027 for
her awesome beta skills! And to Natoya for her input on their
characterizations.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Frustrated beyond belief at the
way fate seemed to want to toy with him and his friends Jou paced the
confines of his sitting chamber, straightening various objects as he
moved about. He could not have sat still if his life depended on it
right now and he knew it – his thoughts were just as chaotic
as his random, automatic motions, replaying the scene in the throne
room over and over again without answering any of his questions.

He
shifted a vase on one of the side tables uselessly, visions of
crystal clear cobalt eyes floating through his consciousness even as
he tried to deny their existence. What were the Egyptians doing here?
What could they possibly...his thoughts changed track focusing on one
person in particular. What was he
doing here? The Pharaoh's majestic presence he could somewhat
understand. Well, a little anyways.

Sighing forlornly, the
frustrated blonde trekked back across the room, moving a couple more
knick-knacks on his way through. The Egyptian monarch's recent
appearance in the throne room had something to do with that
beautifully crafted bracelet that his young sovereign was still
attempting – and failing miserably – to hide. He would
have staked his life on it.

But he didn't quite understand
the gorgeous trinket's ties to their current crisis, as Yugi had
preferred to pretend that the intricate piece of jewelry decorating
his arm did not exist, as did everyone else in the palace apparently.
He knew, though, that it was linked closely with the Egyptian royal's
sudden presence.

But
that still didn't explain
his presence.
There was no reason for the High Priest to ever set foot in Hyksos
again. He had no ties binding him here, nothing keeping him from
staying safe and secure in his homeland. What was he here for? What
could he possibly want? Unless, of course, the Pharaoh had coerced
him into coming along.

Jou nodded his head along with
the idea. Yeah, that was it. The Pharaoh had ordered him to come
along. But then why...? Confused, he growled, palming his head in
frustration, and pulling a few stray hairs out as his hands came away
from his head. Why did he have the sinking feeling that this was not
going to end well for either him or his friends?

Another hopeless sigh escaped
his lips. Possibly because they lost every time they went up against
the Egyptians. It wasn't fair! Why couldn't the lot of them just
leave him and his friends alone? His friends! Suddenly, feeling much
like an idiot for forgetting about the others in his panic, Jou
palmed his head again.

He should have been with them,
going over plans to keep the Egyptians out of Hyksos and offering
comfort. He had seen the expression on Yugi's face when his sovereign
confronted the Pharaoh. His younger half-brother had been devastated.
He should be with him right now. But no, instead he was up here,
hiding away from his problems, trying to deny their existence –
again.

At
that mental statement he paused in his introspection. His friends
were more than likely doing the same thing as him, denying and
avoiding their current crisis. But he wouldn't know because the group
had split not long after the confrontation in the throne room. He
forcefully bit back a couple of choice words with that reminder.
There had been a time where they went to each other for
comfort and advice, but that time was long since gone.

Ever since his
sovereign had returned the group was split up more often than not,
dealing with their problems silently, alone.

In his preoccupation, Jou
failed to see the low table situated directly in his path, slamming
right into it with his leg. “Oh! Son of – !” He
hopped around on one foot, rubbing at the newly forming bruise on his
shin, the beginnings of tears in his eyes as he cursed up a storm at
his inattentiveness. Oh that smarted!

The doors to his chamber slid
open on him mid-hop, admitting a pair of the palace guards –
who both chose not to comment on their prince's unusual dance, but
not without a couple of raised brows. “Your Highness,”
One of them hid his laughter behind a respectful voice as they both
lowered their heads to hide their mirth. “We've brought some
entertainment for you, compliments of Advisor Solomon. Enjoy.”

And then they threw the third
person, whom they had been holding between them, carelessly into the
chamber, closing the doors behind them before Jou could so much as
set his injured leg down. The person muttered an virulent oath as he
hit the floor face first and Jou was torn between the need to cry
from his own injury and the desire to laugh at this new person's
graceless entry into his chamber.

So, instead, he rubbed one more
time at the tender bruise, gingerly setting his foot back on the
floor as he proceeded to study the newcomer. The stranger picked
himself carefully up off the floor, casually dusting his torn hands
off on his pants and drawing Jou's attention to his unusual outfit.

Exquisitely dressed in a style
more fitting to a royal concubine than a simple servant, the man's
slender, tanned figure was shown off to a gorgeous perfection in the
blinding white, almost see-through, daringly low-cut harem pants and
a matching jeweled brocade half-vest that barely fit the expanse of
his chest, part of a large tattoo visible on his back where the two
materials refused to meet.

But Yugi did not allow
concubines, so this sight didn't make the least bit of sense and Jou
found himself wracking his brain for an answer to this stranger's
presence.

Atemu swore roughly as the
palms of his hands came into contact with the polished stone
flooring. What was with all the people man-handling him today? First
the ladies in the bathing chamber nearly drowned him in their
zealousness, now the guards thought he was a leather ball much like
the children in the villages played with and threw around all day
long. As he pushed himself to his feet the Pharaoh's gaze narrowed in
on a polished piece of silver standing in the corner of the chamber –
a mirror.

And he gaped stupidly at his
reflection unable to come up with a comment suitable. Oh no! No way,
not in this life! Atemu fumed as he caught his first glimpse of the
outfit that the ladies had stuffed him into earlier. He looked like a
whore. And then he caught sight of another's reflection in the
polished metal, his hair standing up on end. What was that old man up
to? Why did he have him thrown inside this chamber with some unknown
–

The Pharaoh stiffened, a stray
thought crossing his mind concerning these new, rather revealing
clothes and this unknown roommate. He would not play whore to some
random noble for the sake of appeasing the elderly man's offended
sensibilities. He wouldn't. And if that's what the old man
thought...Instantly wary Atemu adopted a defensive stance, turning to
face this newest threat.

An elegant blonde brow cocked
ever so slightly as Jou took in the other's peculiar attitude. This
stranger looked oddly familiar for the brief glimpse that he had
caught of the other's face though the mirror. But what manner of
person was this that held no knowledge of their customs, or of his
status as prince? The blonde was about to open his mouth and make a
comment to that effect when the stranger turned and faced him fully.

It
was then that Jou finally realized why this man seemed so familiar.
He had seen those intense scarlet eyes three times before –
twice in the week before his friend was stolen away, and then again
in the throne room only moments before. His eyes narrowed on this
stranger, as
the fury built up in his chest.

“You!!”
He snarled as he tore off across the room, paying no mind to his
earlier injury.

Atemu was fast, but he was no
match for an irate Jou as he attempted – rather
unsuccessfully – to evade the blow headed his direction. It
caught him in the chin and knocked him back to the floor. The Pharaoh
rolled once and scrambled back to his feet, cursing as he wiped the
blood from his lip.

Now he recognized his blonde
roommate. This was the man who had blocked his little one from his
view that night that he had first met Yugi. Prince Jou, he believed
was the blonde's name and rank. His High Priest's lover. Atemu's face
turned white. Shit! Double shit! Seto was so going to beat him when
this was over.

Another punch was thrown in his
direction and he dodged it, countering with a blow of his own,
catching the blonde in the stomach and knocking the wind out of him.
He didn't have time for this shit! He needed to get to his little
one, not irritate his high priest by beating on his lover. He needed
to make Yugi understand that he had made a mistake, a terrible,
terrible mistake. One that he would never make again in his life.
Perhaps if he reasoned with the blonde...

“Prince
Jou – ” But Atemu didn't have a chance to voice his
request as another fist flew straight at him, this time catching him
in the side of his face, knocking him flat on his back. He scrambled
to his feet once again, only to have his opponent begin to pummel on
him with no reprieve. He managed to block most of the blows, but the
occasional ones that slipped through his guard managed to do some
damage.

Jou landed yet another blow
against the side of his opponent's face. He couldn't believe that he
had not immediately recognized the one person responsible for the
drastic changes in his younger brother's personality in the past
weeks since his return. The one person who had ruined their lives –
his, Yugi's, especially Yugi's, Ryou's and Malik's. This was the
person responsible for their torment. And he intended on taking his
frustrations out on his hide.

“Prince
Jou, wait – ” Atemu cried as he blocked yet another fist
headed his direction.

But Jou was beyond hearing –
or listening – he threw his punches in a frenzy. He had
heard all his life that the Pharaoh was an outstanding combatant, but
he was rather good in a fight as well and for a while the two of them
wordlessly traded blows, Jou hitting the ground once or twice.
Finally, as he was getting winded Jou landed a lucky punch that
dropped his opponent to the ground.

“Damn
it!” Atemu hit the ground face first for the second time that
day and he promptly picked himself back up again. His strength was
fading fast and he knew it, but he had no idea how to stop the fight.

He couldn't believe that he was
being bested in a fight with an amateur. Never before had he come up
against someone this determined, this furious. Even Pegasus's
superior skills were eclipsed by the blonde's rage. Not that he was
truly out to hurt his opponent, for he knew damn well that if he hurt
Prince Jou then Seto would be after his hide – and the priest
had trained with him. He knew how punishingly hard Seto's blows were.

He needed to stop this madness
and find his little one. To get to Yugi...somehow. And he would
convince the boy to come back to him. He had to. His sanity, his very
life depended on this one task. He couldn't sleep, he wasn't eating
right. He needed his little one by his side, just as their vows
decreed. He wouldn't let the old man or this young whelp stand
between them.

“Enough!
This is getting us nowhere!” Atemu adopted a defensive stance
as he glanced discreetly around the chamber for something to use as a
shield until he could get through to his rival. There was no
reasoning with him right now and he truly didn't want to cause the
blonde harm.

While Atemu was looking for a
way to end the fight without having to worry about his priest's
retribution Jou charged again, this time with the intentions of
taking the arrogant Pharaoh to the ground with him and keeping him
there. The two of them landed in a heap on the floor and he
immediately took over the superior position, raining blows down on
the petite Egyptian ruler's exposed face and arms.

“I
hate you!” He snarled, not allowing the smaller man time to do
anything more than attempt to block the blows that were coming his
way. “You stole my friend, you stole him! And when we finally
get him back...what did you do to him?! Huh? Tell me! How could you
do this?! How could you?! You and your damn priests! I hate all of
you!”

“Prince
Jou! Wait – ” Atemu dodged as best he could, protecting
himself from the worst of the blows with his hands, but he could do
no more than that as the lanky blonde gave him no time to counter
with a shot of his own. The enraged prince was just too much for him.
If he couldn't think of a way out of this he was as good as dead.

Unknown to the two combatants
the door to the chamber creaked warningly as an elderly voice called
out, “Jou...Jou?! What in the...?!”

The sounds of scuffling feet
were heard as the two combatants paused in their efforts. And then
the lanky blonde was suddenly ripped from his position on top of
Atemu. The battered Pharaoh shot to his feet, wiping the blood away
from his swollen lip as he glared icily at his aggressor. But he
wasn't able to get more than an arm's length away as he too was
snatched up by the collar and shaken roughly.

“Enough!
Both of you! Jou, what did I tell you about fighting? Did we not
address this issue sufficiently the last time?!” Solomon
snarled, at his wit's ends with the younger royal's shenanigans. And
then he turned his sights on Atemu once the blonde hung his head in
shame, temporarily subdued. “And you – ” He hissed.
“You, of all people, ought to know better than to lower
yourself to the standards of a commoner!”

Atemu opened his mouth to
explain that he hadn't exactly been given a choice in the matter, but
the elderly man continued to rant at them without drawing a breath,
not allowing him the chance to redeem himself. The Pharaoh could
clearly recall Yugi saying once that his grandfather could be a
tyrant – and he had dealt with the man's duplicate enough to
sense that the old man had hit his boiling point.

“This
is...this is...” Unable to come up with a suitable remark the
elderly man finally let go of the two of them, growling, “March!
We are going to deal with this issue now!”

Atemu snarled at the
unmistakable command, but with the additional guards that surrounded
the pair of them the moment the Siamun duplicate stepped away he was
unable to do more than that. He glared at the elderly man, holding
his head high as he was marched out the door right along with his
attacker, each with a guard at their elbow to make certain that they
entertained no ideas of escape.

The group was led through the
halls and into another wing of the palace altogether. There they
stopped before a large set of ostentatious double doors that marked
the royal suite. One of the guards pulled on the set of doors and the
group entered what appeared to be a rather large, garishly ornamented
sitting room.

“You
may leave us now. My men can handle it from here.” Solomon
ushered the palace guards out of the chamber with a casual flick of
his hand, nodding to his personal guards to take their place. It
wasn't that he didn't trust them yet...he just didn't
trust them.
And rightly so after what he had just witnessed. He swore that he had
ordered the men to hand the Pharaoh over to Yugi, not Jou. This was a
disaster.

Once the palace guards were
clear of the room he turned the evil eye towards the two miscreants
that he had caught fighting earlier. “Jou – you are
already in trouble with me for your actions from earlier. Did you not
think that I would find out about this?”

“No
sir.” The blonde continued to hang his head, almost ashamed of
himself for his moment of weakness, as the man he knew as his
grandfather continued to rant at him for his unseemly behavior.

Once
again he had managed to disappoint his mentor, not that he truly
cared at the moment since Solomon seemed to have switched sides
rather easily. It didn't matter, he was going to get it for this
little stunt. He had known that there were other ways of dealing with
the Pharaoh's unexpected, unwanted presence. But this way had been so
satisfying..so
satisfying.

And he honestly couldn't help
the smirk that slipped across his features in the face of the elderly
man's apoplectic rant.

Letting
out a long suffering sigh when he sensed that he had lost his
charge's attention the elderly man changed the direction of his
lecture, hoping for a better response. “And you! Pharaoh Atemu,
you have only been in the palace for a couple of hours and already
you are causing dissent. What makes you think that I will even allow
you near my grandson when you exhibit such unseemly behavior?”

Wait,
he is blaming this on...Atemu's
protest died on his lips at the mention of Yugi, finally realizing
that the old man was hinting that if he didn't get his approval then
he would not be allowed the privilege of his little one's company.
His temper started to boil over at the insinuation, until his
conscience spoke up and reminded him that he had
given up that right when he had viciously raped and ridiculed his
beautiful little lover.

His defiance crumbled at the
reminder and he too hung his head right along with his attacker, not
even offering a word in his defense.

“ –
and
furthermore, there will be no more confrontations of the physical
kind!” Solomon had worked himself into an all out fury with the
lack of response from the guilty parties. “Pharaoh Atemu and
Prince Jou you will both submit willingly to your punishment or you
shall be banished from Hyksos! Do you understand me? I have had it
with these rebellious attitudes lately – ”

Two heads shot up, two sets of
alarmed eyes gazed back at the elderly man as he continued to rant.
Banishment? Permanently? Atemu's gaze hardened and he dropped to the
floor in a low bow. Was that what the elderly man wanted? His total
submission? His humiliation? Then he would get it. Anything just for
the chance to speak with his little one again. If he had to earn the
old man's respect, then so be it, he would do it and not speak a word
against it.

Gods...Yugi,
I need you by my side...anything...just to see you...

“Please
forgive me, your – ” Atemu started to speak, startled
when the blonde he had been caught fighting with knelt to the ground
as well, murmuring his own apology for his behavior.

“Please
forgive me, Grandfather. I – ”

Solomon only shook his head,
cutting the both of them off. “ – Pharaoh Atemu, I have
often looked upon your reign as something for Yugi and the Hyksos
council to emulate. But you have a temper that needs addressed. Jou,
you as well. This is not the behavior I expect from those whom I and
my brother have raised. The choice is yours Pharaoh, but I warn you
that I shall do everything in my power to keep you from Yugi should
you defy my authority.”

Atemu raised his head, his
narrowed gaze locked with that of the elderly advisor's, assessing
his sincerity. What he saw didn't surprise him one bit. The old man
would stick by his word, and to make matters worse he probably had
the backing of the High Council. What choice did he have? There
wasn't one, was there? Either submit to whatever the old man had in
mind and keep it to himself or run the risk of never seeing his
little one again. No, there was no choice at all.

It was then that his conscience
kicked him with a vengeance. Hadn't he done worse to his little one?
What was the worst that this old man could do? Nothing more than
Shadi had done to him. If the old man thought he had him beaten with
this threat alone he had another thing coming. He might lose this
round, but he would win this war, and he would have Yugi by his side
when he left.

His mind made up Atemu nodded
only once as he rose from his position, glancing at the blonde only
to receive a glare as the other set his jaw stubbornly. Was that the
way this was going to be? “Very well then. Shall we get on with
whatever it is you think you have the right to do with us?”

Solomon bristled at the younger
royal's cavalier attitude, a tick in the side of his cheek the only
outward sign of his anger. He nodded once at his guards and they
surrounded the two younger royals, dragging them over to where a row
of hooks were attached to the stone walls. They bound the teens'
hands together and looped the ropes over the hooks, leaving the two
of them stretched up on the balls of their feet with their faces to
the wall.

“Ah
yes, it seems as though my son-in-law – may he rest in the
deepest, fiery pits of the afterlife – may have made some
useful changes to this chamber after all.” Solomon quipped as
he selected a suitable leather strap from the many in his wardrobe.

“I
am not harsh in my treatment of my charges, Pharaoh Atemu, but I do
expect certain rules to be obeyed for safety's sake. And one of them
is no fighting. The other is that you are to treat those around you
with the same respect that you ask from them. The two of you will
apologize
to each other...and you will
mean it.”

“Bullshit.”
Jou muttered beneath his breath, his protest catching Atemu's
attention and the Pharaoh turned to give him a questioning look.
Something was not right.

The first snap of leather
caught the blonde by surprise and he bowed with the force of the
blow, his breath hissing through his teeth. The second snap had Atemu
wishing that he had never agreed to the bargain in the first place.
Both teens kept their mouths tightly closed, refusing to speak the
needed words, from guilt as much as stubbornness.

By the fourth blow –
which had caught Atemu on his upper thigh – he was pissed and
ready to explode. He glanced over at his blonde attacker to find that
the other was trembling fiercely with the need to vent his anger at
their strap-wielding tormentor, muttering his dark curses well
beneath the elderly man's hearing.

The Pharaoh sensed that this
was an ongoing quarrel between the two men and that the situation
would only spiral out of control if no one else intervened. According
to Yugi, Jou might have a temper but that he was one to vent quickly
and forgive just as easily. This sounded more to him like the blonde
had some pent up anger that needed to be released or he was going to
blow.

Did he really want to be the
cause of that – with as much as he was already responsible
for? Seto was already going to kill him for his part in this farce.
But to just give in went against everything that he stood for. Atemu
gritted his teeth, wishing that, for once, someone else would take
the decision out of his hands.

Solomon took turns between the
two of them, feeling a particular need to vent his anger through this
beating. He knew he should not have brought his anger into it, that
this was merely supposed to be a lesson, but he was so frustrated
with the both of them at this moment. So frustrated.

Jou should have been by Yugi's
side after the confrontation with the Egyptians, offering comfort and
taking comfort from the others, but he wasn't. Instead he was being
an obstinate recluse, locking himself away in his chambers. Well that
was going to end. He'd had just about enough of the blonde's
mulishness. It was time he learned to talk through his problems, not
take them out of the first person unlucky enough to cross his path on
a bad day.

And
as for Pharaoh Atemu, well he had a score to settle with this young
man. The arrogant Egyptian ruler was the cause of all this dissent
amongst his charges. He would
apologize, that was all there was to it. And he would never again
subject any of the boys to his temper.

Again the strip of leather
caught Jou's thigh and the blonde whistled through his teeth, his
resolve to go peacefully along with the elderly man's plan falling to
the wayside in the wake of this humiliating beating. Why was he
always the failure? Why was he the one to catch the brunt of
everyone's anger? Did no one other than he ever make mistakes? He
would not apologize, not to either of them. They didn't deserve it.
Neither of them would apologize to him if given the same chance.

The leather sailed again and
this time it was his enemy who caught the blow, the reprieve as well
as the other's pain giving way to the slightly deranged smile
crossing Jou's face. Perhaps he could drag this out so as to cause
his tormentor as much pain as possible. If he could hold out, then
that would be one good thing to come of this beating.

But, as Jou's thoughts were
centered inward, Atemu's eyes were on his aggressor, watching the
myriad of expressions cross his face. The leather strap curled around
his back and the already battered Pharaoh bowed silently with the
pain. This was ludicrous. It needed to end, now. He would not be
responsible for the damage to the psyche of his friend's lover. Yeah,
Seto was going to kill him.

Again the strap found its mark
on the blonde's back, the old man not realizing the damage he was
inflicting on his charge.

“Alright!”
Atemu shouted after the leather had sailed once again in his
direction, deciding that he would indeed play the coward for the sake
of Yugi's friend, for his High Priest's lover. He would not be
responsible for the breaking of such spirit – indirectly or
otherwise. “I am sorry! For all the damage I have caused to
Yugi and to you Prince Jou, to the entire Hyksos royal house, I am
sorry.”

Jou's head snapped around at
the Pharaoh's seemingly truthful words, his jaw nearly hitting the
floor. He had thought it would be up to him to end their beating –
and he wanted to prolong the other's agony as long as possible before
he did it. But to hear those words spill from the other man's mouth,
he was shocked.

He
glanced up to find those piercing scarlet eyes trained on his. He
held the other's gaze momentarily, judging him for the truth of his
words, thinking that perhaps the Pharaoh was merely a coward. But as
he studied the other's expression he saw only a deep-seated worry and
regret. Damn.
“I'm sorry as well, Pharaoh. I was in the wrong.”

Solomon lowered his make-shift
weapon. “This was all I asked for.” He motioned for his
guards to cut the two down and as it was done the two former
troublemakers dropped to the floor. He ignored the fiery glares both
teens aimed at him as he directed his men to carry them to their
chambers, this time making certain that the men followed his orders
precisely.

He didn't want a repeat of the
scene that he had walked into earlier. There was enough upheaval in
this place without intentional mistakes, such as this last one, added
to it.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Unlike Jou's inability to
remain still Yugi stood, completely motionless, as he stared off into
the silence of the room, gathering his thoughts after the unexpected
confrontation in the throne room. Oh gods, he wanted so badly just to
break down and cry. Ate..no, he would not even think that name, never
think that name...the Pharaoh, oh gods he looked so good without his
crown. So beautiful...damn it!

It was odd to see the Egyptian
sovereign without that particular affectation of royalty clinging to
his brow, but it seemed as though its absence took years off of his
former lover's exotic features and he couldn't get over how stunning
the other had looked without it, staring up at him with those
gorgeous scarlet eyes, almost pleadingly. If only he could...

“Gah!
Stop it!” Yugi snarled as he made to grab a handful of hair,
only to catch his fingers on the edge of his own crown. He snatched
it off his head and flung it to the ground, slightly satisfied with
the metallic clang that it made as it met with the polished stone
flooring, only to jump as the doors to his chamber opened suddenly on
his outburst.

“What
is the meaning – ” He started to ask of the guards who
marched into the room, but he cut himself off, his mouth hanging open
as he realized that they were escorting – or rather dragging –
a third person in their wake.

The Hyksos royal closed his
mouth as he cast a wary eye toward the person they had dropped on the
floor at his feet, backing up a step as he realized he was staring
down into the startled cobalt-blue eyes of the Egyptian High Priest.
The two stared at each other, neither noticing the guards' silent
departure. Then the brunette got to his feet, casually dusting off
his hands as his eyes remained locked with the smaller Hyksos king.

Yugi's mouth ran dry as the
blue-eyed priest towered over him and he fought an internal battle
with himself over whether to lock himself in his bedchamber, well
away from the Egyptians' designs, or stay and fight. If one of them
was still here, in the palace, then the others were not far behind
and he'd be damned if he made it easy for them to capture him again.

But the priest merely bowed
before him. “Do not fear me, your Highness, chosen consort of
my Pharaoh. I mean you no harm.”

“Huh?”
Yugi's concentration slipped at the seemingly heartfelt declaration,
not quite knowing what to think of the statement. “Wha –
?”

Seto glanced up at the
bewildered expression on the young monarch's face, noting that he was
still poised to flee. “You shall come to no harm at my hands,
your Highness. Nor at the hands of anyone else. Pharaoh Atemu's
orders – not that they were needed.”

Thrown off guard Yugi swallowed
reflexively, backing up another cautious step, ready to run for cover
at the first wrong move. “But he – you...why would...”

“He
loves you, your Highness. That is why.” The priest admitted
softly.

Yugi's heart lurched at the
other's unexpected declaration, the barren emptiness of his new life
suddenly yawning out in front of him like a desert wasteland. He
swiped at his eyes, unsure of what it was about those words that set
him off. Perhaps it was because they had never been spoken to him in
the entire time that he had been under the Pharaoh's rule.

After digesting the comment for
a moment he gave a disbelieving snort, promptly turning his back on
the priest, as though dismissing him. Oh gods, he was so sick of
this. So sick of having his one true wish thrown back in his face
time after time. Why? What was his former lover playing at now? Did
he want to see how long it took for him to break?

“If
he loved me he wouldn't have...” Yugi shook his head. “Tell
your Pharaoh that I have no need of his pretty words.” He
whispered softly, wandering over towards the window.

But Seto was undeterred by his
sudden change in attitude. “You don't under– ”

“Go
home, Priest. Your presence here is neither needed nor wanted.”
He spoke so softly that the blue-eyed priest had to strain to hear
his words as well as the undercurrent of hurt that laced his
desperate tone.

Seto bowed his head
respectfully, wondering what it was that his sovereign had done to
provoke such a reaction from the younger royal. “That I cannot
do, your Highness. As well as being sentenced to common servitude for
crimes against your royal house, I have unfinished business with a
certain person.”

At that Yugi whirled around and
faced him, reminding him of a young Pharaoh Atemu in the way that his
eyes lit up with emotion. The air around him fairly crackling with
the boy's sudden fierceness. “You shall not harm my brother! He
has been through enough at your hands.”

“I
do not wish him harm.” Seto replied evenly, his eyes remaining
downcast in the face of the young royal's protectiveness. He knew he
could best the boy in a skirmish, but he was not looking for a fight,
he was looking for reassurance that his former captive had weathered
their confrontation with few, if any scars. “What I wish to do
is make certain that he is in fine health and spirits. He is better
off without me in his life, as you well know.”

Yugi blinked at his remark, the
intensity that had surrounded him earlier seeming to shrivel back
into his petite form, leaving him looking rather small and frail once
again. “Why are you so interested?” He queried.

Seto tugged uncomfortably at
his new clothes, drawing the other's eyes to them. But Yugi remained
silent, even though he raised a questioning brow. “I simply
wish for him to know that I meant him no ill will –”

“You
care for him.”Yugi stated quietly, more to himself than the
room's other occupant. He nibbled on his lip as he tried to decide
whether or not to hear what the priest had to say.

Finally, after another moment's
thought, Yugi gave a hesitant nod towards the sitting area and the
two of them made their way over towards the couches that decorated
the chamber. Watching the taller priest as he walked Yugi arched a
brow at his choice of clothing. The sheer fabric of the two piece
outfit didn't quite fit the other's taller frame and he had to bite
his tongue to keep from asking after its origin.

“This
was not my choice, I can assure you of that.” Seto astutely
surmised where the Hyksos royal's thoughts were centered.

“Oh...uh...”
Yugi bit his lip hesitantly. Did he dare ask where they came from? He
had the sneaking suspicion that he already knew the answer to that
question. Did he really want his theory confirmed?

“And
in answer to your unasked question, yes, Pharaoh Atemu is still in
the palace.” The priest admitted as he took a seat on the edge
of one of the cushions. “I do not know where he is, we were
separated shortly after you left the throne room. I do, however, know
that the two of you need to have a private discussion. There has been
much left unsaid.”

Yugi only nodded
absentmindedly, lost in his thoughts after the priest confirmed his
suspicions that his former lover was, indeed, still somewhere close
by. The Pharaoh was still in the palace. That persistent thought
filtered through his mind – on repeat. Oh gods, what was he
going to do? He was no good with confrontation.

“I
will think on it.” He replied evasively.

“That
is fine, your Highness. I cannot ask for anymore than that.”
Seto said as he steered the conversation onto another topic entirely.
“Have you enough troops to keep the peace?”

“Yes, thank
you. They are a huge help right now.” Yugi replied, his
thoughts elsewhere.

The two of them began to feel
each other out conversationally, keeping to certain topics –
and well away from others as they sat awkwardly in the semi-silence.
The discussion bordered on those embarrassing, not quite knowing what
to say sort of topics, but they muddled their way through it for a
while without breaking the invisible barrier that kept them from
mentioning certain names.

Finally, unable to take the
elephant in the room any longer without making a comment on it, Yugi
opened his mouth to question the priest about his relationship with
Jou but the opening of the doors to his chamber brought that intent
to a screeching halt. Both he and Seto turned towards the guards who
were standing just inside of the doors, waiting for permission to
enter the chamber. After a moment Yugi took pity on them and waved
them into the room.

“We
are sorry for the confusion, your Highness.” The guards
chorused as they dragged yet another person into the chamber. They
dropped their injured burden just inside the doors, one of them
beckoning to the priest. “You are to come with us. Your
presence is requested elsewhere.” No further words were spoken
with the understanding that the priest turned slave would obey their
orders without question.

Seto took a long hard look at
the person who was trying to pick himself up off the floor –
and having a hard time of it – before he turned to Yugi. “It
seems we shall have to continue this discussion at another time.
Please think of what I said earlier, your Highness. It is all I ask
of you.”

But Yugi's eyes were glued to
the figure on the floor, his entire body trembling fiercely. The door
closed behind the retreating guards and still he stood there, rooted
to the floor. The figure before him shifted, pinning him with a
pleading look and a shudder ran through his body.

“Yugi...”
Atemu rasped thickly, his voice nearly failing him with the knowledge
that he had finally made it, that he was truly within only an arm's
reach of his goal. He prayed for the strength to make it through
their confrontation without breaking.

The reigning Hyksos monarch
closed his eyes to the sight of his former lover's battered face. Oh
gods, he couldn't deal with this! Not like this, not right now. Why
did his tormentor have to reappear in his life so suddenly. The sound
of his name on the Pharaoh's lips prompted Yugi into movement and he
bolted, streaking through the door to his bedchamber, slamming it
shut behind him.

“Yugi
wait!” Atemu called after him, but it was no use, he heard the
wooden bar slide into place, locking him out of the room. “Damn
it.” He cursed.

Slowly, and ever so painfully,
Atemu picked himself up from the floor, studying his surroundings in
hopes of finding something that would tear down the doors between
them. During his perusal of the exceptionally furnished room his gaze
lighted on a display of finely crafted – some almost
considered ancient – swords in the corner and he slowly made
his way over to examine them, heedless of the pain that movement in
general caused him.

He glanced back at the barred
door and again at the display, weighing the theory in his mind before
he put it to practice. It was a long shot, but he had nothing to lose
should he fail. Without a second thought Atemu lifted the catch on
the side of the glass and withdrew one of the beautifully ornamented
swords from its cradle.

He glanced at the sharp blade,
assessing its usefulness momentarily before shutting the case back up
and making his way, very slowly, over to the door that blocked him
from his little one's treasured presence.

It was as he had thought, there
was a crack between the door and the wall surrounding it, just as
there was in any ancient architecture such as this palace. Quietly,
and carefully he slid the tip of the blade in between the the door
and the wall, not wanting to give away his plan if Yugi happened to
be standing on the opposite side of the door waiting for him.

Once he hooked the bar he
lifted up with the handle of the sword, a sweat breaking out on his
brow from the exertion. A fiery pain shot up his spine as the injured
skin on his back tightened and he bit back a pained groan, knowing
that he could not afford to alert his little one to his plans.

As soon as the bar was loosened
from its holder Atemu slowly pushed into the room, taking care to be
as quiet as he possibly could. By now he was fairly certain that the
one who had barred him from the chamber was in no way expecting his
rather sneaky entrance. Even he had to grin at the stealthiness of
his plan, or he would have had the situation been any less serious.
As the door opened wide enough for him to squeeze through he allowed
the wooden slat to fall gently into his palm and he closed the door
behind him, settling it gently, silently back into place.

Once inside the room his eyes
sought out his little one's form, spotting the boy next to the
window, lost in deep thought. He stared for a moment, taking in the
sight he had yearned to see for so long before regretfully breaking
away. His keen gaze then sought out all the obstacles in the room
that would keep him from reaching the object of his desires.

Aside from the massive,
curtained four poster bed in the corner – which he eyed with
some interest – the only other piece to grace the sparsely
furnished chamber was a large wooden desk situated in the center of
the room directly in a patch of sunlight. A second, interior door led
out of the chamber, but it looked as though it led to a walk-in
closet or bathing chamber. No matter, he could not let his little one
reach that door.

Atemu knew he was going to have
to fight to be heard. He had known it ever since his eyes had locked
with the boy's frightened amethyst gems earlier in the sitting room.
His beautiful little lover feared him right now. He couldn't stand
the thought. But he couldn't banish the memory of those exquisite
orbs staring back at him in absolute terror on the day of their
union, and he vowed never to cause a look like that to cross the
boy's features ever again.

A quick glance told him that
his little one was still being fairly cooperative, standing near the
window, completely unaware of his presence, his slight figure
shadowing part of the desk. If his quarry chose to run Atemu would
have to be fast enough to reach the door that appeared an equal
distance from both parties before he did.

He could do it. Even in his
injured state he could do it...He had to.

Potential problems solved Atemu
studied the younger monarch's profile intently. He could almost feel
the painful effort it took for the boy to hold himself so erect, so
very still. Arms folded over his chest protectively, his glorious
eyes focused far off in the distance. The innocence that had always
been present in those laughing amethyst eyes was missing completely,
leaving in its absence a lost, vulnerable expression that did not
suit the boy's soft features.

Atemu's eyes wandered the
length of Yugi's fully covered form, taking in every subtle change
with a sinking heart. He frowned at his little one's appearance, as
the boy's form proved to one and all that he had cared little for
himself in the past weeks. Even hidden underneath his concealing
clothing it was ever so clear that Yugi hadn't been eating properly –
just as he hadn't.

And it wasn't enough that the
shadows under his eyes nearly took over his whole face, but his
entire body seemed to tremble beneath the weight of his fatigue, his
heartbreak. Atemu closed his eyes to the reality that he himself had
wrought upon this beautiful, graceful being. This was his fault, his
responsibility. He would fix this. He had to.

Oh
little one...he
thought to himself.

But he must have spoken the
words aloud for the object of his examination suddenly turned towards
him, eyes wide as a flush stole up his cheeks. The boy's gaze shifted
almost imperceptibly towards the door across the chamber before
darting back to his face in alarm. Knowing what was next to come,
Atemu raced across the expanse of the room just as Yugi bolted for
the only other escape the room had to offer.

Yugi, though, must have known
that he would not win in a race against the Pharaoh for he scrambled
to put the massive desk between the two of them, glaring at Atemu
over its papyrus covered plane.

“Go
away!” He hissed furiously, angry with his grandfather for
conspiring to put him within his enemy's reach once again, and
furious with his former lover for putting him in this position of
vulnerability. “You got what you wanted, Pharaoh. Now go and
leave me to my fate!”

Nonono!
This isn't happening! It isn't! Yugi
quailed inwardly. He had not just lost himself in the usual daydream
of a world of happily ever after and failed to notice that his captor
had come back for another round of torment. If he could have torn his
hair out right now he would have. He couldn't deal with this any
longer. Didn't he deserve to be left in peace?Why did the Pharaoh
have to torment him this way?

With every second that he had
to face his former lover over the expanse of the desk Yugi could feel
his heart shatter a little more, and he lifted his head a notch,
unwilling to let the other see how this was affecting him. It wasn't
fair. All he wanted was for someone to love him, for the Pharaoh to
love him, even a fraction of what he loved the other. But it wasn't
meant to be. Nobody could love a nuisance – as his father had
always told him. And it was true, he was nothing but a nuisance.

“Yugi...little
one...” Atemu struggled to find the words he needed in the face
of his younger lover's anger. “Little one, please – ”

“No!”
Yugi cut him off with a sharp motion of his hand. “No more will
I listen to your lies, Pharaoh. Go home! Your presence is neither
needed nor wanted here!”

Please...just
go away! Please! Yugi
felt like crying, it hurt so badly to look upon the person who had
stolen his heart only to stomp it into the dirt. What did he do to
deserve this? Why was it every time he turned around someone betrayed
him? Even his grandfather, apparently. He felt so strange here, so
alone, but he wasn't about to give in to this man's deceitful
promises. Not this time, never again. Please...someone
help me...

Atemu listened to the boy's
hurtful words, but he also heard the heartbroken, quavering voice
they were spoken in, read the hesitant body language that was
unknowingly displayed. His little one was lying to him, he knew it
just as surely as he knew the boy had never done so before.

A quick glance at Yugi's set
expression made him wonder how long it had been since the boy last
slept, since he last ate something filling. How long since he last
had a meaningful conversation with anyone other than the shadows. And
his concern grew apace with every second that they continued their
silent stand-off.

Yugi looked absolutely
exhausted, but he also appeared determined to hide that, and any
other weakness from him. He knew from experience that the boy was
spirited and head-strong, and right now he didn't want to drag this
out any longer than necessary. His little one could use some rest and
security. He could use it as well.

“Please,
little one...” Atemu averted his eyes from the sight to clear
his head and find his words.

Suddenly, as if thinking him
distracted, his prey made a move, darting towards the door, towards
freedom. But Atemu was prepared as he brought the terrified Hyksos
ruler's flight to a halt, spinning him around and wrapping him up in
a crushing embrace. As expected his little one immediately began
fighting against him and he whispered soothing words in his ear,
trying to calm him down.

“Lemme
go!” Yugi snarled, startled by his captor's swiftness. He
twisted and turned in the other's embrace, fighting against his hold
with his fists, against the words that were whispered into his ears.
Nothing but a pack of lies. He would not fall for them again. “Leave
me alone! You got what you wanted!”

Oh gods, how he just wanted to
curl into his captor's embrace and hold on for dear life. Yugi shook
his head hard. He couldn't be thinking like that right now. It was
going to take every bit of his cunning to get him out of this
situation and away from this mad-man. He couldn't give in to his
insane urge to let the Pharaoh have his way with him just for the
small comfort of having his arms around him. Thinking like that was
only going to get him killed.

Atemu dodged the flying fists
as best he could, grunting as a few blows landed their targets.
“Cease, little one!” he demanded. But his command fell on
deaf ears as the boy in his arms only struggled all the harder.

“Let
me go, Pharaoh! Let. Me. Go!” Yugi snapped, realizing that he
was not going to be able to keep up his efforts for long. He was so
tired, and he wanted so badly just to be happy for once –
even if he had to pretend that the Pharaoh truly cared for him. He
was just so tired of fighting. So tired.

Atemu grunted as another blow
hit its mark. It was all too apparent that his little one was losing
strength quickly, but he wasn't certain that he would be able to hold
on the screaming hell-cat until that time came. He needed more
leverage, a better hold or he would lose his prize. Eyeing the bed in
the corner of the room he decided that it would have to suffice as a
means to subdue his little hellion until his exhaustion overcame him,
and he began to drag his unwilling victim along with him towards his
destination.

The moment his captor began to
move Yugi glanced behind him – and caught sight of the goal he
had in mind. His face paled considerably. The Pharaoh was going to
rape him, as in really, truly rape him this time. The thought flew
through his head and he redoubled his efforts to get himself free of
his captor's grasp. “No! I won't let you! Stop! Don't do
this...please, don't!” He dug his feet into the floor, using
his fists as a means to escape.

Oh gods, this was really
happening. He couldn't let his captor reach the bed. He didn't want
this, not like this. Tears filled his eyes and he used what was left
of his strength to fight off the mad-man seemingly intent on defiling
him for no purpose other than his own amusement.

“Yugi,
please...enough! It is not what you – Ah!” Atemu yelped
as Yugi's teeth tore into his shoulder, his plan to calm the boy
failing miserably. His little one had gone feral, resorting to using
anything at his disposal in order to gain his release, teeth, nails,
fists.

Exasperated, and more than a
little sore, Atemu situated his burden in a better hold and walked
rather awkwardly over to the bed, not really ignoring the boy's
protests, but unable to get a word out through his own exhaustion and
pain. He managed to ignore the painful blows that came from the small
fists, their pounding on his chest only adding to the tight throbbing
that came from his injured back.

By the time Atemu had hauled
his resisting captive over to the bed he was worn out and badly in
need of a deep breath. His back hurt where the skin had stretched
agonizingly over the welts, his chest hurt where he had been
repeatedly attacked with fists and teeth, and he wasn't sure if he
would be able to hold on for much longer. The little one was tiring
too, he could tell. His blows not nearly holding the ferocity that
they had in the beginning of their struggle.

Summoning the last of his
strength Atemu heaved his slight burden up over the edge of the bed,
dropping him down onto its downy softness and straddling him quickly
to make certain that he would stay in that position. “Enough,
damn it!” He cried, pinning the smaller royal's arms above his
head when he refused to give up the fight.

“It
is not my intention to force myself upon you! I merely wish to speak
with you and have you hear me. I will do no more than that.” I
swear.
Atemu gazed down into his lover's frightened eyes and he vowed that
he would never again allow himself to lose control of his senses.
Ever.

Yugi only turned his head to
the side, not quite giving up the battle but knowing that he was
beaten, tears threatening to escape the confines of his thick lashes
as he closed his eyes. He swallowed convulsively, humiliated at the
ease with which his tormentor overpowered him. “Leave me be,
Pharaoh...I have nothing to say to you.” He whispered.

Oh
gods, please let this be a nightmare...I can't do this...not
this...please...

“I
think you do, little one, you are only repressing the urge to rip
into me for my recent behavior.” Atemu chuckled sadly. This was
not working out as he had hoped. Please.
Don't let this be the end, he
prayed fervently.

Atemu studied his younger
lover's defeated profile momentarily, unable to help himself. He was
stunned at the obvious changes in both the boy's attitude and his
form. And he too swallowed, unable to force the words that his little
one so desperately needed to hear past the lump in his throat. This
was his one chance to set things right. And if he failed...

“Oh
gods...little one, Yugi...I-I am...I am so sorry...” He
whispered, his voice hoarse with sorrow. “I am so sorry...”

That caught Yugi's attention,
his head snapping around to glare at Atemu through narrowed,
tear-filled eyes. “Don't...don't you say...th-that to me!
Don't...you dare! Say...that...to me!”

His
breath caught on a sob and he gritted his teeth against the onslaught
of anguish, nothing making sense. What was the Pharaoh doing? Why was
he apologizing? That would imply that he had done something wrong,
wouldn't it? And the Egyptian monarch never admitted to his
wrongdoings. Did he? But if the Pharaoh did something wrong, did that
mean that he hadn't? But what had
he
done?

Or was this just another game
to him? Why was the Pharaoh doing this to him? Yugi couldn't help the
tears that slid down his face, and he bit his lip to hold in the
desperate sobs. He was so close to just giving in, giving in to the
fantasy of happiness. Just to feel safe, to feel loved one more time.

Oh gods, the only thing he ever
wanted was for just one person to love him, but he was so afraid.
Afraid that this dream would disappear in a puff of smoke as the true
Pharaoh, the one from his nightmares, the one from the day of his
union, was revealed to him – laughing in his face, laughing at
his dreams.

Atemu was left to watch as his
little one crumbled before his eyes, trying to curl in on himself
just as he used to do so long ago. His heart thumped against his ribs
as he watched the pieces of the boy's facade fall by the wayside to
his unexpected apology. Oh gods...this wasn't what he wanted. He
hadn't come here to hurt the little one even further.

“Yugi...”

“Don't...don't
you say...that! You...don't mean...it!” Yugi sobbed, his
persistent, yet weakened struggles ripping at Atemu's heart. “Gods'
please...don't say that...to me...”

Atemu took the boy's wrists
into one hand, using his free one to cup Yugi's face. “Oh
gods...I am so sorry, little one...so sorry...”

Yugi lashed out blindly at the
words, arching up one last time in an attempt to free himself from
the other's hold, giving a frustrated howl when his strength refused
to measure up to his captor's. And then he shattered completely,
broken in Atemu's arms.

Atemu immediately let go of
Yugi's hands to wrap him up in his embrace, hot tears leaking from
his eyes, to flow down his face. He never wanted to see that lost,
broken expression cross the boy's face ever again. This was enough,
and it was tearing him apart.

A
small voice in the back of his head prodded him with the words this
is your fault and
he too lost what was left of his control, his tears mingling with
that of the younger Hyksos royal.

Heedless of the small fists
that were once again pounding on his chest Atemu held the other
closer to his heart, whispering “I am so sorry, little one...I
love you so much! Please...don't do this...please...”

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