Love eternal (book 5)

Chapter 17: memories

   "So, how old are our children now?" Atem asks curiously as he sits beside me, his fingers interlaced with Yugi's as I hold his other hand. "They look as if they are only about sixteen or seventeen summers old."
   "If that was a guess then that was really impressive." Yugi murmurs as he rests his head on my shoulder, his eyes remaining completely closed. His breathing is slow and deep as he tries to force himself to think about anything but this situation. I glance at him curiously though his face is shielded from view and all I can see is the top of his tricolored head. Atem chuckles as he gently squeezes Yugi's hand.
   "You of all people shouldn't be surprised by that." Yugi says nothing as he burrows his face deeper into my shoulder. "I mean you were there to see me at my most dastardly." He teases.
   "Don't make yourself sound like a cartoon villain." Yugi grumbles, his voice sending vibrations through my shoulder.
   "Cartoons?" Atem asks confusedly, his eyebrows furrowing into deep ravines on his forehead. "I don't understand."
   "Just forget I mentioned it." Yugi replies.
   "They are a rather interesting invention." I say with a faint smile in Atem's direction. "Once we merge together again, you will be able to enjoy as many cartoons as you please."
   "I am still very confused, but I believe that I will look forward to that."
   "If you ever merge into one being again." Yugi grumbles bitterly into my shoulder. "You both are refusing to take the only solution to this problem, so I am beginning not doubt if you will ever become whole again."
   "I must say, it is a rather interesting experience to see you being so pessimistic and depressing Yugi." Atem says with a coy smile.
   "It's not pessimism if I'm being realistic and stating the facts." He retorts while keeping his face completely buried in the fabric of my shirt and his fingers curl into the neckline of my black top. "You of all people should know that."
   "So you do remember some of the time that we spent together." He leans forward slightly in interest. "I will have you know that I remember everything that happened between us." A sly smile dawns his lips as he continues to stare at the curled up form of our love. "With vivid detail." Yugi goes stiff in my arms and my shoulder begins to feel as if it was lit on fire due to the intense blush on Yugi's face. "And from the look of things so do you."
   "So I'm the odd man out here?" I ask with a frown. "Lucky me."
   "At least you have the more recent memories." Atem says with a reassuring glance. "I would kill to have your memories."
   "Then I suppose an exchange is in order." I say with a smile.
   "I suppose it is." Atem smiles in return.
    "How can you both be so calm and upbeat in this kind of situation?"  Yugi asks with a note of exasperation as he turns to look at both of us, finally revealing his face. "Neither of you could ever regain your body and you're both just sitting here chit chatting."
   "Everything will turn out as it should." Atem says calmly.
   "How can you be so confident of that?"
   "Because it always does when it comes to us." He smiles. "Just like when you tried to protect me from Malik only to have me be the one protecting you." His eyes gleam with love and pride as he looks into Yugi's anxious eyes. "We always go in the direction that is destined and necessary for us. So please relax love."
   "He's right Yugi." I say comfortingly as I squeeze him gently. "It's just like the incident with Heba. We almost lost her but we always find a way to fix things."
   "What happened to Heba?" Atem asks concernedly.
   "She became very ill as a baby and almost died, but you, Yami, found a way to save her by merging her soul with your mother's." Yugi replies slowly, his voice barely above a whisper.
   "See?" I tease. "We always find a way." Yugi frowns slightly at my words and says nothing.  Atem sighs softly in relief.
   "I am glad that she is alright." His eyes slide shut as he falls into silence. "I just met her and learned of her existence but I can't imagine going on if anything happened to her or to our son." A faint smile dawns his lips at the mention of Atemu. "My dashing boy."
   "Our." I correct with narrowed eyes and pursed lips.
   "Don't be difficult." Atem snaps seriously as he glares at me. "You know what I meant by that."
   "I suppose you're right." I concede after a moment of deliberation. Yugi giggles slightly at my remark and I can't help the smile that forms on my lips at the sound. "Though I should probably tell them to come out of the soul room."
   "They aren't there." Atem says smoothly.
   "What are you talking about?" I ask anxiously. "That is where I told them to stay until I came to retrieve them."
   "It would appear that they have gained their disobedient nature from Yugi." Atem says with a pointed glance at Yugi who avoids all eye contact with him. "They have left the puzzle quite some time ago, with some assistance from Seth it would appear."
   "Seth?" I ask in surprise. "Then he must have succeeded."
   "Naturally."
   "Do you remember when we first met?" Yugi asks softly.
   "Yes." Atem and I answer in unison.
   "That was a rather interesting experience." Yugi giggles slightly. "Having my body stolen in a matter of seconds by a stranger spirit who didn't seem very pleased to see me."
   "To be fair," I interject. "I wouldn't have been pleased to see anyone after being alone for so long."
   "That's very true." Atem adds. "Though I can easily say that I am pleased that it was you that I met first."
   "Likewise." Yugi smiles softly. His warm smile seeming to raise the temperature of the room by a few degrees. "I love you both. I don't want to lose either of you."
   "And you won't." I say seriously.
   "And we won't lose you."
   "I don't care if you have two personalities or two souls, I love you. All I want from this life is for you to be in it with me." Slow clapping echoes through the chamber making the hairs on the back of my neck stand straight up. I hold Yugi close as Ra begins to slowly fade into view, his tan hands clapping as a crooked smile plays on his lips.
   "It would appear that we have much to discuss." He grins.