The Shadows Within

Chapter 5

Atem's POV

It's been three days since I have moved Yugi back into our apartment and we have made little to no progress. I am lounging on the couch looking through my Duel Monsters deck while Yugi has locked himself away in his room. I look at the door and roll my eyes. Right after I told him that I was trying to free him, I thought I saw a little bit of emotion and he locked himself in the bedroom. Since then, he hasn't come back out. I decided to let him deal with this on his own and work it out so I don't overwhelm him. I hear the door open and his footsteps come out and I sit up.

He marches into the kitchen and gets a bag of blood and glares at me. "Nice to see you're still so cheery after three days," I say. "Fuck you asshole," he says. "I love you too baby," I say and he throws a glass at me and I catch it. "You've got to do better than that," I say. "Oh really. How bout spreading my legs for you like a little fucking bitch? Would that be better for you," he asks. "Yes if you're offering," I say and continue going through my deck. He shakes his head and drinks the blood. "When are you going to let me out of this hell hole," he asks. "Let me think. How bout never," I say. 

He groans and storms back into the bedroom and slams the door. I shake my head after that and just get a book to read. I see something in the book and it's a photo. A photo of me and him from about 5 days after we moved in. I look at the way Yugi's wrapped around my body and wish he'd love me like that again. I get up and hang the photo on the fridge. About 5 hours later, he comes out for blood or alcohol or just to piss me off. I watch out of the corner of my eye as he freezes at the fridge.

"What is this," he asks. "You should remember. After all that is you in the picture," I say. "So you hung this to break me," he asks. "No I hung it to remind myself why I'm here. Also I figured it might do you good to see your former self," I say. He stares at the picture for a minute. "What makes you think I'll go back to this person," he asks. I sense that there's a fight going on inside him. His humanity may be trying to push through a little. "Because I know that's who you truly are. When I was inside the Puzzle, I got to see everything from you deepest desires to your fears. One thing that astounded me was who you were on the inside," I say.

He looks at me. "You were my light within the darkness of the Puzzle and the shadows within. I was in a dark place when you finally solved it and released me. That was also the moment that my memories of the past were fully erased. I still remembered who I was when I was in the shattered Puzzle before it was put together because there was no way out. You fought so hard for me to remember who I was even though it meant that I was going to have to leave. When I was able to stay, I wasn't going to take this second chance at life for granted. I knew I was going to see them again someday, but that day isn't for a long time," I say.

I can see it in his eyes flickering as I told the story of my time in the Puzzle. That's when it dawned on me. I need to show him who he was and tell him stories I may have already told him again. The good and the bad. It may trigger his emotions and unlock his humanity. He shakes his head then holds it before going back into the bedroom. Seto chooses then to walk into the door. "Well you two seem to be getting along," he says. "I do believe that I might be making some progress with him. You overheard what I told him. It seemed to have triggered an emotional response and his body is having a hard time processing it," I say.

"I can see that. His body isn't used to feeling emotions like it used to so he has to cope until he learns to feel them. You know this is quicker than I thought it would happen," he says. "Yeah well I'm eager to reestablish our bond. It was cracked when I felt him die," I say. "I know and you'll get there eventually," he says. "I hope so because I'm not sure how long I can take not having the bond," I say. "Stay strong for him Atem," he says. "I know and I have to," I say. He sits down and helps me go through my deck. 

"I've gotta say. You're decks aren't as good as they used to be though I'm not surprised considering the situation," he says. "I haven't been able to concentrate on dueling. It's mainly been a distraction," I say. He nods. "I can tell," he says and pulls out a card. "Here I snagged this from Joey it might help him," he says and hands me the card. "Red Eyes Black Dragon. How'd you get him to let go of this," I ask. "Well actually he gave it to me. He said that Red Eyes helped him remember who he was on the pier. Now he wants Red Eyes to help Yugi in any way that he can," he says and pulls out a Blue Eyes and sets it in my hand next to the Red Eyes. 

"Thank you. I'll make sure nothing happens to them while I have them," I say. "I'm not worried. I know they can help him," he says and gets up and leaves to go back to Joey. I look around for a place to put them and I see the fridge. I smile and hang them up at his eye level with a magnet. I then sit down and wait for him to come out.