If Atem Lived in my Head

Dreams and Nightmares

Atem swept me into his arms and pulled me around the room, his movements actually pretty skillful.

"So you just randomly know how to ballroom dance?" I scoff at him.

He chuckles spinning me out and back into his chest "I know because you know."

"Really?" I let him lead me and it was easy, being around Atem was just easy.

"You do understand how our bond works, right?" There's a playful edge to his tone.

"I thought I did." I let him spin me a few times like a ballerina in a music box.

"Nuni, I can see all of your memories and feel your feelings, I can learn things from your memories and we can do things like this, I know you enjoy ballroom dancing and you want to make a copy of each Disney princess dress and dance in it... with a boy." His cheeks flush red.

"With you." I add on partly because he must have seen that in most if not all of those dances I had placed him there where a nameless guy had been. I had never really cared for a guy before but I needed to dance with someone.

"I'm honored."

"The dress you work on at night, it is a ball gown, correct."

"Yes." I shake my head "of course you watch me."

"I only peek." I can hear the smile in his voice but I don't want to take my head from his chest. I love the sound of his steady heart beat against my ear.

"So," I take a breath "what do we do about Marik?" I really didn't want to talk about this, not when just thinking about him made my skin crawl.

Atem pressed a kiss to my lips and slid his hands along my waist as if he were reminding both of us that no one else was going to touch me.

"I will take care of him." He growled darkly

"Pharaoh." I rolled my eyes at him "clearly there is more to him than what we're seeing because he can see you."

"All the same he will be dealt with by my hand. He isn't for you to concern yourself with." He pulled me into his arms and I sighed.

"I get you're trying to protect me but this is serious. We need to have some kind of plan." The music stopped and my ballroom teacher patted me on the back.

"lovely as always, Nuni." Mrs. Phillip smiled and waved me off.

"have a nice day." Atem held the door for me, which probably looked weird to other people since they couldn't see him.

"Just leave Marik to me, Nuni, please." Atem's eyes begged me to,, I could feel his fear but I just couldn't do it.

"This is not your fight, you are caught in the crossfires and I don't want you to get hurt.

"Atem." I sigh "you can't protect me by keeping me in the dark, we need a plan."

"Nuni can you please just-"

"Hey Nuni!" Joey has a distinct accent.

"Hey." Joey, Tristan, Yugi and Taya were together of course. These guys were attached at the hip not that I minded. It was kind of cool honestly, I never did have a friend group like that.

"How's it going?" Yugi asked, Atem felt zero threat from him anymore which was good because his jealousy was annoying.

"We're about to head to the game shop and have duel a few rounds if you want to come." Yugi offers,

"Yeah come on, it'll be fun." Tristan at least doesn't move closer to me, he finally figure that out.

"Sure, why not." I join them and try to ignore the nagging in the pit of my stomach that I should be home, that I should be doing something but everything was done and the kids were with their dad and mom was at home with her liquor. I had nothing I needed to do, I was allowed to have fun.

You deserve to have fun Atem wrapped his arm around me and walks with me.

I feel apart which is something I only ever feel with these guys. I like it.

At the game shop it finally happens. Yugi and I begin our first battle head to head. Joey and Tristan are both excited. Taya doesn't care a whole lot about the game but she is ready to cheer Yugi on anyway.

"You've got this, Nuni." Tristan pats me on the back, I flinch even though I know he's not going to hurt me, even though I know that if I had to I could take him but for just a second I am frozen against the unwanted touch.

It's okay. Atem's hand is delicate as he runs his hand up the back of my neck and through my lengthening hair.

He melts the ice away and I pretend nothing happened. I figured out a while ago that these moments only feel like an eternity to me if I can avoid making a scene then no one even notices them.

"Let's duel." I smile at Yugi and he is the epitome of joy as he returns my smile ten fold.

I don't have the best hand and Atem is such a back seat duel-er it's throwing me off. Before I know it Yugi and I are both down to 100 life points.

"Sorry Yugi." I smile as my final move comes into play.

"you were a good opponent but-"

"the store bell rings as someone comes in and of course, of course it's him. Marik. Atem yanks me out of the chair. Marik smiles at me and Atem as he strides across the room toward us.

Well don't let me stop you." Marik looks down at our game.

"I play Nuni next" Marik's eye bore into me but I ignore them.

"I should go." I start to get up but something dark closes over me and I can't move.

Finish the game Pharaoh." Marik speaks into my head and I feel his energy tainting my own.

"I place a card face down and end my turn." I leave myself wide open for attack. I don't even know what card I set down.

Yugi and the others are oblivious to the telepathic showdown going on between Marik, the pharaoh and myself.

"Looks like you've made your first mistake." Yugi goes in cheerily. "I'll be taking my victory now."

"DO that." I tell him because once this round ends whatever Marik is doing will stop.

"Dark magician..."

I tune him out and I know my life points are gone. Only after the match does Yugi seem to catch onto something wrong.

"Excuse me." Yugi says to Marik "is there anything I can help you with?"

"Just visiting a friend." his smile widens at me and I can feel Atem ready to pounce but there is nothing he can do right now.

"lets duel, Nuni," unless you'd like to see your friends hurt. He finishes in my head. All around us shadows come from the corners and surround them. Even Atem has his own shadow ready to strike. There looks like something sharp is in their hands or maybe it's just apart of them, it doesn't really matter because now, I have no choice.

"fine." I swallow my fear and look at the innocent faces of my friends. Yugi gets up and lets Marik take his seat. He looks at the guys warily and then goes to joey and Tristan and whispers something to them, probably waning them about Marik. The two rough and tough boys nod and zero in on Marik but they have no idea how much of a disadvantage these guys have against the Marik. Marik's power is beyond the physical and that is way I can feel the sweat along my hair line and my heart skip a beat.

"Let's duel."

We shuffle each other's deck and begin.

I have a bad feeling about this one.

**Author's Note**

Only a few chapters left

Book two will be released on January 1st

P.S. Marik get out of their faces!!!

Thanks for reading.

XOXO