Return of the Kings

Chapter 11

Hours passed and Atem awoke to a feeling of anxiety and fear. Alarm bells rang somewhere in the distance and he knew immediately it was Yugi... something was wrong.

Without missing a beat he left his confines to find him outside, breathing hard in his sleep and tossing slightly, twitching every so often as sweat clung his hair to his face.

"Atem... Where...?" Yugi spoke in his sleep, his voice dripping with absolute terror.

The dream again...?

He touched his forehead, his cheek, reaching out to him deeply to try and pull him from this nightmare.

"Yugi." He called to him in a forceful tone in hopes of waking him but he only stirred. "Yugi!" Atem said to him sharply, finally snapping him out of his dream. Yugi shot up like a spring, flailing his arms as he reached out in front of him. He yelped in pain instantly, curling over and clutching at his side, whimpering from fear and the stabbing sensations in his ribs. He bit down hard on his arm to stop himself from screaming and refused to let go until he had time to calm down.

Atem watched this unfold in less than a second, unable to do anything but watch until he stopped moving lpng enough for him to reach out to him again.

"Yugi it's okay. Your awake now. I'm right here." He sang to him gently, leaning in close to touch his forehead to his and petting his hair as if he could actually touch him. The warmth was there though and he could feel Yugi calming down.

Yugi released himself, trying to breathe normally as he stretched his back straight slowly. His ribs protested but as he straightened he felt the cramp loosen. He was okay... it was just residual pain... He hadn't done anything.

"Yugi your bleeding." Atem said quickly, his voice wavering in concern upon seeing the blood om his arm.

Yugi looked, wiped it away and sighed.

"I bit down too hard." Yugi said breathlessly.

"Was it the same dream?" Atem asked quietly.

"Yes... but this was the pain." Yugi said firefly, referring to the bite mark in his skin.

Absent mindedly Yugi stood up from the bed and walked himself to the bathroom. Atem followed closely behind, hovering over him to make sure he was available if Yugi asked for him. But all he could do right now was watch at Yugi cleaned his arm and washed his face with cold water. His skin looked shallower than earlier, his brow creasing from fatigue and frustration... he was exhausted, not that Atem blamed him.

"It's getting worse." Yugi said eventually. Atem felt his heart aching for him, fighting to get closer so he could comfort him and as Yugi sniffed and looked away from him, hiding behind his wrist he only wanted to hold the boy more. "Why cant i sleep? Why do i keep dreaming of that place?!" Yugi cried, slinking to his knees and sobbing. Atem pulled him into his mind immediately and wrapped himself around him, draping his body gently over the back of his and burying his face into his hair. Yugi's body heaved as his emotional barrier collapsed and for a while Atem just held him as he cried out his frustration and fatigue. After a while Yugi squirmed from under him, turning around to bury his face into his chest and wrap his arms around his waist.

"I'm sorry..." Yugi whispered in a voice barely audible.

"You don't need to be." Atem spoke softly, sweetly. He felt for his partner... he wished he could go into his subconscious and beat out his demons so ... his subconscious...

Atem pushed him off him gently, just enough so he could look upon his face. His eyes were puffy, his cheeks rosy red yet hollow... he was beyond exhausted... but this only strengthened his resolve to help him.