Return of the Kings

Chapter 15

Yugi stirred awake softly this morning, slowly blinking away the sleep as it's gentle embrace left him. The morning light of the blue sky lit his room, brushing at his mind to wake like a mothers touch.

As he rolled over he glanced Atem huddled over his desk, sleeping on his arms hunched over like he had been there all night.

Yugi smiled half heartedly and sighed silently, very carefully shifting the blankets off him and stretching slowly, careful not to pull too far and only as much as his ribs would allow.

"Atem..." Yugi whispered to him when he was done. Atem didn't budge though and for a moment Yugi allowed him the rest. He remembered briefly the beginning of his nightmare again... he was in the void of white just like last time, and just like last time he watched as his friends and family lived their lives without him... he felt alone and scared again... but then as if blown away by some force of nature he was pulled from it and all around him was a comforting force of warmth and protection... he couldn't explain more than that but it made him feel safe... As Atem slept soundly at his desk, clearly exhausted again, he assumed he had something to do with it. Whatever he did for him he succeeded... he didn't want to wake him but he felt Atem would rest better safe within his mind rather than left at his desk.

"Atem." Yugi sang a little more forcefully now.

Atem chest expanded deeper as he sighed and adjusted his position. He was getting to him. "Atem."

He hid his head in his arms, stretching slowly before lifting his head to see him.

"Oh Yugi." He yawned.

"Go get some sleep buddy." Yugi giggled softly.

"Huh?"

Yugi took them inside his mind, straight to Atem's bedroom and as the desk and chair left him Yugi quickly caught him and gently pushed him onto his bed.

"Hey." Atem complained, but he was so tired he could barely deny him.

"Get some sleep." Yugi ordered him kindly.

Atem shot him a glare though while he was so tired it was more amusing to Yugi than anything. Regardless Atem crawled underneath his covers while Yugi drew the massive curtains by the opening to his balcony, darkening the room completely so he could rest in peace.

"Are you okay?" Atem yawned.

"I'm good, thanks to you I think. We can talk about it later though. Sleep." Yugi told him before he left his mind and back to the real world.

Throughout the day Yugi stayed within his office working on his own little project while Atem was asleep. He believed he had everything he would need if he went through with it, it was just a risk factor now. He was convinced he may be able to learn something from Ms. Chang but he was weary to relay his intentions to her... afterall his research is a result of years of work... to others it is impossible and to the open minded it was reckless wrought with unforeseen dangers. No matter who he let in for this project none would endorse it... Still, next time they went to visit her perhaps he'd be able to look around without drawing too much attention. His next thing to worry about would be talking Atem into it... he knew at first he'd refuse him but if he could explain his theories then perhaps he might have a chance at trying his hand.

He looked at the time and saw it was well passed lunch time and sighed. He could do nothing with Atem asleep though and he'd like to get his friends approval too. He'd need to get as much support as possible to ensure maximum success and even then, it'd help if he could get the rest of his friends seeing Atem too. All of this would need to wait until they visit Ms. Chang again.