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[note_atem]

Life is so normal and common and usual and boring and natural and regular and typical and routine and commonplace and conventional and not special at all. Except apparently your life has been opposite day forever. Duh.

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[note_atem]

The Pharaoh was still new to all of this- to accepting the fact that some future part of him had fallen in love with a reincarnation of his Priest. A poorly made reincarnation that most of the time seemed to want to have nothing to do with him. Yet somehow that was better. Someone who didn't recognize his crown and instead challenged him as a person. That was why Kaiba was so alluring in the first place. But it was still new, still fresh. And not seeing someone he barely knew for a month hardly really hindered him at all.

Atem, on the other hand, hated the separation. And he was almost sure it was his own fault that had driven Kaiba away. Maybe a part of him was expecting to get a call that the other was never coming back. The man was clingy when he wanted to be, and with all the other trips preceding the longest one, he wasn't faring very well with it all.

Yet how in the world could he ever let either man, himself or Kaiba, see that type of weakness? Kaiba would sneer at it, he was sure. And his past self would question how he'd gotten so weak at all. Still, when Kaiba finally arrived on time back in his office, a special sort of light touched his eyes that he wasn't aware of.

"This must be a very busy time for you, otherwise I might think to say our presence offends you." The Pharaoh greeted with a light smirk.

Atem, soured at letting the Egyptian get the first hello frowned a little. "He's always like this. You learn to get used to it." Or at least he should have, then maybe he wouldn't be feeling so poorly.

[shutupandduelme]

"Your presence always offends me," Kaiba replied as he glanced at the Pharaoh, though his exhaustion kept the bite out of his voice. "Any less clothing and they'll start saying I keep harem boys wearing bed sheets in here. I left you a fund for clothes. Use it, before I use it for you."

With that, he slipped past them to sit down at his desk. Better to show his hurry than to collapse right in front of them.

[note_atem]

"If you're asking me to dress like him, I'm not about to." The Pharaoh replied, though was doing markedly well with also keeping the aggression out of his tone for now. His eyes did move to Atem's form, however. And when he realized his future self wasn't looking at him, and instead watching Kaiba carefully, something about it hit him in exactly the wrong spot.

Atem knew all the telltale signs of Kaiba's exhaustion by now. But he didn't think he should bring it up in company -... was that the way it was always going to be now? Nothing would be private between them anymore?

Did Kaiba even like him anymore with that vision of old always hanging around?

"There's nothing wrong with the way I dress." He said finally, after a damning lapse of silence.

[shutupandduelme]

Ah yes, there was that familiar headache. Funny how it started right up again when they were both sniping at each other in his presence. "At least it keeps him covered, unlike certain others," Kaiba muttered with a pointed look. "So I will have to have Isono go shopping. Good to know." Not that the man wasn't already driven mad by these two.

He turned on his laptop, preparing to start on his humongous pile of work he had left behind.

[note_atem]

Most days before this it would be alright for him to lie on the couch, open a puzzle book, and let Kaiba work. That wasn't going to do anymore and he knew it. His eyes dropped and he stood suddenly.

"Let's go." He motioned for the Pharaoh to follow him. "Maybe if he ever finishes that never ending pile of work we might have some actual time." It was never going to happen. Not ever again. Kaiba didn't want to be around them. That much was clear.

The Egyptian's eyes narrowed. "I'm not going anywhere. But feel free to continue exerting weaknesses left and right. I'm sure it's not as tiring for you as it is for the rest of us." Something about this was all wrong. And if he had to poke his future self until he bled raw, he'd do it. Calling him out in front of Kaiba would be important. Of this he was sure.

[shutupandduelme]

"Silence," Kaiba growled as he stood from his desk abruptly. It was a struggle to ignore how the room seemed to spin as he did so, but this was important.

"No one challenges him but me," he commanded, before leveling his gaze on Atem. "Are you going to run just like that?"

[note_atem]

"You do not get to-"

Atem turned too quickly and cut the Pharaoh off almost immediately. It was the most intense feeling he'd gotten off of Kaiba in a while and he was instinctively trying to follow it where it ran. "I was making an attempt at mercy on your part. I'm sure you'd like to pass out in private rather than with the two of us watching."

The Egyptian was silenced quite effectively, his eyes going from the tall brunet and back to the other him. This was ... interesting if nothing else. But it left him with nowhere to go, and he didn't like that.

[shutupandduelme]

Kaiba bristled and stepped forward toward Atem. He would get away from his desk if it killed him. That should make his point clearly enough. He didn't need the support it provided.

"I don't need your mercy," he sneered in reply. "Do you really think I would come back here looking for that?"

[note_atem]

Atem matched the step, more intent on not backing down than he ever remembered being in the last few months. "No. You came back here because your trip was over. When's the next one scheduled? Two days from now?"

He scoffed, his posture shifting just slightly, perhaps more in favor of the brunet, but it was all aggressive tones. "You fail without someone to remind you that you're a human like the rest of us. And if that's what you want then just say it."

The Pharaoh's eyes widened slightly at that. It was true that he didn't understand the deeply run obsession that went on between the two (more on Kaiba's part definitely), but he was certain that his other self didn't want things to be over. It was weird watching a part of himself run his mouth when he was so agitated. He knew he had a tendency to do that too but watching it was ... painful almost. He stood after just another second and loomed closer. He had to intercede but he wanted to watch more. He didn't know why but he did.

[shutupandduelme]

The argument was energizing in a way Kaiba hadn't felt in months. He could clearly see the fire in the other man's eyes as he came closer still, could hear the challenge in his words. It was a good reminder of just what he had given up during the course of that month.

"Hn. The only one looking to be put in his place here is you," Kaiba scoffed. "Did you camp out here in my office the entire month? You should have asked one of my employees. I'm sure one of them could have reminded you of your failures. It could have tided you over."

[note_atem]

Again Kaiba's advance was easily met without a second thought. They wouldn't have much more room for personal space in just a moment, and for now he'd forgotten about that Pharaoh that was looming around in the room.

"You probably knew exactly where I was the whole time. You have trouble focusing otherwise." Atem smirked, finally feeling okay after such a long period. "And since that's the case you'll know I was nowhere near your building. I don't run after you, it's the other way around. It always has been."

The Egyptian was unsure of whether his future self and his own connection was so strong that he could possibly be feeling the same emotion but suddenly he was smirking too. Or maybe it was just the fight and how Atem seemed to be dominating it. This was what he knew he was capable of.

[shutupandduelme]

It was all too easy to forget about his exhaustion now. There was a challenge hanging in the air, after all, one he could easily seize on to. The brunet had slipped into an easy circle around his rival.

"So many assumptions," he scoffed, "but no acknowledgement of real fact. No matter who does the running, it's always you on your knees asking for my help. My presence."

He tilted his head in, just barely brushing Atem's nose with his own. "You're going to beg me for it here, as usual."

[note_atem]

Trying to steel his reaction to how close Seto's presence was after all this time was hard. The quick inhale of breath was not quiet enough for his taste.

"I don't beg you for anything. I think the deprivation of sleep has made you delusiona-"

Another hard breath was drawn in but this time it wasn't on Kaiba's account. An arm had slipped around his waist, causing him to tense. The Pharaoh couldn't stand being a third wheel any longer, and all this fighting was too much to just sit back and watch. "Don't stop on my account." He murmured with a smirk that was especially thrown in Kaiba's direction.

[shutupandduelme]

The Pharaoh had made a stupid move. That grab had been enough to startle the CEO into taking the offensive. He reached forward to seize the Pharaoh's arm as if to force him away from Atem.

"No one has given you permission to touch him," Kaiba hissed through clenched teeth. His nerves were that much more sensitive thanks to his time away.

[note_atem]

He didn't stop the other from grabbing him but he stood his ground and put his weight behind not moving just yet. "As far as I am aware no one gave you permission to make him feel as you do in your indecisiveness. I call it a fair trade."

He reached back to wrap his arm around those shown off hips of his future self and pull him closer into the fray. "You're asking for more trouble than you can handle." Atem growled at him, and yet hadn't made a real move to push him off yet. "I don't need your help in this."

[shutupandduelme]

Atem's warning was too little, too late. As soon as that arm wound around those hips, Kaiba was twisting the arm he was holding back sharply. He wasn't going to let up until the Pharaoh's arm broke or he released Atem...whichever came first.

"Listen up," Kaiba commanded, his tone going icy. "You're here only because I don't know what will happen to him if I get rid of you. Otherwise, you're useless. I don't trust you, and he doesn't need you here. You are not to touch him. Push me again, and I will proceed to break all your limbs until I am completely certain you are harmless."