[YGO] Christmas fic, Puzzleshipping
Title: Written in Gold
Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Pairings: Yami no Yuugi (Atemu) x Mutou Yuugi, mentions of Jounouchi x Mai, Shizuka x Otogi, Anzu x Honda
Warnings: unrepentant fluff and waff, a little bit of angst and some shounen ai.
Summary: (AU) Despite his loving circle of friends, Mutou Yuugi feels lonely, longing for someone to share his life with. During the holiday season, he gets his chance for love when he meets a writer who sets his heart ablaze...
Author's note: I just wanted to write something sweet, fluffy and sappy for Christmas.
Key: ---------- = scene change
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The doorbell chimed and Mutou Yuugi raised his head, a smile already on his face as to welcome the customer. His smile grew wider when he saw who had entered his quaint little bookstore.
“Jounouchi-kun!”
“Hey, Yuugi!” Jounouchi rubbed his hands and blew into them. “Man, it’s cold!”
“Well, what do you expect around this time of the year?” Yuugi walked over to his best friend. Jounouchi Katsuya’s face was covered with smudges; he worked as a maintenance technician at a large factory, servicing the production line machines.
“Ready to close up shop? It’s dinner time,” Jounouchi said. He stretched and yawned. “Man, am I glad the working day is over. It was so busy!”
“It’s good to stay busy, Jounouchi-kun,” Yuugi said. It sounded a little depressed, not that he meant it that way. The days were often long and lonely, especially with so many people ordering online or downloading e-books, instead of stopping by a brick-and-mortar store. He loved talking to people about books, he loved to hear stories and he loved the interaction. It didn’t help matters that Yuugi lived above the store in a very tiny apartment, which confronted him daily with a cold and empty place. Yuugi didn’t have a problem with being single, but he didn’t want to be single for the rest of his life. All of his friends had a partner and he felt left out. He too wanted someone to love, someone to care for and to take care of.
“So, how was today?” Jounouchi looked around while he hopped from one foot to another to stay warm. “Oh, you got a new shipment in?”
“Yeah, Kaiba-kun bought a lot at an international auction,” Yuugi said, scurrying for his gloves and scarf. Why Kaiba Seto, CEO of the international conglomerate KaibaCorp., would spend time and money on an almost obscure bookstore in Domino City, was a riddle to Yuugi. It was even a bigger riddle that Kaiba left everything concerning the bookstore in Yuugi’s hands, as Kaiba was known for his almost paranoid, controlling nature. “First-prints only, I still have to appraise and catalogue them.”
“Wow,” Jounouchi said. He knew better than to touch the stack of old, vintage books, lest they’d be stained or damaged. He didn’t care for books in particular, but he knew how much they meant to Yuugi.
“Ready,” Yuugi said as he donned his gloves and scarf. “Whereto?”
“I was thinking Itsukawa,” Jounouchi suggested. “Nice portions, great hibachi.”
“Sounds good to me.” Yuugi turned off the lights and programmed the alarm (after all, some of the vintage books were quite rare and valuable) before closing the door and locking it. He put the keys in his coat pocket. The chilly wind bit into his skin and he shivered. “Whoa! I didn’t know it was that cold.”
“Let’s hurry,” Jounouchi said. “Did you know they expect snow next week?”
“Yeah, I heard it on the radio.” Yuugi could feel the cold creep into his gloves, despite the density of the material.
“A white Christmas,” Jounouchi mused.
“Are you going to do something special with Mai-san?”
“Hell yeah! If I don’t break out the big guns at a white Christmas, she’s going to kill me!”
Yuugi wanted to make his standard quip that Mai wasn’t that violent, but he decided against it. A white Christmas was so romantic, he would’ve loved to spend it together with a special someone as well. The truth was, that Yuugi didn’t know who that special someone could be. During his high school years he had crushed on a girl, Anzu, and they had even dated a couple of times until they had said to each other, respectfully, that it wasn’t going to work out. He still counted her as one of his best friends, but lately he had noticed he was looking… less at women, and more at men. He didn’t know how to bring this to Jounouchi, afraid that his best friend would be disgusted.
“I don’t care if it’s going to cost me half my pay check, but I want to give her white roses…” Jounouchi continued as they walked to Itsukawa. Yuugi hadn’t heard of the restaurant before, but he trusted Jounouchi’s choice. His stomach grumbled.
“Two for hibachi, please,” Jounouchi said to the waiter, “and some Ramune to drink?”
“Yes, okay.” Yuugi left the ordering to Jounouchi. He didn’t even take a look at the menu;
Jounouchi had a very good nose for qualitative, yet affordable restaurants. His girlfriend, Mai, was a pit boss at the local casino and when she worked the evening shift, Jounouchi would often pick up Yuugi at his store to go out for dinner. Both men were lousy cooks and this was a good ‘excuse’ to get together and catch up.
“How’s your mother?” Jounouchi asked when the waiter had left. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, she’s doing fine. She’s terribly worried about me being all alone for Christmas, though.” Yuugi put on a pouting face. He didn’t want his mother to worry about him and sometimes she pushed the wrong buttons just a little too hard. When he was growing up, Yuugi had always imagined that he would be working at his grandfather’s Game Shop one day, but life decided otherwise. After his grandfather’s passing, Yuugi’s mother immediately sold the store and moved to another district in Domino City, to get away from the source of her grief. Yuugi had never blamed her, she only did what she thought was best for her son at that time. He was too young to continue the Game Shop on his own and his father was always away on business trips… and so, after Yuugi had graduated high school, he had nothing left; the Game Shop had been turned into a high-end fashion boutique, ironically enough.
“Are you going to visit her?”
“I guess so.” Yuugi reclined comfortably in his seat. “What about your sister?”
“Shizuka? She’s with her ‘boyfriend’ this year, and she’s going to be at his house…”
“She’s over eighteen now, Jounouchi-kun. She’s not your innocent little sister any more.”
“I know, I know… but come on… Otogi?”
Yuugi hid a smile behind his hand. Otogi Ryuuji was a former classmate and Yuugi knew him well, as he belonged to his circle of friends. “You have to admit, ever since his relationship with Shizuka has started, he hasn’t looked at any other girl.”
“He better not,” Jounouchi grumbled. Everything for the hibachi was put on the table, along with the Ramune. He sipped the soda. “So, you’re going to see your mother for Christmas? That’s all?”
“I guess so,” Yuugi repeated. “I’m not sure. She’s got a lot of friends, so maybe she decided to visit them instead.”
“What if she does?”
“It’s not a big deal, Jounouchi-kun. I can always go to the park, or the theatre, or… something else,” he finished lamely. “Anyway, it’s not Christmas yet.”
Jounouchi used his chopsticks to pick up a piece of meat. “Who knows, maybe you’ll find your special someone just in time,” he said.
He meant well, and Yuugi didn’t blame Jounouchi at all. It was slightly annoying that everyone was stressing ‘being with someone’ so much for the holidays. Sure, it was a special time to share with loved ones, but was it such a problem if one didn’t have a partner? Yuugi knew the answer already, deep down in his heart; he just didn’t want to be alone with Christmas, he didn’t want to be alone at all. Surely, there was someone out there, for him, waiting and wanting to meet him?
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Sighing, Yuugi picked up the top book from the stack. In all his years at the bookstore, he had developed a good eye for the value of antique books, especially first editions and prints. His cell phone beeped - a text message from Jounouchi, asking if he would recommend Itsukawa to other people. Yuugi texted back that he had enjoyed the hibachi and Jounouchi’s company and he hoped he would come by soon again. He put the phone on his desk and started checking the book for misprints, setting errors or any other kind of damage. He was able to perform minor repairs himself, a tedious and painstaking part of his job. Most of the books arrived in pretty good condition and this one was preserved remarkably well: an atlas filled with beautifully hand drawn maps and highly detailed gravures from 1659. Yuugi checked the book and tested how the pages were glued and bound. He was so engrossed in the book that he didn’t even hear the doorbell.
“Hello?” a male voice rang out. “Anyone here?”
Yuugi almost fell off his chair. His desk was at the back, as there wasn’t room enough for a separate office. His view was blocked by the large stack of books, so he quickly got up from his chair and walked around his desk.
“Just a moment,” he said as he reached the front of the store. “What can I do for…” His jaw went slack. A young man, with strikingly similar features like himself, stood next to the table with the travel and exploration books. His hair was just as outrageous as Yuugi’s: multicoloured strands, with golden bangs framing his face. He had an exotic tan and his eyes were narrower than Yuugi’s, and perhaps he was slightly taller... it was almost as if he was looking at his mirror image!
“Welcome,” Yuugi said as soon as he found his voice again.
“I was wondering if you are interested in selling books?” He spoke with a heavy accent. “I mean, books written by local people?” The young man dug up a few books from his dark blue backpack and showed it to Yuugi. “I have not been able to find a publisher yet. I thought I might try out bookstores first.”
“Let me take a look at it.” Yuugi accepted the books, obviously printed and bound at a regular copy and print shop. He had had aspiring writers coming into his store in the hope of selling their novel through him before, but Yuugi had to ask Kaiba’s permission and he would always say no. “Can you tell me what’s it about?”
“A young Pharaoh going on adventures,” he said. “It is not about historical accuracy, though. Just a young boy discovering the world around him, making friends, learning about life…”
“That sounds really nice,” Yuugi said. “I usually get visited by thriller writers.”
“I do enjoy a good mystery novel, but when I started writing, I found myself not really comfortable with the genre and I wrote this instead.”
“Can I keep this?” Yuugi asked. “I have to ask my boss’ permission to sell it.”
The young man nodded and turned around to leave. “I appreciate your effort.”
Yuugi almost panicked. He didn’t want him to leave! “Wait! I mean… your accent. It’s obvious that you’re not from around here?”
“Egypt,” he answered. “Alexandria, to be exact.”
“I should’ve known.” Yuugi pointed at the book. “You’re the young Pharaoh?”
He was rewarded with a small, yet soft smile. “I do not have political ambitions.” He looked at Yuugi, who was mesmerized by the colour of his eyes: a dramatic deep shade of red. “Thank you for the effort.”
“Wh-where can I reach you, should my boss want to sell your book? What’s your name?”
The other took out a small notebook and ripped off a piece of paper to write his phone number down, taking Yuugi by surprise. Didn’t he have a cell phone? Come to think of it, he looked rather… poor, especially when it came to his clothes: faded, worn and mended quite a few times.
The young man handed Yuugi the piece of paper. Sure enough, he had written down a landline number. Underneath the number was beautiful handwriting, but Yuugi couldn’t read it.
“I’m sorry, is this Egyptian? I can’t read it,” he said.
“My apologies, force of habit. My name is Atemu al-Busiri,” he said. “I do not know the equivalent in Japanese characters.”
“Just a second.” Yuugi took his own pen and wrote Atemu’s name in katakana on another piece of paper. He showed it to him. “Here, take this.”
“Thank you.” Atemu put it into his raggedy backpack.
“Do you mind if I read your book as well?” Yuugi asked.
“Of course not,” Atemu answered. His smile turned a little hopeful. “I hope your boss will like it.”
“I’ll let you know,” Yuugi said. He watched Atemu’s retreating back and he kept staring at the door until he was long gone. Dazed and confused, he went to his desk and sat down. What had just happened? He had never met such a handsome man before and it was quite weird, because he looked almost exactly like himself. Well, besides the gorgeous eyes and the perfect tan… and that lovely smile, as if it had been only meant for him… Yuugi was sorely tempted to text Jounouchi as he wanted to share this moment, but he decided against it. He hadn’t even told his best friend about his preference yet and besides, a handsome man with such a wonderful name would have ten women dangling from every finger, if not more. Sullen, Yuugi went back to work, leaving the copies of Atemu’s book on the left corner of his desk.
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“Yuugi! Where are you, man?”
“Here!” Yuugi hollered back, hidden behind two gigantic piles of books. Kaiba had been sending shipment after shipment much to his own bewilderment; what was the CEO doing? Was he buying entire inventories of libraries around the world, assuming that people would buy more antique books for the holidays? Yuugi had to admit though, Kaiba Seto had a knack for old and interesting prints and issues, and it made his own work certainly a lot more interesting and rewarding.
“Hey Yuugi,” another male voice, and Yuugi smiled as he recognized him.
“Honda-kun! It’s been a while.”
“Yeah, we’re busy, right?” Honda sheepishly scratched the back of his neck. Since he was officially engaged to Anzu, Yuugi’s previous crush, he acted a bit uncomfortable around Yuugi, even though the latter was happy for his friend and wished him the best. “Judging from the stacks of books around here, you’ve been pretty busy too.”
“Yes, I still have to appraise them all,” Yuugi said.
“This doesn’t look like an ancient print to me,” Honda said. Yuugi craned his neck to see which book his friend was talking about. It was Young Pharaoh and The Secret of Semerkhet, Atemu’s book. Yuugi couldn’t help himself, he had to smile.
“It’s from an aspiring author,” he said, “he came in yesterday to ask if I would sell it.”
“It’s a children’s book?” Honda flipped through the pages. “I like the artwork.”
“Yes, it’s for a younger audience. I haven’t read it myself yet.”
“It sounds like a fun story,” Honda said. “Do you mind if I borrow this copy? My nephew Yoshi likes to be read and this is really up his sleeve.”
“Sure, Honda-kun,” Yuugi said. “Let me know if Yoshi-kun likes it? I’m sure Atemu-san will appreciate the feedback.”
“Atemu-san, eh?” Honda closed the book and read the cover. “Atemu al-Busiri, that… doesn’t sound very local to me.”
“He’s of Egyptian descent, and very handsome.” It was out of his mouth before he realized it.
“Handsome?” Jounouchi repeated, arching an eyebrow. “He?” Before Yuugi could say anything, he smoothly continued: “Oh? Someone you’d like to know better?”
Honda joined in without skipping a beat. “Hey, you got to meet our girlfriends, we want to meet your boyfriend too!”
“Jounouchi-kun, Honda-kun!” Yuugi blushed, yet he felt incredibly relieved and blessed with such good friends. He should’ve known they wouldn’t have any difficulties with his preference. Still blushing, he said: “I certainly wouldn’t mind getting to know him better... I have his phone number…”
“Awesome. Just ask him out for coffee, or better yet, offer him dinner? Aren’t all aspiring writers poor and hungry?”
Jounouchi made a joke, but Yuugi thought he wasn’t far beside the truth. Atemu’s poor clothing and his sharp jaw line… the life of a struggling writer had to be hard, and he didn’t even know if Atemu had a ‘real’ job or not. He had called himself a ‘local writer’, but his accent was heavy (yet sexy) and he didn’t know the characters of the Japanese language very well, or he’d been able to write his own name right. He couldn’t have lived here for more than a couple of years. Maybe he could invite Atemu over for dinner… but wouldn’t that mean he would be coming on too strong? He didn’t want to impose and he didn’t even know if Atemu had the same… kind of feelings.
“I’ve got a better idea.” Honda grinned. He and Jounouchi knew about Yuugi’s shy nature, obviously. He grabbed the other two books Atemu left behind and gave one to Jounouchi. “You take one as well, and I’ll take the other one for Anzu. She knows a lot of young children!”
“B-but now I don’t have a copy,” Yuugi protested.
“Exactly,” Honda answered deadpan. “Call your writer friend and tell him you need more copies! It’s the perfect excuse.”
“Jounouchi-kun, give me the book,” Yuugi said in his deepest, most threatening voice, which meant that he sounded like an obstipated kitten trying to sneeze.
“Sorry Yuugi, I suddenly discovered my long-lost hobby of reading children’s books,” Jounouchi answered and easily held the book out of Yuugi’s reach.
“Call him,” Honda said. “Don’t worry, we won’t be listening in.”
“You guys are so mean,” Yuugi pouted. He wasn’t upset, though. His eyes already darted over to the piece of paper with Atemu’s number on it. So tempting, so tempting…
“He’s going to do it,” Jounouchi whispered dramatically to Honda. “He’s really going to do it!”
“Go for it!” Honda gave him a thumbs up. Taking a deep breath, Yuugi picked up his phone and quickly entered the phone number. As soon as it rang, he panicked and wanted to hang up again. Honda and Jounouchi both furiously whispered “No!” to him and Yuugi felt extremely silly and stupid at the same time.
“Moshi moshi?” an elderly, male voice suddenly spoke up.
“Good afternoon,” Yuugi stumbled, “is Atemu-san at home?”
“Atemu? No, not home. Work! Work at factory,” the man said. “Who is this?”
“It’s Yuugi, from the book store,” Yuugi said. “Can you ask him to call me back, please?”
“Yes, call back,” the man said and the connection was severed.
“That didn’t sound like a romantic get-together,” Jounouchi said.
“I don't know who I spoke to,” Yuugi said. “He said Atemu-san worked at a factory, so he wasn’t at home.”
“Too bad,” Honda said sympathetically. “Hopefully he’ll call you back soon!”
“Let’s hope so.” Yuugi smiled albeit a little strained. “So, where are we going to for lunch?”
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After lunch, Yuugi said goodbye to Jounouchi and Honda and went back to the book store. For the rest of the day it was rather crowded and when it was around closing time, Yuugi noticed that he hadn’t felt this exhausted since a long time. His phone rang and he hurried to pick it up.
“Moshi moshi?”
“Book store?”
“Yes, Atemu-san, is that you?” Yuugi’s heart skipped a beat.
“Yes, it is. I was told to call you?”
“Uhm, yes,” Yuugi said. Why was it so darn hard to say Hey, I really like you and I want to see you again like, right now? “Do you… have you… are there more copies of your book? My friends were very interested and took all the copies.”
“Oh,” Atemu said, hesitating. “I will have to print the manuscript again…” He didn’t sound overly enthusiastic, which baffled Yuugi at first - until it dawned to him. Atemu probably couldn’t afford the printing and binding costs and he was trying to think of a way to get the money somehow. Yuugi got an idea.
“I have everything you need to print your book here, at the store,” he said. “The equipment is a little outdated, but it’ll do the job just fine. You just need to bring your manuscript over… do you have it on a flash drive?”
“Yes, I have.” Atemu sounded relieved. “When do you want to print it?”
“You can come over right n… I mean, anytime you want to.” The thought of inviting the other over for dinner went through Yuugi’s mind, but he didn’t dare. It was too early. What would Atemu think if he suggested to dinner together? Maybe he would see it as a lewd proposal?
“I will be over right away,” he said. Yuugi’s cheeks started to burn.
“See you soon!” Yuugi hung up and sprinted to the storage room, previously a broom closet. He stored the books here that still needed to be catalogued; on top of the highest shelf were a printer and a binding machine. He grabbed a stool and reached for the equipment. Yuugi hadn’t lied when he said it was a little outdated. Kaiba believed in digital technology and the only thing that Yuugi needed to print were the receipts for the customers, through his cash register. He had asked Kaiba a couple of times what to do with the equipment as he didn’t want to throw out stuff carelessly, but Kaiba had never given an answer. Yuugi was glad he had held onto the devices and took them out of the storage room, hauling them over to his desk. Yuugi connected the printer to his much more advanced laptop and of course, the drivers were incompatible. He browsed for the latest update and just as he was about to download them, the doorbell chimed.
“Hi,” Yuugi said, unable to keep the wide smile off of his face.
“Hi,” Atemu said in return, panting.
“Did you… run all the way?” Yuugi asked.
“It was not that far.” Atemu brushed off his concern. Yuugi tilted his head.
“Where do you live?”
“Kazuki district,” Atemu answered casually and Yuugi almost fainted. That was the other side of town! He didn’t even take the subway? How bad was his situation if he couldn’t even afford public transportation? Yuugi didn’t want to draw unnecessary attention to Atemu’s extremely tight finances, so he didn’t comment on it.
“Just a moment, the computer is installing the drivers for the printer,” he said. “Can I get you something? Coffee? Tea?”
“Tea, please.”
“All right.” The store didn’t have a kitchen, so Yuugi had to go upstairs to his apartment. He had a separate entrance to his living quarters, but he usually took the stairs in the back to quickly move between the apartment and the store. He switched the kettle on and retrieved two mugs from the overhanging cabinet. Grabbing a handful of teabags, he poured the hot water into a thermos and made his way down again. Atemu was still standing patiently, not having budged an inch. Yuugi poured the hot water into the mugs and handed one to Atemu, who wrapped his gloveless hands around it.
“What kind of flavour do you want?” he asked. “I have green tea, but I like the one with dried fruits and berries very much.”
Atemu picked out a teabag with common green tea and dunked it into the mug with the hot water.
Yuugi looked at his laptop; the installation was almost done. “It’s cold outside, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” Atemu answered. He huddled a little into himself. “Winter is cold.”
“They’re even expecting snow,” Yuugi said as he clicked a couple of times.
“They?”
“The weather forecasts.” He smiled at Atemu. “I guess it’s always warm in Egypt, isn’t it?” The printer came rattling to life and choked on the first sheet of paper. Yuugi opened up the device and removed the offending piece.
“Yes,” Atemu answered again. Yuugi didn’t know what to think. Was he offending the other with his questions? Was he making him feel uncomfortable? Or was it the language barrier? Atemu wasn’t that familiar with the Japanese language yet to speak whatever came up in his mind. He wasn’t drinking his tea either; his hands were still around the hot, hot mug. Yuugi tested the printer again and this time, the paper rolled out smoothly.
“Looking good,” he mumbled to himself. “You’ve got your manuscript?”
“Here.” Atemu gave him a flash drive. “Your friends liked my book?”
“One of my friends has a young cousin,” Yuugi answered. “He’s going to read the book to him.”
“Ah, great.” Atemu followed Yuugi’s movements curiously. He attached the flash drive to his laptop and waited until the software opened its content.
“Which document is it?” he asked.
Atemu closed the distance between himself and Yuugi and pointed at a file in the list on the screen. “That one.”
“All right, let’s open it.” Yuugi clicked the file, feeling slightly nervous now that Atemu was standing next to him. He could smell a spicy scent, like a burning sun, combined with cinnamon, pepper, and other exotic flavours that he couldn’t identify. Yuugi couldn’t help himself, his eyes darted over to Atemu… and he was shocked as he saw the thin fabric of his winter coat. It wasn’t a winter coat, he discovered, Atemu was still wearing a summer coat. He had to be freezing! The laptop made a noise and Yuugi focused his attention back on the file. He adjusted the settings to start the print job. “The other files are the accompanying artwork, right?”
“Yes, they are. I will draw them again.”
“Don’t worry, this is a colour printer,” Yuugi said. “Its cartridges are full, so it shouldn’t be a problem to print everything.”
“I will pay you for the prints,” Atemu said.
“You don’t have to.” Yuugi watched the printer, satisfied to see that it was working correctly. Atemu remained silent.
“The man on the phone told me you work at a factory. What do you do?”
“What needs to be done.” He shrugged. “Assembling and packaging, shipping and handling.”
Yuugi’s eyes travelled to Atemu’s hands. His nails were short, bitten and split, and his skin looked reddish and rough. No environment for a writer, that was for sure. The printer was ready and Yuugi picked up the manuscript.
“I can bind it for you.”
“I will pay you.”
“You don’t have to,” Yuugi repeated. He nodded at the mug in Atemu’s hands. “Drink your tea, it’s getting cold. Have you eaten something yet?”
“I will get something on the way home.”
“I’ve set the printer to multiple copies, along with the artwork. Why don’t you stay here and keep and eye on this, while I make us something to eat?”
Atemu looked a little incredulous. “I cannot accept…”
“How about oyakodon,” Yuugi cut him off. “It’s a simple, yet nourishing dish. Please, I just want you to have something to eat before you go home.”
Atemu made a sound that could mean ‘yes’ or ‘no’, and Yuugi choose to interpret it as a ‘yes’. He went upstairs to his small kitchen again and prepared the meal, as his heart fluttered all over the place. It wasn’t exactly an invitation for dinner, but still…! If only he could learn more about him, but Atemu wasn’t that talkative. Yuugi chalked it up to the other being tired after a hard day at the factory. All that Atemu needed, was someone to take care of him, right? Yuugi put everything on a tray and hurried downstairs again.
“Here you are,” he said as he put the tray on the large desk.
“Thank you.” He had finished his tea and Yuugi poured him some more; the thermos was still hot.
“Itadakimasu!”
“What does that mean?”
“Basically, you say thanks for the food you receive,” Yuugi explained.
“I see. Itadakimasu!” Atemu repeated and lifted up his chopsticks. He was quite handy with them and Yuugi had to refrain to watch him like a love-stricken teenager, melting at his cute accent. He was about to say something, when his cell phone rang.
“Moshi moshi?”
“Mutou!” A harsh yet familiar voice barked into his ear. “The security log shows me that you haven’t activated the alarm yet. Why are you still in the store?”
“Good evening, Kaiba-kun,” Yuugi said politely. “How have you been?”
“The alarm,” Kaiba demanded.
“I’m sorry. Yes, I’m still in the store. I’m talking to an author-”
“Mutou, I told you before that I don’t accept anything from anyone who comes into the store and calls himself a ‘writer’,” Kaiba said. “I’m not a publisher! I only buy quality books and rare prints, all at least before 1910.”
“I know, Kaiba-kun,” Yuugi said patiently while in his mind he added I work here, “but this is a very special book. It’s about a young Pharaoh who goes on adventures...”
“I’m not selling that rubbish,” Kaiba gave back crudely. “Get him out the door and close the store. I want that alarm on within fifteen minutes, got it?” He severed the connection before Yuugi could say another word. Heaving a sigh, Yuugi put down the phone. Atemu stared at him, curiously. He hadn’t been able to follow the rapid discussion and had finished his bowl of oyakodon instead.
“That was my boss,” Yuugi said, “to tell me to close the store. He’s not a very easy man,” he added. Atemu looked at the printed manuscripts. Yuugi knew what he wanted to ask.
“I didn’t get a chance to ask him permission,” he said, cringing inwardly at the half-assed lie. He hadn’t asked because the answer was so obvious.
“I wait,” Atemu said. “Thank you for your efforts once more.”
“No problem,” Yuugi said. He hated to see Atemu go. His heart cried out. If only he could do something for the other; buy him groceries, some new clothes..! Kaiba had said ‘fifteen minutes’, which in reality meant ‘fifteen seconds’. Yuugi had to close the store and he said his goodbyes to the other. It looked like Atemu wanted to say something, just as Yuugi closed the door behind him. To his dismay, Yuugi thought he saw annoyance and anger in those reddish eyes. What had he done wrong? Every fibre in his soul begged him to open the door again and call after Atemu, but he was too late - he was already gone. Upset, Yuugi made his way back to his desk, with his rapidly cooling bowl of oyakodon.
Kaiba’s harsh reaction bothered him. Why couldn’t the CEO give another person a chance? Nobody was asking him to finance the book, just an opportunity to sell it! Suddenly, an idea hit him. Kaiba had a younger brother, Mokuba, and it was no secret he doted on him. Yuugi had his email address, because Kaiba had the habit to copy his brother in almost every mail he send (even though Yuugi didn’t know why, Mokuba should be in school, not doing business?). He was a little too old for the target audience for Atemu’s book, but it couldn’t hurt, could it? Yuugi quickly emailed the manuscript to Mokuba along with an accompanying letter. He shut down all the equipment and activated the alarm, as per Kaiba’s wish. With his cold bowl in his hand, Yuugi went upstairs to his apartment, feeling alone and empty. Maybe one day, he would have dinner with Atemu in this dainty little kitchen, but for now he had to settle for finishing the rest of his dinner alone.
-----------------------------------------
“Thank you,” Yuugi said and returned the credit card to the customer. The doorbell chimed again; he was so busy he didn’t even have the time to look who came in. His smile was plastered firmly on his face though; Yuugi really enjoyed himself and he was glad to help out. He was also glad to get distracted from his thoughts; why Atemu hadn’t shown himself for two days, and if he, Yuugi, had offended him or not. Was he really that head over heels with a man he didn’t know at all? The next customer approached him.
“Good morning, Yuugi.”
“Anzu!” Yuugi’s smile increased. “So good to see you!” He all but ran around the desk to give her a firm hug, which she happily returned. Honda, standing behind her, coughed.
“Good morning to you too, Yuugi,” he said and winked at him.
“Good to see you too, Honda-kun,” Yuugi said.
“How’s it going? It looks like your inventory has decreased!”
“Yes, that’s right,” Yuugi answered. “I even sold the atlas from 1659 to a collector! Kaiba-kun’s going to be stoked about the profits.”
“Yuugi, I wanted to ask about the book,” Anzu said.
“Ask away!” He knew which book she was talking about, of course. Anzu worked at a private preschool and reading time was very valued.
“Are there more books? As in a series? The kids really like it, and I’m almost at the last chapter!”
“Yoshi wants me to read it every night,” Honda added. “He can’t go to sleep without hearing about the young Pharaoh.”
“Atemu-san sure would love to hear this,” Yuugi said happily.
“About that,” Anzu lowered her voice a little as there were other customers in the store, “Honda told me all about your interest in this particular writer,” she said, smiling at him. “I’m so happy for you! Do you know if he… returns the feelings?”
“I’m not sure,” Yuugi said, blushing like a madman. “I mean… I think he’s mad with me.”
“Mad?” Anzu parroted. “Why?”
He briefly told her about Atemu’s visit and how he had given him something to eat while they were waiting for the printer to finish. Anzu listened patiently, and when he was done, she ruffled his hair.
“Oh Yuugi, your kindness is killing him,” she said. “Can’t you see? He’s struggling to keep his head above water. Writing is probably the only distraction he has, his only passion, the only thing that keeps him sane. And then, there’s you, who overwhelms him with kindness, with warmth, with food… he doesn’t know how to accept that, he can’t accept it. Through the hardships of his life, he’s used to do everything on his own, fending for himself, and it will go against every bit of his pride to accept something he sees as ‘charity’.”
“His pride,” Yuugi repeated.
“Oh yes.” Anzu looked at Yuugi. “He’s come so far, and he won’t accept something that’s offered to him so easily. That would go against everything he stands for. Why else would he insist on paying for the printing, even when you told him it wasn’t necessary?”
“I offended him by treating like he was weak,” Yuugi said, aghast at his own behaviour. “Like he needed help, as if he couldn’t take care of himself.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself, Yuugi. You meant well. You always want to help, that’s who you are. I don’t think Atemu-san was angry. I think he just didn’t know how to deal with it. He was probably overwhelmed.”
“I should call him and apologize,” Yuugi said, downtrodden. Anzu patted him on the back.
“I’m sure Atemu-san will come back, if only to give you the money he thinks he owes you,” she said. “Then, you can talk to him about it.”
“Thank you,” he said. Honda stood discreetly to the side, patiently waiting for their conversation to be over. “You too, Honda-kun,” Yuugi said.
“No problem,” he grinned. “Ask your writer to start thinking about new chapters, okay?”
“I’ll ask him,” Yuugi said, with renewed confidence. He kept thinking about Anzu’s words for the rest of the day. How could he have been so stupid? Of course Atemu had his pride, and he had waltzed all over it, treating him like a toddler. Yuugi could smack himself silly. He’d only been acting belittling to the other… but was it so hard to accept a hot meal? His thoughts went around in circles, and he was tiring himself out. Yuugi checked his watch. Well, only one more hour to go. It had been a busy day, and he was ready to close up shop. He busied himself with shelving books when the doorbell chimed anew. He turned around, his breath hitching in his throat as soon as he saw who was standing in the store.
“Atemu-san,” he said, “how have you been?”
“Here.” Atemu held out a rectangular piece of paper. Yuugi frowned. He didn’t understand what it was about, until he recognized it. It was a check for six thousand yen, made it out to ‘bookstore Yuugi’.
“I can’t accept this, Atemu-san,” Yuugi said “I’m sorry, but this is money you need yourself.”
“I always pay off my debts,” Atemu said stubbornly.
“I don’t regard printing your manuscript as any kind of debt.” Yuugi held up the check. “I don’t want this, Atemu-san. You could use this yourself.”
Atemu didn’t take the check back. If anything, he looked like he was going to run out the door any second now.
“Please don’t leave,” Yuugi said. He didn’t know what else to say. “I… oh, my friends came into the store this afternoon. They love your book and wanted to know if you have written more? A series, perhaps?”
That hit the spot. Atemu’s face lit up like a Christmas tree and his smile was beautiful, relaxing his usual stern look. “Really? They really liked it?”
“My friend reads it to the kids in the preschool she works at,” Yuugi said. “They all want to know what happens next to the young Pharaoh.”
“That is wonderful to hear,” Atemu said. “I would love to be a fulltime writer.”
“You certainly have the talent,” Yuugi beamed at him. “And you can draw, too!”
“I will get started right away on the next book. I have plenty of ideas…”
“If you can build up a network of customers, then you can try getting published again,” Yuugi encouraged him. “Publishers are very interested if there’s interest in your book already.”
“Thank you,” Atemu said. He looked a bit flustered. “I have to get back to work.”
“What, right now?”
The other didn’t answer. “Let me get you some soup before you go.” Yuugi didn’t give him a chance to protest; he immediately hurried upstairs and put a bowl of soup in the microwave. He grabbed a few melonpan and stuffed them in a bag. He poured the hot soup into the thermos and on his way downstairs he took a pair of gloves with him extra. The temperature had really taken a plunge and the thought of Atemu’s bare hands was horrible. He thrusted everything into Atemu’s arms.
“Here you are,” Yuugi said. “Take it, Atemu-san. It’s too cold outside.”
Atemu narrowed his eyes, but he didn’t comment. A last-minute customer entered the store and asked where he could find American classics. Yuugi went over to the customer to help him and when he had finished, Atemu was gone. The pair of gloves was on the desk. Damn your pride, he thought to himself. Damn you Yuugi, for not having learned your mistake. Why don’t you shoot yourself in the foot right away, next time? If there was a next time…
-----------------------------------
Snow! Yuugi grunted; the front door of the store always got stuck when it was so cold, and the heavy layer of snow didn’t help matters. He grabbed the broom and removed the snow from the entrance, so no one would slip or fall. As he was sweeping outdoors, a limousine drove up to the store. Yuugi didn’t notice at first until the car halted and the doors were opened and closed with a loud thud. He looked up.
“Kaiba-kun!” He was baffled to see the CEO in the flesh; the last time had been at least three years ago. “Mokuba-kun!”
“Hey Yuugi,” Mokuba waved at him as he hopped out of the limousine. “It snowed! Isn’t it fun?”
“Yes it is,” Yuugi said, but in truth he’d been thinking about Atemu in his thin summer coat and without his gloves.
“Mutou,” Kaiba said without a proper greeting. “I have five minutes for you.”
“For me?” Yuugi asked. “Oh, you want to check the books?” He didn’t understand why Kaiba would visit him in person; if it pertained to the store, he would be in touch with KaibaCorp.’s accountancy department.
“I should fire you for harassing my brother,” Kaiba grumbled, “but as it is, he loves that manuscript you send him… so where is this Atemu al-Something?”
“al-Busiri,” Yuugi corrected him, and quickly continued: “He lives in the Kazuki district...”
“So? Call him!”
“Yes, Kaiba-kun,” Yuugi meekly said and pulled out his cell phone, as he had put Atemu’s number into its memory. Mokuba elbowed his older brother.
“Don’t be such a grouch, nii-sama,” he said. “We have plenty of time for our next appointment.”
“I’m glad you liked the manuscript, Mokuba-kun,” Yuugi said as he waited for the phone to be answered. Mokuba grinned at him.
“It was fun to read, but a little too young for me. I do believe it has great potential though, so I told my brother to act upon it! Old books are fine, but he should make room for some new talent as well.”
“I never should’ve told you about the bookstore,” Kaiba grumbled.
“Moshi moshi?” Yuugi heard some noises on the other side of the line. “Atemu-san, is that you?”
“Atemu? One moment!” It was the same gruff voice as before, and Yuugi wondered who exactly was answering. Was this a guy who lived with him…? More noises and sounds, and finally, Atemu was on the phone.
“Moshi moshi, yes, hello?”
“Atemu-san, it’s me, Yuugi,” Yuugi said. “How fast can you make it to the bookstore?”
“To the bookstore? I…”
“My boss is here, he wants to talk to you about your manuscript,” Yuugi continued, ignoring Kaiba’s grumpy facial expression. Mokuba wandered into the store, saying that it was too cold outside.
“R-really?” It was the first time that he heard Atemu stutter. “I-I can come over right away!”
“Please do,” Yuugi said, but before he hung up, he added in a softer tone of voice: “Be careful, it’s cold and slippery outside.”
“In the meantime, I’ll take a look,” Kaiba said and stalked into the bookstore, following his brother. Yuugi traipsed after him; after all, Kaiba was his boss and he had every right to look for himself. “Did you sell all the inventory I send you?”
“Yes, except for these books here,” Yuugi pointed at a shelf, “and a few prayer books.”
“Hm.” Kaiba didn’t comment on the printer and binding machine on the desk. Mokuba was behind another bookcase.
“It’s certainly cramped in here,” he said. “Nii-sama, how come you even acquired this store?”
“It was part of another business transaction,” Kaiba said. “I didn’t think much of it and it’s certainly not my core business.”
Yuugi didn’t add to the conversation. The thought of Kaiba selling the bookstore always made him feel nauseous. He didn’t have enough savings to take over the bookstore from Kaiba and to keep it afloat. He really hoped that the CEO would hold onto the store, no matter what. The doorbell chimed and Yuugi turned around, relieved to see Atemu in one piece, even though the other held himself up at the doorpost, panting and wheezing.
“You came running all the way again, didn’t you?” Yuugi supported him and took him into the store. “Kaiba-kun, this is Atemu al-Busiri. Atemu-san, this is Kaiba Seto from KaibaCorp.. A very big business,” he added as he didn’t think Atemu had heard of the company before.
“My time is limited,” Kaiba said, not giving Atemu the chance to say something. “You’re the writer of Young Pharaoh and the Secret of Semerkhet, right?”
“Yes, yes I am,” Atemu said.
“Well, you have the good fortune that my brother liked your book. I want to buy the rights to
your series.” He pulled out a check book from the inner pocket of his coat, as well as a pen. “I’ll have my secretary call you to set up an appointment with one of my business contacts. They’ll help you with the entire publishing process.”
“I… thank you.” Atemu looked from Yuugi to Kaiba and back again, flabbergasted.
“Hey, how come you look so much alike?” Mokuba popped up from behind his brother. “Are you related to each other?”
“I don’t have any Egyptian roots, not that I know of,” Yuugi quipped. “Thank you, Mokuba-kun.”
“My pleasure,” the younger Kaiba said. “I’m not the Vice President of KaibaCorp. for nothing. I have to show my nii-sama that I have the same business instinct as he has, and I thought this was too good of an opportunity to pass.”
“Are you going into publishing?” Yuugi asked. “A chain of bookstores, perhaps?”
“Perhaps.” Mokuba watched Kaiba write out the check. “Nii-sama is all about technology, but I like arts and crafts a lot. Books, games, movies, TV shows…”
“You’re always welcome here, Mokuba-kun.”
“Here.” Kaiba tossed the check at Atemu. “This will be enough to get started. My business associate will take your book into print immediately, and I want a second book within three months, including the artwork, to get the series going.”
Yuugi shook his head. “Kaiba-kun, that’s impossible! Atemu-san has a fulltime job, he can’t just-”
“That’s why I wrote him the check,” Kaiba interrupted him. “Mokuba, are you ready? We’re leaving.”
“Sure, nii-sama, I’m-” he never got a chance to finish his sentence, as Atemu had taken one look at the check and fainted on the spot.
--------------------------------------
“Ah, I think he’s coming around again.”
“Thank you so much, Anzu. You know so much about first-aid…”
“It’s not that bad, Yuugi. Look, he’s opening his eyes already. Atemu-san?”
“Wha...?” Atemu blinked a few times, his eyes growing large as he saw unknown faces hovering in his field of view.
“Take it easy, take it easy… how are you feeling, Atemu-san?”
“I…”
“No no, don’t try to get up. Lie down for a little longer.” Anzu looked at Yuugi. “Do you have something to drink for him? Water? Iced tea?”
“I’ll go get some,” Yuugi said. Jounouchi stopped him.
“You’ll stay here, I’ll get the water,” he said, as he’d been to Yuugi’s apartment before. Yuugi showed him a grateful smile; he really didn’t want to leave Atemu’s side. He leaned a little into him, taking his hand.
“You fainted,” he said.
“I did?” Atemu asked, not totally back to his senses yet.
“I would too, if I got a check from Kaiba Seto,” Honda said in the background. Yuugi had called his friends as soon as Atemu had fainted, not knowing what else to do.
Anzu adjusted the coat she had put under Atemu’s neck to support him. “Where’s Jounouchi with the water?”
“Right here,” Jounouchi announced himself, handing a tall glass of water to Anzu. “Here you are.”
Anzu held the glass close to Atemu’s lips. “Drink a little, Atemu-san.”
As he raised his head, Yuugi was quick to stabilize him. After a few sips, Atemu tilted his head to the side.
“I… I need to go to work,” he said.
“No, you don’t have to,” Yuugi said in return. “Kaiba-kun’s check is more than enough to cover the costs of living while you work on your new book.”
“I do not understand,” Atemu managed to say, unable to keep his eyes open.
“Is he going into shock?” Yuugi asked worriedly. Anzu shook her head.
“The poor guy’s exhausted,” she said, “he needs rest. I think we can move him now… where should we take him to, Yuugi?”
“To my living room,” Yuugi suggested and blushed accordingly. His small apartment didn’t have a guest room, and to put Atemu in his own bed… but he had a very comfortable sofa, and with some pillows and blankets, he could make a snugly bed out of it.
“All right.” Anzu got up and straightened herself. She put the glass of water on the desk.
“Honda, Jounouchi, would you mind bringing him upstairs?”
“No problem,” they answered simultaneously. Yuugi looked still worried.
“What should I do, Anzu?” he asked.
“Let him rest,” she simply answered. “Like I said, he’s exhausted and Kaiba’s check sent him over the edge. I don’t think he ever expected that.”
“I didn’t either,” Yuugi said. He had put the check safely away; it was Atemu’s money, not his.
“Good for him,” Anzu smiled. “I just know his Young Pharaoh series is going to be a success. He deserves it.”
“I’m going upstairs for a minute, to make sure he’s comfortable.” Yuugi turned around.
“I’ll wait here,” Anzu said. “Don’t worry, it’s going to be all right.”
-------------------------------------
Yuugi turned the page over from his book. It had been a while since he’d actually sat down and read at his leisure. He had turned the heater on and his living room was adorned with a few Christmas ornaments and pearl-white candles. It was snowing outside, soft and gentle; for once, he could barely hear traffic - most people stayed at home at Christmas Eve. The only thing that was missing was an open fire place, or so Yuugi thought. Or a big, fluffy cat on his lap. He refrained from playing seasonal music, mostly because his guest was still asleep. Buried in blankets and a heavy duvet, Atemu was lying on the sofa, his back turned towards Yuugi. He had woken up a couple of times, albeit disorientated, and had gone back to sleep again. Yuugi had called Anzu for advice and she had told him once again to let the other rest; as long as he didn’t develop a fever, or should he still be as sleepy like this in another few days, then he should see a doctor. There wasn’t much he could do, so Yuugi decided to just wait. He had picked up one of his own favourite books and settled in the living room, so he could keep an eye on Atemu. Turning another page, he continued to read until he heard a soft sigh. He peeked over the book.
“You’re awake,” he said. “How are you feeling?”
“A bit weird,” Atemu answered, his voice muffled as the blankets were pulled up to his nose. “Where am I?”
“You’re at my place,” Yuugi explained. “Above the bookstore. You fainted.”
“I did, did I not?” Atemu closed his eyes again, this time in embarrassment.
“It’s all right,” Yuugi said. “You worked so hard and you haven’t eaten that well lately, have you?”
“I do not earn much,” Atemu admitted, “the work at the factory…” He shot upright. “Work! I have to go to work!”
“No, you don’t!” Yuugi quickly closed the distance between them and pushed Atemu down, back onto the sofa again. “You’re not going to work right now, Atemu-san.”
“But I have to… my landlord will increase the rent if I do not pay him in time.”
“Is that the man who answers your phone?”
“Yes.” Atemu turned his head away.
“How much does he ask for rent?”
Atemu mumbled something and Yuugi couldn’t believe his ears. “That’s not a landlord, that’s a scammer! No one should have to pay that much rent.”
“He was the only choice we had when we arrived here,” Atemu said. “My father and his brother… my uncle. We did not have anything left in Alexandria, and my father had a job here, in Domino
City.”
“What about your mother?” Yuugi sat down on the sofa, scooting closer to Atemu but making sure he wasn’t impeding his movements.
“She died a couple of years after I was born,” Atemu said. “I do not remember much of her, except her face. She had the kindest smile I have ever seen.”
“You have that smile too.” Yuugi took his hand. “I saw it too, when you first came into the bookstore.”
Atemu didn’t withdraw. He seemed lost in his thoughts. “My father passed away soon after we arrived,” he continued. “The job did not pan out either and my uncle returned to Egypt immediately. He is a good man, but he could not do the same work and it had been my father’s plan to move to Japan all along. He did not see a future here.”
“And you did?”
“I thought I did,” Atemu said. “I got a job at the factory fairly quickly and I figured that if I could just pay the bills and gather enough income to live, I could follow classes in my spare time. Learn the language well, improve myself, work myself up…”
“But deep down, you wanted to be a writer,” Yuugi said. “You are a writer.”
“Writing does not put food on the table,” Atemu answered, downtrodden.
“Now it does,” Yuugi smiled at him. “Remember the check Kaiba-kun gave you? You don’t have to go back to the factory, Atemu-san. You have enough money now to cover the cost of living, while you write your second book.”
“When I saw…” Atemu shook his head.
“Seven million yen is a lot of money,” Yuugi said. “Kaiba-kun wouldn’t give you such a huge amount if he didn’t have any faith in you.” Well, it was more because Mokuba had faith, and he had a lot of influence on his stern, elder brother. “You’re going to be a fulltime writer and artist! No more factory work for you and you can buy yourself a cell phone and warm clothes, a suitable winter coat, and maybe rent a decent place…” His voice trailed off when he saw the annoyed-amused look on Atemu’s face. “I’m sorry,” he said. Yuugi heard Anzu’s voice in the back of his head. “I’m doing it again, am I not?”
“A little,” Atemu said. “It is all right…”
“No, it’s not. I’m belittling you and telling you what to do, while you’re more than capable to take care of yourself,” Yuugi said.
Atemu snorted. “Do you think so? Who is the one fainting and unable to keep up with the bills?”
“That’s not your fault,” Yuugi gave back. “Everyone goes through rough patches in their lives, and you hit an especially difficult one. The last thing you need is a nosy know-it-all. I didn’t mean to boss you around.”
“You did not. I was… I was in need of help,” Atemu reluctantly admitted. “I do not think I could have made it on my own. The rent, the debts my father left me, the ongoing bills… I only had my writing to keep up hope. I would not know what…”
Yuugi leaned a little into him, listening to his soft voice. He understood how hard it was for the other to admit that he needed help in the first place, he could see how he wrestled with his pride… and not wanting to be a bother. Without a second thought, Yuugi moved his other hand and brushed Atemu’s cheek.
“…would have happened to me if I had not met you,” he finished.
“You don’t owe me a thing,” Yuugi said. “I wanted to help you. I apologize if I overwhelmed you or made you feel bad, that wasn’t my intention.”
“I could not believe that you would do all of this without asking for anything in return,” Atemu said. He tilted his head a little, leaning into Yuugi’s touch. “Why?”
“Because I like you.” It was the truth; he couldn’t hold it back anymore. “When you walked into the bookstore, I saw a handsome, hardworking, proud and strong man. You would’ve made it without me, Atemu-san. If I can be just a part of your life, no matter how small, I’d be very grateful.”
Yuugi couldn’t help it, he stared at Atemu, waiting for the inevitable rejection. What did he know about him? What did they know about each other? He was telling him that he liked him, without even giving Atemu the chance to respond? How could he be such a klutz!
“I like you to be a part of my life,” Atemu said. He put his hand over Yuugi’s, pressing it to the side of his face. “A very big part.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“That’s great! I mean… well…” It was a huge weight off of his shoulders, yet he felt a little awkward. “Eh… you know, maybe we should eat, or something like that..?”
“What time is it anyway?”
“It’s Christmas Eve,” Yuugi said.
Atemu frowned. “I have been asleep for so long?”
“You were really, really exhausted…”
“I see.” His stomach grumbled. “Ah! Sorry…”
“I’ll make us something to eat,” Yuugi said but he didn’t move, as Atemu didn’t let go of his hand. “Atemu-kun?”
“You changed honorifics,” he said. “That is… cute.”
“Cute?”
“It sounds like a new step,” Atemu said. “A new chapter.”
“That sounds good to me,” Yuugi said and gently squeezed his hand. “A new chapter, for the both of us.”
----------------------------------------
Three months later
“Wow! That’s a really big line!” Anzu exclaimed while holding a signed copy of Young Pharaoh and the Temple of Toth in her arms. She was standing next to Yuugi, who was flanked by Honda and Jounouchi, while they looked at Atemu behind Yuugi’s desk. “They’re even lining up outside!”
“Isn’t it great?” Yuugi beamed at his friends. Step by step, the parents got closer to the desk, waiting patiently for Atemu to sign their own copy. The children looked around with wide eyes at the antique books, only to shy away or giggle when finally meeting the author of their beloved adventurous Pharaoh. “He looks great too, doesn’t he?”
“I’m glad he gained a little weight,” Anzu nudged Yuugi. “I’m sure you fed him chocolate and cream, right?”
Yuugi blushed. “Of course not! He doesn’t even like chocolate, can you believe it?”
“No, we can’t,” his friends answered all in one choir. Yuugi heaved a sigh of happiness, watching Atemu with nothing but adoration.
“So, what about plans for the future?” Honda inquired. “Has he officially moved in with you?”
“He has never left,” Yuugi quipped. “We went back to his landlord to terminate his rent, and the man was an absolute…” he lowered his voice as to not scar the children, “…asshole. He wanted Atemu to pay at least two more months of exorbitant rent and when Atemu got his stuff from his room, he noticed that his laptop was missing.”
“Sheesh, what a…” Jounouchi bit his tongue.
“It was a crappy laptop, but it had all his files of Young Pharaoh and the artwork,” Yuugi said. “Fortunately, KaibaCorp. had our backs.”
“No way! Kaiba??”
“Yes. It turns out to be that KaibaCorp. owns a lot of land in the Kazuki district, with the intention to demolish the dilapidated buildings and build new, social and affordable apartments. KaibaCorp. would be in charge of the rents, flushing out everyone scamming or abusing people in a weaker position.”
“That’s awesome,” Jounouchi said. “Huh, to think that Kaiba of all people is showing such a nice side!”
“He sure did,” Yuugi grinned. “Just one phone call from KaibaCorp. had the man wetting his pants and not soon after, the police arrived to arrest him for extortion. Needless to say, Atemu didn’t need to pay the extra rent and he got his laptop back.”
Anzu looked content. “I’m glad things worked out,” she said. “And… between you?”
At the same moment she asked her question, Atemu looked up, his eyes immediately on Yuugi. He looked a little stressed with so many people wanting his attention, but he relaxed when he saw Yuugi, drawing calmness from his presence.
“We had our first fight right after Christmas,” Yuugi recalled. “I… sort of accused him that he was only with me because he felt obligated after everything I’ve done for him, and he said that I was only with him out of pity. I told him that I didn’t like his jealous-protectiveness, and he told me I was smothering him.”
“Ouch,” Anzu said. “But you both have good points.”
“We have indeed.” Yuugi had turned off the doorbell, as it kept chiming with all the people entering and exiting the book store. “We talked a lot. A whole lot, and we worked it out. We have our ups and downs, but then again, we’ve only been together for three months.”
“I’ve been with Honda for three years,” Anzu said, “and I still want to kick him sometimes. You’ll get used to it.”
Yuugi showed her a knowing smile. He was so happy to stand here and watch Atemu from a distance. He wanted to pinch himself as it was hard to comprehend that Atemu answered his feelings and that their initial ‘I like you’ steadily was growing into a firm ‘I love you’. Chapter by chapter, step by step, but Yuugi already knew that he was going to be with Atemu for the rest of his life.
“Thank you for stopping by, guys,” he thanked his friends. Jounouchi slapped him on the shoulder.
“We’re all very happy for you!”
“I know,” Yuugi said. He was truly blessed and he was looking forward to spend every day with his writer, whose imagination didn’t limit itself to Pharaohs, especially not when it came to... ah… night time. Atemu didn’t believe in pajamas and had laughed at Yuugi’s star-patterned one. He had proceeded to peel Yuugi out of it and then convinced him to never wear one again… right when the fireworks of New Year’s Eve went off, illuminating the sky. Yuugi had enjoyed every moment and saw nothing but good things happening in the near future. Kaiba’s business associate had told him about the numerous offers from animation companies to bring Young Pharaoh to the small screen and recently, the next-door-neighbour, owning a fashion boutique, had gone out of business due to retirement. He hadn’t talked to Kaiba about it, but Yuugi would love to buy the building and expand; one part antique books and collector’s items, the other part modern and children’s books, with a prominent place for the work of his boyfriend. Boyfriend… even his mother had immediately been smitten with him. Yuugi melted again at the sight of Atemu signing patiently book after book, knowing that he was all his. He looked up, once again catching his eye. They simultaneously smiled; both happy and content, and very much in love.
-----------------------
This entry was originally posted at http://the-goldenpath.dreamwidth.org/58547.html. Please comment there using OpenID.
Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Pairings: Yami no Yuugi (Atemu) x Mutou Yuugi, mentions of Jounouchi x Mai, Shizuka x Otogi, Anzu x Honda
Warnings: unrepentant fluff and waff, a little bit of angst and some shounen ai.
Summary: (AU) Despite his loving circle of friends, Mutou Yuugi feels lonely, longing for someone to share his life with. During the holiday season, he gets his chance for love when he meets a writer who sets his heart ablaze...
Author's note: I just wanted to write something sweet, fluffy and sappy for Christmas.
Key: ---------- = scene change
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The doorbell chimed and Mutou Yuugi raised his head, a smile already on his face as to welcome the customer. His smile grew wider when he saw who had entered his quaint little bookstore.
“Jounouchi-kun!”
“Hey, Yuugi!” Jounouchi rubbed his hands and blew into them. “Man, it’s cold!”
“Well, what do you expect around this time of the year?” Yuugi walked over to his best friend. Jounouchi Katsuya’s face was covered with smudges; he worked as a maintenance technician at a large factory, servicing the production line machines.
“Ready to close up shop? It’s dinner time,” Jounouchi said. He stretched and yawned. “Man, am I glad the working day is over. It was so busy!”
“It’s good to stay busy, Jounouchi-kun,” Yuugi said. It sounded a little depressed, not that he meant it that way. The days were often long and lonely, especially with so many people ordering online or downloading e-books, instead of stopping by a brick-and-mortar store. He loved talking to people about books, he loved to hear stories and he loved the interaction. It didn’t help matters that Yuugi lived above the store in a very tiny apartment, which confronted him daily with a cold and empty place. Yuugi didn’t have a problem with being single, but he didn’t want to be single for the rest of his life. All of his friends had a partner and he felt left out. He too wanted someone to love, someone to care for and to take care of.
“So, how was today?” Jounouchi looked around while he hopped from one foot to another to stay warm. “Oh, you got a new shipment in?”
“Yeah, Kaiba-kun bought a lot at an international auction,” Yuugi said, scurrying for his gloves and scarf. Why Kaiba Seto, CEO of the international conglomerate KaibaCorp., would spend time and money on an almost obscure bookstore in Domino City, was a riddle to Yuugi. It was even a bigger riddle that Kaiba left everything concerning the bookstore in Yuugi’s hands, as Kaiba was known for his almost paranoid, controlling nature. “First-prints only, I still have to appraise and catalogue them.”
“Wow,” Jounouchi said. He knew better than to touch the stack of old, vintage books, lest they’d be stained or damaged. He didn’t care for books in particular, but he knew how much they meant to Yuugi.
“Ready,” Yuugi said as he donned his gloves and scarf. “Whereto?”
“I was thinking Itsukawa,” Jounouchi suggested. “Nice portions, great hibachi.”
“Sounds good to me.” Yuugi turned off the lights and programmed the alarm (after all, some of the vintage books were quite rare and valuable) before closing the door and locking it. He put the keys in his coat pocket. The chilly wind bit into his skin and he shivered. “Whoa! I didn’t know it was that cold.”
“Let’s hurry,” Jounouchi said. “Did you know they expect snow next week?”
“Yeah, I heard it on the radio.” Yuugi could feel the cold creep into his gloves, despite the density of the material.
“A white Christmas,” Jounouchi mused.
“Are you going to do something special with Mai-san?”
“Hell yeah! If I don’t break out the big guns at a white Christmas, she’s going to kill me!”
Yuugi wanted to make his standard quip that Mai wasn’t that violent, but he decided against it. A white Christmas was so romantic, he would’ve loved to spend it together with a special someone as well. The truth was, that Yuugi didn’t know who that special someone could be. During his high school years he had crushed on a girl, Anzu, and they had even dated a couple of times until they had said to each other, respectfully, that it wasn’t going to work out. He still counted her as one of his best friends, but lately he had noticed he was looking… less at women, and more at men. He didn’t know how to bring this to Jounouchi, afraid that his best friend would be disgusted.
“I don’t care if it’s going to cost me half my pay check, but I want to give her white roses…” Jounouchi continued as they walked to Itsukawa. Yuugi hadn’t heard of the restaurant before, but he trusted Jounouchi’s choice. His stomach grumbled.
“Two for hibachi, please,” Jounouchi said to the waiter, “and some Ramune to drink?”
“Yes, okay.” Yuugi left the ordering to Jounouchi. He didn’t even take a look at the menu;
Jounouchi had a very good nose for qualitative, yet affordable restaurants. His girlfriend, Mai, was a pit boss at the local casino and when she worked the evening shift, Jounouchi would often pick up Yuugi at his store to go out for dinner. Both men were lousy cooks and this was a good ‘excuse’ to get together and catch up.
“How’s your mother?” Jounouchi asked when the waiter had left. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, she’s doing fine. She’s terribly worried about me being all alone for Christmas, though.” Yuugi put on a pouting face. He didn’t want his mother to worry about him and sometimes she pushed the wrong buttons just a little too hard. When he was growing up, Yuugi had always imagined that he would be working at his grandfather’s Game Shop one day, but life decided otherwise. After his grandfather’s passing, Yuugi’s mother immediately sold the store and moved to another district in Domino City, to get away from the source of her grief. Yuugi had never blamed her, she only did what she thought was best for her son at that time. He was too young to continue the Game Shop on his own and his father was always away on business trips… and so, after Yuugi had graduated high school, he had nothing left; the Game Shop had been turned into a high-end fashion boutique, ironically enough.
“Are you going to visit her?”
“I guess so.” Yuugi reclined comfortably in his seat. “What about your sister?”
“Shizuka? She’s with her ‘boyfriend’ this year, and she’s going to be at his house…”
“She’s over eighteen now, Jounouchi-kun. She’s not your innocent little sister any more.”
“I know, I know… but come on… Otogi?”
Yuugi hid a smile behind his hand. Otogi Ryuuji was a former classmate and Yuugi knew him well, as he belonged to his circle of friends. “You have to admit, ever since his relationship with Shizuka has started, he hasn’t looked at any other girl.”
“He better not,” Jounouchi grumbled. Everything for the hibachi was put on the table, along with the Ramune. He sipped the soda. “So, you’re going to see your mother for Christmas? That’s all?”
“I guess so,” Yuugi repeated. “I’m not sure. She’s got a lot of friends, so maybe she decided to visit them instead.”
“What if she does?”
“It’s not a big deal, Jounouchi-kun. I can always go to the park, or the theatre, or… something else,” he finished lamely. “Anyway, it’s not Christmas yet.”
Jounouchi used his chopsticks to pick up a piece of meat. “Who knows, maybe you’ll find your special someone just in time,” he said.
He meant well, and Yuugi didn’t blame Jounouchi at all. It was slightly annoying that everyone was stressing ‘being with someone’ so much for the holidays. Sure, it was a special time to share with loved ones, but was it such a problem if one didn’t have a partner? Yuugi knew the answer already, deep down in his heart; he just didn’t want to be alone with Christmas, he didn’t want to be alone at all. Surely, there was someone out there, for him, waiting and wanting to meet him?
--------------------------------------
Sighing, Yuugi picked up the top book from the stack. In all his years at the bookstore, he had developed a good eye for the value of antique books, especially first editions and prints. His cell phone beeped - a text message from Jounouchi, asking if he would recommend Itsukawa to other people. Yuugi texted back that he had enjoyed the hibachi and Jounouchi’s company and he hoped he would come by soon again. He put the phone on his desk and started checking the book for misprints, setting errors or any other kind of damage. He was able to perform minor repairs himself, a tedious and painstaking part of his job. Most of the books arrived in pretty good condition and this one was preserved remarkably well: an atlas filled with beautifully hand drawn maps and highly detailed gravures from 1659. Yuugi checked the book and tested how the pages were glued and bound. He was so engrossed in the book that he didn’t even hear the doorbell.
“Hello?” a male voice rang out. “Anyone here?”
Yuugi almost fell off his chair. His desk was at the back, as there wasn’t room enough for a separate office. His view was blocked by the large stack of books, so he quickly got up from his chair and walked around his desk.
“Just a moment,” he said as he reached the front of the store. “What can I do for…” His jaw went slack. A young man, with strikingly similar features like himself, stood next to the table with the travel and exploration books. His hair was just as outrageous as Yuugi’s: multicoloured strands, with golden bangs framing his face. He had an exotic tan and his eyes were narrower than Yuugi’s, and perhaps he was slightly taller... it was almost as if he was looking at his mirror image!
“Welcome,” Yuugi said as soon as he found his voice again.
“I was wondering if you are interested in selling books?” He spoke with a heavy accent. “I mean, books written by local people?” The young man dug up a few books from his dark blue backpack and showed it to Yuugi. “I have not been able to find a publisher yet. I thought I might try out bookstores first.”
“Let me take a look at it.” Yuugi accepted the books, obviously printed and bound at a regular copy and print shop. He had had aspiring writers coming into his store in the hope of selling their novel through him before, but Yuugi had to ask Kaiba’s permission and he would always say no. “Can you tell me what’s it about?”
“A young Pharaoh going on adventures,” he said. “It is not about historical accuracy, though. Just a young boy discovering the world around him, making friends, learning about life…”
“That sounds really nice,” Yuugi said. “I usually get visited by thriller writers.”
“I do enjoy a good mystery novel, but when I started writing, I found myself not really comfortable with the genre and I wrote this instead.”
“Can I keep this?” Yuugi asked. “I have to ask my boss’ permission to sell it.”
The young man nodded and turned around to leave. “I appreciate your effort.”
Yuugi almost panicked. He didn’t want him to leave! “Wait! I mean… your accent. It’s obvious that you’re not from around here?”
“Egypt,” he answered. “Alexandria, to be exact.”
“I should’ve known.” Yuugi pointed at the book. “You’re the young Pharaoh?”
He was rewarded with a small, yet soft smile. “I do not have political ambitions.” He looked at Yuugi, who was mesmerized by the colour of his eyes: a dramatic deep shade of red. “Thank you for the effort.”
“Wh-where can I reach you, should my boss want to sell your book? What’s your name?”
The other took out a small notebook and ripped off a piece of paper to write his phone number down, taking Yuugi by surprise. Didn’t he have a cell phone? Come to think of it, he looked rather… poor, especially when it came to his clothes: faded, worn and mended quite a few times.
The young man handed Yuugi the piece of paper. Sure enough, he had written down a landline number. Underneath the number was beautiful handwriting, but Yuugi couldn’t read it.
“I’m sorry, is this Egyptian? I can’t read it,” he said.
“My apologies, force of habit. My name is Atemu al-Busiri,” he said. “I do not know the equivalent in Japanese characters.”
“Just a second.” Yuugi took his own pen and wrote Atemu’s name in katakana on another piece of paper. He showed it to him. “Here, take this.”
“Thank you.” Atemu put it into his raggedy backpack.
“Do you mind if I read your book as well?” Yuugi asked.
“Of course not,” Atemu answered. His smile turned a little hopeful. “I hope your boss will like it.”
“I’ll let you know,” Yuugi said. He watched Atemu’s retreating back and he kept staring at the door until he was long gone. Dazed and confused, he went to his desk and sat down. What had just happened? He had never met such a handsome man before and it was quite weird, because he looked almost exactly like himself. Well, besides the gorgeous eyes and the perfect tan… and that lovely smile, as if it had been only meant for him… Yuugi was sorely tempted to text Jounouchi as he wanted to share this moment, but he decided against it. He hadn’t even told his best friend about his preference yet and besides, a handsome man with such a wonderful name would have ten women dangling from every finger, if not more. Sullen, Yuugi went back to work, leaving the copies of Atemu’s book on the left corner of his desk.
----------------------------
“Yuugi! Where are you, man?”
“Here!” Yuugi hollered back, hidden behind two gigantic piles of books. Kaiba had been sending shipment after shipment much to his own bewilderment; what was the CEO doing? Was he buying entire inventories of libraries around the world, assuming that people would buy more antique books for the holidays? Yuugi had to admit though, Kaiba Seto had a knack for old and interesting prints and issues, and it made his own work certainly a lot more interesting and rewarding.
“Hey Yuugi,” another male voice, and Yuugi smiled as he recognized him.
“Honda-kun! It’s been a while.”
“Yeah, we’re busy, right?” Honda sheepishly scratched the back of his neck. Since he was officially engaged to Anzu, Yuugi’s previous crush, he acted a bit uncomfortable around Yuugi, even though the latter was happy for his friend and wished him the best. “Judging from the stacks of books around here, you’ve been pretty busy too.”
“Yes, I still have to appraise them all,” Yuugi said.
“This doesn’t look like an ancient print to me,” Honda said. Yuugi craned his neck to see which book his friend was talking about. It was Young Pharaoh and The Secret of Semerkhet, Atemu’s book. Yuugi couldn’t help himself, he had to smile.
“It’s from an aspiring author,” he said, “he came in yesterday to ask if I would sell it.”
“It’s a children’s book?” Honda flipped through the pages. “I like the artwork.”
“Yes, it’s for a younger audience. I haven’t read it myself yet.”
“It sounds like a fun story,” Honda said. “Do you mind if I borrow this copy? My nephew Yoshi likes to be read and this is really up his sleeve.”
“Sure, Honda-kun,” Yuugi said. “Let me know if Yoshi-kun likes it? I’m sure Atemu-san will appreciate the feedback.”
“Atemu-san, eh?” Honda closed the book and read the cover. “Atemu al-Busiri, that… doesn’t sound very local to me.”
“He’s of Egyptian descent, and very handsome.” It was out of his mouth before he realized it.
“Handsome?” Jounouchi repeated, arching an eyebrow. “He?” Before Yuugi could say anything, he smoothly continued: “Oh? Someone you’d like to know better?”
Honda joined in without skipping a beat. “Hey, you got to meet our girlfriends, we want to meet your boyfriend too!”
“Jounouchi-kun, Honda-kun!” Yuugi blushed, yet he felt incredibly relieved and blessed with such good friends. He should’ve known they wouldn’t have any difficulties with his preference. Still blushing, he said: “I certainly wouldn’t mind getting to know him better... I have his phone number…”
“Awesome. Just ask him out for coffee, or better yet, offer him dinner? Aren’t all aspiring writers poor and hungry?”
Jounouchi made a joke, but Yuugi thought he wasn’t far beside the truth. Atemu’s poor clothing and his sharp jaw line… the life of a struggling writer had to be hard, and he didn’t even know if Atemu had a ‘real’ job or not. He had called himself a ‘local writer’, but his accent was heavy (yet sexy) and he didn’t know the characters of the Japanese language very well, or he’d been able to write his own name right. He couldn’t have lived here for more than a couple of years. Maybe he could invite Atemu over for dinner… but wouldn’t that mean he would be coming on too strong? He didn’t want to impose and he didn’t even know if Atemu had the same… kind of feelings.
“I’ve got a better idea.” Honda grinned. He and Jounouchi knew about Yuugi’s shy nature, obviously. He grabbed the other two books Atemu left behind and gave one to Jounouchi. “You take one as well, and I’ll take the other one for Anzu. She knows a lot of young children!”
“B-but now I don’t have a copy,” Yuugi protested.
“Exactly,” Honda answered deadpan. “Call your writer friend and tell him you need more copies! It’s the perfect excuse.”
“Jounouchi-kun, give me the book,” Yuugi said in his deepest, most threatening voice, which meant that he sounded like an obstipated kitten trying to sneeze.
“Sorry Yuugi, I suddenly discovered my long-lost hobby of reading children’s books,” Jounouchi answered and easily held the book out of Yuugi’s reach.
“Call him,” Honda said. “Don’t worry, we won’t be listening in.”
“You guys are so mean,” Yuugi pouted. He wasn’t upset, though. His eyes already darted over to the piece of paper with Atemu’s number on it. So tempting, so tempting…
“He’s going to do it,” Jounouchi whispered dramatically to Honda. “He’s really going to do it!”
“Go for it!” Honda gave him a thumbs up. Taking a deep breath, Yuugi picked up his phone and quickly entered the phone number. As soon as it rang, he panicked and wanted to hang up again. Honda and Jounouchi both furiously whispered “No!” to him and Yuugi felt extremely silly and stupid at the same time.
“Moshi moshi?” an elderly, male voice suddenly spoke up.
“Good afternoon,” Yuugi stumbled, “is Atemu-san at home?”
“Atemu? No, not home. Work! Work at factory,” the man said. “Who is this?”
“It’s Yuugi, from the book store,” Yuugi said. “Can you ask him to call me back, please?”
“Yes, call back,” the man said and the connection was severed.
“That didn’t sound like a romantic get-together,” Jounouchi said.
“I don't know who I spoke to,” Yuugi said. “He said Atemu-san worked at a factory, so he wasn’t at home.”
“Too bad,” Honda said sympathetically. “Hopefully he’ll call you back soon!”
“Let’s hope so.” Yuugi smiled albeit a little strained. “So, where are we going to for lunch?”
----------------------------
After lunch, Yuugi said goodbye to Jounouchi and Honda and went back to the book store. For the rest of the day it was rather crowded and when it was around closing time, Yuugi noticed that he hadn’t felt this exhausted since a long time. His phone rang and he hurried to pick it up.
“Moshi moshi?”
“Book store?”
“Yes, Atemu-san, is that you?” Yuugi’s heart skipped a beat.
“Yes, it is. I was told to call you?”
“Uhm, yes,” Yuugi said. Why was it so darn hard to say Hey, I really like you and I want to see you again like, right now? “Do you… have you… are there more copies of your book? My friends were very interested and took all the copies.”
“Oh,” Atemu said, hesitating. “I will have to print the manuscript again…” He didn’t sound overly enthusiastic, which baffled Yuugi at first - until it dawned to him. Atemu probably couldn’t afford the printing and binding costs and he was trying to think of a way to get the money somehow. Yuugi got an idea.
“I have everything you need to print your book here, at the store,” he said. “The equipment is a little outdated, but it’ll do the job just fine. You just need to bring your manuscript over… do you have it on a flash drive?”
“Yes, I have.” Atemu sounded relieved. “When do you want to print it?”
“You can come over right n… I mean, anytime you want to.” The thought of inviting the other over for dinner went through Yuugi’s mind, but he didn’t dare. It was too early. What would Atemu think if he suggested to dinner together? Maybe he would see it as a lewd proposal?
“I will be over right away,” he said. Yuugi’s cheeks started to burn.
“See you soon!” Yuugi hung up and sprinted to the storage room, previously a broom closet. He stored the books here that still needed to be catalogued; on top of the highest shelf were a printer and a binding machine. He grabbed a stool and reached for the equipment. Yuugi hadn’t lied when he said it was a little outdated. Kaiba believed in digital technology and the only thing that Yuugi needed to print were the receipts for the customers, through his cash register. He had asked Kaiba a couple of times what to do with the equipment as he didn’t want to throw out stuff carelessly, but Kaiba had never given an answer. Yuugi was glad he had held onto the devices and took them out of the storage room, hauling them over to his desk. Yuugi connected the printer to his much more advanced laptop and of course, the drivers were incompatible. He browsed for the latest update and just as he was about to download them, the doorbell chimed.
“Hi,” Yuugi said, unable to keep the wide smile off of his face.
“Hi,” Atemu said in return, panting.
“Did you… run all the way?” Yuugi asked.
“It was not that far.” Atemu brushed off his concern. Yuugi tilted his head.
“Where do you live?”
“Kazuki district,” Atemu answered casually and Yuugi almost fainted. That was the other side of town! He didn’t even take the subway? How bad was his situation if he couldn’t even afford public transportation? Yuugi didn’t want to draw unnecessary attention to Atemu’s extremely tight finances, so he didn’t comment on it.
“Just a moment, the computer is installing the drivers for the printer,” he said. “Can I get you something? Coffee? Tea?”
“Tea, please.”
“All right.” The store didn’t have a kitchen, so Yuugi had to go upstairs to his apartment. He had a separate entrance to his living quarters, but he usually took the stairs in the back to quickly move between the apartment and the store. He switched the kettle on and retrieved two mugs from the overhanging cabinet. Grabbing a handful of teabags, he poured the hot water into a thermos and made his way down again. Atemu was still standing patiently, not having budged an inch. Yuugi poured the hot water into the mugs and handed one to Atemu, who wrapped his gloveless hands around it.
“What kind of flavour do you want?” he asked. “I have green tea, but I like the one with dried fruits and berries very much.”
Atemu picked out a teabag with common green tea and dunked it into the mug with the hot water.
Yuugi looked at his laptop; the installation was almost done. “It’s cold outside, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” Atemu answered. He huddled a little into himself. “Winter is cold.”
“They’re even expecting snow,” Yuugi said as he clicked a couple of times.
“They?”
“The weather forecasts.” He smiled at Atemu. “I guess it’s always warm in Egypt, isn’t it?” The printer came rattling to life and choked on the first sheet of paper. Yuugi opened up the device and removed the offending piece.
“Yes,” Atemu answered again. Yuugi didn’t know what to think. Was he offending the other with his questions? Was he making him feel uncomfortable? Or was it the language barrier? Atemu wasn’t that familiar with the Japanese language yet to speak whatever came up in his mind. He wasn’t drinking his tea either; his hands were still around the hot, hot mug. Yuugi tested the printer again and this time, the paper rolled out smoothly.
“Looking good,” he mumbled to himself. “You’ve got your manuscript?”
“Here.” Atemu gave him a flash drive. “Your friends liked my book?”
“One of my friends has a young cousin,” Yuugi answered. “He’s going to read the book to him.”
“Ah, great.” Atemu followed Yuugi’s movements curiously. He attached the flash drive to his laptop and waited until the software opened its content.
“Which document is it?” he asked.
Atemu closed the distance between himself and Yuugi and pointed at a file in the list on the screen. “That one.”
“All right, let’s open it.” Yuugi clicked the file, feeling slightly nervous now that Atemu was standing next to him. He could smell a spicy scent, like a burning sun, combined with cinnamon, pepper, and other exotic flavours that he couldn’t identify. Yuugi couldn’t help himself, his eyes darted over to Atemu… and he was shocked as he saw the thin fabric of his winter coat. It wasn’t a winter coat, he discovered, Atemu was still wearing a summer coat. He had to be freezing! The laptop made a noise and Yuugi focused his attention back on the file. He adjusted the settings to start the print job. “The other files are the accompanying artwork, right?”
“Yes, they are. I will draw them again.”
“Don’t worry, this is a colour printer,” Yuugi said. “Its cartridges are full, so it shouldn’t be a problem to print everything.”
“I will pay you for the prints,” Atemu said.
“You don’t have to.” Yuugi watched the printer, satisfied to see that it was working correctly. Atemu remained silent.
“The man on the phone told me you work at a factory. What do you do?”
“What needs to be done.” He shrugged. “Assembling and packaging, shipping and handling.”
Yuugi’s eyes travelled to Atemu’s hands. His nails were short, bitten and split, and his skin looked reddish and rough. No environment for a writer, that was for sure. The printer was ready and Yuugi picked up the manuscript.
“I can bind it for you.”
“I will pay you.”
“You don’t have to,” Yuugi repeated. He nodded at the mug in Atemu’s hands. “Drink your tea, it’s getting cold. Have you eaten something yet?”
“I will get something on the way home.”
“I’ve set the printer to multiple copies, along with the artwork. Why don’t you stay here and keep and eye on this, while I make us something to eat?”
Atemu looked a little incredulous. “I cannot accept…”
“How about oyakodon,” Yuugi cut him off. “It’s a simple, yet nourishing dish. Please, I just want you to have something to eat before you go home.”
Atemu made a sound that could mean ‘yes’ or ‘no’, and Yuugi choose to interpret it as a ‘yes’. He went upstairs to his small kitchen again and prepared the meal, as his heart fluttered all over the place. It wasn’t exactly an invitation for dinner, but still…! If only he could learn more about him, but Atemu wasn’t that talkative. Yuugi chalked it up to the other being tired after a hard day at the factory. All that Atemu needed, was someone to take care of him, right? Yuugi put everything on a tray and hurried downstairs again.
“Here you are,” he said as he put the tray on the large desk.
“Thank you.” He had finished his tea and Yuugi poured him some more; the thermos was still hot.
“Itadakimasu!”
“What does that mean?”
“Basically, you say thanks for the food you receive,” Yuugi explained.
“I see. Itadakimasu!” Atemu repeated and lifted up his chopsticks. He was quite handy with them and Yuugi had to refrain to watch him like a love-stricken teenager, melting at his cute accent. He was about to say something, when his cell phone rang.
“Moshi moshi?”
“Mutou!” A harsh yet familiar voice barked into his ear. “The security log shows me that you haven’t activated the alarm yet. Why are you still in the store?”
“Good evening, Kaiba-kun,” Yuugi said politely. “How have you been?”
“The alarm,” Kaiba demanded.
“I’m sorry. Yes, I’m still in the store. I’m talking to an author-”
“Mutou, I told you before that I don’t accept anything from anyone who comes into the store and calls himself a ‘writer’,” Kaiba said. “I’m not a publisher! I only buy quality books and rare prints, all at least before 1910.”
“I know, Kaiba-kun,” Yuugi said patiently while in his mind he added I work here, “but this is a very special book. It’s about a young Pharaoh who goes on adventures...”
“I’m not selling that rubbish,” Kaiba gave back crudely. “Get him out the door and close the store. I want that alarm on within fifteen minutes, got it?” He severed the connection before Yuugi could say another word. Heaving a sigh, Yuugi put down the phone. Atemu stared at him, curiously. He hadn’t been able to follow the rapid discussion and had finished his bowl of oyakodon instead.
“That was my boss,” Yuugi said, “to tell me to close the store. He’s not a very easy man,” he added. Atemu looked at the printed manuscripts. Yuugi knew what he wanted to ask.
“I didn’t get a chance to ask him permission,” he said, cringing inwardly at the half-assed lie. He hadn’t asked because the answer was so obvious.
“I wait,” Atemu said. “Thank you for your efforts once more.”
“No problem,” Yuugi said. He hated to see Atemu go. His heart cried out. If only he could do something for the other; buy him groceries, some new clothes..! Kaiba had said ‘fifteen minutes’, which in reality meant ‘fifteen seconds’. Yuugi had to close the store and he said his goodbyes to the other. It looked like Atemu wanted to say something, just as Yuugi closed the door behind him. To his dismay, Yuugi thought he saw annoyance and anger in those reddish eyes. What had he done wrong? Every fibre in his soul begged him to open the door again and call after Atemu, but he was too late - he was already gone. Upset, Yuugi made his way back to his desk, with his rapidly cooling bowl of oyakodon.
Kaiba’s harsh reaction bothered him. Why couldn’t the CEO give another person a chance? Nobody was asking him to finance the book, just an opportunity to sell it! Suddenly, an idea hit him. Kaiba had a younger brother, Mokuba, and it was no secret he doted on him. Yuugi had his email address, because Kaiba had the habit to copy his brother in almost every mail he send (even though Yuugi didn’t know why, Mokuba should be in school, not doing business?). He was a little too old for the target audience for Atemu’s book, but it couldn’t hurt, could it? Yuugi quickly emailed the manuscript to Mokuba along with an accompanying letter. He shut down all the equipment and activated the alarm, as per Kaiba’s wish. With his cold bowl in his hand, Yuugi went upstairs to his apartment, feeling alone and empty. Maybe one day, he would have dinner with Atemu in this dainty little kitchen, but for now he had to settle for finishing the rest of his dinner alone.
-----------------------------------------
“Thank you,” Yuugi said and returned the credit card to the customer. The doorbell chimed again; he was so busy he didn’t even have the time to look who came in. His smile was plastered firmly on his face though; Yuugi really enjoyed himself and he was glad to help out. He was also glad to get distracted from his thoughts; why Atemu hadn’t shown himself for two days, and if he, Yuugi, had offended him or not. Was he really that head over heels with a man he didn’t know at all? The next customer approached him.
“Good morning, Yuugi.”
“Anzu!” Yuugi’s smile increased. “So good to see you!” He all but ran around the desk to give her a firm hug, which she happily returned. Honda, standing behind her, coughed.
“Good morning to you too, Yuugi,” he said and winked at him.
“Good to see you too, Honda-kun,” Yuugi said.
“How’s it going? It looks like your inventory has decreased!”
“Yes, that’s right,” Yuugi answered. “I even sold the atlas from 1659 to a collector! Kaiba-kun’s going to be stoked about the profits.”
“Yuugi, I wanted to ask about the book,” Anzu said.
“Ask away!” He knew which book she was talking about, of course. Anzu worked at a private preschool and reading time was very valued.
“Are there more books? As in a series? The kids really like it, and I’m almost at the last chapter!”
“Yoshi wants me to read it every night,” Honda added. “He can’t go to sleep without hearing about the young Pharaoh.”
“Atemu-san sure would love to hear this,” Yuugi said happily.
“About that,” Anzu lowered her voice a little as there were other customers in the store, “Honda told me all about your interest in this particular writer,” she said, smiling at him. “I’m so happy for you! Do you know if he… returns the feelings?”
“I’m not sure,” Yuugi said, blushing like a madman. “I mean… I think he’s mad with me.”
“Mad?” Anzu parroted. “Why?”
He briefly told her about Atemu’s visit and how he had given him something to eat while they were waiting for the printer to finish. Anzu listened patiently, and when he was done, she ruffled his hair.
“Oh Yuugi, your kindness is killing him,” she said. “Can’t you see? He’s struggling to keep his head above water. Writing is probably the only distraction he has, his only passion, the only thing that keeps him sane. And then, there’s you, who overwhelms him with kindness, with warmth, with food… he doesn’t know how to accept that, he can’t accept it. Through the hardships of his life, he’s used to do everything on his own, fending for himself, and it will go against every bit of his pride to accept something he sees as ‘charity’.”
“His pride,” Yuugi repeated.
“Oh yes.” Anzu looked at Yuugi. “He’s come so far, and he won’t accept something that’s offered to him so easily. That would go against everything he stands for. Why else would he insist on paying for the printing, even when you told him it wasn’t necessary?”
“I offended him by treating like he was weak,” Yuugi said, aghast at his own behaviour. “Like he needed help, as if he couldn’t take care of himself.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself, Yuugi. You meant well. You always want to help, that’s who you are. I don’t think Atemu-san was angry. I think he just didn’t know how to deal with it. He was probably overwhelmed.”
“I should call him and apologize,” Yuugi said, downtrodden. Anzu patted him on the back.
“I’m sure Atemu-san will come back, if only to give you the money he thinks he owes you,” she said. “Then, you can talk to him about it.”
“Thank you,” he said. Honda stood discreetly to the side, patiently waiting for their conversation to be over. “You too, Honda-kun,” Yuugi said.
“No problem,” he grinned. “Ask your writer to start thinking about new chapters, okay?”
“I’ll ask him,” Yuugi said, with renewed confidence. He kept thinking about Anzu’s words for the rest of the day. How could he have been so stupid? Of course Atemu had his pride, and he had waltzed all over it, treating him like a toddler. Yuugi could smack himself silly. He’d only been acting belittling to the other… but was it so hard to accept a hot meal? His thoughts went around in circles, and he was tiring himself out. Yuugi checked his watch. Well, only one more hour to go. It had been a busy day, and he was ready to close up shop. He busied himself with shelving books when the doorbell chimed anew. He turned around, his breath hitching in his throat as soon as he saw who was standing in the store.
“Atemu-san,” he said, “how have you been?”
“Here.” Atemu held out a rectangular piece of paper. Yuugi frowned. He didn’t understand what it was about, until he recognized it. It was a check for six thousand yen, made it out to ‘bookstore Yuugi’.
“I can’t accept this, Atemu-san,” Yuugi said “I’m sorry, but this is money you need yourself.”
“I always pay off my debts,” Atemu said stubbornly.
“I don’t regard printing your manuscript as any kind of debt.” Yuugi held up the check. “I don’t want this, Atemu-san. You could use this yourself.”
Atemu didn’t take the check back. If anything, he looked like he was going to run out the door any second now.
“Please don’t leave,” Yuugi said. He didn’t know what else to say. “I… oh, my friends came into the store this afternoon. They love your book and wanted to know if you have written more? A series, perhaps?”
That hit the spot. Atemu’s face lit up like a Christmas tree and his smile was beautiful, relaxing his usual stern look. “Really? They really liked it?”
“My friend reads it to the kids in the preschool she works at,” Yuugi said. “They all want to know what happens next to the young Pharaoh.”
“That is wonderful to hear,” Atemu said. “I would love to be a fulltime writer.”
“You certainly have the talent,” Yuugi beamed at him. “And you can draw, too!”
“I will get started right away on the next book. I have plenty of ideas…”
“If you can build up a network of customers, then you can try getting published again,” Yuugi encouraged him. “Publishers are very interested if there’s interest in your book already.”
“Thank you,” Atemu said. He looked a bit flustered. “I have to get back to work.”
“What, right now?”
The other didn’t answer. “Let me get you some soup before you go.” Yuugi didn’t give him a chance to protest; he immediately hurried upstairs and put a bowl of soup in the microwave. He grabbed a few melonpan and stuffed them in a bag. He poured the hot soup into the thermos and on his way downstairs he took a pair of gloves with him extra. The temperature had really taken a plunge and the thought of Atemu’s bare hands was horrible. He thrusted everything into Atemu’s arms.
“Here you are,” Yuugi said. “Take it, Atemu-san. It’s too cold outside.”
Atemu narrowed his eyes, but he didn’t comment. A last-minute customer entered the store and asked where he could find American classics. Yuugi went over to the customer to help him and when he had finished, Atemu was gone. The pair of gloves was on the desk. Damn your pride, he thought to himself. Damn you Yuugi, for not having learned your mistake. Why don’t you shoot yourself in the foot right away, next time? If there was a next time…
-----------------------------------
Snow! Yuugi grunted; the front door of the store always got stuck when it was so cold, and the heavy layer of snow didn’t help matters. He grabbed the broom and removed the snow from the entrance, so no one would slip or fall. As he was sweeping outdoors, a limousine drove up to the store. Yuugi didn’t notice at first until the car halted and the doors were opened and closed with a loud thud. He looked up.
“Kaiba-kun!” He was baffled to see the CEO in the flesh; the last time had been at least three years ago. “Mokuba-kun!”
“Hey Yuugi,” Mokuba waved at him as he hopped out of the limousine. “It snowed! Isn’t it fun?”
“Yes it is,” Yuugi said, but in truth he’d been thinking about Atemu in his thin summer coat and without his gloves.
“Mutou,” Kaiba said without a proper greeting. “I have five minutes for you.”
“For me?” Yuugi asked. “Oh, you want to check the books?” He didn’t understand why Kaiba would visit him in person; if it pertained to the store, he would be in touch with KaibaCorp.’s accountancy department.
“I should fire you for harassing my brother,” Kaiba grumbled, “but as it is, he loves that manuscript you send him… so where is this Atemu al-Something?”
“al-Busiri,” Yuugi corrected him, and quickly continued: “He lives in the Kazuki district...”
“So? Call him!”
“Yes, Kaiba-kun,” Yuugi meekly said and pulled out his cell phone, as he had put Atemu’s number into its memory. Mokuba elbowed his older brother.
“Don’t be such a grouch, nii-sama,” he said. “We have plenty of time for our next appointment.”
“I’m glad you liked the manuscript, Mokuba-kun,” Yuugi said as he waited for the phone to be answered. Mokuba grinned at him.
“It was fun to read, but a little too young for me. I do believe it has great potential though, so I told my brother to act upon it! Old books are fine, but he should make room for some new talent as well.”
“I never should’ve told you about the bookstore,” Kaiba grumbled.
“Moshi moshi?” Yuugi heard some noises on the other side of the line. “Atemu-san, is that you?”
“Atemu? One moment!” It was the same gruff voice as before, and Yuugi wondered who exactly was answering. Was this a guy who lived with him…? More noises and sounds, and finally, Atemu was on the phone.
“Moshi moshi, yes, hello?”
“Atemu-san, it’s me, Yuugi,” Yuugi said. “How fast can you make it to the bookstore?”
“To the bookstore? I…”
“My boss is here, he wants to talk to you about your manuscript,” Yuugi continued, ignoring Kaiba’s grumpy facial expression. Mokuba wandered into the store, saying that it was too cold outside.
“R-really?” It was the first time that he heard Atemu stutter. “I-I can come over right away!”
“Please do,” Yuugi said, but before he hung up, he added in a softer tone of voice: “Be careful, it’s cold and slippery outside.”
“In the meantime, I’ll take a look,” Kaiba said and stalked into the bookstore, following his brother. Yuugi traipsed after him; after all, Kaiba was his boss and he had every right to look for himself. “Did you sell all the inventory I send you?”
“Yes, except for these books here,” Yuugi pointed at a shelf, “and a few prayer books.”
“Hm.” Kaiba didn’t comment on the printer and binding machine on the desk. Mokuba was behind another bookcase.
“It’s certainly cramped in here,” he said. “Nii-sama, how come you even acquired this store?”
“It was part of another business transaction,” Kaiba said. “I didn’t think much of it and it’s certainly not my core business.”
Yuugi didn’t add to the conversation. The thought of Kaiba selling the bookstore always made him feel nauseous. He didn’t have enough savings to take over the bookstore from Kaiba and to keep it afloat. He really hoped that the CEO would hold onto the store, no matter what. The doorbell chimed and Yuugi turned around, relieved to see Atemu in one piece, even though the other held himself up at the doorpost, panting and wheezing.
“You came running all the way again, didn’t you?” Yuugi supported him and took him into the store. “Kaiba-kun, this is Atemu al-Busiri. Atemu-san, this is Kaiba Seto from KaibaCorp.. A very big business,” he added as he didn’t think Atemu had heard of the company before.
“My time is limited,” Kaiba said, not giving Atemu the chance to say something. “You’re the writer of Young Pharaoh and the Secret of Semerkhet, right?”
“Yes, yes I am,” Atemu said.
“Well, you have the good fortune that my brother liked your book. I want to buy the rights to
your series.” He pulled out a check book from the inner pocket of his coat, as well as a pen. “I’ll have my secretary call you to set up an appointment with one of my business contacts. They’ll help you with the entire publishing process.”
“I… thank you.” Atemu looked from Yuugi to Kaiba and back again, flabbergasted.
“Hey, how come you look so much alike?” Mokuba popped up from behind his brother. “Are you related to each other?”
“I don’t have any Egyptian roots, not that I know of,” Yuugi quipped. “Thank you, Mokuba-kun.”
“My pleasure,” the younger Kaiba said. “I’m not the Vice President of KaibaCorp. for nothing. I have to show my nii-sama that I have the same business instinct as he has, and I thought this was too good of an opportunity to pass.”
“Are you going into publishing?” Yuugi asked. “A chain of bookstores, perhaps?”
“Perhaps.” Mokuba watched Kaiba write out the check. “Nii-sama is all about technology, but I like arts and crafts a lot. Books, games, movies, TV shows…”
“You’re always welcome here, Mokuba-kun.”
“Here.” Kaiba tossed the check at Atemu. “This will be enough to get started. My business associate will take your book into print immediately, and I want a second book within three months, including the artwork, to get the series going.”
Yuugi shook his head. “Kaiba-kun, that’s impossible! Atemu-san has a fulltime job, he can’t just-”
“That’s why I wrote him the check,” Kaiba interrupted him. “Mokuba, are you ready? We’re leaving.”
“Sure, nii-sama, I’m-” he never got a chance to finish his sentence, as Atemu had taken one look at the check and fainted on the spot.
--------------------------------------
“Ah, I think he’s coming around again.”
“Thank you so much, Anzu. You know so much about first-aid…”
“It’s not that bad, Yuugi. Look, he’s opening his eyes already. Atemu-san?”
“Wha...?” Atemu blinked a few times, his eyes growing large as he saw unknown faces hovering in his field of view.
“Take it easy, take it easy… how are you feeling, Atemu-san?”
“I…”
“No no, don’t try to get up. Lie down for a little longer.” Anzu looked at Yuugi. “Do you have something to drink for him? Water? Iced tea?”
“I’ll go get some,” Yuugi said. Jounouchi stopped him.
“You’ll stay here, I’ll get the water,” he said, as he’d been to Yuugi’s apartment before. Yuugi showed him a grateful smile; he really didn’t want to leave Atemu’s side. He leaned a little into him, taking his hand.
“You fainted,” he said.
“I did?” Atemu asked, not totally back to his senses yet.
“I would too, if I got a check from Kaiba Seto,” Honda said in the background. Yuugi had called his friends as soon as Atemu had fainted, not knowing what else to do.
Anzu adjusted the coat she had put under Atemu’s neck to support him. “Where’s Jounouchi with the water?”
“Right here,” Jounouchi announced himself, handing a tall glass of water to Anzu. “Here you are.”
Anzu held the glass close to Atemu’s lips. “Drink a little, Atemu-san.”
As he raised his head, Yuugi was quick to stabilize him. After a few sips, Atemu tilted his head to the side.
“I… I need to go to work,” he said.
“No, you don’t have to,” Yuugi said in return. “Kaiba-kun’s check is more than enough to cover the costs of living while you work on your new book.”
“I do not understand,” Atemu managed to say, unable to keep his eyes open.
“Is he going into shock?” Yuugi asked worriedly. Anzu shook her head.
“The poor guy’s exhausted,” she said, “he needs rest. I think we can move him now… where should we take him to, Yuugi?”
“To my living room,” Yuugi suggested and blushed accordingly. His small apartment didn’t have a guest room, and to put Atemu in his own bed… but he had a very comfortable sofa, and with some pillows and blankets, he could make a snugly bed out of it.
“All right.” Anzu got up and straightened herself. She put the glass of water on the desk.
“Honda, Jounouchi, would you mind bringing him upstairs?”
“No problem,” they answered simultaneously. Yuugi looked still worried.
“What should I do, Anzu?” he asked.
“Let him rest,” she simply answered. “Like I said, he’s exhausted and Kaiba’s check sent him over the edge. I don’t think he ever expected that.”
“I didn’t either,” Yuugi said. He had put the check safely away; it was Atemu’s money, not his.
“Good for him,” Anzu smiled. “I just know his Young Pharaoh series is going to be a success. He deserves it.”
“I’m going upstairs for a minute, to make sure he’s comfortable.” Yuugi turned around.
“I’ll wait here,” Anzu said. “Don’t worry, it’s going to be all right.”
-------------------------------------
Yuugi turned the page over from his book. It had been a while since he’d actually sat down and read at his leisure. He had turned the heater on and his living room was adorned with a few Christmas ornaments and pearl-white candles. It was snowing outside, soft and gentle; for once, he could barely hear traffic - most people stayed at home at Christmas Eve. The only thing that was missing was an open fire place, or so Yuugi thought. Or a big, fluffy cat on his lap. He refrained from playing seasonal music, mostly because his guest was still asleep. Buried in blankets and a heavy duvet, Atemu was lying on the sofa, his back turned towards Yuugi. He had woken up a couple of times, albeit disorientated, and had gone back to sleep again. Yuugi had called Anzu for advice and she had told him once again to let the other rest; as long as he didn’t develop a fever, or should he still be as sleepy like this in another few days, then he should see a doctor. There wasn’t much he could do, so Yuugi decided to just wait. He had picked up one of his own favourite books and settled in the living room, so he could keep an eye on Atemu. Turning another page, he continued to read until he heard a soft sigh. He peeked over the book.
“You’re awake,” he said. “How are you feeling?”
“A bit weird,” Atemu answered, his voice muffled as the blankets were pulled up to his nose. “Where am I?”
“You’re at my place,” Yuugi explained. “Above the bookstore. You fainted.”
“I did, did I not?” Atemu closed his eyes again, this time in embarrassment.
“It’s all right,” Yuugi said. “You worked so hard and you haven’t eaten that well lately, have you?”
“I do not earn much,” Atemu admitted, “the work at the factory…” He shot upright. “Work! I have to go to work!”
“No, you don’t!” Yuugi quickly closed the distance between them and pushed Atemu down, back onto the sofa again. “You’re not going to work right now, Atemu-san.”
“But I have to… my landlord will increase the rent if I do not pay him in time.”
“Is that the man who answers your phone?”
“Yes.” Atemu turned his head away.
“How much does he ask for rent?”
Atemu mumbled something and Yuugi couldn’t believe his ears. “That’s not a landlord, that’s a scammer! No one should have to pay that much rent.”
“He was the only choice we had when we arrived here,” Atemu said. “My father and his brother… my uncle. We did not have anything left in Alexandria, and my father had a job here, in Domino
City.”
“What about your mother?” Yuugi sat down on the sofa, scooting closer to Atemu but making sure he wasn’t impeding his movements.
“She died a couple of years after I was born,” Atemu said. “I do not remember much of her, except her face. She had the kindest smile I have ever seen.”
“You have that smile too.” Yuugi took his hand. “I saw it too, when you first came into the bookstore.”
Atemu didn’t withdraw. He seemed lost in his thoughts. “My father passed away soon after we arrived,” he continued. “The job did not pan out either and my uncle returned to Egypt immediately. He is a good man, but he could not do the same work and it had been my father’s plan to move to Japan all along. He did not see a future here.”
“And you did?”
“I thought I did,” Atemu said. “I got a job at the factory fairly quickly and I figured that if I could just pay the bills and gather enough income to live, I could follow classes in my spare time. Learn the language well, improve myself, work myself up…”
“But deep down, you wanted to be a writer,” Yuugi said. “You are a writer.”
“Writing does not put food on the table,” Atemu answered, downtrodden.
“Now it does,” Yuugi smiled at him. “Remember the check Kaiba-kun gave you? You don’t have to go back to the factory, Atemu-san. You have enough money now to cover the cost of living, while you write your second book.”
“When I saw…” Atemu shook his head.
“Seven million yen is a lot of money,” Yuugi said. “Kaiba-kun wouldn’t give you such a huge amount if he didn’t have any faith in you.” Well, it was more because Mokuba had faith, and he had a lot of influence on his stern, elder brother. “You’re going to be a fulltime writer and artist! No more factory work for you and you can buy yourself a cell phone and warm clothes, a suitable winter coat, and maybe rent a decent place…” His voice trailed off when he saw the annoyed-amused look on Atemu’s face. “I’m sorry,” he said. Yuugi heard Anzu’s voice in the back of his head. “I’m doing it again, am I not?”
“A little,” Atemu said. “It is all right…”
“No, it’s not. I’m belittling you and telling you what to do, while you’re more than capable to take care of yourself,” Yuugi said.
Atemu snorted. “Do you think so? Who is the one fainting and unable to keep up with the bills?”
“That’s not your fault,” Yuugi gave back. “Everyone goes through rough patches in their lives, and you hit an especially difficult one. The last thing you need is a nosy know-it-all. I didn’t mean to boss you around.”
“You did not. I was… I was in need of help,” Atemu reluctantly admitted. “I do not think I could have made it on my own. The rent, the debts my father left me, the ongoing bills… I only had my writing to keep up hope. I would not know what…”
Yuugi leaned a little into him, listening to his soft voice. He understood how hard it was for the other to admit that he needed help in the first place, he could see how he wrestled with his pride… and not wanting to be a bother. Without a second thought, Yuugi moved his other hand and brushed Atemu’s cheek.
“…would have happened to me if I had not met you,” he finished.
“You don’t owe me a thing,” Yuugi said. “I wanted to help you. I apologize if I overwhelmed you or made you feel bad, that wasn’t my intention.”
“I could not believe that you would do all of this without asking for anything in return,” Atemu said. He tilted his head a little, leaning into Yuugi’s touch. “Why?”
“Because I like you.” It was the truth; he couldn’t hold it back anymore. “When you walked into the bookstore, I saw a handsome, hardworking, proud and strong man. You would’ve made it without me, Atemu-san. If I can be just a part of your life, no matter how small, I’d be very grateful.”
Yuugi couldn’t help it, he stared at Atemu, waiting for the inevitable rejection. What did he know about him? What did they know about each other? He was telling him that he liked him, without even giving Atemu the chance to respond? How could he be such a klutz!
“I like you to be a part of my life,” Atemu said. He put his hand over Yuugi’s, pressing it to the side of his face. “A very big part.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“That’s great! I mean… well…” It was a huge weight off of his shoulders, yet he felt a little awkward. “Eh… you know, maybe we should eat, or something like that..?”
“What time is it anyway?”
“It’s Christmas Eve,” Yuugi said.
Atemu frowned. “I have been asleep for so long?”
“You were really, really exhausted…”
“I see.” His stomach grumbled. “Ah! Sorry…”
“I’ll make us something to eat,” Yuugi said but he didn’t move, as Atemu didn’t let go of his hand. “Atemu-kun?”
“You changed honorifics,” he said. “That is… cute.”
“Cute?”
“It sounds like a new step,” Atemu said. “A new chapter.”
“That sounds good to me,” Yuugi said and gently squeezed his hand. “A new chapter, for the both of us.”
----------------------------------------
Three months later
“Wow! That’s a really big line!” Anzu exclaimed while holding a signed copy of Young Pharaoh and the Temple of Toth in her arms. She was standing next to Yuugi, who was flanked by Honda and Jounouchi, while they looked at Atemu behind Yuugi’s desk. “They’re even lining up outside!”
“Isn’t it great?” Yuugi beamed at his friends. Step by step, the parents got closer to the desk, waiting patiently for Atemu to sign their own copy. The children looked around with wide eyes at the antique books, only to shy away or giggle when finally meeting the author of their beloved adventurous Pharaoh. “He looks great too, doesn’t he?”
“I’m glad he gained a little weight,” Anzu nudged Yuugi. “I’m sure you fed him chocolate and cream, right?”
Yuugi blushed. “Of course not! He doesn’t even like chocolate, can you believe it?”
“No, we can’t,” his friends answered all in one choir. Yuugi heaved a sigh of happiness, watching Atemu with nothing but adoration.
“So, what about plans for the future?” Honda inquired. “Has he officially moved in with you?”
“He has never left,” Yuugi quipped. “We went back to his landlord to terminate his rent, and the man was an absolute…” he lowered his voice as to not scar the children, “…asshole. He wanted Atemu to pay at least two more months of exorbitant rent and when Atemu got his stuff from his room, he noticed that his laptop was missing.”
“Sheesh, what a…” Jounouchi bit his tongue.
“It was a crappy laptop, but it had all his files of Young Pharaoh and the artwork,” Yuugi said. “Fortunately, KaibaCorp. had our backs.”
“No way! Kaiba??”
“Yes. It turns out to be that KaibaCorp. owns a lot of land in the Kazuki district, with the intention to demolish the dilapidated buildings and build new, social and affordable apartments. KaibaCorp. would be in charge of the rents, flushing out everyone scamming or abusing people in a weaker position.”
“That’s awesome,” Jounouchi said. “Huh, to think that Kaiba of all people is showing such a nice side!”
“He sure did,” Yuugi grinned. “Just one phone call from KaibaCorp. had the man wetting his pants and not soon after, the police arrived to arrest him for extortion. Needless to say, Atemu didn’t need to pay the extra rent and he got his laptop back.”
Anzu looked content. “I’m glad things worked out,” she said. “And… between you?”
At the same moment she asked her question, Atemu looked up, his eyes immediately on Yuugi. He looked a little stressed with so many people wanting his attention, but he relaxed when he saw Yuugi, drawing calmness from his presence.
“We had our first fight right after Christmas,” Yuugi recalled. “I… sort of accused him that he was only with me because he felt obligated after everything I’ve done for him, and he said that I was only with him out of pity. I told him that I didn’t like his jealous-protectiveness, and he told me I was smothering him.”
“Ouch,” Anzu said. “But you both have good points.”
“We have indeed.” Yuugi had turned off the doorbell, as it kept chiming with all the people entering and exiting the book store. “We talked a lot. A whole lot, and we worked it out. We have our ups and downs, but then again, we’ve only been together for three months.”
“I’ve been with Honda for three years,” Anzu said, “and I still want to kick him sometimes. You’ll get used to it.”
Yuugi showed her a knowing smile. He was so happy to stand here and watch Atemu from a distance. He wanted to pinch himself as it was hard to comprehend that Atemu answered his feelings and that their initial ‘I like you’ steadily was growing into a firm ‘I love you’. Chapter by chapter, step by step, but Yuugi already knew that he was going to be with Atemu for the rest of his life.
“Thank you for stopping by, guys,” he thanked his friends. Jounouchi slapped him on the shoulder.
“We’re all very happy for you!”
“I know,” Yuugi said. He was truly blessed and he was looking forward to spend every day with his writer, whose imagination didn’t limit itself to Pharaohs, especially not when it came to... ah… night time. Atemu didn’t believe in pajamas and had laughed at Yuugi’s star-patterned one. He had proceeded to peel Yuugi out of it and then convinced him to never wear one again… right when the fireworks of New Year’s Eve went off, illuminating the sky. Yuugi had enjoyed every moment and saw nothing but good things happening in the near future. Kaiba’s business associate had told him about the numerous offers from animation companies to bring Young Pharaoh to the small screen and recently, the next-door-neighbour, owning a fashion boutique, had gone out of business due to retirement. He hadn’t talked to Kaiba about it, but Yuugi would love to buy the building and expand; one part antique books and collector’s items, the other part modern and children’s books, with a prominent place for the work of his boyfriend. Boyfriend… even his mother had immediately been smitten with him. Yuugi melted again at the sight of Atemu signing patiently book after book, knowing that he was all his. He looked up, once again catching his eye. They simultaneously smiled; both happy and content, and very much in love.
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