I jumped to the tree outside Heba's bedroom and looked down at him asleep on the bed. A dark bruise marked his right cheek. His lips also looked bruised. The rest of his body was hiding under the blankets but I knew it was also thoroughly bruised from what I had done. I took my Donator as a vampire in my position has the right to do… but why does it hurt so much?
All humans really need to survive is air, water, food, and sex. Heba didn't smell like he was getting the last anywhere else. I don't want Heba to die… That sounded like an excuse when I said that. Focusing back on the bedroom, I watched as the door opened and both the traitors walked in. Yugi's bedroom window was slightly ajar so I could hear everything they said.
"Seth…" Yami looked like he was going to cry. "You sure he'll be a doll again this time after last time?" He looked like he was pleading Seth to say he wasn't sure. "I can't believe a family member would do something like that to him when he was young."
Seth glanced out the window. We made eye contact before he looked back at Yami. "Yugi is going to be reliving the abuse and rape he suffered at the hands of his Uncle. I doubt we will be able to break through into his mind until he is ready to let us. Atemu opened a jar of old wounds that Yugi had sealed so tightly within himself." I knew Seth was saying that for my benefit. I understood what they were doing now. Seth showed Yami the memories of Heba's that either Seth had or that Heba had given him. "If you excuse me, I have to arrange a press conference to manage what has happened here." He placed a hand on Yami's shoulder. "I won't say that Atemu did it or anything about vampires. I will treat this as a human crime and we are searching for the perpetrator."
I watched him give me a pointed glare as if to say 'stay away' before leaving the room. I didn't feel like intruding. I felt sick. I had made Heba remember his painful past. I had turned my Donator into something worse than dead. I've turned him into a lifeless doll. I watched as Yami sat on the bed and brushed Heba's hair from his face.
"Yugi…" Yami sounded broken as well. "I'm so sorry. I couldn't help you when you needed me the most." Tears were falling down Yami's face. My chest felt like a sword had been driven through it. "You were pleading. I could see it in your eyes. But Atemu is much stronger than me… still… I couldn't help you."
Heba opened his eyes. They were dull and glassy. Lifeless. Not even the childlike sparkle was retained. He moved his hand and gently rested it on Yami's arm causing him to jump before bursting into more tears. Silence passed between them before Yami appeared to be shocked into silence.
"You didn't…" Yami leaned down as if to feel Heba's breath pass through his mouth as he spoke. Yet he didn't opened it to speak. "You did! I can hear you!" Yami touched the sides of his forehead in shock. "I didn't do anything to deserve hearing you in my head."
Silence passed between them. Jealously rose in me. Yami could hear Heba's voice just like we could hear each other's. A vampire-donator bond is suppose to create a mind link but it didn't with Heba. I thought that was because of the angel blood in Heba but perhaps I was mistaken.
"Trigger?" Yami watched Heba's eyes. Other than Yami's movement causing him to move as well, Heba was lifeless, just like a large doll. "Theory?"
Silence stretched again as Yami reached down and enclosed one of Heba's hands in his. "You think so? I suppose it does make sense. As you say, you don't have a mind link to Atemu. If that is the trigger for it developing between us then I am glad. It is strong too. Perhaps dependant on the trigger? In any case, I can sense everything about you." He stood up and moved to the door. "I'll be back with some pain medication and water." He waggled his finger at Heba. "Don't tell me you're fine. I can feel that you aren't."
I watched as Yami left the room. Lightly, I jumped from the tree to the window and sat on the ledge. Heba looked afraid when he noticed me. His eyes were filled with fear and pain. Tense silence ran rampant in the room.
"Why is it that whenever you are around I feel things that I shouldn't?" I asked him quietly. His eyes took on a confused look. "As our Donator, I have a right to do whatever I want to you. But why does it hurt when I do?" I wasn't expecting an answer. Heba had locked himself within his mind. He could be talking to Yami for all I know but I needed to get my thoughts out. I felt it was important to talk to Heba. "It hurt when you left us the first time… When you killed yourself, we wanted to bring you back with magic. But Ra said you were to be punished for taking your life." I pulled a leg up so I could lean on my knee. "We searched for you for so long. We needed you with us." I sighed. I had never opened up to anyone, not even Yami, like this. I don't know what was compelling me to open up to Heba. "Please don't let what I did to you, seal you away. We need you and, while I didn't do the best thing to bring you back to us, I didn't want you to become like this." I could feel tears falling. "Yell at me like you usually do. Scream, cry, anything! Just don't be a doll…"
Anniversary… I looked up at Heba in surprise. It's almost my brother's anniversary. I won't be a doll for his anniversary.
"Heba?" I noticed his eyes looking fiery. "What anniversary?"
My twin… Heba's eyes softened, tears escaped his eyes. It hurts to be called by his name, Atemu. I want you to see me as me.
"Your twin was named Heba?" I was shocked. Heba's… I mean Yugi's… twin. I was slightly confused. There was a soft click sound. I looked up to see Yami looking at me curiously. "He told you?" Yami nodded and set the tray he was holding on the bed.
"You can hear his voice?" It was my turn to nod. "What did you say to him to gain that?" I flinched. There was a cold note in Yami's voice.
Don't fight… We both looked at Yugi in surprise. He was hurt the most by what I did to him but here he was trying to get us to get along. Talk to each other. I know there is so much hurt but you both need to understand each other… and me.
I looked away. "I was selfish. I wanted Yugi so badly that I took him by force. I wasn't listening to either of you…" I felt Yami's hand on my arm. "I let you down again Yami."
"You did the same thing before, remember?" I thought back to when we ruled the humans and the last time I hit Yami so hard. He only voiced his opinion to me and I backhanded him. Back then, I thought only my opinion counted because I was Pharaoh. He was the one that brought Heba into our lives.
"Have I really gone back to what I was?" I asked quietly. I was afraid of the answer.
"You have."
"How long… have I…" I couldn't bring myself to look at Yami.
"The last few years…" Yami's voice sounded like it had lost its cold edge. "You've been getting progressively worse, Atemu."
"Why didn't you say something?"
"I tried," That made me look at Yami in shock. "You refused to acknowledge that you were slipping back to your old ways." Both Yami and I jumped. A small hand touched mine, fingers drifted over my fingers and knuckles softly. Yugi was trying to comfort me.
I sighed and tried to steer the conversation away from its current vein. "So how do we get you from being a doll? You don't seem so bad that you would intentionally lock yourself away."
There's a part of me that doesn't want to be here. I may talk to you now but how do I know that you aren't going to do this again to me. Also I am seeing, hearing, even smelling what happened to me with my Uncle. You're distracting me from it but it doesn't last. The revelation shocked me. Because of my thoughtless and cruel actions, he was suffering. All because of me. Don't think that! I can feel your emotions clearly and you didn't know. You acted in a way that you saw fit. You didn't understand human culture or emotions as you've been neglecting to keep abreast of changes in the world since your own change. Perhaps now is time to learn that not everything stays the same.
"Seth being an example of this I suppose," Yami said with a slight smirk. I could tell he knew that I wasn't use to being told off. Particularly by someone not of the same or higher status than me. I couldn't help but smile. Only Heba in the past had the courage to talk to him in such a way despite their difference in stature.
There is no difference here. Yugi's voice made me look at him in surprise. This was true in his current life. The King of Games, as he is called, has the admiration and adoration of thousands of followers. He's not royalty by blood but still…
I moved off the windowsill and laid down next to Yugi. I gently pulled his hand up and held it to my heart, pulling myself closer to his right side. Yami copied me on Yugi's left. We both entangled our legs with one of Yugi's legs holding him close to us. We could feel his emotions calming with our presence. His body still remained limp but we knew he would, at least tonight, have a settled sleep.
"We aren't leaving," I whispered in his ear. "And we will do whatever it takes, however long it takes, to make you alive again."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I was rudely awoken the next morning by a hand pulling me by the collar and dragging me out of the room. Once I finally managed to clear the sleep from my eyes, I was greeted by a very angry and irate Seth.
"Morning…" I said with a yawn. I could hear a surprised squawk from Yami behind me before Seth growled angrily in response.
"Wait Seth!" Yami placed a hand on Seth's trying to make him loosen his grip on me. "We had a chat last night… The three of us." Seth looked less irritated. "Yugi wants you to teach Atemu about the modern world and humans. Then he will forgive Atemu for acting how he use to in Khemet."
Yugi said no such thing. I cried through our link. It must of shown on my face as Seth was smiling that creepy sinister smile of his when he is going to thoroughly enjoy himself.
No I didn't… Yugi's pause caused the hairs on my back rise. But I admit it is a very good idea. I would like you to do this. So you come up to speed with how the world is now.
Yugi… I couldn't help myself but whine causing the both of them to giggle through the link. Why?
"Yugi said that you were feeling guilty and even I can feel you trying to guilt yourself even now," Yami said with a ill-concealed smile. Even he was enjoying my discomfort. "So think of it as your punishment. Grin and bear it, Atemu."
Neither seemed to want to budge on the topic. I sighed defeatedly "Fine…"
"It will be my pleasure," Seth looked like the cat that stole the cream and enjoyed every bit of it. I was going to be in for a rough time.
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