"I'm so happy you're safe Atemu!" Yugi happily cried, hugging his older brother.
Everyone was back aboard the Horus, which was currently sailing towards home. Yugi, Atemu and their friends were gathered on the deck. Akunumkanon was off on the bridge, avoiding his eldest son since they left Draco Island. Other than that things were back to normal.
"It must have been horrible with those pirates," Anzu chatted.
"Who was the blond one?" Otogi asked with a dreamy look on his face. Everyone gave him an odd look. "What? He seemed nice!"
"Malik. Malik Ishtar. He was the ship's navigator. He was an annoying pain in the ass."
"So what was it like?" Honda pressed. "You didn't want to leave so it couldn't have been that bad."
"It was great," Atemu replied with a small sigh. "Everyone was so nice to me, especially Seto. Finally I was able to live my life the way I wanted." As he trailed off Atemu shot his father a dirty look.
"Are you sure?" Anzu asked. "That pirate didn't seem so willing to let you go. He was looking at you as if you were some possession of his."
"Seto's a…friend. He knew I didn't want to go back and only wanted to help," Atemu replied lowering his head so he wouldn't have to look at them in the eye. "Plus I'm sure he wasn't happy when Father arrived and try to bully and threaten him. Of all people, Father should know what's it like to be in charge of a place like that as a pirate. The only reason Seto is able to keep such control over everyone is because they all fear him. If he had backed down from Father than part of that fear would slip away from Seto."
"He was scary," Yugi whispered with a small shudder. "He hurt Father."
"Seto nor Father wanted to kill the other," Atemu explained looking back up at them. Otogi appeared to be off in dreamland, still thinking about the blond haired pirate. "Even bad injuries they wanted to avoid. The point was to disarm but unfortunately accidents happen, which is why I stopped the fighting and went with Father."
"I wonder what was said to get the Governor so upset?" Honda wondered. "They seemed fine one minute but then the next thing you knew the Governor was drawing his sword."
"I don't know." Atemu however could guess what had happened; Seto had probably let something slip about the two of them.
"I'm glad you made the right choice and came back," Anzu said. Again she hugged him and kissed his cheek much to the annoyance of Atemu and Yugi.
"Anzu, I didn't make the right choice. I didn't follow what my heart told me."
"Then why did you come back?" Yugi asked.
Atemu turned his head to look at his younger brother with sad eyes. "Because you asked me to."
"What the hell are you doing!" Bakura hollered at the brunet pirate captain. "Don't just sit around here! Go after them!"
"Atemu made his choice."
"We all know that is not what he wanted to do," Ryou calmly pointed out.
Bakura, Ryou, Malik and Seto were back at Seto's mansion. The three pirates were trying to convince their captain to go after the Horus, which had left hours earlier. Seto however was not cooperating.
"I refuse to force him to do something he doesn't want!" Seto snapped. "He was just a rebellious kid who was mad at Daddy. He's had his fun and now he wants to return to his glorious life where he can marry that dumb brunet who was hanging off of him."
"She's blind. Her raven-haired friend his cuter."
"Shut up Malik!"
"Look, I've made my decision, we're not leaving port until the White Dragon is prepared for another adventure. Since we now can't rely on the Governor's protection it means we need to be pickier on our attacks, but it also allows us more targets as we can attack the British now."
"Seto…"
"That's final!"
"You're nothing but a fool who will die alone," Bakura grumbled before angrily stalking from the room. Malik was hot in his heels, wanting to hurry up to his room so he could write in his diary about the cute guy he saw.
"I think you're making a mistake," Ryou softly said when he and Seto were alone. "Atemu isn't like that. Yes he was mad and wanted to escape, which is why he left in the first place but he wouldn't toy with your heart."
Seto narrowed his eyes at Ryou. "Stop while you're ahead." But Ryou ignored him.
"I'm serious. Atemu spoke often of his friends back home. His father wants and expects him to marry that girl, Anzu, but that's not what Atemu wants. He does love you."
"He left."
"I'm sure he has his reasons. I know he would do anything for his brother. I saw him, Yugi, standing far back behind his father. Atemu saw him too. Say if you found Mokuba tomorrow and he asked you to give up the life of a pirate and leave the Caribbean for good. Would you do it?"
"Of course," Seto scoffed.
"Then why do you fault Yami for doing the same thing?"
Seto scowled but remained quiet allowing Ryou to continue to talk.
"I also think he was trying to protect you."
"Me?"
"The Governor seemed pretty serious about sending an invasion force after you. Atemu didn't want that to happen. He cares a lot about you."
"What good is it telling me this?" Seto asked him. "So what? Even if I go after Atemu, that won't make him change his mind. He'll still have his reasons for leaving me."
"But perhaps he can convince his father and brother that leaving is the best thing for him. Give him time."
Seto remained quiet for a few minutes while he thought things over. "Go cook dinner," he finally said before stalking off.
"So how are things going with Anzu?" Atemu whispered down towards his younger brother. The two were laying in hammocks one on top of each other. They were sharing a cabin below deck with their friends, all whom were already asleep. Already days had gone by and they would be home tomorrow.
"Oh she doesn't know I exist anymore now that you're back," Yugi replied with a small sigh.
"Oh goody."
"What's so bad about that?" Yugi asked him, propping himself up on an elbow. "What's so wrong with Anzu? I know I like her but you always act so revolted thinking about spending the rest of your life with her."
"She's not my type," Atemu grumbled, rolling over and tried going to sleep.
"But she's good enough to be your friend."
"That doesn't necessary mean she's my type to fall in love with."
"Then who is your type?"
"Seto."
"Seto? You mean the pirate captain…Atemu!"
"Hey keep it down!" Otogi grumbled from the other side of the room where he was cuddling up against his pillow. The raven-haired youth quickly fell back to sleep. "Mmm…Malik…"
"Keep it down Yugi!" Atemu hissed, leaning over the edge of his hammock so he could look at his brother. "Love is love. Isn't that the most important thing of all? Look at Otogi, for years he only thought about women but after only a few minutes in Malik's presence he seems to be obsessed with him."
"Yes…I guess," Yugi quietly admitted. He now knew that he shouldn't have made Atemu leave. "Oh Atemu, what are you going to do?"
"I don't know. Father won't understand, he never understands. He'd rather have me miserable then attempting to understand me."
"Is that so?" Atemu and Yugi gave a small gasp as they quickly looked towards the doorway where they found their father dwarfing the frame. "Atemu I'd like a word with you in private."
Atemu jumped to the floor while his father marched away. "Good luck," Yugi whispered to him and Atemu silently nodded his head.
Seeking out his father, Atemu found Akunumkanon on the deck, staring out at the water. The bow was deserted leaving the two of them alone for privacy.
"Father?"
"So…did I hear right that you think I would want your miserable rather than listen to you?" Akunumkanon asked, not turning around to face his son.
Atemu hung his head. "Yes sir."
"You're my son, what makes you think I want you miserable?" Akunumkanon turned his head slightly so he could look at Atemu.
"Well…you're always after me to be 'proper', insist I marry Anzu, came after me when I ran away, threatened Seto and got into a fight with him."
"I only want what is best for you! As well as my eldest it is your responsibility to hold up our family values."
"Fine! Let me be a pirate like you!"
"Atemu!"
"What's the big deal? I can take on another name and no one will know I'm your son. If anyone asks tell them that Atemu is dead."
"I'm not saying my son is dead just so you can run off and play pirate with your friends. It's too dangerous!"
"Seto will take care of me!"
The Pharaoh growled at the mention of the pirate captain's name. "He told me he loved you."
Despite things, Atemu's heart soared. "And I love him too," he found himself admitting.
"You just met him!" Akunumkanon protested. "That's far too quickly to fall in love, especially with a male."
Atemu rolled his eyes. "Don't start father. Set and Horus were involved with each other."
"They also tried to kill each other."
"So? My point is that it's okay in our society."
"The Ancient Egyptian lifestyle hasn't been around for thousands of years. This isn't even Egypt; this is the Caribbean where the British rule. The British are under the Christianity religion. It's not acceptable and I don't want to see you get hurt."
"The other pirates are okay with it."
"Atemu give it up. You're too young to know what is best. You've spent a few days around pirates and were brainwashed into thinking that is how you want to live your life."
"If you're so smart how come you never realize that it's Yugi who's madly in love with Anzu and not me?"
"Anzu and Yugi are merely friends."
"He loves her!"
"Atemu, that's enough! Go back to bed. We'll talk further when we get home tomorrow."
"Yes Father."
Seto Kaiba pounded on the wooden door.
"Go away!" came a yell from the other side. "We're busy."
"Get up Bakura!" Seto demanded.
The door flung away from Seto's face and a naked Bakura glared out at him. Behind him huddling under the blankets on the bed was Ryou. "What do you want?"
"Both of you get dressed. We're leaving at sun up."
"Figures that just when I'm getting some you get off your ass and decide to go after the kid."
"Shut up and do what you're told. Even Malik is already to go."
"That's because he's done nothing but drool over that guy he saw and wants to go after him. Both of you are nothing but love sick puppies."
"Bakura…"
"Yeah, yeah, we'll get ready." Bakura replied before taking great delight in slamming the door in Seto's face.
"Asshole," the brunet pirate captain muttered.
A week went by and life for Atemu settled back down to normal.
Atemu and his father continued to argue throughout the week. Akunumkanon kept on pressuring his son to marry Anzu but Atemu was hearing none of it.
"Ugh! I'm leaving!" Atemu yelled in frustration as he threw some clothes into a bag.
"Here we go again," Yugi sighed from where he laid on his older brother's bed.
"Did you hear him! He practically said he would hold me at gunpoint to get me to marry Anzu!"
"All he wants to do is protect you."
"I'm an adult, I don't need protection."
"What about me? You insist on protecting me. That's why you came back."
Atemu paused what he was doing and turned to look at his brother. "Yugi…"
"Like you, I don't need protection."
"You're not like me," Atemu replied with a shake of his head. "You don't crave adventure."
"So? That doesn't mean I need you to protect me." Yugi hopped off the bed, walked over to Atemu and hugged him. "I take after mother and you, father. She enjoyed the finer things in life but didn't need nor want protection, just like me."
"Yugi…"
"Go."
Atemu gave a nod of his head and picked up the bag he packed. "Goodbye Yugi. I don't know when I'll see you again."
"Goodbye Atemu." Yugi gave him a smile. "I better not see you again soon."
Atemu took off running; he wanted to get to the port as fast as possible. Unfortunately as he rushed out of the mansion, Shimon spotted him.
"Atemu? Where are you going?"
Atemu didn't bother to stop. Behind him he heard Shimon yelling for his father, which only motivated Atemu to run faster.
"Atemu!"
The spiky-haired youth could hear yells of his name being called behind him but he didn't dare stop to look backwards. Instead he kept running towards the docks where he prayed a ship was about to leave.
The water came into Atemu's view but to his horror he saw no ships. All that there was docked was a small lifeboat.
Atemu groaned in frustration, but then he saw the ship sailing towards the port. He knew if he could get to that ship in time, he had a chance of convincing it's captain to turn around and get out of there.
Hoping into the lifeboat, Atemu grabbed the oars and began rolling away. Since he was now facing the docks, he could see the small crowd that had formed there. His father was there, as well as Shimon, Commodore Mahaado, Yugi, Otogi, Anzu and Honda. Other villages, many whom he didn't even know, were there as well, wondering what was going on.
"Atemu get back here!" Akunumkanon angrily hollered. "You're not thinking straight!"
"I have to live my life Father!" Atemu yelled back at him while concentrating on his rowing.
"Let him go Father," Atemu heard Yugi tell him. "Trust him, he'll be alright."
"But-"
"It's what he wants. He doesn't need protecting anymore."
Atemu smiled to himself as he rowed harder. He was getting farther away from the docks now but he was still able to see his father and the others.
"Atemu look out!" Akunumkanon frantically hollered but it was too late. Atemu had not been paying attention to where he was headed, only wanting to get away from shore, and ended up smashing into one of the many deadly rocks scattered around the bay.
Atemu's spiky-haired head bobbed to the surface of the water. There was a cut on his arm and leg; his blood turned the water red as Atemu desperately clung to the slippery rock.
"Atemu!" Yugi yelled; he was the first to notice the gray dorsal fin breaking through the waves, heading straight for his brother.
Akunumkanon watched in horror as Atemu bobbed in the water, a sitting duck for the shark that was quickly advancing. It was his fault that his son was now in trouble. He had tried protecting Atemu but had only made things worst.
In the water, Atemu was paralyzed with fear seeing the fin of the shark get closer and closer. He was injured; there was little he could do to protect himself.
Closing his eyes, Atemu waited for the unavoidable, for the sharp teeth of the shark to sink into his flesh. But that did not happen. Instead he heard violent splashing next to him.
"Kid…I warned you about the rocks."
Atemu snapped open his crimson to find Seto treading next to him in the bloody water. "Seto!" Lunging forward Atemu wrapped his arms around Seto's neck, not bothering to worry about his injured arm.
"Hang on," Seto told him. A rope was lowered from the ship next to them. While in the water Atemu had forgotten all about the ship he had been trying to reach. It was only now that he recognized the ship as the White Dragon.
While keeping one arm wrapped around Atemu's body, Seto grabbed onto the rope with his free hand; the crew of the ship then began pulling them on board. Soon, they were back on the safety of the deck.
"What happened?" Atemu asked from where he sat on the floor, looking at Seto who was kneeling next to him with concern.
"Someone get Isis here," Seto swiftly commanded before bothering to answer his lover. "Since I was already on Governor Akunumkanon's Wanted List I figured it didn't matter if we came and kidnapped you."
"Our idiot Captain jumped overboard when he saw the shark about to attack you," Bakura explained with a shake of his head. "He jabbed a dagger into the shark's gills and the thing took off. The things fools do for love…"
"You're one to talk," Seto grumbled.
Isis soon arrived and wrapped up Atemu's scraps. She determined that nothing was too bad and that he would live.
"So what happens now?" Atemu asked while Seto helped him to his feet. There was a lurching movement as the ship began to turn around causing Atemu to fall into Seto's arms.
Seto gave him a sly smile. "I thought you wanted an adventure, Kid?" Bending over, Seto gave him a quick and sweet kiss.
"Lets take him too!" Malik cried pointing back at the docks were Otogi still stood. He received a whack on the back of his head from Isis for his effort.
Looking back at his family and friends, Atemu waved good-bye to them. He knew that his father would leave them alone this time. In time he would return and visit with them but for the moment he was looking forward to his new life with Seto.
A/N – That's it folks. I'm thinking of writing a sequel, which involves Seto finding Mokuba but don't know when I'll get a chance to start writing it. When you review let me know if you want the sequel or not. If the over whelming majority want a sequel I'll start it soon but if not I'll probably won't start until winter/early next year.