Title: Straight on Till Morning

Author:

Pairing: Seth/Atemu

Summary: Last nights on Earth aren't always enough to prove that love is eternal. Not when you forget who you are anyway.

A/N: A one-shot just to get me writing again. I've been debating way too long and have, unfortunately, forgotten how Prideshipping should be written. I am so sorry. This hopefully isn't as angsty as my usual works. If it is, well, let's just hope I get to write a sequel for this.

Also, this might possibly begin my AU!Verse, which I intend to finish before the year is over. Quite possibly, it might be my last collection of fics (or drabbles, if you see it fit).

I would really love to know what you think about this, so please drop a review after reading. Thank you.

Though I said this is a one-shot, I decided to divide it into two parts, so Part II will be posted any time this week. Hopefully.

Straight On Till Morning

Part I

In which Seth convinces Atemu that there's more to duty than death...

It started simple enough, with a nightmare.

At pre-dawn, when the sky cascaded in light hues of pink and blue, while most lay sleeping, Atemu stood silently. Morose, disheartening images had never been an issue to him, having found a way to block them early on; yet here he was, rudely awaken from his slumber. Pondering. Mere minutes ago, another dimension existed, where he and his cousin were rivals in a game so similar with the beasts in their Shadow Games; where there were structures even taller than Egypt's statues of Horus and the other deities and horseless carriages.

A different land, and Atemu was immersed in it until darkness gulped it whole and a maniacal laughter echoed in his head. It had sound so familiar. He just could not determine whose voice it was--could possibly be.

"My pharaoh."

An eyebrow raised in question and reprimand. He turned, eyes fixed on the bowed figure in front of him. Seth. Had he not been sleeping a while ago?

"You know better than to call me that now."

"I will not take your place. I refuse, cousin."

A naive declaration, for pharaoh's word was law and he has decreed that his cousin would replace him. (There was whispering among the crowd before the guards had started cheering for the priest, until said priest turned around and left. It was quite disconcerting to comprehend what Seth's action meant. After a while, Atemu had figured out but he did not have the time to run after him.) There was never any doubt to who the heir would be, for one only needed to check the bloodlines and bloodlines never lied.

Yet his blue-eyed High Priest was determined to have his way, as it seemed. Atemu could only sigh as he wrapped two slender arms around the other's neck, bringing him closer. He recognized the determination on his cousin's eyes, knew for a fact that despite having been told to let the issue drop, Seth refused to let his pharaoh die.

"You know truly that I will never accept it," Seth whispered, bringing their foreheads together; their breath mingling. They were close, an inch separating their mouths.

Carmine eyes gleamed in understanding, sympathy.

"I love you, Seth." And it was a declaration worth repeating, so Atemu did with a quick brush of lips. Breathless, he confirmed, "My death shall never change that."

Seth broke away, turning instead to the horizon, a balcony overlooking the span of the entire kingdom. He frowned, refused to meet his lover's gaze. He didn't understand. This was something both of them could fight for; protect. What this was between them deserved cherishing. Why let it go so easily for a prophecy? Atemu's apathy when it came to his life infuriated the priest all of a sudden.

"Spare me of your sentimentalities, Atemu. I will not let you waste your life for a prophecy that we do not have assurance of working. Not when there are—"

"What, Seth? Options? Alternatives?"

A pause.

"You know there are none. You were there when the council—"

"How do we know that they aren't lying? My father was friends with half of them. How do we know that they're not just," Seth faltered, choked on the next words, "—finishing what Akunadin had started?"

Guilt flooded Seth's eyes. Atemu had forgiven his uncle, understood that it was an honest desire to want the best for his only son. He needed his cousin to see that--that Akunadin meant well, despite his actions. And it had frightened him, as he watched his uncle's lifeless body slump to the ground, felled by Seth's unforgiving blade. Obviously, Seth hasn't learned to yet.

"Seth—"

"No, Atemu. Don't you understand? This between us, we can't just drop it or throw it away because of a prophecy or a looming threat," Seth reasoned. His voice sounded panicked, pained. "This isn't about my father anymore. Not about the kingdom, not about the Council. It's about us."

Atemu shook his head, clearly not getting his priest's point. He was stubborn; both of them were and it was evident in their postures: stiff, unreasonable, minds made. Determined to have their ways. He sighed loudly, enough to fully catch Seth's attention.

"What do you want me to do, Seth?" He was tired. Of the threats, of the expectations; of sacrificing Seth and what they had because he had a duty to his people. He couldn't understand why Seth would not let him go with what he had decided. "You cannot expect me to let my people die!"

Seth was quiet, hearing the sound of the palace guards moving to start their morning rounds. Outside their private chambers, a flurry of activity began, from the lowest of servants to the palace guards. Soon enough, the High Priests would awake and the preparations for the Sealing Ceremony—three moons away, but preparations needed to be done—will start. He looked back at his cousin, a plan in mind.

"Let me pay for my father's sins."

"No."

Atemu moved to place a hand on his shoulder, as if it could steady him from Seth's suggestion. However, the moment that he did, his priest had taken a step backwards so that they were physically apart. Seth shook his head. Atemu would not die. Not if he had anything to say about it.

"Tell me why not, cousin," he dared.

"Because you do not deserve to die."

"And you do?" Seth queried, annoyed at the hypocrisy of Atemu's arguments. "I do not need any protecting. Not from you, most especially. I'm supposed to be the one who's protecting you, Atemu."

"Seth," Atemu muttered, sagging on the chair behind him. He looked up, met Seth's gaze as his priest slowly knelt in front of him. Seth took his hands and wrapped them with his own. It was a plea; broken. "You can't."

The priest smiled in spite of that. "I can. The prophecy needed the blood of a kin. It does not necessarily refer to you, cousin," he replied, emphasized on the last word. He felt Atemu shudder.

"Who do you think should be there for the people? At this crucial moment, they need you alive."

Atemu blinked. "You cannot expect me to just let you die, Seth!"

Seth stood up then, eyes grown cold and fixed.

"And you expect me to feel nothing for what's going to happen to you? I'm here to protect you, Atemu! Don't you understand that? I'm your cousin. I'm your priest." Seth didn't look at Atemu as he followed through with, "I'm your lover. Does this mean nothing to you? Do I mean anything at all?"

"Of course you do!"

"Then explain to me why suddenly you're willing to die!"

"I have a duty. To my people, to this kingdom. To keep it safe. As pharaoh. I can't be selfish and hide behind your back just because I want us to grow old together in each other's arms," Atemu reasoned. "We do not have a happy ending, Seth. Not this time."

A bitter chuckle.

"Funny how easily you believe that." And it's all antagonism again, as if they've never crossed the line between cousins and lovers; blurred the lines between duty and romance. They were back to where they've begun, pushing and pulling, arguing because they felt they have to. Not because they had to. It didn't appear as such, but Atemu sure felt like it.

Seth's refusal to believe in the prophecy only amounted to one thing.

"Amazing how you can reject destiny so simply," Atemu countered. And it made him wonder why he was wasting his time with his cousin this morning when he could be talking with Mahado and the other priests about the preparations. Why he was even willing to listen to his cousin's reasons when he could easily order Seth to go away and never interfere with his plans again. It made him think if Seth actually had a point. Maybe he had. Why wasn't Atemu considering it, then?

Hitting the wall was totally unexpected, then. Atemu's eyes widened in surprise, saw Seth's own blue eyes narrow at him, blazing with fury and fury. And grief?

He tried to slap the hand on his chest away, knew that his priest would never really hurt him. The grip, however, was strong enough to keep him plastered on the wall. The demigod bristled. His head actually hurt from the impact.

"Let me go this instant," he warned.

"Or what, dear cousin? Will you call the guards? Have me killed?" Seth mocked. Underneath him, Atemu struggled. It would be nice if he actually had the upper hand. Unfortunately, as much as he was more agile than his brunet of a cousin, he was also smaller, lither compared to Seth's tall, more muscled figure. Which gave Seth the advantage.

Atemu conceded. "What's your point? Be quick about it."

Seth grasped his hand, directed it over his heart. Atemu gasped, failed to stifle it at the feel of Seth's wild heartbeat. His heart was racing so fast.

"Seth..."

"Hush," his cousin said, claiming his lips for a kiss. It was slow and gentle, contrary to their fevered kisses. This was bittersweet, long as if this were the only way that Seth could send his message. When they parted, they were both panting, cheeks flushed and eyes already glittering. Seth opened Atemu's clenched fist, putting his palm back on his heart. "This—"

Transferred to his own heart, beating on a calmer pace.

"—and this, is life, Atemu. What keeps us living, what we live for," Seth continued. "This. The rhythm of our hearts beating together. This is what we cherish. What I cherish the most. I understand that you need to protect Egypt. I do."

Seth kissed Atemu again, leaned down with measured movements, all restrained energy and strength as he kept Atemu on the wall. Atemu closed his eyes the instant their lips met, couldn't stop the way his body arched to Seth's touch. He was able to keep that low sound from being ripped from his throat as Seth kissed him deeper, though. And when they broke apart for air, he fixed his gaze on his cousin. Seth let him go, let him fall slowly to the floor, leaning on the wall.

A hand grasped his chin, tilted it upwards so he could meet Seth's eyes.

"Believe me, I understand. But there has to be another way."

Atemu closed his eyes, defeated for this moment.

"Alright, Seth. We'll look for an alternative."

Both of them knew, though, that this was far from over.

Part II summary: Define desperation.