Tying up loose ends [

[king_of_egypt]

I.

[There was no way that this wasn't going to be awkward, and honestly Atem had put this off for longer than he should have. Some of the things he'd done and said were a bit of a blur but one this was obvious- he'd lost control of his senses again and others might have been hurt by it. Sure, it was not as dramatic as the last time... But emotions were not to be toyed with. So he reached for his mirror and sought to address the populace in order to atone in some way.]

Heh... I suppose I owe you all an explanation for my behavior regarding last month. [For one day last month rather- it was a minor distinction so he didn't correct it. ] I don't fully understand it myself, since at that juncture many of us were affected in different ways. For those of you that weren't aware of it or who need a reminder... I was going around main street ...

[This is where Atem trailed off and swallowed hard, shifting uncomfortably in his chair. He folded his arms tightly against his chest and continued] Professing my love and undying affection for anyone I met. [Admitting is didn't make him feel any less idiotic] For that I apologize and I'm sorry if you found my insistence on that subject embarrassing or a nuisance. [Yes, good but it was missing something. Deciding better of putting Kaiba publicly on the spot he opted to go seek him out in person.] I do care for a good many of you.... Just not to that level. I was so sure of my feelings at the time... I wasn't really trying to deceive you. Just know that. [ Meaning the people who questioned it like Ciri, Crowley, and Mal had been right.] I'm sorry.

II.

[ With that display out of the way, he turned off the mirror and pocketed it before exiting his apartment and going to seek out Kaiba. He checked the other's room first but the brunette could be anywhere at this time if day. If need be he'd shoot Kaiba a private message to ask if they could meet up somewhere]

Kaiba. We need to talk. [If his haste Atem didn't consider how needlessly ominous that sounded. He just knew that what he had to say should be done in person.]

III.

[A good deal later, he addressed the network again]

I'm just curious, and I know this might seem trivial given our collective situation.... however I was wondering how many of you enjoy playing games? [Games were something Atem both greatly enjoyed and excelled at however he had a lack of opponents. Sure, he had played a game versus Crowley before, and there was always Kaiba but it wouldn't hurt to find some others. Besides they could use such activities to unwind when they needed to.]

I'm working on collecting a few.. [Mostly dice based so far, since it wasn't hard to locate dice and there were plenty of various ways to use them] .. but once I get something together..

Basically, I'm just trying to gauge the interest in having a gaming night, maybe more than one spaced out over time. So if you want in let me know, and I'll contact you at a later date.

Comments

[blue_ice]

[Kaiba was indeed in his room, sitting down for a cup of tea after the day's work. He appeared at the door, his frown instantly deepening. Even a relationship-challenged person like him knows what those words usually mean.

His fist clenches, his expression pained. ]

It's time, isn't it.

[king_of_egypt]

Past time, really.

[His initial response not dispelling the initial misgivings. Picking up on the tension Atem tries to internally determine the meaning behind it. Kaiba had nothing to feel guilty about- at least not in the pharaoh's mind so was this? Disappointment? Revulsion? Either would have been warranted. The idea of your boyfriend running around trying to ... fraternize with every one in town would have been insulting to someone as proud as Kaiba. Maybe this apology would be more difficult than he had anticipated.

Was he beyond forgiveness?]

Is your roommate out? This should be .... private.

[blue_ice]

He is. Come in.

[ Kaiba's expression is carefully guarded. He takes a seat on the nearest couch, perched at the end. He should've been prepared for this, he's cursing himself for ever getting involved...]

Who is it, then? Or did you find more than one?

[king_of_egypt]

[Without saying another word he stepped inside the apartment, and fastened the door behind him. Following Kaiba over to the seating area he was just about to pull over a chair, when what he heard next stunned him. Forgetting the task, he turned to face the other a light hint of color darkening his features.] I deserved that... [He allowed] Is that what you think this is about? [An incredulous tone slipping into his voice] That I'm here to give you the brush off? [With a shake of his head he decided there was no more time to waste. He needed to voice this apology before Kaiba could imagine any other scenarios. Balling one of his hands into a fist he held it over his chest.] I came here to apologize for how I was acting, and for everything that I did. It wasn't fair to you or anyone involved. It's not that my feelings for you have altered. [Trying to drive that home he added] Those confessions I doled out on the 1st were in error. There was no real feeling behind them. I can't explain it, but I know I was compelled to go through with it. Please believe me- there is no one else. There never could be. [Surprising himself with his own desperate insistence]

[blue_ice]

[ Despite himself, he looks up. He wants to keep his walls up, to push away...deep down he knew their behavior had been altered. But they'd been apart for so long that he'd feared the worst. ]

I didn't want to cuddle the entire block either...but it'd been so long. I wasn't sure what to say. Maybe we both weren't. But.

[ Wary, but trying to be logical. He cautiously lifts his head, shaking it slightly to get the hair out of his eyes. ]

Pharaoh...Atem...

[ He swallows hard. ]

I was so deeply corrupted that at one time I doubted I had a heart at all...but you brought that part of me back to life. Well before this, and now that I've given it to you...

[ He scoots closer and takes one of Atem's hands, turning it over and brushing a kiss there. ]

Tell me this is real. Please.

[king_of_egypt]

[Normally Atem would have teased Kaiba over that bit about cuddling the whole block but this time he refrained. There was a time and a place for levity and it wasn't now]

This .... is all my fault.

[He quietly accepted. Either one of them could have reached out earlier but he considered his offenses to be greater, therefore the guilt was his to bear]

There's no excuse for it.

[Atem had kept a low profile the last month after that embarrassing episode, only going out on missions and to work. That being said both of those tasks had put him in a position where he had to interact with those he had.. propositioned. Had the isolation been some form of self-inflicted punishment? It was likely but had he known how it was making others suffer...]

Kaiba... [He voiced softly, surprised when he suddenly felt the warmth of the other's hand and the feathering of a kiss against his skin. Once again he didn't know how to prove to Kaiba that this was real. If he was so easily swayed months prior, and even more recently then it was plausible that he might never be fully in control.]

All I have to give you is my word. [Which isn't worth much these days....] ... but I know that I've my feelings for you extend beyond this world and incarnation. [That reminder went a long way towards reaffirming things in his own mind. It would be different had he only started to care for Kaiba in this dimension] What we have.. is real. [Smiling on that last part and exuding more confidence than he had during the course of most of this conversation]

[blue_ice]

[ Good choice of words, Atem. Some of the tension in Kaiba's expression loosens, and he breathes deeply. He dips forward, to rest his head on his pharaoh's shoulder. ]

I waited so long for you...I know now that you're what I want. And I'll fight any other curse that dares to pull me astray.

[ He pulls the man into a crushing embrace. ]

You mentioned new games. How about one of those...and a special prize for the winner? I have a new idea...

Video

[serpentinthegarden]

It's fine, no need to mention it. I know how you humans are... you can't resist the occult.

[ Nevermind that he had been an angel at the time, that was the embarrassing part! ]

What sort of stakes are you playing for in your gaming night?

Video

[king_of_egypt]

Yes.. I'm sure.. that was it. [A note of sarcasm in his voice]

[Could he really argue with that occult statement given his own involvement with the millennium items?]

Actually, I hadn't considered including any stakes.... [Not that he had never played with anything on the line before, but somehow he thought most people wouldn't want to take that risk]

Video

[serpentinthegarden]

No need to be shy about it.

[ He knew he was awesome. ]

Whats the point of a gaming night if there aren't stakes? You just end up sitting around, staring at each other...

Video

[king_of_egypt]

[Crowley certainly wasn't lacking for ego. Still, Atem let the first matter drop. It was obvious that nothing more needed to be said on the subject, at least.. not between them.]

There weren't any stakes when we played Senet.

Video

[serpentinthegarden]

We didn't have any debens.

[ Can't place bets on Senet without some ancient Egyptian coins. ]

Video

[king_of_egypt]

[He smirked at that]

Still don't. [Not that money in itself was the most thrilling thing to put on the line...] ... but perhaps there's something a little more interesting we could wager.

Video

[serpentinthegarden]

[ Crowley couldn't imagine what. Neither of them made all that much money. ]

I work at a candy shop... We could play for jawbreakers?

[Video] III

[beancounter]

A game night sounds like it'd be fun! That's a great idea. Count me in! What sort of games are we talking about? Board games? Card games?

[Video] III

[king_of_egypt]

[The enthusiasm brought a smile to his tanned features. That and the sight of one of his friends. It would be good to get to spend sometime with Fenton on a leisurely scale]

Yes.. and yes. [Or in other words both] Currently I have Senet available. [He'd taken the liberty of drawing the board for the Ancient Egyptian game, and acquiring the sticks that were used in lieu of dice and objects that could be used as tokens wasn't difficult.] .. and I'm working on a couple of dice games some of which require boards.. I know I can find some cards.

What sort of games are most appealing to you?

Re: [Video] III

[beancounter]

Um... I'm afraid I don't know what Senet is. But I have played a few card games! Only the really simple ones, though, I'm afraid. Stuff like Go Fish and solitaire. I've definitely heard of the various types of poker games, but I'm not really familiar with any outside of Blackjack. I'm mostly familiar with board games: Sorry, Clue, Monopoly... That's a favourite of Mr. McDuck's ...Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit, Connect Four... I'm sure the Emporium has a couple of those we can get.

Would you be hosting these at your apartment, or would we maybe cycle through a couple people's apartments?

[Video] III

[king_of_egypt]

Ha- well that doesn't surprise me. Senet is something we used to play frequently enough back in my own time and dimension. It slipped into obscurity sometime after. [Still, he listened with marked interest as Fenton proceeded to expand on the subject] Perhaps I should give the Emporium another look. [Since all of those sounded appealing to him] I'm familiar with those and I am fine with any one of them. [Clue held an elevated level of appeal]

I was planning on finding a common area we could meet in so we wouldn't disturb either our roommates or neighbors.

[Video] III

[beancounter]

Ah. err... what time is that? What is the game like?

A common area would be good. Like the room that's used for the meet-and-greet parties? Or if there's a similar room somewhere. Maybe we'd even be allowed to keep all the games there, and people can come down and play whenever they want? Then have the larger organized games on certain days?

|

[woo_oo]

Oh, is that what you were doing? I'd never have guessed!

[Still oblivious to the whole 'love and romance' deal.]

[king_of_egypt]

[There was a momentary pang of regret for having drawn attention to his folly- but it swiftly dissipated. It was the right thing to do.]

I'm afraid so. [He answered sheepishly] If it wasn't obvious to you... then I trust that it wasn't too much of an inconvenience? [Or, at least he hoped that to be the case]

[woo_oo]

Nah, I knew we were all acting super weird. I knew I was, what with the whole opposite thing. I just didn't know what your issue was.

[king_of_egypt]

It would have been hard for you not to have noticed that something was up with that day in general.

Ha- well. Now you know. [Atem paused a moment before adding the following] That's the one thing I don't feel like I'm adjusting well to. I know that my situation is not unique- everyone has been affected at one time or another but... it could end tragically one of these days.

[Ah- but he shouldn't be burdening the youth with these sort of thoughts] Nevermind. I was just thinking out loud.

[woo_oo]

It could end tragically... or it could end happily! Save the negative thinking for cool stuff like traps and curses. And even if there is a tragic end, it doesn't mean the END end! Stuff can be fixed!

[Always look on the bright side of life. *whistles*]

[king_of_egypt]

[ Somehow thinking about curses and traps was more amusing for him, probably because over the course of his existence both had served him well] You're right. While we should always be wary, and prepare ourselves as much as we can for any eventuality it does not mean those scenarios will come to fruition.

Besides... I have faith in those who have gathered here.