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[Absolute terror incarnate, with his loyal attack dog (or cat in this case). This is truly what the peninsula's population should shudder at.

Especially when the attack cat leans in and starts purring. Very loudly at that, and to someone else it might sound vicious, like a warning, but the way Ryou's tail lazily swipes against the carpet, from side to side as his pupils widen out a little more...it's very clear that he's far from aggressive.

When Atem's fingers start to trace along the base of his ears, Ryou is the one who initiates a gentle headbutt, pushing a little harder than he needs to. His eyes slowly slip closed as he continues to purr.

Yes. Pet. Pet more.]

[It doesn't stop. The petting, the scritching, rubbing their faces together, that's going to go on until one of them gets tired. They might wind up on the floor -- Atem will sink down and pull as much of Ryou into his lap as he can manage, and pet not just his ears, but under his chin, and the sides of his face, and the back of his head behind the ears. He's been petting cats for a while now, and while they don't all like the same things, he can figure out how Ryou likes to be touched. He murmurs:]

That's it, that's right...

[He's very serious, very focused on what he's doing. But as he pets, a buzz comes out of his own chest: yes, he wants this to go on, don't go. All the reward-chemical pathways in his brain are lighting up, he's relaxing much more than he has in weeks, and he feels very nearly at peace.

Cat. Big cat. Big cat big. Also boyfriend, love very much. His boyfriend makes big, calming sounds now, and touching him is pulling all of the tension out of Atem's body. It's easy to forget that anything else exists.]

[Ryou lets it all happen. Because of his wings, he has to be careful about how he positions himself on the floor, but he finds that half-laying on his bat wing is much easier, which is how he ends up curled up with his head on Atem's lap, purring contentedly.

It's just as much about the affection as it is the instinctual relaxation of a cat with its owner.

When Atem starts purring, one of Ryou's ears twitches, and he smiles. Good. This is what he wants, for both of them to relax. It's nice, very nice, to have his chin scratched as well. Honestly, everywhere on his face is quite sensitive to touch so Atem's doing a great job.

Ryou feels as if he could just doze off right here. He doesn't...but the way his eyes stay closed and his body relaxes, he could give off that impression. Except for the purring, and the curling of his tail tip in a patternless cadence. Up...down. Tense...uncurl. Over and over.

Too busy purring, no time for words. Sorry Atem.]

[The peaceful scene is inrerrupted with a "Wrrrrow?" and a thunk.

Tybolt's awake.

He's awake, and he bounds over to Ryou, all clumsy paws and skidding to a halt, to sloooowly extend his head, low to the ground, and sniff.

"Wrrrrrrreh!" he complains, looking up at Atem. He doesn't understand! What is happening? Why is his other dad a cat, like the other cat that comes in here sometimes and feeds him so much?

....

Is this the other cat? Tybolt is very confused about how they're related, but frankly, it's not his fault, everyone else is too.]

[An ear rotates towards the source of the thunk, then Ryou's head immediately flies up from Atem's lap, eyes alert. Who dares? Who is interrupting very necessary pets?!

...Oh. It's Tybolt. That's...actually fine and kind of cute. When Tybolt moves in to sniff, Ryou reaches a pawlike hand out and places it firmly on the little lion's head. Not to pet, just...to do it. It feels like the right thing to do.]

I think he might be confused about why there's another cat here. Admittedly, I don't blame him.

[The paw on his head makes Tybolt flop over. Is he defeated?? No, he's just rolling onto his side and back so that he can wrap his own paws around the attacking hand! Wrestling it! He bites at it! ....but his claws stay retracted, and his teeth never quite catch Ryou's skin. He just kind of mouths at it. Tybolt is letting you know he COULD bite you, but is much too well-behaved to actually do it. Fierce. Fearsome. Definitely responding appropriately to being treated like a baby cat by bigger cat.]

He seems to be getting used to it...

[Does he need to give the "be gentle" command? ...no, it doesn't look like it...]

[Ryou doesn't mind it. Actually, he has to stop himself from engaging Tybolt further, and instead lets his arm drop onto the little lion's body. Yes, yes. You're a good boy for not biting.

Even if he did, Ryou has a lot of fur as a damper. Tybolt's claws stay in though, and he's not biting to injure. It's fine. Let the boy play!]

I suppose he might get jealous if you pet me more than him, but I like to think I'm your favorite.

[So saying, he glances up at Atem with what is a god's honest :3 face and that is probably exceedingly unfair.]

[Tybolt huffs and snuffs over the hand. He's mighty! He's fighting! He's wrestling! He could DEFINITELY bring down a gazelle!

....it's baby play fights without even any teeth.]

Of course you are.

[He runs his fingers through Ryou's hair, up his forehead and down between his ears.]

But, don't tell him that...

[Again, Ryou purrs lowly, pressing up into the touch. This is nice. It's perfect. He feels relaxed for the first time in a while, and it's enough to make him laugh breathlessly.]

No. Never. H-heh...hahaha...

[The laughter tapers into a weak sob, but...he's still smiling. He's happy, but he also wants to cry. Ryou wonders why he's like this, why any person could cry when they're happy.]

I'm glad...to be here with you and Tybolt. To be here with the ones I love. This is...it's my home, and you're my heart, and this is...something I haven't been able to enjoy for so long.

[Ryou knows it's only a matter of time before the other shoe drops. They're very close to the start of the month, when trouble usually starts brewing. But right now, after everything, it's enough that he has this simplicity, without the hum of negativity which constantly lives in the back of his mind lately--it's still there, but quieted, not stoked by the true monster he is.]

....

[It feels good to listen to this, but also, it hurts...

Atem smiles, but his eyebrows draw up. He's happy, but his heart hurts, but in a glad way...? Like something important's just been saved, and his heart's still stuck on the possibility of it being lost.

He...can't say anything. Not right now. Instead, he reaches out and either leans down, or pulls Ryou up -- either way, they're ending up in a tight hug. Tybolt can wait.

(Tybolt will put his little paws on their shoulders, getting up on his back feet. Me Too Me Too.)]

Edited 2022-04-13 23:55 (UTC)

[Ryou meets Atem halfway, pushing himself up on one arm and wrapping the other securely around the other monster's shoulders. He buries his face against Atem's chest, ears flattening back against his skull. It's not apprehension.

On the contrary...Ryou feels rather content. Even the feeling of small paws on his shoulder don't deter him. Not for a while...but eventually, he does glance up at Atem, his blue eyes--why are they blue? Is this a cat thing?--practically shining.

He looks silly like this, his tail tip curling lazily while his wings are splayed behind him haphazardly.

Thank you. For always being you. And for being a person who cares about someone like me...even when I'm difficult to handle.

[Because he is difficult. He tries not to be...but fails.]

[By the time Ryou speaks up, Tybolt has settled down...on Ryou. His back feet are on the ground like he's sitting, but his front feet and front half of his body are draped over Ryou's waist. He is breathing contentedly, his eyes squinting mostly shut. He can't purr, but he's making contented little leonine sounds. Things have been weird lately with Ryou, but he can tell things are better, now, and he's happy about it.

Atem looks down at Ryou as Ryou looks up -- the hand that's not under Ryou's arm that props him up goes to the side of Ryou's face, to tilt it up just a little, to hold eye contact.]

You're my heart, too. You're the person I want to handle, easy or not...I won't ever stop fighting for you.

[Even if the person he's fighting for Ryou is Ryou, sometimes.]

[Ryou just smiles brightly, honestly, and leans into Atem's touch. The fur on his face is soft and fine, so it probably feels nice. His wings flutter a little behind him, and it's not really for any bad reason. No more than the gentle coiling of his tail.]

I wouldn't ever stop fighting for you either. I know s-sometimes, I don't do it right. Your methods...they're always better than mine, but no matter what, I'll stand by you, and protect you.

[And he'll eventually move, but Tybolt is resting on him, and Atem is close, so so close to him that he stays where he is a minute longer...and only after that point does he reluctantly start to pull back, slowly, so that he doesn't startle Tybolt too much.]

[He strokes Ryou's cheek-fur, gently, gazing into his eyes. The blue has to be some kind of cat-thing...it's not as gentle or warm as Ryou's brown eyes as a human, but it's easy to get lost in, taking in every detail, every fleck of color on the iris.]

You'll discover your own methods, your own ways to get it right.

[He's never once stopped believing in Ryou. Ryou is going to find his own strength, even if the road is hard, and he stumbles and falls. Atem will be there to see to it that he gets back up.]

I know you're with me. You always are.

[When Ryou starts to pull back, Atem plants a light kiss on his nose. Tybolt makes a little noise of complaint, and rolls over onto his side, rubbing his head against Ryou's waist. Ryou can move, but Tybolt's going to hang onto cuddles a little longer. His kitty brain is lit up with kitty family feelings and "things are good" intuition.]

[There's just something about nose kisses that's absolutely charming, completely endearing...and it makes Ryou purr softly. All of it does. He's very relaxed...maybe a little too relaxed.

A bit too cat, perhaps.

But he settles back, crossing his legs beneath him and gently petting and stroking Tybolt while the purr builds in his throat.]

I will. I'll do it. I'll make Her see I'm useful.

[He knows he'll never get any further than this, which is why the smile he wears doesn't quite reach his eyes. He doesn't have the guts, but as long as he can support Atem on his journey, that's what's important.]

I suppose I'll have to adjust a bit to days. Y-you know, just a bit. For the sun, but I won't leave you alone at night.

[He's going to get so little sleep as a manticore, isn't he?

...He has no idea how much sleep he is actually going to get as a manticore yet, but that's fine.]

[I'll make Her see I'm useful.

He hears that capital letter. A chill goes through Atem, for the second time this week -- that doesn't sound like Ryou. It doesn't sound like something Ryou used to want. He's going to have to keep an eye on that...how much does the Fog's opinion of him matter to Ryou?

But not now. Not when things are better than they've been. Not when Ryou's still getting used to having a tier-3-level power...not when he should be using it to protect himself. That's what it's for. That's what all of this was for...to protect themselves, and each other, and what matters to them.

So, Atem boxes that lurking fear away smoothly, like he boxed away his fear of not understanding the Millennium Puzzle, like he boxed away the fears that made him ask to go by Yugi for months, and away it goes, deep into the sea he skims over the top of. They're talking, instead, about schedules.]

You should spend all the time in the sun you can! Cats like that sort of thing, right?

[He closes one eye in a wink.]

And, I'll be here, when you come home.

Edited 2022-04-18 21:50 (UTC)

[Ryou doesn't know any better...and that's good. He probably wouldn't explain it right even if he was asked. He's not good at it.

He'd be terrible at trying to explain to Atem what the Fog makes him feel when She's wrapped around him in Dyster, like a cloak of encouragement, a whispered promise, a feeling of approval at what he does.

He couldn't explain that when she'd granted him his third tier powers, he'd thanked her for the gift.

Instead, he continues petting Tybolt and his tail flicks from side to side in a lazy pattern.]

Any cat that I've seen has enjoyed it. I wish I could enjoy it with you...but as long as you're alright with it, then...I suppose I'll try basking on the rooftop sometime on my own.

[The rooftop is nice at night. It might be even homier in the sun, he's sure of it.

...

By the time a week's passed, and the new fog has rolled in...Ryou's thoroughly decided that the sun is safe and good, and he sorely missed being under it. After over a year of being either effectively allergic in the sun, or thoroughly drained by it, being able to bask is absolutely rejuvenating. Plus, as a manticore he finds it exceedingly easy to sleep, under the sun or otherwise. Actually, he's only just waking up now, after taking a sorely-needed cat-nap post-mall outing. The fog was weak, and his powers were drained, it's only reasonable to want to regain energy.

...He's also a cat-man who likes to sleep, but who's keeping count of reasons?

Ryou raises himself up on hands and knees, then stretches languidly, his wings unfurling up and above him, then gently brushing the ceiling as he lets out a satisfied hum. Yep. Sleep is good. He missed sleeping this well, and not having to allocate energy to being solid all the time.

Once he's settled back on the couch, he has a look around, to see if Atem's within eyesight. If not, his next move will be to get up, pad to Atem's room and politely knock on the door, because for as long as they've been together, he's still never been able to sum up the courage to pop his head in without permission. Not that he'd ever stop Atem from doing it, but...Ryou's built different.]

[A bat-monster is curled up tight in a blanket burrito on the bed. He seems to have pulled it around himself in his sleep.

He is not breathing! This is, however, not cause for alarm. He begins to breathe abruptly when there's a knock on the door.

(The door is cracked open anyway, a courtesy for Tybolt.)]

Hrmgh? What? What is it?

[Ryou's so used to Atem not breathing at this point that it wouldn't have registered for him even if he had caught sight of it. Sometimes your boyfriend simply doesn't need to breathe.

And Ryou, admittedly, probably didn't breathe when he slept as a vampire (He didn't). So in that way, he also gets it.]

Sorry, were you sleeping? Please, don't let me interrupt...

[The vestiges of sleepiness were still working their way out of his voice, so clearly he feels very bad that he was disturbing his equally sleepy boyfriend.]

No, it's all right, I'm up, I'm up--

[A big toothy yawn! His tongue really does go on forever! Give him a second to extract himself from the blankets...]

It's a Fog day, even if it's weak, so I can sleep anytime...

[Ahh, no he feels really bad about this! But, since Atem insists, Ryou does push the door open, peeking his head in just in time to catch the most luxuriant bat-yawn. Honestly...]

That is true...but there's no rush, you know.

[He moves in closer, his tail tip flipping from side to side lazily behind him. Once he's close enough, padded fingers reach out to stroke the side of Atem's face. He has to. It's not often that he's like this, and Ryou wants to touch his fuzzy face. It's cute.

(Ryou your standards)]

Yes...I figured since it's foggy, we could head up to the roof and...well, if the sun's not so bad, then...

[He trails off. It's stupid, he doesn't want to ask, really.]

[Liquid red eyes fall closed at the touch, giving in gently and easily, practically tame.]

Then...?

[He rumbles it, tilting his face slightly into Ryou's fingers. Go on, he's listening.]

[His thumb keeps stroking along Atem's cheek. Sometimes it's the simple moments like this...the affection, which keeps him going. Ryou's, perhaps, a bit too sentimental.

But then again, Atem already knows by now that he's dating a romantic.]

Then...maybe we could try gliding. Flying, I'm not so sure on. I can't get my wings to move right when I want them to. But only if you're not too tired.

I don't know. Part of me wants to stay here like this!

[He bumps his face a little more actively into Ryou's hand. Atem likes being here, likes Ryou's manticore form, likes afternoon naps with his boyfriend and his pet, likes the touch. But they don't have an infinite number of fog days, and Atem's only able to fly at something close to Ryou's size right now...he wouldn't be able to catch Ryou if something went wrong if Atem could only fly in travel form. If they're going to do flying/gliding lessons, now's the time to do it.]

But, as long as we can pick this up where we left off...I can help you learn your way around your wings.

[Ryou is more than a little touched at the thought that Atem would prefer to laze around the house and also likely in bed with him. He knows that with the wings it's not that easy...

...and he offers no thought at all to the fact that he had also accommodated Atem's wings in whatever form had them. That's just polite. But what Atem is doing is THOUGHTFUL! There's a difference!

Either way, though, it's just as thoughtful that Atem is sacrificing part of his time to this. So Ryou continues to offer scritches. He leans and bumps noses with his bat-faced boyfriend, then affectionately licks his cheek for good measure.]

We don't have to do it long. I just want to get better at having them since...I'll be like this for a while. Then we can catch another nap. I don't think I've ever appreciated a good nap so much as I have lately.

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, PLAYER1. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 10.11.0.0.01 * PLAYER1 has joined 10.11.0.0.01 <PLAYER1>** If you're looking for someone you knew as Yugi before June, you've found him! It's Atem, leave a message.

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casual timeskip, lmk if it's not okay!

timeskip fine!!

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that icon will never not be precious

BATS CUTE

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