̷A̷t̷e̷m̷ (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
knifemonopoly) wrote2021-02-05 06:28 pm
knifemonopoly) wrote2021-02-05 06:28 pm
Entry tags:
IC inbox
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. | ||||
no subject
But they weren't finished here, because Atem asked a very important question.]
You did. It sounded painful...
[Actually, it sounded as if Atem was invested in what he was doing. But to Ryou, knowing vaguely what he was invested in was terrible enough. If he were in that position, he'd probably be more than shaken. If he had to dismember someone he cared about because of the Fog God and do it willingly, convincing himself it was for the greater good...
...Even the thought of it turns his stomach.]
no subject
He changes the subject from the events of the dream.]
...I didn't know I did that.
I don't usually sleep in the same place as someone else...Noa hasn't said anything about it, and neither did Ima, during Monster Bingo...
[God, it feels like that was centuries ago. Only three months, but it might as well have been three years!]
...if it gets to be too much, you can tell me. I don't want to bother your sleep -- it's troubled enough already!
no subject
...H-heh, you sure do like napping with people, don't you? I didn't know that about you.
[It's not so much a taunt as an observation, at this point. Maybe it was just for Monster Bingo, but...it's alright if it isn't. It's cute if Atem likes to be around people like that. He's usually so goal-oriented...it's funny to see him share his rest with others.]
Don't worry about me...I'll be alright. I'm used to not sleeping that well, so I can tolerate it better.
[Well, not really. Not sleeping is what had gotten him in this mess in the first place, wasn't it? If he'd just been more awake, then he wouldn't have lost his balance.
But all the same. It's done, he can't undo it, and he'll eventually pass out into a dreamless unconsciousness when his sleep debt climbs too high. Then...the cycle resets.]
no subject
But he'll also read the moment Atem decides he's going to pick his battles here. Frankly, he suspects Ryou just wants him to stay, and is saying whatever he thinks is close enough to the truth to make that happen...
...luckily for him, Atem has no plans to leave.]
Noa's nice to nap with! He turns himself into a cat, and he kneads the blanket with his paws before he lies down...[which is CUTE.] I thought he'd mind being petted more, but he seems okay with people treating him like a cat.
His employees come into his office on their breaks to do just that, you know!
[He's not expecting this to matter deeply to Ryou. The tone Atem is taking is someone getting a little rambly before going to sleep...it's meant to be a topic that's not very serious, something else to think about, so that no one goes to sleep thinking about rifts and knives and how Atem knows what it feels like to take someone's arm off now, which lends a terrible realism to dreams where it's Yugi.
Nope. Gonna talk about cats. He's a cat person now.]
no subject
I...yeah, he doesn't mind letting himself be a cat. I assumed he would be too proud once, before...b-before he...
[Ryou can't finish that sentence. He just can't. He misses Noa.]
...Anyway, the point is he let me pet him. I was trying to shake his hand and he put his head in it. It was...very endearing. He's pretty small for a manticore, wouldn't you say?
[Ryou tries to keep the conversation basic, just like Atem's doing. Both of them need to sleep. He won't hold up much longer himself.]
Do you think you'd want a cat? Petting one is pretty relaxing.
no subject
He'll be back.
[Atem believes it. He misses Noa, too, and he's upset Noa threw himself in...but, now that he's had some time, Atem believes it. There's no way what Noa did would lead to him disappearing for good.
And he can think about Noa headbumping Ryou's hand instead of shaking it without feeling too bad. That's also cute.]
It is relaxing! But taking care of one in a place like this...it's easier to visit other people's cats. And other people, who are cats.
[He is already very attached to Poundmates, but it helps that Poundmates isn't his. Steve's protecting it already, as part of his job. Protecting his own cat would be all on Atem...he'd be less free to be away from home...which is why Big Sven does not already live with them.]
no subject
[Ryou doesn't react much to Atem's comforting gesture, but it's not that he doesn't appreciate it. He just...doesn't want to give in to thoughts like this. He doesn't want to think about Noa trying to explain why giving himself up would only help protect his friends.
It's a narrative Ryou's all too familiar with, and being on the other side of it hurts.
So yes. Cat discussions are far more enjoyable to partake in.]
That's fair. Cats do require care and attention...at least you can always pet Celeste's cat. Quite the character, that one.
[Ryou can't stifle a yawn after that statement.]
Mmh...are you okay like this? Am I too heavy...?
[Because he would feel pretty guilty if he fell asleep on Atem and was basically making him uncomfortable. But he is about 15 seconds from passing out again.]
no subject
[Again, a point on Atem's tail a couple of feet from the end pushes itself over Ryou's good knee, and the rest of it, almost down to the little stump, follows and curls around the shin and foot.
Nice. It's nice. He's warm here. He's calm...still a little weirdly restless, but mostly relaxed. It's less weird like this than it would be if Atem had a human body. He's half snake now! Which means there's no way this can get awkward...Atem's very sure of his own undesirability. It's like Noa...
It's not going to take him long to drift off either.]
no subject
[Almost as if on reflex, Ryou presses his face against Atem's chest, as if he's a great big pillow and he's just trying to find a comfortable spot. It's okay, he's just settling. There's nothing weird about this. Not a single thing wrong with how he's positioned, and it's absolutely acceptable to have a snake tail wrapped around his foot.
It's actually pretty relaxing. He feels secure here, enough to fall dead asleep.]