synthneon | YGO PSL | ❝ you felt the gravity of tempered grace, falling into empty space. ❞

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YGO PSL | ❝ you felt the gravity of tempered grace, falling into empty space. ❞

			WAKING THE DRAGONS 
		

( welcome to hurt/comfort the psl, where feels are here and the timeline doesn't matter! ♬ tone music )

[ There had been more than once when Lunafreya had questioned quietly why she remained in the orbit of the small band of duelists. The worry of the Egyptian Gods had concluded, and the Nameless Pharaoh able to not only contain but appease them. By conclusion of the event alone she should have said her goodbyes and moved onward. Yet, a feeling nagged in the back of her mind. One that insisted she stay with the small band in Japan. She always felt as if she imposed on anyone far too much if she acted outside of the realm of the Oracle.

What could she ever offer someone beyond that of her station?

Events escalated quickly as they seemed to with Yugi and the Pharaoh. A new enemy, a spirit monster that needed her aid to speak to them, promises made, and an ancient magic that stole souls of those that lost their battles. It was something she had never heard of -- the Power of Orichalcos. Gentiana had said it predated even her time in their reality... which simply made Lunafreya wonder what more help she could give to them. It was Gentiana that insisted they travel with the pair to the United States. Lunafreya after all spoke both languages and could easily aid them in where money might be a concern. She offered her aid, and yet, still felt as if she was an outsider looking in.

The price of being the Oracle is what she had always presumed.

Ravus had always insisted that she had become Oracle too young. It held her back from too much of life. The world could go without the aid of the Oracle long enough for her to have a life of her own. Lunafreya disagreed. It caused more than one argument that eventually led to the strained relationship the two of them had. One she felt might continue until he too was oddly supportive of the venture to America with Yugi and his friends. Perhaps he felt it was a way for her to have even the smallest fraction of life beyond her duty.

Not that any of it quite mattered the moment the group had returned from hunting down Rafael. Lunafreya had elected to stay with Téa and Rebecca; they would need protection should someone come for them. All she could do was stand by and watch the scene unfold as the strongest link in their group broke piece by piece. She wondered if it was obvious to the others that every time they mentioned "the other Yugi" or "get Yugi back" that a bit more of their Pharaoh seemed to wash away. She wished to interject and put a stop to their remarks, but, knew it would do little good. All of them were attempting to handle the shock and grief in their own ways.

She made sure their fare was covered to Flordia. The train ride then the plane ride that would be following it. Joey was over the moon, given their conversation with Kaiba had not been as supportive as they had hoped. Duke decided to stay back with Rebecca and her grandfather, leaving the rest of them to travel to themselves. Lunafreya sat beside Gentiana and simply listened to their conversations. Tristan and Joey attempted to carry on as normal, while Téa did her utmost to try and raise the spirits of their Pharaoh and distract him. It broke her heart to see their close group seemingly fall apart bit by bit. It hurt more to see the strongest of them all shut them out. She had even reached out to grab his sleeve as he had walked by on the train to leave them, but Gentiana had stopped her.

"A time and a place, Lady Lunafreya."

Arguments with the ancient spirit monster were futile and she knew that. Yet, Lunafreya had wanted to chastise her best friend for the first time. Those around her that had been entrusted in her care were hurting and she could do little to help. Gentiana, of course, seemed to know exactly what she was going to say. The colder hands held hers to reassure her.

The train ride was thankfully uneventful as was the ride to the hotel where they'd stay the night until the flight the next morning. With their things checked in, the group tried to fumble their way through the next plan. It was Joey who suddenly elected that he, Tristan and Téa would go to dinner and they would all meet up before their flight. Gentiana supported the notion, even agreeing to go with them. Lunafreya stood in place for a moment, then two, a she debated which path to take. While it was an obvious answer, the young woman had always had difficulty moving to her heart if it felt conflicted with that of her duty.

Lunafreya stops outside the door for the room set aside for Atem. She has dressed in clothing that might seem unusual to her, but, she would rather not bring attention to herself as they attempted to move eastward. She raises her hand to the door and knocks gently with her knuckles. ]

Heika?

[ It's such a formal way of speaking, but, she notices the tone she says it in now. There is an air of endearment, personal respect, and care to it. Almost more akin to a personal nickname than a title. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I didn't unpack anything last night. It was right where I had left it in the room.

[ Meaning that, yes, she did.

Lunafreya waits until his hands slip away before curling her fingers into the towel. She gingerly starts to dry the spikes in his (rather, Yugi's) hair and following the way it naturally wishes to lay. Even after their rather intimate gestures already, she hopes that this gesture is not seen to be too forward. ]

What's on your mind?

I see.

[ It takes a moment for Atem to pull himself out of his thoughts and return to this moment again. Lunafreya deserves his full attention now that he's capable of giving it again. He remembers how he was the previous night, barely responding to her words or her actions, and while part of him still feels raw and full of uncertainty, he knows she deserves better than what he's given her so far. ]

I was trying to think about what I need to do next. [ Trying and mostly failing, but he leaves that unsaid. ] If I'm to move forward, I need to have a plan.

[ But try as he might, he's struggling to come up with one, and he's beginning to feel frustrated with himself and his inability to think clearly. ]

[ A plan to move forward with no Egyptian Gods, or faith between himself and his deck. Lunafreya certainly will not voice those opinions. She also does not intend to suggest what road he might take. It is a decision unto himself. Small decisions will lead to larger ones, and she hopes that it will help him regain the footing he has lost. ]

First, you'll need to decide on what it is you want to achieve. [ She moves the towel forward just a bit to start at the roots of his bangs. ] A plan can move forward from there.

[ She doesn't have to voice them; he's already thought versions of them himself, and perhaps that's what's tripping him up so much. If he hopes to reach his goal, he can't do it without the Egyptian Gods, and he certainly can't hope to accomplish anything if he doesn't believe in his deck, let alone believing in himself.

If that's the first step, then he is more lost than he thought. ]

What I want to achieve? [ He gives Lunafreya a look then; it's pointed, but there's no particular emotion behind it, surprisingly. ] I thought that was obvious: I need to get Yugi back. And to do that, I need to find Dartz and put a stop to him and his plans.

[ He hopes that she doesn't interpret his words as being full of disrespect; that isn't what he intends. But what other thing can he hope to achieve that would be greater than getting Yugi back? He certainly can't think of anything. Perhaps it's foolish of him, but he sincerely believes that if he can stop Dartz and free Yugi's soul, then he can begin to make amends for his mistakes. Once everything that Dartz has done is put to rights again, and he's asked for Yugi's forgiveness, then maybe things will return to normal.

At least, that's what he hopes will happen and that he's not putting all of his hopes into something that will only fail and disappoint him. ]

[ His look is met by her raised eyebrows. It is very obvious to her, but she believes he needs to hear himself say the words. If he cannot trust himself then at least hearing the words in his own voice will aid him in his convictions for now. If he has made up his mind on what his current goal is then it will be easier to make those first steps.

A finger raises from the towel to gently tap him on the head as if to state her own facts in an obvious manner. A poke, no matter how gentle, seems as if it would be harsh for him in this moment. Atem is far from sensitive, but, she would not wish to pres shim in a way that might seem that way. ]

Very well. What is it that you hope to do in the morning to take the first step in this quest? [ Lunafreya pauses for a brief moment to give a hint of a playful smile. ] Unless all you'd like to do is stay in bed with me in the morning.

[ It's only then that he recognizes her tactics. She won't tell him what he should or shouldn't do, but she will offer some gentle prodding in hopes that he'll be able to form his own conclusions and make his own plans. He's always known that stopping Dartz and getting Yugi back have been his goals, but what he's still hung up on is how he should go about doing that.

Perhaps following the others who have already left is a good, short-term course of action.

But then that tease comes, along with that little tap, and suddenly, Atem finds himself growing just a hair flustered. A thought surfaces, and for a moment, he wonders if maybe that's not a good first step at all; but as quick as that thought came, it flees as if somehow knowing it won't be well-received by either its owner or the listener in the room. ] I- [ It's a tease, he's certain of it, but how to respond? ]

Is it not possible for us to do that and to set our plans in motion?

[ His tone is as calm as it will ever be, but if she's paying attention, she'll start to notice a blush beginning to work its way up the back of his neck. And it's brief, and she may not see it, given where she's standing, but the smallest of smiles has crept onto his face, suggesting amusement. ]

Edited (note to self: don't use the same icon twice ) 2021-06-21 17:31 (UTC)

[ It is most certainly a tease. While the tone of the room is far from being what it once was in a room in Battle City? Lunafreya does not see why they cannot at least banish some of the darkness that still clings to corners of the room. The towel cleverly hides the blush at the back of his neck, but, she can tell from his voice alone that he is embarrassed.

She smiles as well, fingers working back towards the lower parts of his hair. She lets a slight hum out as if she has to think the matter over. Of course, there is the matter that there is little time to waste. However, a process like this cannot be rushed. He can only go so far in a day and pushing himself too far will simply send him reeling backwards. There is also the matter of repairing his relationship with his deck. She plans to speak with those that will answer her questions once he is asleep. ]

I think it's possible. [ Lunafreya tilts to the side, leaning over him so he can look at her as she works. A familiar playful light is in her eyes. ] If you think I'd be a companion you'd wish to have in the morning.

[ She's right in that there's only so far that he can go in one day; even now as she works on his hair, he can feel a sensation that's largely unfamiliar to him taking hold: exhaustion. He hasn't slept well at all, and what little sleep he did manage to get can hardly be called restful. But what he fears will happen when he finally does let that exhaustion pull him under is strong enough to make him want to not give in to sleeping.

Rather than think about that, however, he manages a slightly wider smile solely for her benefit. ]

Considering the number of companions that I would not wish to have in the morning- [ It's a tease in return, and he hopes that she receives it as such. This almost playful mood, albeit slightly subdued, is a far cry from how he's been over recent days, and yet something about Lunafreya has drawn it out of him.

He glances briefly in the direction of where his deck and the Duel Disk lies, figuring that she'll understand what he's trying to say here. If not, then he'll actually pull the monster card that he has in mind out so that he can show her. ] You're much better than any of them.

[ Lunafreya does all that she can to be gentle with the towel. It is meant to be a soothing gesture. One less thing for him to worry over as he continues to battle with himself. Her fingers move to his neck, head tilting slightly as she learns how the unusual spiked hair lays.

The attempt at smiling does not pass her by. The towel finally lowers to his shoulders, and she leans forward to kiss his temple. He is attempting to be himself again, and that is more than she could ask for at the moment. She is not sure if it was Kaiba's duel or the removal of the Gods judgements that has helped him so. Whichever it might be, she is grateful for it.

A blush creeps onto her face. ]

I'll keep this all in mind for the morning. [ She squeezes his shoulders. ] You need to ear something before we retire for the night.

[ Thoughts are slippery things even when one isn't wrestling with themselves and the turmoil inside their heart; for Atem, it seems as though any time he gets close to being able to form a concrete thought, it slips right through his fingers again. Feeling the effects of exhaustion isn't the only thing he's unfamiliar with. He's not used to being this indecisive, stuck in a rut that he can't pull himself out of.

But even he knows that this small change, this tentative step forward, is because he hasn't been left alone to fight with himself. In his own way, Kaiba helped break through some of the storm clouds in Atem's mind, and he also removed the rage of the Gods that was threatening to overwhelm him. And then there's Lunafreya, whose own steadfastness in the face of Atem's uncertainty, has brought some small measure of peace to his troubled heart.

Is there still turmoil inside him? Yes. But her calming presence has turned the tide and given him some relief from the onslaught that, until now, has been relentless. He leans slightly into her touch as she squeezes her hands against his shoulders, and then he nods. ]

You should as well. [ He places his hand on one of hers as it rests on his shoulder, and turns his head just slightly so that he can see her face. ] Thank you.

[ Not just for her assistance with drying his hair, but with everything that she's done for him so far. ]

[ Depression is a hard battle to fight, and many never quite manage to overcome it. That is just yet another thing she would say to him if it would help. Council and information are far from what he needs at the moment. He needs a source to rely on until he can find his own again. Of course, even when he finds his own, he can still reach out to her and draw on hers. It is an offer that will never disappear. He can rely on her as long as he wishes to.

His soft thanks causes her to pause. Not out of some notion that she had yet to hear it - or even that it is unwelcome. No, it is nothing like that. It is simply the matter that the way he says it makes a realization come to light. One that is so deeply personal that any resemblance of the the position of the Oracle melts away then. For this small moment, and every moment they may have like this along this treacherous journey, Lunafreya is living as she truly wishes to.

Those few steps are taken to stand in front of him. The grace in her fluid motions is ever present as she sits in front of him. He hand turns to hold his. With two simple words he has managed to remove any trace of the Oracle. Now, it is just her that sits there, vulnerable, with eyes filled with tears she keeps from shedding. ]

... it means the world to me.

[ That he would allow her to act in such a manner to him. That he would return her affections out of sharing them, and not some notion of blindly following her. That she could simply be with him. Lunafreya wishes she had the grand words to express just how much all of this truly means to her. Those six words will have to suffice. She only hopes he understands the meaning behind them. ]

[ It's true that he hasn't always known what to do or say in light of everything that's happened, but as she moves to stand in front of him, dropping into a sitting position, he knows what he wants to do. He can see those tears in her eyes, and although they haven't fallen from her eyes to land on her cheeks, he wishes he could wipe them all away. Instead, he reaches for her and places one hand on her face, hoping to provide her with even a fraction of the comfort that she's given him. ]

After everything that you've done for me, I owe you a great debt, even though I know that you'll say I owe you nothing.

[ Perhaps he truly doesn't, but he isn't concerned with such nuances. All he knows is that he intends to begin repaying her with as much kindness and care that he received from her. ]

For as long as I am here, and as long as it is what you wish, I will always return to be with you. [ And at the moment, he intends to be present on this Earth for a long time yet. As for the second half of his sentence, he's resolved to hold himself to that, even if- when he brings Yugi back. ]

[ She leans into his touch with no hesitation. Her fingers curl around his wrist as her head lowers to hide the tears that threaten to fall. There is no pain, no matter of heartbreak to cause them. It is relief, joy, and the slow realization that for the first time in years she does not feel alone. Gentiana, Pryna, and Umbra are her closest friends and family. She would walk thousands of miles to keep them safe. However, this small gesture is so very different. In so many ways, like Atem, she has been starved of affection.

A shake of her head. He owes her nothing. Through his acts alone he has given her the most precious things in the world: a king to serve, and someone to love who wishes her to be there. There is no debt to be paid. Nothing else could mean as much as this moment does.

His declaration of resolve truly catches her off guard. Not because it is lacking in grand gestures or sonnets worth of words. It is the simple reinforcement that she, as Luna, would be valuable enough outside her calling and her innate magic. Her fingers press lightly into his wrist before her head lowers to his lap. With her face hidden she allows those few tears to escape. He does not need to see her come undone when he is still struggling so deeply.

Lunafreya manages to nod to show that she has heard him and that his words are received and truly understood. Even if all she can do in this brief moment is allow some of her own loneliness to be shared and washed away. ]

[ He still has a very long road stretching out before him, but before, all he felt was doubt and uncertainty when he thought about what steps he still needed to take. But now that he has Luna with him, he feels as though maybe the weight he's carrying has lessened just a little. One person on their own might not be able to shoulder a heavy weight, but two people together can support each other and help carry it together.

He feels more than he sees that nod of acknowledgment, and he allows the silence to wash over both of them, because words are no longer really needed in this moment. His hand moves slowly to rest on the top of her head, and after a moment's hesitation, he begins to slowly stroke her long, lightly colored locks, hoping to soothe her as she did for him.

The two of them were supposed to be eating the food they had delivered before they both turned in for sleep for the night, but Atem has seemingly forgotten all about it, just being content to sit here with Luna's head in his lap, running his fingers gently over her hair. He can feel waves of exhaustion slipping over him again, but he tries his best to push those away for the moment. For two lonely souls like theirs, this moment, this closeness, is all the treatment they should ever need. ]

[ She thought that the notion of laying her head on his lap may have been an unwanted gesture. It is no more intimate than the other gestures they have shared so far, but, it is the most vulnerable she has been over the last few days. It will come to past in mere moments. For now, however, the Pharaoh can see Lunafreya with all of her walls down.

With no prompting at all, she leans further into his touch. Her eyes close to allow herself, for once, to be the one that is comforted. She cannot recall the last time someone else weaved their fingers into her hair. It was a time before she was Oracle and when her mother still bore the title surely. A hand raises to rest on his knee then. Is it so strange that she could rest as they are and be content with just that? ]

I brought dinner with me.

[ Although she makes no move to retrieve it from the desk. ]

[ None of her gestures are unwanted, and none of them seem too intimate or too forward. All Atem's thinking about is that he just wants her close to him, and well, she's about as close as it is possible to get.

He just continues stroking her hair, even as part of him wonders why this feels so right. Another part of him tells him not to question it, to just take this moment as it is and enjoy it. Who knows when their next chance to just sit together and rest will be?

At the mention of the dinner she brought, he doesn't move either. It was never really his priority, and it's fallen even further down the list now. ]

Just a little while longer. [ It isn't a question, not even a demand, but he hopes that she'll stay like this with him for another moment or two.

Then they can resume their necessary tasks and the things that still have to be done. ]

[ While it may remain low on his priority list, she has kept track of a timeline of events. It has been over a day - if not two - since he (Yugi) ate. Most of his exhaustion must stem from that alone. Perhaps with at least something in the body he shares with the younger soul he will find a manner of sleep. She has hardly eaten within the last twenty-four hours as the events around them continued to escalate. However, she is far from in a rush to retrieve the still warm set of meals. The small act of his fingers in her hair soothes her in a way she had not expected.

She nods to his request, her cheek gently brushing against his leg. If this comforts him as it does her? She will more than gladly oblige. Even if the small act threatens to lull her into some form of sleep. Her time to sleep will come once she knows he has had his needs met for the night. Duty calls on regardless of the state of her mind, heart, or body. Something she imagines that the Pharaoh understood once.

A thought comes to mind then. He and Yugi have stated numerous times that his memories are sealed away. Whether by some form of magic or by mere nature of having his soul hosted by the Millennium Item. It is a quest to retrieve them and by doing so, perhaps a greater understanding of how all of them have come together will be made clear. However, memories cannot truly be gone. Something of them must remain at some level.

Her thumb brushes back and forth on his knee without her realizing as she thinks. ]

Yami, [ she still wishes to know his true name. Although perhaps no one yearns for it as much as he. Her head tilts further into his lap and therefore offering more of her hair for him to explore. ] You truly remember nothing before the Puzzle was completed?

[ He isn't thinking about himself in this moment; all he's thinking about is how much time and energy she's poured into helping him, and while he soaked it up as if he was lost in a desert and she was the only source of water around, now it's his turn to try and help her. Even if all he does is offer her comfort, as best as he can, it's the least he could do after everything she's done for him.

And so he remains, one hand still stroking her hair while he ponders her question. A small smile crosses his face in response to the feeling of her thumb brushing back and forth against his knee. Perhaps it's a strange thing to draw comfort from, but it doesn't feel odd to him, not in the least. ]

I remember walking through an endless maze, always searching for something elusive, something I couldn't have known even if I tried. For 3000 years, I climbed staircases and walked through doors, but I was always alone.

[ He doesn't tell her this because he expects sympathy. He's just describing the only world he knew until he and Yugi met. ]

It's the only memory that I have. Everything else just feels like it's right there in front of me, but it's out of my reach. [ Of course, he doesn't mean that literally. He has no recollection of anything, not even the smallest detail of his past life, but to him, that's how it feels. He's still in that maze trying to chase down his memories, but they always escape him at the last second. ]

I don't know if I'll ever be able to finally reach them. [ Or if he even wants to, although he leaves that thought left unsaid. ]

[ She remains where she is. Her entire attention is on every word he speaks. Three thousand years. At the very least they could narrow down the timeline of history so they might find his time of origin. If nothing else, Lunafreya is bold enough to ask Solomon where he found the Pharaoh's tomb. Her grandparents have passed on years before, rendering her unable to ask them. There must be some way they can restore even a small part of his memories.

It is not hard to imagine endless staircases that leaf to nowhere; doors that represent dead ends. She will never know what the inside of the Millennium Item looks like and so her imagination will need to fill in the details. The endless and answer less maze must cause an increasing frustration, no matter how well he might hide it. Was he aware so much time had passed since being sealed away and when Yugi completed the Puzzle? Or was it only once he had been able to inhabit the body he does now for the first time?

She wishes to offer her aid in the hunt for his memories bur refrains from doing so. That duty belongs to his beloved partner. The most that she can do is offer him a place of care and affection until the time comes they restore his memories. And, if he still wishes it, a place once they have been restored. The possibility that he will no longer need her is one she would not like to entertain, but, is nonetheless one that may happen. He may have a queen or children waiting for him in the afterlife. The thought alone feels like a dagger to her heart. If such is the case then she is the one that would be selfish in wishing he might remain with his friends and her.

Lunafreya raises her head from his lap to look at him. Her hand lifts from his knee to rest on the side of his face once more. ]

I'm not the one who can help restore your memories, my dear. All I can do is offer to make new memories for as long as you wish to remain with us.

[ It is an offer she is certain he will take based off what he has said already. Her weight shifts to sit on her knees, remaining by his side still. Then, she guides him into another kiss. This one she is far more confident in, but still gentle, and giving him the room to pull away if he desires to. ]

[ His expression shifts to something more pensive as he sits there with her beside him, her hand resting against his face. ]

I once thought that regaining my memories and unlocking the secrets contained inside my mind was my main priority, but now- Now I'm not so sure.

[ He never could have imagined that one day, he'd have formed friendships like the ones he's found. Neither could he ever have dreamed that he'd meet someone like Lunafreya who always does her best to bring light to the dark places, even the ones that lurk inside his own head.

Would he even put aside the chance to learn his true name if regaining it meant having to part ways with his loved ones? It's a question that's come to him before, but he's never had an answer for it, so he just lightly pushes it away for another time.

And as things stand right now, regardless of what may or may not be waiting for him in the afterlife, he can't think of anything that he needs or wants more than what he already has: a partner and brother to stand beside him, whose soul he will reclaim, and a girl who, for reasons he barely understands, loves him more than anything in the world.

And in case he had any doubts about that, they're all but driven away by her kiss. He leans into it, equally gently, but any hesitation that he might have had has completely disappeared. He didn't respond to her statement about making new memories, but he hopes that she can tell without being told that they've already begun to do just that. ]

Priorities may shift, but, they will remain ever present. What you find to be the important matter at hand today may not be tomorrow.

[ Perhaps if the time is right one day she will explain why he has come to mean so much to her. While she has only begun to truly see it, Lunafreya knows there has always been an attraction to him. Their first late night conversation resonated deeply with her, even if she pushed it to the side at the time. What were the odds that she might ever cross paths again with him -- especially in the matter that she had. While fate or destiny may not have had their relationship turning into what it has in mind, perhaps the Pharaoh was always meant to have the Oracle at his side. It is a notion that she likes to harbor in her heart. He may find it childish if she were to ever share it. Maybe she would be allowed to have that one childish thought.

Her head tilts by a fraction, leaning further in once he returns the notion. She hardly knows what she is doing and trusts that instinct will lead the way. Duty nags at the back of her mind that the two need to eat, but, all she wishes to do is be close to her king. She wishes to entwine their fingers again and be as physically close as possible to him. The word for that, she supposes, is clingy. While far from being a word of grandeur or a formal decoration of love, she feels it is the word she might best use to describe it. She has never allowed herself to simply be with another person... but she has never felt the desire to either. Not like this.

Her fingers trail down his jaw and she smiles a genuine smile against his lips. Why he would ever entertain these notions with her is something she may never understand. ]

I know that you're right, of course, but I can't see how anything else could become more important than the friendships that I have right here. [ And the love that he's found with her, although he hasn't yet found the right words to use to give voice to that thought. ] Even my memories seem to pale in comparison.

[ He believes that it's possible for him to fill up the gap left by his lack of memories with the closeness he has with Yugi, Lunafreya, and his other friends as well. And as she said, the new memories he's making with all of them are providing him with fulfillment too.

He certainly doesn't view her thought that perhaps he was always meant to have her with him as childish. As she knows, he's a firm believer in destiny, and if this is theirs, then he intends to embrace it without hesitation.

If Lunafreya is being clingy, which he doesn't think she is, then so is he. He reaches for her hand, twining his fingers together with hers, and with his other hand, he reaches for her hair yet again so that he can run his fingers carefully through it. ]

[ She smiles faintly at that. ] There's no right or wrong in this. Only you can decide what is most important to you; even if those around you believe you should have others.

[ Their destiny. What a thought that is. She has only ever known herself to have the destiny of being the Oracle. Everything else in life had become an afterthought or 'it may happen.' She had never played much idea to the concept of romance or being with one she might love. If it were to happen, then it would certainly happen. It was not something she would pursue or hope for. All of this together is simply what makes their budding bond all the more precious to her.

She gently nudges her nose to his as her fingers slip between his. Then, she lowers her head to rest against his shoulder. It allows for him to weave his fingers in her hair as much as he would like. Truthfully? She would not mind if he wished to explore and learn more of her. Of course, she knows there is a line of intimacy that should not be crossed. Not because she does not trust him, but purely out of respect that it is still Yugi's body. There is no doubt in her mind that Atem agrees and it is a mutual unspoken understanding.

Even with that in mind? She will still welcome him to explore as far as he feels comfortable. Why not? She has already shared some of her most vulnerable parts of herself. In Lunafreya's mind, that is far more personal and intimate than anything physical. ]

[ Of course he knows that the choice ultimately belongs to him: to pursue his lost memories or to remain as he is with the ones he loves. But even then, he can't help but wonder about the role destiny plays in all this. Is it his destiny to reclaim his memories and who he once was? Is it possible that his destiny has shifted because of the choices he's made? He wishes he knew. But that too is something only he can decide.

And if he's being completely honest, he wishes for himself and Lunafreya to explore of each other and get to learn about each other on a deeper, more intimate level. But both of them seem to be on the same page in terms of respecting Yugi and the fact that it's his body that Atem merely shares.

Still, even with that, and the respect that they both hold for Yugi, there are things they can do. ]

Well, at the moment, what I believe to be important is remaining here with you.

[ And with the others, of course, and his resolve to fix the mistakes that he's made is still as strong as ever. But equally strong is his desire to just remain by Lunafreya's side. He feels the pull of sleep once again, and he supposes that they both should listen to it, but neither of them have eaten (yes, because they both became distracted by each other's presence). He also just wants to stay like this with her for a few more moments; or perhaps they should simply forgo eating and move to the bed where they can lie beside each other until sleep takes them both.

Then, as if wanting to gauge her thoughts on the matter, his gaze travels over to glance briefly at the bed. ]

It's only growing later, and you must also be tired. [ He already knows that he is, but right now, he's only thinking about her, even as he continues carefully twining his fingers through her light strands of hair. ] Perhaps we should both take what rest we can, and- [ Again, he hesitates, because the path in front of him is far from being crystal clear. ] And resume our responsibilities in the morning.

[ If nothing else, Lunafreya will take the small moments such as this. They are more than she has ever dreamed, and in some regards, feels it is more than she should be allowed. What she has never truly learned is that all Oracles are still human. Even the two that she has known in her lifetime had loves and children. Yet, due the circumstances she has yet to properly share, she has defined her role as a solitary calling to bare. Ravus would yell and tell her otherwise and she would not listen. It is how she has chosen to act in this role. Even if, now, part of her truly does long to be able to share her life with the soul beside her.

All of this has happened so quickly. It is hardly what she expected the moment she let herself into his room the night before. Perhaps it has been there for some time, but both ignored it due to their respective callings. All attention and focus had fallen onto Malik and the God Cards in the tournament she met him in. Now, focus has shifted inwards as the need to repair the broken soul of the Pharaoh. She is aware that it cannot be truly repaired until Yugi is safely back with all of them. In the meantime she can act as that pillar of strength Atem needs to draw from. She will act as it even after Yugi has returned if he so wishes.

A smile still touches her face at his comment. Hearing herself before destiny or calling is something foreign, but deeply appreciated regardless.

Her eyes open at the suggestion of moving to the bed. Lunafreya tilts her head up enough from his shoulder to be able to look at him. There is no verbal admittance to how fatigued her body has become from the lack of sleep and the altercation with the Sun God. She would rather him worry of her person and focus on his own for the time being. Which is to why she leans forward to press a kiss to his chin and stand once he has moved his hand from her hair. The hand not entwined with his gestures to the bed in a wordless motion for him to settle himself. ]

I'll see to the room.

[ By that she means quickly putting things in their place. Her entwined hand squeezes his before pulling away so he might set himself as needed to sleep. She gathers their dinner and places it in the fridge, supposing it will now become their breakfast. It saves on a meal even if that is a concern far from her mind. Her conversation with those in his deck will also need to wait as she can feel that her body will not cooperate long enough to bring forth even a ghostly appearance of the more louder voices. It would seem Atem has read the situation correctly, as much as she would deny it herself.

Once he is settled properly in the bed, under the covers, Lunafreya sits beside him. Her fingers make quick work of removing her shoes glancing over her shoulder at him with a tired but playful smile. Would he rather her under the covers with him or merely beside him in the bed? ]

YGO PSL | ❝ you felt the gravity of tempered grace, falling into empty space. ❞

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