Spirit of the puzzle (book 1)

Chapter 12: early morning conversations

   It is the early hours of the morning, the sun hasn't even begun its ascent into the sky. I sit on the windowsill of the living room window, peering out into the darkness. Memories flash before my eyes at such a rapid speed that I can hardly see them. Faces blur and voices fade as I am thrown brutally through my memories in a matter of seconds. My life has flashed before my eyes before but it never has hurt as much as it does right now.
   My thoughts were so consuming that I never noticed the arrival of Solomon. "Atem," he says softly. My head snaps towards him, completely forgetting that he can't see me. "I know that you're there. Can you please allow yourself to become visible? I wish to speak to you." My features become more defined as I begin to have the appearance of flesh and blood. Solomon smiles at me slightly as he stands before me holding two mugs of steaming liquid.
   "How did you know I was there?" I ask curiously as he sits on the arm of the chair closest to me.
   "The light around you was refracting around your shape."
   "That's impressive." I say with a raised eyebrow.
   "Yes, well on a less impressive note you knocked over the pillow I always put in that corner." He says with a playful smirk. I chuckle. This man is just like Yugi. The family resemblance and mannerisms is clearly astonishing. Solomon hands me one of the mugs and I curiously take it. The mug is filled with a brown liquid, it looks exactly like the drink Yugi had those many mornings ago. On closer inspection I notice that my drink is a far lighter color than Solomon's, it even smells sweeter.
   "What did you wish to speak to me about?" I ask as I swirl the drink around in the mug.
   "I wished to speak to you about Yugi." I freeze in my actions as I glance up at him with suspicious eyes. There is a tense moment of silence that passes between the two of us. It feels as if we are both analyzing the other, attempting to predict the others next move.
   "You have peaked my interest." I say smoothly as I place the mug down beside me. The steam warming my arm as I peer at Solomon in the moonlight. Solomon takes a hesitant sip of his drink before returning his gaze to mine.
   "I'm worried about him?" He says softly. "He has been acting strangely ever since I gave him the puzzle...I suppose I see why now."
   "What is the point you are trying to make?" I ask, crossing my arms across my chest as I lean against the cool glass of the window.
   "Yugi is only a boy...what do you see in him? What made you choose him?"
   "The millennium puzzle chose him, for a purpose I know not." I say coldly. "For what I see in him I see a strong spirit. Someone who never gives up on someone no matter how corrupted they may be, someone intelligent, selfless, pure hearted, kind...perfect." I whisper the last word but I can tell by the gleam in Solomon's eyes that he heard me.
   "He loves you." Solomon says plainly. "Though I trust you already knew that." I nod slowly.
   "I would be lying if I said I didn't." I say with a small smirk.
   "And what do you feel for him?" A bright blush burns its path across my face as I stare into the eyes of the old man. I avert my gaze as my heart pounds loudly in my ears. Goosebumps form on my arms as I think about the boy, but my palms also begin to sweat at the idea of telling his grandfather what I feel.
   Solomon chuckles softly. I look back at him and see a soft smile gracing his lips. "I see now, Atem. You feel the same as he does. You don't have to say it to me."
   "Please," I whisper. "Call me Yami." Solomon nods as he takes another sip of his bitter smelling drink. I hesitantly pick up my drink and mimic his action. The bittersweet taste of the drink washes over my tongue. It was good, but I would never drink it again.
   "Do you not like coffee?"
   "Is that what this is?"
   "Yes." He says, struggling to contain a grin. "How is it? I didn't know how you took your coffee so I put creamer and sugar in there for you."
   "It's too sweet for me." I say with a slight frown. "But thank you."

   "You are nothing like I had imagined you being." Solomon says after two hours of talking. "I would have expected you to be haughty, and pretentious...no offense."
   "Well, since you put it so kindly." I mumble. Solomon only smiles. "Yugi has a lot to do with how I am now."
   "I imagine he does, that boy always did have a gift for changing people."
   "Yes." I say with a smile. "He surely does."
   "So what are you two?"
   "I don't understand."
   "Are you two dating?" Solomon asks with a note of exasperation in his voice.
   My face scrunches up in confusion. "What's dating?"
   Solomon sighs "I forgot who I was talking to. Dating is the same thing as courting." He explains. I cross my arms across my chest as I close my eyes to think. We never really had a chance to do anything even remotely similar to courting. It has only been less than twenty four hours since we had confessed to one another. I open my eyes once more with a resolution that I plan to carry out. I stand and begin to make my way towards the stairs.
   "Where are you going?" Solomon calls after me.
   "To court your grandson." I say as I allow myself to vanish from sight. Solomon gapes at the spot where I had been standing.
   "What have I just put into motion?" He mumbles to himself as he rises and walks to his kitchen. I chuckle and begin taking the stairs two at a time, hurrying to put my plan into motion.