#goldshipping

ON GOD?????? AAAAAAAAWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

ok I admit it kind of started as a crackship that spawned from a ygo rp i have with my friend where Atem and Marik become like, really good friends post-canon (atem and bakura come back to life in their og AE bodies bc shenanigans). ANYWAYS

after that I just started to think of them more and more and idk, I really think they'd have good chemistry!! Atem's reserved, calm, confident personality vs Marik's more hot-tempered and adventurous nature would be such a fun combination to explore. Both of them were denied freedom very early on in their lives (Atem sacrificed himself to stop Zorc and was trapped for millennia in the puzzle while Marik was, ya know, trapped in a cult) and the idea of them discovering things together and experience life is so cute to me idk

the angst would also be INSANE because while Atem didn't directly harm Marik's family, he'd still feel responsible for the suffering of the Ishtar clan. Marik on the other hand has his own baggage of guilt to carry for the things he did to get revenge on someone who ended up saving his soul and giving him a second chance to live.

I came up with this AU for Atemu X Malik where Atemu comes back as an undead mummy/zombie things 5 years after the events of DSOD and Malik finds him and decides to take him home. He makes Atemu wear all this modern clothing (to cover up as much of his withered grey like skin as possible from the public eye), but Atemu is always picky and kicks him whenever Malik tries to force something on him that he doesn’t want on. Atemu can’t talk because his tounge, throat and most intestines have either rotted away, or have been taken out during his mummification. (In this AU Atemu only faded away in his memories, and in real history he sacrificed only the Ren part of his soul and his body didn’t perish it just died and was burried.) Atemu also doesn’t understand any language Malik does, so there’s also the good ol’ language barrier! He did manage to figure out a few easy commands Malik uses like “stop”, “come here”, “stay” and “sit”. Malik is usually out during the day and keeps Atemu in his closet. Surprisingly enough he actually stays there as long as he is supplied with video games and picture books. Atemu may be very bony and his skin really dry, but Malik discovered that he emmits a strange sort of comforting heat, so whenever he goes to bed, he takes Atemu with him so he can cuddle him. Atemu doesn’t really mind it and he enjoys the physical contact. Atemu is pretty defiant in nature and that’s one of the reasons Malik likes him so much. He reminds him of his younger self.

[Edit: This ship is apparently called “Goldshipping”, but funnily enough Thief King X Ancient Egyptian Joey (Jono) is also called Goldshipping. I’m pretty sure the later isn’t official, since I read Goldshipping on the Master Ship List for Malik and Atem.]

Also, I ended up being super proud of Malik’s shirt, so here! Have a close up of it!