I started writing this chapter a long time ago (around chapter 3) and have been trying to build up to it for a while. I’m glad to finally get it finished and posted. Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed my stories and to those who e-mailed me. Everyone has been so cool since I started posting my stories and I’m certain that I wouldn’t have gotten nearly as much done if it hadn’t been for your support.

 

Dai-na: Hee-hee, I locked the muses up in the closet for this chapter because Yami had distinct objections to it. Enjoy it. Things said in\…\ mean they’re spoken in Egyptian.

 

 

 

Lemon Drops

By: Dai-onna

 

 

 

Seto’s blood ran cold as he turned the dagger portion of his rod over in his hands.

“You’re asking me to kill you?” He couldn’t manage to keep the icy edge out of his voice. Yami was standing, turned away from him, staring out the window the way he had that first night.

His voice was weak and broken as he spoke.

“I’m begging you, actually.”

“Why?” Seto asked, nearly choking on his emotions.

The young pharaoh’s shoulders began to shake.

“I can’t take it any more. I feel like everything inside of me is drawn so taut that at any moment it will snap. I just want it all over.”

A growl rose in Seto’s throat and he had to struggle not to reach out and throttle the boy.

“And what of us?” He demanded through his teeth. “Does that mean nothing to you?”

Yami whirled around, a stricken expression on his face. He was about to say something when Seto cut him off.

“No, I know that’s not true. You’re just a coward! A weak, pathetic coward who would throw away everything he loves because he’s too afraid to face the next day.” He accused, venom tingeing his voice. With a snarl he slammed the smaller boy against the wall, the blade pressed threateningly against his neck. Yami’s eyes widened as he swallowed deeply and fear crept into their depths.

“Is this what you want? What makes you think that you have the right to ask this of me? Of anybody? What makes you think that your life is so much harder than your father’s or any of your forbearer’s?” He was nearly shouting and he could see the tears forming in his smaller lover’s eyes. He felt his resolve breaking at the sight and softened his voice.

“I would do it, if it’s what you truly wanted. You know I can deny you nothing. But, I don’t think—no, I know I couldn’t survive it if I lost you. Don’t you know what you mean to me; to everybody?”

Yami looked at him confused.

“Seto…”

“You really don’t… You are so incredible and you can’t even see it. Before—well, just before, I was so empty inside, I never felt anything but anger and resentment at being denied my heritage but, then I lost to you in one stupid card battle and my whole world was turned upside down. Do you know how hard it was for me to face you that night when we attacked the palace? It was all I could do to look you in the eye.

Seto took note of the cool streams trickling down his face with some measure of surprise.

“So this is what it’s like to cry… I used to wonder if maybe I wasn’t capable of it. Do you see now Yami? What you do to me?” He dropped the dagger to the floor and brought his hands up to cradle either side of the pharaoh’s face.

“I love you so much that it’s killing me inside.”

With a small, choked cry, Yami through himself into his lover’s arms and sobbed against him. The taller boy was shaking as he held him close with a surprisingly strong grasp. He was afraid, afraid that if he let go then the one that he loved so deeply would slip away from him and he would never see him again.

He could feel the other boy’s tears against his chest through the material of his clothes. He just rubbed his back and murmured soothing things to him though he himself was too distraught to know what he was saying. Yami’s unsteady hands fisted in his clothes and the boy looked up at him with dreary, tearstained eyes.

“I’m so sorry, Seto. I love you too. You’re right. I am a coward. Everything has gotten too painful, too terrifying. The only thing that I was holding onto was the fact that I still had you. But when the priests told me that I had to marry, everything just seemed so hopeless.” He explained. Seto brought his hands up to brush away the tears that still ran freely down the young pharaohs cheeks. Then after a moment he gave the boy a slightly teasing smile.

“I see now. You are just a paper tiger after all.” The teasing note was evident in his voice and Yami blinked, startled by the slight insult. Seto merely smiled and held him closer.

“I am always going to be here with you Yami. Nothing is ever going to change that. Have some faith in me, please. I told you before. Even when you no longer want me. I will always be here.” He insisted. Yami nodded and laid his head against Seto’s chest.

“I will always want you with me.” He murmured.

The tall priest leaned down and kissed him softly. When he pulled back his expression was once again serious.

“Promise me, Yami. Promise me you will never try something like this again.” The pharaoh nodded and leaned against him.

“I promise.”

 

Yugi and Yami were stunned when they saw Seto. He was sitting at the top of his bed, back against the headboard and his knees were tucked up under his chin with his arms wrapped tightly around himself. He was staring off into the space in front of him and silent tears streamed down his cheeks. Yami felt as if he’d been struck, seeing his love that way. Next to him, Yugi was frozen in place, concern clearly evident on his face.

Warily, he approached the bed and placed a hand on Seto’s shoulder. At first the older boy didn’t respond but then he slowly turned to him and Yami flinched when he saw the empty look in his eyes. He sat down beside him on the bed and placed a hand on either side of his face. For a moment something flickered in his eyes but it was gone too quickly for Yami to be able to identify it.

“Seto, what’s wrong? Please talk to me.” He pleaded softly. Seeing the one that he’d loved for so long in this state was heart wrenching and he was desperate for something that he could do to help him. Finally, Seto’s eyes seemed to settle on him and he was pained by the grim look in his eyes.

\You truly are just a paper tiger.\

The first thing that registered to Yami wasn’t Seto’s words but the fact that they were spoken in perfect Egyptian. Then the significance of his words hit Yami and he jumped off the bed, staggering backwards as all the color drained from his face.

Oh god, he thought as realization struck him, how do I help him when it’s my own actions that are plaguing him? His knees felt weak beneath him and threatened to buckle. He placed a hand against the wall to try and steady himself.

When he felt capable of it he walked back across the room and sat back down on the bed, taking Seto’s hands in his own. They were ice cold. Yami blinked rapidly as his own tears streamed down his cheeks, rolling off to splash on his hands.

He swallowed the emotion that was stuck in his throat and managed to speak though his voice was no more than a whisper.

\You’re right Seto, I am weak, I have no real strength of my own. I got that from you. Please, come back to me.\  He begged, choking on his tears. Seto’s eyes flickered once again, but this time, the emotion stayed there, the pain and anguish clear in their icy depths. Yami held his breath as he waited for Seto to do something, anything.

The brunette released a tiny sob before falling against him, tremors racking his body.

\Why?\ He demanded, his voice nearly inaudible. Yami wrapped his arms tightly around him, holding him as close as possible.

\I’m so sorry Seto. I had no right. I was sad and afraid, more than anything of losing you. I wasn’t thinking right. It wasn’t what I wanted. Not having you was the worst torture for me. The only thing that kept me going all this time was my promise to you. And then Yugi…\

Seto looked up at him with a stricken expression but sniffled a little and wiped away his tears when he saw that Yami’s expression matched his own.

Yugi watched them both with stunned confusion, not knowing what was going on and unable to understand what they were saying. When it seemed that they had both calmed down some, Yugi approached them, hesitant to intrude on whatever this was. Seto saw him and reached out to him to pull him close. Yugi offered no resistance and settled into the other’s embrace, offering comfort to whatever it was that was plaguing the one’s he loved so painfully. He noticed a look pass between Yami and Seto and his dark half giving an imperceptible shake of his head. He looked at them curiously and saw that whatever it was, they were reluctant to explain it. Finally Yami released a haggard sigh he brushed a hand over Yugi’s cheek.

“I’m sorry aibou,” He said softly. “There’s something that I haven’t told you. About my life in Egypt.” He said. Yugi looked at  both of them curiously. He wasn’t stupid by any means and as far as he could tell, whatever it was that Yami wanted to tell him about his past life involved Seto deeply. Had Seto also had a past life? Had they been somehow connected? Even lovers? It seemed to make sense to him but he still couldn’t figure out just what it was about it that would cause them so much pain. Especially now.

He listed intently as Yami began to explain everything to him. About how he’d been the pharaoh and when he was young, about Yugi’s age there had been an uprising, led by the high priest. How Seto, who had been a priest of high-ranking in his own right, despite his young age, had been a part of it. Not because he had any particular affinity for Heishin, but because Yami’s family had been in possession of the seven Sennen items and, by birthright, the rod had belonged to Seto. Yami’s parents had been killed in the uprising and Yami, after defeating Heishin, had been forced to take the throne.

Yugi’s eyes were wide with fascination, disbelief, and empathy as Yami went on to explain about how he and Seto had become lovers and then the priests’ insistence that he marry. Finally he explained about how he had given Seto the Sennen rod in hopes that he would carry out his original intent and kill him.

Yugi gasped and his eyes were filled with tears and pain as he threw himself at his Yami, holding him tightly. Yami smiled a little and assured him that he had no intention of dying.

Seto finished off by telling Yugi, with a none too steady voice, that up until recently he’d had no memory of any of it and it had all come back to him, the remaining gaps in his memory filled all at once.

By a silent understanding, Yami and Seto agreed not to tell Yugi the end of the story. How, just after Yami had married his bride had been kidnapped. Being her husband, Yami had been honor bound to search for her. A long, unsuccessful journey that had kept him away from his palace for a long time. Too long. He had received word that, while he was away, the palace had been attacked and that the High Priest Seto had been killed protecting it, so that he would have something to come home to. Filled with incomprehensible grief,  Yami had disappeared, never to be heard from by anyone again.

Yugi knew that there was something else that his lovers were keeping from him but he didn’t care. Whatever it was didn’t matter. It was the past. All that mattered to him was that they were all together and that they were happy. And nothing was going to change that.

 

~~Owari~~

 

Short chapter, I know. But this was just supposed to wrap up the things that happened in 9. Chapter 11 will probably take a little longer to get out but hopefully not too long. I hope you enjoyed this and, as always, thank you so much for reviewing.