Okay, this is the seventh chapter (wow, that’s a lot) And I thank everyone who reviewed my stories sooo much.
Special thanks to Digipuppy for all the support I’ve gotten and to Twilight Hunter who gave all my stories such wonderful reviews. Also to Ginny who went to the trouble of e-mailing me. Just for future reference, I love e-mails and people who write me are gifted with mucho thanks and yummy fanart by yours truly. We’ve finally started catching up with AEN and eventually I’m going to merge the stories into one. It’s less work and I should get chapters out sooner that way.
But for now they shouldn’t overlap too much.
One last thing, I’m not overly satisfied with the title of this chapter, I only picked it cause I couldn’t think of anything else. If someone can come up with a good title I’ll gladly change it.
Dai-na: ooh, seven.
Yami: I’m impressed.
Ken; (grumbling to Yamato) Why do I get the feeling that she’s forgotten about writing Digimon fics altogether?
Yamato: (grumbling as well) Fickle woman….
The week passed in a blurred haze for Yugi and, putting aside a definitely weird conversation with Tea and Joey on Friday , it was completely without incident. He awoke to Saturday morning, an instant excitement seeping into his veins. Everyone was going to meet in the park that afternoon and, though it had taken quite some convincing on his part, Seto was going to join them. Things had been perfect the last week. He and Yami had spent most of their afternoons at Seto’s office. While the young CEO worked they would mostly sit on the couch, Yami drifting off into space while Yugi doing his homework. At first, Yugi did worry that they might be distracting him and keeping him from getting things done but he insisted that he liked having them there and even if they were a little distracting, he didn’t mind.
Wednesday night they had had dinner at the Kaiba mansion and Mokuba had joined them but he’d kept giving them these funny little smiles that seemed to aggravate Seto. It had been rather amusing to Yugi.
Throwing back the covers, he got out of bed and stretched languorously. He caught himself humming as he got dressed and he shook his head in exasperation.
Things had been so wonderful lately that he had begun wondering if this were all some sort of impossible dream.
If it was he prayed that he’d never wake up.
Saturday morning didn’t find Seto nearly as peaceful. The billionaire tossed and turned in his sleep as the shadows of the distant past slowly began to descend upon him.
Seto watched him from the other
side of the room, studying the other meticulously while his back was turned.
Even at such a young age, there was an air of regal power that seemed to
surround him, enveloping him entirely. Seto wondered if, given the same
situation, he’d be able to hold himself together so well.
Somehow he didn’t think so.
He also didn’t think that the
tiny puff of air he expelled was enough to alert the other to his presence but
it seemed that he’d once again misjudged where he was concerned.
Then again, perhaps he’d known
he was there the whole time
“So, have you decided then?”
The pharaoh’s voice was calm and even but there was a multitude of undertones
to it that Seto couldn’t begin to decipher.
The other never turned to face
him and Seto took it as an opportunity to warily approach him.
“Decided what, highness?” To
his own amazement, he managed to tack on the honorific without any resentment
or sarcasm tingeing it.
This time the other boy did
turn to face, his eyes locking on him, appraising him carefully.
For a moment Seto felt sorry
for him. Even here, in his own room, in his own palace, he had to be constantly
on guard.
The younger one gave him a
steady look.
“Have you decided whether or
not you’re going to try and kill me?”
The question was asked without
any sort of infliction but Seto could have sworn he saw something flashing in
the young pharaoh’s sharp, violet eyes.
He was taken slightly aback by
the direct question.
“I’m still debating it.” He
answered honestly.
The pharaoh nodded slightly and
went back to looking out the window, his expression inviting Seto to join him.
Hesitantly, he went over to stand
by the smaller boy.
“What is it that holds you back, Seto?” He asked softly. Seto studied the young monarch for a moment before he replied.
“What was it that kept you from
having me executed as a traitor? I followed Heishin; was partly responsible for
the murder of your parents. What was it that kept you from ending my life?”
The small beginnings of a smile
began to form on the boy’s lips.
“Don’t you know that it’s rude
to answer a question with another question? You really should show more
respect. But I will answer you anyway. You are a great asset to this empire.
You are young and incredibly talented. And even if you are likely to slit my
throat while I sleep, you are invaluable to me.” He said. Something about the
way he said it led Seto to believe that there were meanings lying beneath.
“Is that all?” His voice was
barely more than a whisper but in the quiet room it seemed almost startling.
The boy turned to face him.
“No. But I think perhaps you
already know the rest.”
Seto nodded slightly.
“Maybe… Maybe it’s the rest that’s holding me back.” He brought his hand up and brushed it daringly over the younger boy’s shoulder. The smaller one shivered beneath his touch.
The pharaoh surprised him by casting his eyes towards the floor.
“Quite the situation we’ve found ourselves in isn’t it? What do you suppose we do about it?”
There was a moment of silence before Seto lifted the boy’s chin, forcing him to meet his gaze.
“I have a suggestion.” He leaned in slowly and
brushed his lips against the young pharaoh’s. The smaller boy moaned a little
and returned the kiss eagerly…
Seto sat straight up
in bed, panting heavily. His cheeks were soaked with tears and his sheets with
sweat as he was bombarded by lingering emotions from the dream the was still
fresh in his mind. He could see the images clear in his head of the two lovers
falling to the colossal bed, lost in each other. Could still hear the whimpers
and moans and the way the proud pharaoh had cried his name over and over. His
mind swam with thoughts as the images remained, planting themselves as
memories, as clear as the ones that he had of spending time with Yugi and Yami
only the day before.
Naze…naze…
Why hadn’t Yami told
him? Why, after everything that they had been through had he not told him? He
understood at the beginning and even recently but why, after they had become
lovers, after he had become hopelessly, helplessly in love with he and Yugi had
the pharaoh not told him of the past they shared?
A rush of anger
flooded his veins and he was shaking with it.
How dare he?! How
could Yami keep something so important as their own past from him. Did Yugi
know? Or was he hiding it from him, too?
The anger passed
quickly to be replaced by sensible logic. He knew that Yami was only trying to
protect him, to spare him from the less pleasant memories that were certain to
come. He knew that Yami wanted to spare him that for as long as possible but
still, some deep, shallow part of him stung from it.
And what of Yami?
How hard had this been on him all this time? In the beginning when he had seen
him as an enemy, someone to despise and destroy, how hard had it been to ignore
what they had once shared and face him with everything he had? How much had it
torn him apart inside when they were at odds?
He ran a hand over
his face as the questions swam in his mind. It was too late to do anything
about it now. What had happened was past and couldn’t be changed. He would talk
it over with Yami later. It seemed that there was still much they needed to
discuss and much he still didn’t know. Once he was certain of things he would
talk to him but until then he would let things ride. He didn’t want to disrupt
what they had until it was absolutely necessary.
And until he was
certain that he would get through it.
He looked at the
clock and sighed. He still had about two hours until the time that he’d agreed
to meet Yugi and the others in the park. He still wasn’t sure how his smaller
lover had managed to convince him only that he was certain that he’d extract
suitable payment from the impish boy once it was over.
He smiled at the
thought as he pulled back the covers from his bed and crossed the room to the
adjoining bathroom. He flipped the switch and winced a little at how bright the
light was.
Fluorescent lighting be damned; next time I’m investing in candles.
He discarded his
clothes and forced all the thoughts out of his mind so that the hot water of
the shower would actually help him relax. He bit back a moan as the heated
spray hit his tense shoulders and tilted his head down letting the water work
out the knots.
He wondered briefly
what Yugi was doing and an image of he and Yami doing exactly what he was doing
filled his mind. And agonized groan was torn from his throat as he pictured the
two spiky-haired boys bare, water streaming down their lithe bodies as they
scrubbed lightly at each other with soap covered hands, languorously exploring
each other’s familiar bodies. The soapsuds rinsing away leaving their skin
glistening…
He immediately turned
the shower on cold.
Yugi was practically
bouncing as he and Yami sat beneath a large tree waiting for the others, mainly
Seto, to arrive. Yami watched his excited other with fond exasperation. Yugi
had been on a constant high ever since the previous weekend, his enthusiasm
never wavering, even when he went to sleep. Despite the slight annoyance of it,
Yami couldn’t blame him. Things had been so perfect lately that it was
impossible not to be affected by it and, to be honest; he loved seeing Yugi this
way. So vibrant, a smile always on his face, his eyes sparkling, informing the
whole world of his delight. He had seen some of the others looking at him,
noticing the difference in him with obvious curiosity. He had also considered
telling them about their new relationship but something held him back. He
didn’t know what it was but he had a feeling that it was the same for Yugi and
Seto.
With a muted sigh,
he leaned back against the tree and waited with his aibou as the others started
to arrive. Seto had shown up first about ten minutes before the time they’d all
agreed on and he was thankful for it because it gave them some time alone with
him. When he had appeared, Yugi had nearly tackled him to the ground with a
fierce hug and Seto’s laughter had filled his ears with a musical quality that
had his heart speeding up.
When Seto’s intense
blue eyes had locked on him he was frozen under their stare and for a moment he
thought that he saw something he couldn’t recognize shimmering deep in their
depths. But then it was gone replaced by a warm tenderness that had his pulse
resounding in his ears.
He let a smile grace
his lips as the larger boy sat down next to him stealing a quick kiss from him
as he did. Yugi sat back down on the other side of Seto and Yami watched them
silently as they talked easily about random things. Joey and Honda arrived at
about the same time and Yami noted curiously that his blonde friend was highly
distracted, barely noticing that they were even there.
Mai and Tea
showed up together and Yami noticed
that the two of them had been spending more time together. He was glad for it
because it kept Tea from hovering around him everyday.
Conversation flowed
easily enough and it wasn’t until Ryou showed up that things got weird.
Honda had commented
on Seto’s presence, surprised that he was here instead of at work, and Seto had
responded simply by saying “I work too much.” Something that had left the
others dumbstruck.
“Will wonders never
cease?” Ryou’s voice had called out; announcing his presence and the sarcasm in
it had made him do a double take, certain that it was Yami Bakura speaking
instead. The normally demure boy was wearing a green silk shirt that was
unbuttoned at the top and a pair of black leather pants that clung to the
subtle curves of his long legs.
Even he couldn’t
deny that he was undeniably attractive and he had to fight off a quick wave of
lust.
A quick glance at
Yugi and then Seto gave him the impression his lovers were trying to do the
exact same thing.
Ryou sat down next to
Joey seemingly unaware of everyone’s eyes on him as he did so.
Yami watched him
with avid curiosity as he leaned over and whispered something in the distracted
blonde’s ear. Yami pricked up his keen ears and fought to hear what was said
“My Yami says-----------the more fun
it------------tend to agree.”
Yami blinked at the
odd snippets he’d heard and grew infinitely more curious when his friend turned
a bright red.
Ryou smiled
innocently at them and if anything Joey seemed rather irritated by it.
Things had finally
settled into a normal conversation until a young girl had passed by them,
walking her dog, unable to keep her eyes off Ryou.
Yami hadn’t really
been listening when Honda had ribbed the platinum-haired boy good-naturedly but
Ryou’s ensuing comment had him gawking like everyone else.
“Man, why is it that
the sweet, innocent guys always get the girls?” He’d teased. Ryou had let out a
short, harsh laugh that sound too much like Yami Bakura’s for his own peace of
mind.
“ Sorry, Honda, but
I’m far from innocent.”
The silence that
hung in the air following that declaration had been nearly tangible and no
seemed to know quite what to say.
It was finally Anzu
who spoke.
“What do you mean?
How are you ‘far from innocent?’” She’d asked, her face a bright red. Yami
wondered if she was actually ready for any of the potential answers that Ryou
could give to that question.
Before the
pale-haired boy responded however, Joey muttered something under his breath and
this time, Yami’s sharp hearing caught it clearly.
“Probably the same way Yugi’s ‘far from innocent’” He grumbled. Yami’s overprotective instincts went
into overdrive and he turned a fierce glare on his blonde, soon-to-be-dead
friend.
“I dare you to repeat
that.” He growled from deep in his throat making him seem even more dangerous
than normal and Joey’s eyes went wide and his hands went up in surrender.
“I said nothing.”
Yami gave him one
last warning glare and turned to Yugi who was looking at him curiously. After
debating it for a moment, Yami leaned over and whispered what Joey had said in
his ear. Yugi turned an adorable shade of pink and laughed slightly at it.
Then, almost simultaneously, Yugi and Yami realized the full implications of
that comment.
Ryou…And his Yami?
The thought was
almost too mind-boggling for Yami to comprehend. He ran his gaze studiously
over Ryou once again and couldn’t find any sign that he was hurt in any way. In
fact, Yami could think of few times where he’d ever seen the normally shy boy
so happy. There was something about him that was different. His eyes were
practically sparkling and he had an unmistakable air of mischief about him,
like he was planning something.
Yami found his head
hurting and decided he didn’t want to dwell on it.
He felt Seto’s hand
brush against his and fought not to jump at the little jolt of electricity that
it caused. He grabbed it and squeezed lightly, knowing that the others couldn’t
see it and knowing that they probably wouldn’t notice it anyway. They were all
still focused on the weird change in Ryou’s demeanor to notice something so
slight.
He leaned back
against the tree behind him and drowned out the rest of the conversation,
enjoying the feel of Seto’s hand in his.
When the
conversation began to die down, Yugi took it as a good opportunity to drag his
lovers off somewhere private. Making up a halfway plausible excuse, he did just
that. Pulling them each by one wrist with a smile plastered on his face, he
found what he was looking for.
Seto’s musical
laughter told him that he recognized the place as well.
The clearing looked
exactly the same as it had a week ago, flowers still dotting the various
bushes, the tiny waterfall sparkled where the sun managed to peak through the
trees and they were completely cut off from the rest of the park.
Yugi allowed Seto to
pull him close and accepted his kiss eagerly, loving the feel of the other’s
lips on his. He sighed and leaned into the taller boy’s body, loving the way it
felt against his.
When Seto finally
pulled away it was only to smile down at him.
“What was all that
with Jounouchi back there about?” He asked.
When Yami would have
repeated what he’d heard again, Yugi pouted up at Seto artfully.
“Joey said that I
was a bad boy.” He told him sounding entirely too adorable.
Seto barely managed
not to laugh outright at the comment.
“Oh he did, huh?
He’s smarter than I gave him credit for.” He teased.
Yugi’s eyes went
dramatically wide and he pulled back, pouting even more.
“Hidoi!!!” The
smaller boy turned away to hide the mischief in his eyes. “You’re so mean! I
don’t love you anymore.” He threatened.
The tone of his
voice was so ridiculous that even Seto, with his own raging insecurity, didn’t
buy it for a second. He wrapped his arms around him from behind and pulled him
back against him. The smaller boy gasped slightly but leaned against him,
wriggling in a teasing manner.
“Really?” His voice
was low and husky and his warm breath against his ear caused Yugi to shiver a
little. The smaller boy struggled to keep up his playful pretense.
“That’s right.” He
insisted.
With a surprising
amount of mischief of his own, Seto pulled away from him.
“Pity. I like bad
boys. I’ll just have to find another beautiful little troublemaker.”
Yugi’s eyes went wide
and he flung himself at Seto, holding him tight, with a fierce look on his
face. Seto thought that he’d never loved an expression more.
“Don’t you dare!”
Seto laughed and
cradled the other boy’s face.
“Don’t worry Yu-chan,
there’s no who could ever replace you.” He assured before kissing him again.
Yugi yielded his mouth to him, parting his lips to grant his tongue entrance.
Yugi lost himself in
the kiss until Yami cleared his throat loudly, the pharaoh trying to keep a
smile off his own lips.
“I think we should
be getting back.” He told them.
With a slight flush
between them, they parted and the tree found their way back to the others. To
Yugi’s surprise. Ryou and Joey weren’t there.
When the other two
finally returned Joey had a distinct disheveled look about him.
“What happened to
you?” Honda demanded.
Joey laughed
nervously and rubbed a hand on the back of his head.
“I tripped. I was
walking and talking at the same time and, you know me, something was bound to give.”
He offered. The others seemed to buy into it easily enough but Yugi inspected
him closer and took in his slightly swollen lips and the cheshire expression
the Ryou’s eyes.
‘Hmm, I wonder…”
He let his suspicion
trail off as they all got ready to leave. He looked over at Joey and noticed
that his blonde friend looked even more distracted than he had when he had
first arrived and he saw him give Ryou a discreet nod that had the pale-haired
boy lighting up.
He decided he’d
confront Joey about it later, knowing that his friend wouldn’t be able to keep
something like that from him and when they all parted ways he walked back to
the game shop with Yami and Seto, Yami holding his hand and Seto’s arm around
his shoulders.
The rightness of it
once again washed over him and hmmed softly to himself in delight.
Amazingly enough,
when they got home the shop was empty of customers and his grandfather greeted
them as they came in. Yugi was slightly startled when Seto didn’t remove his
arm from his shoulders and the room filled with tension as a look passed
between the brunette and the older man.
Yugi held his breath
as they seemed to stare each other down before his grandfather finally broke
out into a smile and the tension eased.
They ate a
companionable lunch, Seto seemingly not minding the fact that their meal was
limited pretty much to the snacks that they sold at the counter of the shop and
he watched as Seto and Yami had a casual duel, something that seemed to draw
the attention of customers, and didn’t end until Seto finally ran out of cards,
Yami only having two left himself.
By the time that
they had finished their duel, nearly an hour after they began, quite a crowd
had formed and Seto noticed that, much to Sugoroku’s delight, most of the
spectators were buying cards. His business mind quickly mulled over the
possibilities.
Exhibition matches
and even tournaments were a sure attention getter, and if they had Yugi and
Seto, the two most well known duelists in Japan at the moment, competing in
them they would draw that much more attention. Wanting to be as good as them,
tons of amateur duelists would spend fortunes on cards to improve their decks.
And it wasn’t
unheard of for large corporations to sponsor smaller companies; giving them
access to new products and developments before scheduled release dates, for a
certain percent of the proceeds, of course.
It wasn’t a bad idea
at all and it was a wonder that he hadn’t thought of it before.
He felt Yami’s hand
brush against his and he looked over at the pharaoh who was giving him a heated
look and all thoughts of business fled his mind.
Yugi caught the look
in his Yami’s eyes as well and hastily made his excuses to his grandfather
before they dragged Seto upstairs.
Sugoroku shook his
head slightly with a smile as they disappeared from sight.
‘That poor boy,’ he
thought, thinking of Seto, ‘he has no idea what he’s gotten himself into.’
~~Owari~~
Dai-na: I hate
writers block. It makes me rush stories just so I can finish them. I hope this
one was okay.
Ken: Quit making
excuses. You’re just lazy.
Dai-na: I am
not!!….Most of the time.~.~;