Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh belongs to us! Yeah, you heard us, to US! And we're also the Queens of England. While we're at it, we live in a 1st World country, and it rains money where we lived! Yeah right. You all know those aren't true, right?
A/N: Welcome to our first fic, Yesterday Isn't Today! If you haven't heard, we also posted this at Fragile Balance, Stranded's site, and it has been posted there for roughly a week now. Since it's summer, it's safe to say that maybe we can finish this before June starts—hopefully, we will. Please visit FB if you want faster updates. For more information about our projects, check our wordpress.
Read, review and enjoy!
Chapter 1: "Waking Encounter"
Domino City was unusually silent and peaceful. It was 7:30 P.M., and there should be children running from one sidewalk to another with hopes of catching up to their curfews. The traffic wasn't supposed to consist of only a few vans and cars. The city might not be as big as Tokyo or Paris, or Washington D.C but it was a busy city, nevertheless—
—And a busy city had rush hours that lasted for two hours, from 8 to 10 A.M. and 6 to 8 P.M. But that wasn't what made a sleek Porsche disregard the laws and ignore stoplights.
Seto Kaiba was supposed to be home at exactly 7 o'clock in the evening for dinner—a special dinner—and he really had every intention of 'dropping everything' and leaving the office before his usual time. But emergency meetings were a menace; what made it worse was that it was the Board of Directors who called for one and decided to waste his time. One long hour of miscalculated statistics and problems that he, alone—yes, just him—solved later the CEO realized that he hasn't received even one call from Yami. Within minutes, he was already slamming his car door close and stepping on the pedal.
While driving, his mind raced. It was unusual for Yami not to call. It was practically a routine. Seto found it suspicious and it made him desire to find out the 'why' in this peculiar incident by himself more. He drove home and on his way, he almost crashed into a speeding van. "Damn it," he muttered angrily as he recovered from the initial shock and continued his way home. He arrived to see that the gates of the mansion were too opened for comfort and the main door was knocked down. The CEO paled as fear gripped him and forced him to rush towards the master's bedroom, where he found blood—
—specifically, Yami's blood.
Ten minutes had passed. The police. Where the hell were those blasted cops?! The ex-ancient priest wanted to slam the phone and break it. He wanted to punch the walls and make sure there was a hole in it; but his anxiety was not enough to quell down the fear that something—something happened to his lover. He wasn't an idiot to not recognize a struggle when he saw one, and the amount of blood on the floor was proof enough that Yami had fought hard to not be abducted.
A crime scene was rumored to tell the story of the victim—Seto didn't want to see his lover as one, though—and this time it not only revealed the secrets of what had happened. It mocked him. It mocked his insignificance, his helplessness as he wondered frantically where his Yami may be. Then the phone rang, and his line of thought was broken. "How does it feel to lose someone you cherish so much, Seto Kaiba?" the caller asked. It was foolish of the CEO to think that the police—by the way, where were they?!—could trace the call. Anyone who had the guts to mess with a Kaiba was either too stupid, or intelligent.
The room was thrashed, yet all he could think about was where the former pharaoh could be.
"Who is this? Where's Yami?!" Seto wanted to know who this person was badly so he could feel how it feels to be the object of a lover's wrath. He would've killed the man right then and there if it wasn't for the fact that the telephone (and the conversation) was his only means of interacting with the person responsible for the former pharaoh's abduction.
"You'll see, Kaiba… you'll see…" was the cryptic reply and the line went dead. Seto never got to find out who that person was, but that didn't matter. He was determined to find Yami first.
"Sir, there's nothing else you can do," one of the policemen had the guts to say.
Seto was pissed. He was tired, threatened and worried--and all this bunch of gun-wielding men could tell him was that he couldn't do anything? That was ridiculous. He wasn't a Kaiba for no reason, the cold, manipulative side of him thought. If it was any consolation, though, at least Mokuba wasn't in the mansion when the incident happened. If Mokuba was abducted… how many incompetent employees were going to be fired if they dared test the patience of their boss, whose brother and lover were missing?
'You'll see', indeed; but no, the former priest vowed to turn the tables around. He'll have his Yami back—no matter the cost, no matter the… just no matter what. So Seto admitted defeat for the night, letting his grief be drowned by the calming nothingness that was slumber. Unfortunately, even in sleep, it seemed that he wasn't left alone. In sleep, the Dragon Master saw himself in Ancient Egypt.
XXX
There was a lot of sand. LOTS of it. Sand in his hair, his nose, his trench coat… wait, trench coat? He was wearing a trench coat in a place like this? Seto grumbled at his obvious discomfort and walked around until he spotted a city big enough to rival Cairo. Heck, its palace may even be more majestic than the ones he saw during his many business trips. He entered it—while managing to elude the guards—and bumped into a very familiar face. His face.
He glared at the lookalike, and the man glared back with the same intensity. "Who the hell are you? And why do you have my face?" It was Seto who spoke first. The other snorted and replied, "I should be asking you the same question, face-stealer! What be your business here?" The CEO shook his head and started walking away, off-handedly replying, "It's none of your business, is it?"
The look-alike, however, thought it was funny to grab him and point a pointy-thing—the Millennium Rod, he gathered—at him.
"Be gone, impostor!"
The light blinded him, and through the beam of light that seemed determined enough to give Seto a permanent eye problem, he could make out his lookalike's eyes widening as if he had witnessed a miracle.
Of course, Seto Kaiba knew it was a dream. He was not--absolute NOT-- in Ancient Egypt. It was a figment of his imagination, and it was probably playing tricks on him to make his problems worse. Wake up, you're dreaming! He would, if he could... he really should. Wake up, you still have to look for Yami! And as if Aladdin had suddenly existed, uttered the words 'open sesame', Seto forced himself away from the land full of sand.
"What a waste of time," he said, more to himself than to any potential phantom lurking in the shadows of his room.
"I agree."
He turned to look at his side, his eyes widening in surprise as his eyes locked with the same set of narrowed icy blues. That person from his dream! Why was he here? The lookalike noticed his presence and jumped off the bed, pointing something at him… well if he had something. The person looked scandalized and pointed his finger—a last resort, obviously, Seto wryly thought-- at his present-day version.
"You again?! Who are you, you foul beast? And what did you do to my Millennium Rod, vile snake?!" Seth yelled. He backed away and glared at Kaiba with so much intensity that it could burn Yugi's hair.
It would be an understatement to say that Seto was surprised. He wasn't even shocked, nor was he stunned. There was something so ironically amusing about their current situation that whatever perverse humor the gods had, Seto had learned to convince himself that powerful beings had so much time in their hands to waste. And apparently, they decided to play with his life. How stupid.
"I don't care what you do, just stay away from me, understand?" he barked at his ancient counterpart. Yami was enough proof that there were so many seemingly impossible things that could happen, and having an Egyptian priest on your bed wasn't exactly that new to him anymore.
"How dare you order me around? Do you not know me?" Seth countered back. Then again, Seto thought, maybe not.
"Whatever. I'm looking for my lover, so I suggest you stay out of my way," the CEO answered and left. He had had his sleep, and he had a priest on his bed—his bed, for crying out loud!
"Seto!" Mokuba?
His raven-haired brother ran towards him. "It's Yami!" Mokuba said. Whatever Seto planned to say, or dare think about, was cut short by the former pharaoh's name. "What about Yami?" he demanded. His brother shook his head, "They found him!"
The authorities managed to pinpoint Yami's location, and alerted Mokuba -- who was awake at that time -- that the former pharaoh is currently recuperating in the hospital. The how, why and when didn't matter to Seto at that time. All he wanted to do was to see if his lover was alright, after all. "Get dressed, we're going to Domino City Hospital," he ordered. Sadly, his brother didn't move and instead pointed at the kilt-wearing man who looked like him.
"Who's he, Seto? And why does he look like you?" the younger Kaiba asked. The lookalike narrowed his gaze, appalled by the ignorance of the boy. "You do not point at me, young boy! I am High Priest Seth… and I do the pointing, if ever!"
Seto groaned. "Mokuba, get dressed and ignore him. We're leaving." The next moment, Kaiba Corporation's 'heartless' CEO dragged a resisting Seth into his walk-in closet. There was no way in hell that Seto was going to leave this overbearing psychopath at home.
XXX
We're twin brothers who separated ways when we were younger. He works abroad, and had decided to visit me and our younger brother, Mokuba here. He'll be staying for no more than 24 hours. Seto's brows furrowed. It was a logical explanation. Sure, there were loopholes—like, "Why does he keep saying that he's a high priest?' and 'What's a Millennium Rod?'--but that didn't matter. His 'twin brother' was leaving after they see his lover. "Well? Are you getting in or not?" the CEO glared at the priest, wondering why he even bothered to let the Egyptian stay in his mansion.
The other's eyes had widened dramatically at the sight of Seto's car. Who wouldn't? It was the latest model and it was expensive. "How does your society function without horses?" Seth asked Mokuba as his older brother raced through the streets of Domino.
Upon reaching the hospital, and quietly basking in the sight of everyone trying to stay out of his way as he rushed to the emergency room where Yami likely was, Seto frowned. Surely this was one of the best hospitals in the city, why can't he see Yami just yet?
"Mr. Kaiba, please, he's still in surgery--"
"I don't care. I want to see him, and I want to see him now," he protested.
"Mr. Kaiba, if you want to ensure his safety, you will wait outside of the E.R. and I will tell you all the details." Seto's lips thinned into a scowl.
"Make sure he's safe," was his final words as he sat between Mokuba and Seth, who were too comfortable talking with each other.
"Do tell me more about this... 'indoor plumbing' of which you speak, young one," the priest asked a laughing Mokuba who playfully punched Seth on the shoulder, saying, "YOU CRACK ME UP, uhh... Seth-nii sama!"
Unfortunately, Seth took it as an offense and stood up, "How dare you lay a finger on High Priest Seth, boy! And I do not... 'crack you up', as you so put it --!"
"ENOUGH!!" Seto hissed, and Seth sent him an intense glare, which he happily returned. Seto sat down near Mokuba and muttered, "They won't let me see him." The younger Kaiba patted him on the back, wishing he could comfort his brother well enough. Seth suddenly spoke, much to Seto's dismay, "Who is this person we are waiting?"
"It's Yami. Don't you know him?" the raven-haired boy answered.
Mokuba wasn't stupid, and he knew far more than Seto gave him credit for, he also knew that Seth wasn't really his nii-sama's twin brother. They didn't have any other sibling, period. But the raven-haired Kaiba saw the value of keeping Seth's secret. The Egyptian priest shook his head.
"Yami? Who is this 'Yami'?" Seth asked. Mokuba grinned and stood up.
"Isn't he your pharaoh? What was his name--oh, Atemu!" The priest's head snapped up, eyes narrowing suspiciously. "Atemu? You do not mention the pharaoh's name loudly, you foolish boy!" Seto shook his head, was this how he was going to spend the entire night? Worried and frantic... beside a crazed priest who seemed to have a fetish with flashing Millennium Rods?
But
Mokuba was silent afterwards. His mood dampened instantly as he
remembered why Yami had chosen to sacrifice himself. It had been
because of Seth, hadn't it?? Because Seth said so. Yami had once
told him why, when they were both waiting for Seto to come home. "He
was my cousin but all he seemed to hold for me was hatred," the
former pharaoh had said. Now the same priest was beside his brother
and waiting for his pharaoh to come out.
"The
pharaoh... will he be alright?" Seth asked after a moment of
tensed silence among the three.
"I don't know," Seto said, voice clipped with frustration and resentment. He glared at his ancient counterpart, "If something happens to him..." he started, but Seto realized that despite the hatred he feels for the priest, the fear of losing his lover was stronger than any other emotion he could feel.
Roughly an hour later, a doctor approached them and said, "Mr. Kaiba? You may see Mr. Mutou now." Almost immediately, Seto stood up and ran to wherever Yami was. He entered the room, and almost fainted at the sight. He saw no skin. His tri-haired lover was wrapped in bandages all over. Even on his face. His hair was popping out, but that was it. He seemed to be alive - beep, beep, beep - but he looked so dead.
Slowly, Kaiba walked over to the poor former pharaoh and knelt beside him. Seto's shoulders were convulsing, and his lips were etched into an ugly frown. He wanted to cry. He really wanted to cry. What psycho... would do this? "Y...Yami?" He called and softly caressed the bandaged face. Eyes opened and revealed dull red orbs that directed their attention to the CEO's. Immediately, tears ran down Yami's eyes, that was when Seth and Mokuba arrived, and both gasped. And at that moment, Seto broke down.
Seto Kaiba never cried. He never wept, never cared about the families of the employees he fire everyday, and he doesn't admit having a weakness. It was how he was brought up, and it was how he survived the life Gozaburo had readily given him. But no, this time, he didn't care about any of "life's principles" he had learned to master. Not when a pair of once fiery eyes stare at him weakly, as if the owner didn't have enough energy to even convince his lover that he was okay. Yami wasn't okay, nor was Seto.
"P-pharaoh...!" Seth cried aloud, making his way towards the bed. What was Atemu doing in this--this place?! Who dared hurt him? "Stay away from him," Seto muttered under his breath, even when his voice was muffled by his arm. It was more like a hiss, come to think of it, and it went unheard. Seto turned around, meeting Seth's glare full on.
"Stay away!" Seth had been to more than enough battles to recognize a death threat when he sees one, and when one's eyes were glazed with fury and guilt, he thought it wise to step back and let the other have his way. "Nii-sama!" Mokuba called and forced the elder Kaiba to sit down, enveloping his brother in an embrace. Hugs were never enough to drive the pain away, true, but that doesn't mean he shouldn't stop giving it. "I was too late, Mokuba," Seto whispered.
XXX
Yami was required to stay at the hospital for a few months, much to Seto's dismay. Although, he couldn't really deny the fact that Yami needed immense care and proper treatment. He let it slide for now, and went back to the mansion with Seth and Mokuba. While Yami was recovering, Seto needed to know who had the nerve to kidnap his lover, threaten him on the phone and torture his lover. Broken ribs may mean being beaten up, but the condition his lover was in definitely did not shout 'bullied'. It shouted 'torture'.
He had already dispatched several men and women to find out everything about what happened. Seth, however, was being nosy. Too nosy. "For the love of Ra, tell me what happened to the pharaoh!" He demanded and pointed at Seto with his finger -- his M. Rod was yet to be found, by the way. Seto opted to just ignore him. It was a hard task, but it was for the best.
"How many times must I tell you that you can't--CANNOT--go with me to the hospital? Is that too much for your prehistoric mind to take in, Seth?" Seto, after trying to talk to his priest-self, had reverted to insults. His ancient counterpart glared at him, and the CEO wanted to glare back. But he was busy checking on suspects. "Mr. Kaiba, your brother has been dropped off from school," his secretary reported.
A few seconds later, Mokuba was already seated before his brother and watching the silent banter between the lookalikes. "Mokuba, I'm visiting Yami. Stay with him," Seto gestured to the Egyptian, "and make sure he doesn't touch anything until I make sure Yami wouldn't notice him." The CEO knew that his brother wanted to ask a question, of course, but he couldn't answer it. Not when he didn't know the answer to that question, too.
Why do you need to hide Seth?
But before Seto could even step away, his elbow was grabbed by an enraged -- well, he looked like it -- Seth. The Egyptian screeched. "You will not leave the premises unless I have attained information on the pharaoh's condition!" The CEO pulled his arm free from the other's grasp and glared at the priest.
"You don't have the right to such information!"
Seth would like to disagree. "I have all the right! I am his cousin, for the love of Ra!"
"I don't care if you're his FATHER -- you are NOT to know!"
"At least tell me who's done this to him, lookalike!"
"I can't! I don't know who it is!"
"You lie!"
"Think what you want. You still aren't going to know!" Seto left and slammed the door. Mokuba winced at the impact, and stared up at Seth, who had glared at the door, his fists clenched as if reigning down his anger. Dejectedly, the priest and uttered, "… Atemu…", thinking no one had heard him.
"Priests were forbidden to have relationships with anyone," Seth had said, his eyes glued to the door. Mokuba sat beside him silently, listening to his nii-sama's lookalike explain. "My cousin was pharaoh, and I was to serve him. It pained me to know that I can never admit my feelings for him, but that was how our life goes."
"Yami--I mean, Atemu thinks you hate him," Mokuba said. "But he's a really forgiving person, just tell him the truth." Seth shook his head. It was wrong. This was wrong. He shouldn't even be receiving advice from a boy! What did he know about tradition? About life and duty? Mokuba was merely a boy, and it was foolish of him--a priest!-- to take the caution of someone younger.
XXX
Seth looked at Mokuba and spoke in a priest-like voice, "Show me the bathing chambers. I will bathe." The younger Kaiba didn't hesitate to show him the nearest bathroom, which was Seto's bathroom. His brother was still working in his office at the company.
Seto, contrary to popular belief, however, was not working. If someone had asked him about how high Kaiba Corp's stocks are recently, he wouldn't know. He was actually keeping in contact with his group of special agents, and waiting for results. He hated waiting. He was frustrated to realize that not a single trace of information was even recovered.
The Egyptian was finished with his bath, and tried to look for some clean clothing; thankfully stopping his incessant questionings as to why "people nowadays forget to use your servants!" While searching, he found a picture of his pharaoh and grasped the frame in his hands, smiling to himself. The pharaoh looked very vibrant and beautiful like he always did. Always. He remembered when he first saw the pharaoh...all covered in bandages and looking so ill, and thought to himself, 'Is the pharaoh being protected in this time and age?' The question was left unanswered, and he continued his search for clean clothing.
Yami was to be released soon, and still Seto didn't have the suspects in his custody (he stopped believing in the ability of the police the moment the names of a quarter of police officials appeared in his list). It frustrated him, to be brutally frank, and thank goodness that Egyptian priest was no where to be found at the moment.
"Nii-sama, can we go to the hospital today? Yami's going to be released at 3 PM, right?" Mokuba's voice halted whatever efforts Seto had in finishing his 'work'. He looked at his brother, and sighed.
"You can't," he said," --and what makes you think you can come with me when I'm making my own brother stay, huh, priest?"
"Regardless if you are my present version and that he is your lover, I am his servant and I am responsible for the pharaoh's welfare."
XXX
Seto sat next to Yami, who was preparing to leave. He was revitalized, although his skin still showcased burns and scars. It pained Seto to see his lover like this - quiet, and feeling inferior due to his appearance - and he couldn't do anything about it.
In a quiet voice, the former pharaoh said, "...let's go home."
Naturally, Seto complied. On their way home, Seto waited for Yami to speak but the usually talkative monarch didn't seem intent on talking. So, the CEO decided to speak first:
"So… how was the hospital?"
Yami turned at him and gave him a look. Seto mentally winced. 'Shouldn't have said that.' But instead of getting yelled at, he witnessed a flow of crystalline tears, instead. Things weren't that easy for the CEO, not when he couldn't really focus his attention on his lover while driving.
The King of Games shook his head and muttered, "It was horrible." He kept repeating it on their way home... and all Seto could do then was just listen to his silent cries.