Author's notes: Hey, honeypup here, with my first ever fanfic. Here's a quick summary on what will happen to poor Joey and Seto: Yes I know this idea has been done over, like, a thousand times, (joey is an egyptian slave, seto is priest, they end up together anyways, blah blah blah) but I plan on making this one a bit different than you are all used to. If you have ever seen the bway show Aida, or know the story, then you already know part of 'the promise.' I'm basing my story on Aida, including a little song fic here and there. If you don't know the show, DON'T FRET! You don't need it to understand 'the promise,' you'll just be more surprised as you read. Okay, enough rambling already, sit back, grab a big bowl of popcorn and enjoy the fic!
Warnings: Yaoi, no kidding, and some swearing here and there, rated for later chapters
Disclaimers: I don't own Yu-gi-oh or Aida. If I did, Seto and Joey would be married by now, living in a mansion not far from Kaiba Corp, raising a couple of adopted kids…
The Promise
Chapter one: Memories
The Egyptian moon cast silver shadows over the soft desert. The stars danced above two warm bodies like jewels glittering the sky. A blood red robe lay forgotten on the ground, along with its matching saber. The sweet smell of burnt sand and myrrh filled the night air. "How is it that the moon is so soft here, but the sun so harsh? It was never like this at home."
"You are wrong," laughed the partially clothed Egyptian. "It is entirely different there –"
"No, it is entirely different here," the companion teased, sitting up to kiss the underside of his neck. White linen gracefully draped past the indentations left by his hips.
"I wish you wouldn't wear that," whispered the Egyptian, he closed his eyes, pressing his forehead to the other's. "You deserve more than a slave's cloth."
"Would you rather have me wear the prince's robes?" the other breathed, enjoying the closeness. "And be hanged for touching them?"
"Yes." He laughed again. "No, I guess not. Besides, when we leave, your robes will be greater than the gods, let alone the prince's."
"Why all of a sudden so worried with what I wear?" he opened his eyes, smiling.
The Egyptian just barely pulled away, enough to look at his love. "Because you are so beautiful. Too beautiful. So much in fact, that it hurts to look away. Hurts to leave."
"Then don't." He reached up pulling his companion to his chest. "Don't ever leave."
Joey shot up, white sheets creating ripples around his sweat soaked waist. Wobbling to the bathroom, he quickly found his way to the sink. Cool water splashed across his face, dripping down his neck and arms, wetting his blond bangs. He stared at himself in the mirror. This has got to stop. Every night for two weeks now, I've dreamt about him. I must be going nuts. He stared at his face in the mirror. Dark circles underlined his usually cheerful eyes. Yep, definitely goin nuts. I'll talk to Yug, tomorrow. Maybe he can help. Sleepily, Joey walked to the living room. After grabbing a pillow off his father's lazyboy, he collapsed on the aged couch. Three more hours till school started, no point in going to sleep now.
"You all right man?" Tristan asked. The blond sat, forehead upon desk, completely motionless. "Joey?" He paused, nudging his friend's shoulder. Nothing. "YO! Dog breath!"
"What do you want?" Joey still sat, unmoving.
"He lives."
"Shut up."
"We're just worried about you Joey," Yugi chimed in, "you've been falling asleep in class more than ever, you look wiped, and –"
"And now its lunchtime and you still haven't moved!" Tristan added. With that, Joey picked his head up, supporting the weight with his free elbow.
"Joey, you look terrible." Duke passed by, picking up the last of his English books. "You look like you haven't slept in weeks."
"Grr! Just for the record, does anyone else have a comment about how gross I look?"
The tall brunet brushed past the tiny group. "Now that you mention it mutt, you do look even more awful than usual."
Wonderful, just the person I wanted to see. "Shut up rich boy!"
"Oo clever. Really though, did you get hit by any trucks recently? It would explain a lot."
"Aww, I didn't know you stared at me that much to notice a difference," he said sarcastically as he could.
"Didn't know you noticed that much to care," the brunet shot back, smirking. "Honestly wheeler. Do us all a favor and get some sleep." He paused. "You really do look bad." With that, the CEO walked away, calm as ever.
Joey watched until he turned the corner out of the room. "Well, that was… weird."
"Come on," Yugi invited, "Bakura and Tea are going to lunch straight from art and they said they'd save us a spot outside. Yami will be there too. Forget about Kaiba."
I wish I could.
The gang sat and finished their lunch. Joey decided to approach Yugi, who seemed to be having a conversation with Yami. To his best friends; he was talking to his boyfriend, to the rest of the world; he was staring off into space. "Hey Yug?" The shorter teen immediately snapped back into reality. "I wasn't interruptin' anything was I?"
Violet eyes began to focus. "Not really. Yami and I were just deciding whether we should go out for dinner or not. Do you need anything?"
"Yeah, actually. I was wondering if I could talk to you."
"Okay, shoot," he replied cheerfully.
"Alright, for the past two weeks, I've been havin these dreams…"
"Dreams?"
"Yeah, it's kinda strange and, oh what the hell, it totally sucks…"
"Ha! Well I'll try to help; can you describe any of the dreams?"
"It's real freaky Yug, it's like me, but it's not me and it's like… uhh, somebody else I know, but it's not them and – "
"Whoa! Slow down! Do I know this person?"
"Uhh, maybe?"
Yugi's innocent smile turned into a smirk, "Who is it?"
"It's, it's… is it really that important to know who it is?"
"If I don't know… I can't help you." Yugi replied teasingly.
"It's, Kaiba," the blond answered, in the smallest voice he could.
"No wonder you didn't threaten to beat him up in class today!" the small friend snickered. "You've been dreaming about him?"
"Shh! The last thing I need is for him, or anyone else for that matter, to find out about it. And that's not even the weirdest part. I, uh, we are in Egypt, well at least I think it is Egypt. It sure looks like the pictures of Egypt in our history books."
"Egypt hmm? Maybe Yami should talk to you about this too. After all, he is the Egyptian."
"Sure, that might not be a bad idea."
"One second." With that, a flash of light quickly surrounded his friend and after a short moment, there stood Yami.
"Hey Yami."
The ancient Pharaoh smiled, "Hello Joey. Yugi said you needed my help?"
"Yeah."
"Please continue."
"Okay. For the past two weeks I've been havin dreams –"
"Yes, yes I know, about Cousin. I mean continue where you left off with Yugi."
"Oh. Well, basically, different scenes of you-know-who and I take place. Some of them are wonderful, some of them are horrible, but they're all outta order. They are like pieces of a puzzle that don't really make sense. It's like, they all form one big story, but I don't know how it ends. I don't know if I wanna know how it ends."
"I see." The pharaoh thought for a moment. "Do the dreams have anything else in common with each other? It might have to do with your subconscious trying to tell you something."
The blond pondered the question. "Now that you mentioned it, sometimes the dream begins and we are both already together, sometimes it's just me, but all of them end with me and him. And the endings of the dreams have all been the same; they all end with us parting, or being interrupted by someone or somethin' else. 'Cept for last night."
"Last night was different?"
"Yeah, last night the dream ended without us bein bothered or separated."
"Can you tell me exactly what happened?"
"Kay, it starts out with botha us, just sittin' outside, at night..."
"That's it?" Yami questioned.
"That's it."
"Well, what do you think it is?"
"I don't know! Why do ya think I'm asking you? You're the one with all the freaky Egyptian memories. I don't know why they keep happening! What am I supposed to do with 'em?"
"Calm down Joey! Ever since Yugi and I found each other, ever since he put the puzzle back together, my memories have been slowly returning. Did you ever stop to think that maybe you had an ancient past also?"
"No! Well, I guess a couple a times, but I don't have a yami like you and Bakura do! And neither does Kaiba– " He trailed off. "Well, I'll be damned."
Yami simply grinned.
"If these dreams are really memories, and Kaiba and I really did exist back then, maybe they can explain why we don't have yamis," Joey thought out loud.
"And your memories may help explain why I have only a tiny recollection of you. And they may help unlock the secrets to our pasts."
"You remembered me?" Joey gasped at the thought. "Why didn't ya ever tell me?"
"Simply because you wouldn't have believed it."
"So, what do I do now?"
"Write everything down. What happens, where it happens, when it happens, with whom and why. Sketch things, write notes, whatever you need to do to remember as clearly as possible. Don't forget, every detail such as color and speech is just as important as the idea of the memory. Just make sure you write it down so that it can become a part of you, rather than another thrown away dream."
"Sure thing," he said as the school bell rang. "And thanks."
"You're very welcome my dear friend." With a flash of light, the smaller teen appeared, smiling from the new acquired information. "Common Yug, we'll be late." Joey laughed, "And wipe dumb grin off your face before someone thinks you're on somethin."
Joey found himself again staring at his reflection in the mirror. I guess this is it. Maybe just one more slice a pizza. No! You've already had half a pizza ya dummy. No more stalling. Just do what Yami said. After his short pep talk, Joey made his way over to his bed. Making sure his pencil and paper lay ready on his nightstand, he was finally satisfied. He climbed into bed.
Closing his eyes, he could smell the burnt sand.
TBC
Author's notes: So that was it! My first chappie from my first fanfiction! Wooh! I hope it doesn't suck. But, in case it does, I'm up for constructive criticism, I can only get better with your help. Next ch. I promise there will be more k/j, this one was all about setting it up. . Thanks for reading!
