Title: Gifts

Summary: When you say 'thank you', sometimes it's not with words. And sometimes, you just don't know how the person is affected by your gratitude.

A/N: This is for Hathor. For all the help and guidance you've given me this week. I'm sorry I kept bothering you. ::hugs:: Remember the fic, You'll Be Safe Here? The first verse for the song that inspired me to write that was used here as well.

A/N #2: The verse is from Rivermaya's You'll Be Safe Here.

XXX

Nobody knows
Just why we're here
Could it be fate
Or random circumstance
At the right place
At the right time
Two roads intertwine

Yami was running late. It was his first day of school after getting a body and turning his back on his past. And he was late. Why Yuugi found it fit to leave him slumbering until past 7 a.m. when their classes began at 8 o'clock sharp escaped him and as he ran to the bus stop, he narrowly avoided tripping over a neighbor's dog. Really, people, why get dogs that were smaller than stools? He spotted the bus from a few feet away and he ran faster, not seeing the figure stepping out of a run-down bookstore. He collided with the tall brunet and hit the ground with an audible 'oof!'

"Mutou, do you need glasses with your new body?"

Seto Kaiba stared at him, lips quirking into a smug, antagonistic smirk. Although determined to insult him, Seto still helped him up, his own book bag carelessly hung on his shoulder.

"What are you doing here?" Yami asked curiously, glancing at the bookstore. It was old and not necessarily kept well. A month ago, he had worked there to help with the finances and although being surrounded by old books appealed to him, he didn't enjoy the leaks and the dank smell.

Seto had the grace to blush as he looked away shyly, handing the bag of books he had hidden behind his back. Yami stared at the CEO before his attention drifted to the plastic bag. He could see four or five books and wait, were they for him?

"These are–I was, a servant owns this place," Seto stumbled on his words, apparently not used to the idea of explaining. He bought and he gave, no reasons necessary. Apparently, with inquisitive wide-eyed Yami looking at him like that, he somehow felt compelled to explain anyway.

"Uh, okay?" Yami, obviously, had forgotten all about his class.

Seto insisted on the bag, "Take it," he told the former pharaoh. "They're yours." He was still beet red, bangs hiding the embarrassment on his eyes.

"Really?" He saw two novels on Ancient Egypt, one on medieval England and a copy of Le Comte de Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. It was one of his favorites. Then a question clicked, "Why are you giving these to me?"

"You read books," Seto had started to look normal now, the blush slowly fading as he fixed his eyes on Yami. He answered it so simply, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Then he corrected himself, "You love to read books."

"I do–how'd you know that?"

"I just know, alright?" Seto was annoyed now, impatient at being asked questions. He knew because he saw Yami reading in the park one time and really, had Yami never wondered where Yuugi got the books from? Those were from his own collection. He sighed and turned around, wondering if forgoing the limo was a bad idea after all. Why didn't he bring a car today again? He looked at Yami. Oh. Right.

Yami clutched the books to his chest and followed the brunet. It was a good thing that they'd stopped trying to beat each other. That didn't mean he got to see Seto all the time, though. It was like the only times they saw each other were for duels and nothing else. He wondered what would happen if they could be friends.

"Thank you," he whispered, catching Seto's attention.

Seto was still, staring at him and crossing his arms wary like the businessman he was brought up to be. The good thing about this Seto though? Yami thought as stoic Seto was right now, he didn't hate Yami at first sight and that lifted a burden Yami never knew he carried.

"No problem," was the brunet's offhand reply.

Yami grinned and pulled him in a hug, arms wrapping around Seto's shoulders as he, without thinking, kissed Seto on the cheek.

"They're wonderful," he continued, happily pulling back.

Yami walked ahead, flipping one book open and tracing the faint engraved title while Seto stood back, watching him, hand on the kissed cheek.