-EGYPT-

"I don't want to forget. I won't." Seto murmured, leaning against a wall. Heba was stood about five foot in front of him, trying to focus on whatever the Pharaoh was talking about.
"I wish I could believe you. I have a strange feeling I won't remember you either." Heba sighed, before turning his head. A flash of violet.
"But there's no way we won't find each other again."

-JAPAN-

His phone rang for the fifth time that day. He knew he shouldn't be ignoring it, but Seto's mind was racing. Begrudgingly, he picked up the phone.
"Yugi?"
"Hi, Kaiba! I just wanted to, err, check! To see if you're okay after what happened last week. You are, right?"
"Why wouldn't I be?"

To be fair, the Duel with the Spirit of the Millennium Ring had cut deep. Kaiba had died, for crying out loud, but the Pharaoh had thankfully delivered, as Kaiba had predicted.
"Are you sure? Can I come see you?"
"Why do you need to?"
"Because you're probably lying to me and I want proof."
Damn, Kaiba was becoming too easy to read. He looked at his bruised arms and cut face in the mirror.
"I don't think you should."
"You're still hurt? I'll be right over."
"Yugi, wai-and he's gone. He's gone." Kaiba sighed. Yugi was relentless, and now he saw Kaiba as a friend, Kaiba was going to have to suffer the 'care' side. As much as he tried to convince himself that it was a bad thing, Kaiba couldn't help but feel a buzz at seeing Yugi again. Even if that duel had killed him, it made him feel the most alive he had been in months. If he couldn't have the Pharaoh to duel, he guessed Yugi was a close second.
"Who was that on the phone, Bro?" Mokuba called from the other side of the door.
"Come in. It was just Yugi. He's coming round today." Kaiba nodded, before throwing on his clothes.
"I should only be a couple of hours. Don't sink the company whilst I'm gone."
"No problem, big Bro!" Mokuba grinned, as his brother left the room. Mokuba's eyes grazed over the large blue room. It was tidy, neat, and nothing was out of place…
Mokuba looked up at a shelf. He could have sworn there was only a Blue Eyes plush on there a week ago. Where had the Dark Magician one come from?
Mokuba stared at where his brother had been and smiled.
Maybe the Blue Eyes had finally made a friend.

Kaiba answered the door. A pair of violet eyes stared up at him.
Why did he suddenly feel so weak?
"Are…are you okay?" Yugi asked. Kaiba gestured for him to come in, and they went on a walk of the halls.
"I'm fine."

"Now I want the un-automated response." Yugi laughed. Kaiba swallowed hard. His happiness was contagious, and Kaiba was finding it harder to breathe.
"Physically, a bit scratched up."
"Mentally. And don't say-"
"Fine." Kaiba coughed.
Yugi suddenly moved in front of him, stopping the walk.
"I'm not going to shout at you. I'm not going to laugh at you, or hit you…"
"I'd like to see you try."
"Why are you so afraid to talk to me?" Yugi asked. Kaiba caught the pang in his voice, the one that he recognized as rejection. For some reason, that felt like a stab. Yugi wasn't like the others. He was worthy.
"I don't really do…feelings." He sighed. "I'm not like you. I talk facts."
"Fine." Yugi smiled. "You feel scared. Fact?"

"I…It's faded over the past week." They walked past a balcony and Kaiba walked out, staring over his pet project, Domino City. Yugi stood next to him.
"Same. I was having nightmares at first. How dumb is that?" He snickered at his own expense, expecting Kaiba to tease him.
"It's the eyes. They stick with you." Kaiba mumbled. Yugi was shocked. That was the closest he was going to get to admitting he was having nightmares too.
"True. Also, seeing a friend die is a bit traumatic." Yugi continued. Kaiba nodded.
"Dying is also pretty traumatic." He muttered, before smirking at Yugi. Yugi smiled at him. That was a joke. Kaiba was joking with him. Progress.
"What was it actually like?" Yugi asked. Kaiba stood up straight and suddenly became very solemn.
"I was scared, Yugi. I had lived this grand life to the full, but as you're dying, you realize what you missed out on." He stared out into the city. Yugi was almost afraid to delve deeper.
"You? Go without? Impossible!" Yugi laughed. Kaiba shook his head.
"You have something I don't. You…I should have spoken to you in school. In the morning, with your group. Joined in. But don't tell Wheeler I said that." He sighed.
Yugi finally understood. Kaiba had realized that he didn't have friends. Maybe that's why he was being so open today?
Yugi looked out on Domino City. All those people, and Kaiba didn't feel close to a single one.
"It feels like we've done this before." Kaiba noted. Yugi thought that the statement seemed random, but the more he dwelled on it, the more he noticed that staring out across the City felt all too familiar.

"If you need me at all, call me, okay? There's no shame in it." Yugi smiled. Kaiba nodded.
"I'll take that into consideration."
Yugi started to leave, when a hand suddenly grabbed his shoulder. He spun to face Kaiba again, who seemed to be concerned.
"What about you?"
"What about me?"
"Are you okay?" Kaiba asked. Yugi was physically taken back. Kaiba really did care about his wellbeing.
"I am now." He smiled. "It's good to know I have friends to talk to about things."
"It's going to be nice having a friend on the end of the phone. Bye, Yugi." Kaiba smiled slightly, before closing the door.
Yugi started walking back to the street, when he stopped.
Kaiba had just called him a friend.

Both my boys went through so much character development in DSOD, that I'm going to continue it here. Yugi will have his moment.
I love this. I just want to protect Kaiba.
-Alistair