I would like to formally apologize for not updating and for switching from Japanese to English in chapter 3.
Atemu used to call Seto "Kaiba-kun" because he shared a mind with Yuugi, so therefore he used Japanese honorifics because he was within Yuugi's body, although the "-kun" was dropped many, many times because Atemu and Kaiba both used the "Ore" to refer to themselves and didn't waste honorifics on anyone, especially Kaiba who probably never used honorifics at all. Anyway, now that he's (Atemu) independent he doesn't have to speak that way anymore, but the occasional "-kun" or "-sama" may come out of his mouth simply because he knows that the Japanese demand respect (and because I like honorifics XD). I know what you're thinking; there's a language barrier between Atemu and the Japanese. But that doesn't matter because Atemu shared a mind with Yuugi for so long, he was able to pick up the language as second nature, regardless if realized that he had done so. Having lost his memories, he also lost his mother language until he was able to regain the dialect in the Memory Arc. But don't worry; I shall have the other Japanese characters use Japanese phrases and honorifics in later chapters.
Anyway, I went to SacAnime this past Sunday. My friend, Hana-chan, and I cosplayed as geisha, and our other friend, Kael-chan, was a Victorian count. It was hilarious because she looked like Cain from Godchild (Count Cain), with two geisha on his arms. Those of you who have read the manga will know that Cain has a Japanese niece named Lukia who dresses in the traditional kimono. She's beautiful. Hana-chan and I looked like her, so naturally with my dirty mind I thought, 'Incest!' XD SacAnime was really fun! There were tons of very cute Asian guys there, and I found a whole table of sealed Prideshipping doujinshi. That little discovery made my day. Too bad I couldn't afford one. It was at the very cheapest $21.95 per lemon-filled book. I was bummed out but something good come out of that. I was inspired to update this fic. Yay! XD
Many thanks to the following people for reviewing last chapter or showing any interest in my little fic at all: Arashinobara Jikkankakyoku (for being my contant source of writing inspiration and giving me many things to laugh about), Kath-chan (for just being sweet and faithful XD), Yami Neferbre (for just being plain awesome and kind to me over the years), Shadow Raven (for the encouragement on the dreadful homework), (Per A'a Atemu (for believing in me always), Kume-Angel of Re (for the nice review), yvette (for the review), and last but certainly not least, sliders245 for sending that email that I needed to update this fic. Thank you everyone. I love you all. I really do.
Disclaimer: Sana owns nothing. Sad isn't it?
High Priest Seth: Not really.
Authoress: (throws her pillow at him)
King of Thieves Bakura: (steals the pillow)
High Priest Seth: o.o
Just as Seto had promised, the next day the brunette took time off from work, and they went shopping, with Atemu disguised as one of Seto bodyguards, dressed in his black slacks, feet protected by his black leather boots, hair somehow flattened under a matching hood and eyes hidden behind dark shades hidden behind the shades that the agency had given him.
Shopping with Seto was uncomfortable to the say the least, not because the brunette was intimidating in Atemu's view or anything of that sort, but because of the fact that the eyes of curious strangers were constantly upon them. Of course Seto glared at everyone in the proximity of twenty feet, his cerulean eyes cold, dangerous, sinister and deadly. People quickly got the hint and went on their way without another look, Atemu sighing in relief when their eyes were lifted from his thin yet toned frame.
They went to the most expensive and distinguished department stores in the Domino Mall. Atemu was shocked to find that the cheapest shirt cost more than anything that the Kame Turtle Shop had ever made in a single day. Finding it overwhelming, he told Seto that he couldn't possibly find any reason to wear anything so expensive, but Seto shook his head and insisted that no guest of his was going to wear cheap clothing at anytime or anyplace while in his presence. The former pharaoh rapidly found that arguing with the brunette over anything that involved the way that he spent his money was pointless.
So after half an hour of arguing, he finally allowed Seto to buy him a dozen satin shirts, each in a different color, half a dozen new slacks in different shades of white, brown and black —leather pants were tacky according to the brunette— two pairs of blue jeans, several colors of leather boots —for durability only— a few leather belts in sterling silver, a pair of satin pajamas in different shades of red and black, a pair of red slippers, a pair of swimming-trunks, and a dozen refined cotton socks. It took Atemu a while to get over the question that Seto asked him last:
"Do you want boxers or briefs?"
"Kaiba that's a little brunt, don't you think?"
"It's not that hard, Yami. Boxers or briefs?"
Atemu turned his head away, a pink tint covering his cheeks at the inquiry, "Whatever you would you get for yourself."
Seto rolled his eyes at the reply and grunted, "Fine. Boxers it is."
In the end, Seto had the spiky-haired man pick out a dozen undergarments of his choice, turning his head away at the other man's distress over the subject.
After Atemu was done, they went over the counter to pay for the garments. Seto placed the garments on the counter, "Ring these up."
The girl at the register smiled cutely at him just as the girl at the coffee shop had, "Good morning, Kaiba-sama. Will this be all for you?"
Seto grunted, "Yes."
The girl just kept smiling at him and rung up the merchandise. When Atemu saw the total amount on the register's screen, his jaw dropped and the employees blinked at him, not understanding why he would act in such a way. Seto sent him a little glare and he quickly understood the message and composed himself once more, speaking in a soft tone, "Carry on."
Seto pulled out his credit card and handed it to the teen girl at the register, and Atemu asked curiously, "What's that?" The employees continued to stare at him and he shifted uncomfortably.
"It's called a credit card. It's used in the place of cash."
Atemu nodded, trying his best not to look at the employees, "So it's magic money."
Seto swore to himself that he probably lost a few million brain cells at that moment.
Atemu found that living at Kaiba Mansion was an adventure in itself. There were so many rooms to explore, so many things to accomplish and at every turn there seemed to be something new and exotic. Seto had allowed him to choose his room, whose closet he instantaneously unloaded his new belonging into, gave him permission to visit any room that he wished, except the brunette's master bedroom or Mokuba's room, and made him a copy of the master key, which opened almost everything in Kaiba Mansion.
The room that Atemu was most fascinated with was the multi-story library, pun intended, with its nearly five-hundred bookshelves and several million books lined nearly without spaces between them. When asked how all those books had been acquired, the brunette merely shrugged and said that most of them had been there since before he had lived at the mansion. Most of the books, which resided on the top levels were at least twenty-years-old, hand-picked by Gozaburo and staff and never read by Seto or his younger brother. Of course Seto and Mokuba had picked many of the other books on the lower shelves, so Atemu supposed that searching through the higher shelves would be interesting and perhaps he could find out more about the history of the mansion.
Seto explained that Mokuba had left for an international university a few years back and wasn't going to be around for quite some time, so the former pharaoh wouldn't have to worry about the awkwardness of having to explain to the raven-haired young man why the reaches of space and time had been breached. Atemu had admitted that he didn't want Yuugi and the others to know that he was back either, since they had gone through so much to let him go. With a frown, he elucidated that he didn't want to be a burden on them and Seto nodded in understanding, vowing that the subject wouldn't be brought up again. At those words, the spiky-haired man was relieved and voiced his gratitude, smiling a little.
A sealed envelope arrived at the mansion a week later from the local bakery. The agency always sent its assignments from unsuspecting places so that its headquarters would never be discovered. Seto and Atemu were sitting together on the sofa in the living room reviewing the portfolio that had been sealed inside of the envelope. Atemu had grown a little more comfortable being around Seto, and by that time he knew the mansion well enough to wander around it with his eyes closed. While they were discussing the danger and importance of the assignment, the doorbell rang unexpectedly. Seto got up from the sofa and went to answer the door, already irritated with who or whom was behind it. He open the door reluctantly and instantly felt like slamming it closed again.
"Greetings, neighbor!" chimed the knocker all too merrily for his own good, "It's a lovely day isn't it?"
The brunette narrowed his eyes at the soul who had dared to knock at his front door…well not really 'dared,' more like 'did because he pleased to,' "What the fuck do you want… again?"
"To end world hunger and bring peace to all men," the man replied curtly. He was dressed in a burgundy monk's robe, his snowy-white hair adored with similarly colored prayer beads woven onto the ends of the locks, green jade prayer beads upon his wrists and ankles, and wooden sandals upon his feet.
"Get off my property you antagonistic nun," Seto demanded, tired of having to put up with the man dropping by even-so-often.
"I think you mean 'Get off my property you pacifist nun,"' replied the man, grinning from ear to ear.
"No. I know what I meant. Antagonistic. I still haven't forgiven you for what you did to Mokuba."
"You'd be referring to my other self then, I would presume. Antagonistic describes…err…described him. He found peace, I hope, on the other side."
"I'm had just about enough of your nirvana nonsense," snapped Seto.
"Antagonistic describes you too then, brother," said the man knowingly, a smile upon his lips.
"Call me 'brother' again and I'll put a bindi on your forehead and sell your ass to a brothel in India."
"I believe you have to be married and female to wear the bindi."
"I swear I'll snap your neck right here you imbe—"
Yami got up from the sofa and rushed over to the door after Seto; his curiosity getting the best of him.
The man completely ignored Seto's threat and turned his attention to Atemu, completely cutting off him, "Yuugi! What are you going here? And with… Kaiba… of all people." The man didn't seem to notice the obvious tanned skin and crimson irises.
Atemu's reply was short and unintelligent, "Bakura."
The man nodded happily, "I thought you were studying law in America. Why are you back in Japan?"
Atemu tried to find the words, nervously fidgeting with his fingers behind his back, "Business. Don't you know… that I'm not—"
"You don't have to explain other Yuugi," Bakura grinned.
"You knew then?" replied Atemu, a little taken back.
"Of course. I just wanted to see how you would react," replied the monk, "I'm a Buddhist monk. It's my job to be all knowing."
"And to go door to door selling meditation and other ludicrous things," cut in Seto, still standing in front of the door.
"Meditation?" asked Atemu, interested.
"Meditation is good for the mind and body, other Yuugi. You seem tense. It can help you focus. For just 2500 yen, I'll give you an hour of relaxing meditation," there was an innocent smile on Bakura's face.
"What a rip off," remarked Seto, "If your lousy meditation was actually useful, you'd offer it for free. After all, isn't satisfaction and knowing that you helped someone payment enough?"
"Says the man who has everything," Bakura mumbled.
"Whatever," said Seto, as he turned around and went back to the sofa.
"I'm interested Bakura," said Atemu, completely missing the point that Seto had just tried to make with the whole 'meditation and other ludicrous things' and 'lousy meditation'. "Can I use your magic money card, Kaiba?"
AN: Bakura offers his services for 2,500 yen (JPY). This is equivalent to about 20 American dollars (USD). Seems a little pricey for a meditation session, huh? But as Bakura says, he has to make a living. XD
And there's a box of chocolate pocky to anyone, who spotted the hidden joke about being antagonistic, besides Arashinobara Jikkankakyoku because we were talking about this the other day. Sorry Dumpling-chan. No pocky for you. XD
