Me: At first I wanted this chapter to be shorter but I accidentally made it longer. There might be a surprise in this chapter as I think this totally comes out of nowhere but I want to know what you think.
Key:
"Speaking"
'Thought'
*DREAM*
Chapter 7: One good thing deserves another
"So, who are you going to ask?"Jou asked Yugi as he looked like he was in his own fantasy world.
"Um, earth to Yugi?" Yugi then snapped out of his thoughts and looked at the others as they all had a questioning/worried look on their faces." Oh, um I need to figure this out first so I will call you guys tomorrow morning and I will tell you where to meet., how's about that?" Yugi said sounded completely sure about himself.
"Um ok"
"Sure."
"That's sounds reasonable." The others agreed.
"Good then we will leave things off here and I will see you guys tomorrow. Bye guys!" Yugi said as he waved to the others and left. 'I hope this idea will work.' Yugi doubted in his mind.
The others, however, had a look on concern as they thought about Yugi's plan for tomorrow as they were unsure on how to get the video feed from the camera and who Yugi was thinking of to help them.
For a few days now, Yugi's behaviour has changed ever since Yami went missing, his behaviour would swing from a pure determination to a full-scale depression. He would search day and night to find him, but at a cost, he wouldn't eat or drink until either Grandpa or the others would hold him down and force feed him. It was worse when Yugi fell into depression as he kept crying his eyes out and saying "it was my entire fault for pushing him away" and "it shouldn't have been me, not him." It made their hearts sink just thinking about it and don't even mention Yugi's' sleeping patterns as you could tell by some of the bags he has under his eyes that he was either crying himself to sleep or having a nightmare. Yugi doesn't want to talk about it either and who could blame him as he was the closest to Yami and now that he's gone, he lost his purpose and all he wants he Yami home safe, in his arms.
"He needs our help more than ever," Jou said.
"What do you mean Jou?"Anzu asked.
"Yugi's been looking like the walking dead for the past 3 days! Have you seen the bags under his eyes?!"
"Ok ok, I see what you mean, but you can't blame him. He lost his best friend; the only person that Yugi cared about the most and seeing him just disappear like that could really tear you apart."Anzu said.
Honda sighed, "Well what can we do?"
"Call his Grandpa, maybe he would know," Jou replied.
"Hello, Turtle Game Shop!"Grandpa said.
"Grandpa, its Jou, Anzu and Honda. Look, we need to ask you about Yugi."Jou answered.
"W-what do you mean?"
"Has Yugi been sleeping well? I mean he hasn't looked like he slept in days."
"I see what you mean. I know he acts chirpy, but I think he's getting nightmares about Yami. I hear him talking in his sleep and his behaviour changes in a pin drop. He won't speak to me. Has he been speaking to you?"
"No, not at all. We thought he would speak to you."
"Maybe he doesn't want you guys to worry."
"To worry?! We have been watching him shuffle around like a zombie and don't forget what happened when we had to force feed Yugi and he hasn't eaten or drunken anything for over a day?!"
"Jou's right. Can you do us a favour and please speak to Yugi."Honda added.
"I will try."
"Thank you, grandpa."
"Bye guys," Grandpa said as he hung up the phone. He sighed as he looked around the vacant shop. He did miss Yami too, as he would always brighten up the day and would always lend a hand with drumming up business with his popularity or his sharp thinking skills, but he never mentions what a big help to the family he was. When Yugi's father left on big business trips and his mother was feeling lonely from missing her husband, Yami would always cheer them up by taking the whole family out and planning days where they spent time together outside to keep up their morale.
He closed up the shop and walked into the kitchen to see that Yugi has just walked into the house. "Welcome home Yugi. How was the visit to the police?" Grandpa asked.
Yugi looked at him unsatisfied,"Uneventful. The police weren't much help. The others and I were just putting out more posters again. Any phone calls yet?"
"No."
Yugi sighed,"Well, how's mom?"
"She is getting there, her flu will clear up soon and she will be as right as rain again," Grandpa reassured Yugi as he briefly smiled at him. Yugi sat down at the table and placed his hands on his head, rubbing his temples. 'How am I going to make this work?' he asked himself.
A Few Hours Later...
After Yugi ate with his Grandpa which felt awkward for him as there was an eerie silence unless you count his Grandpa staring at him from time to time. Yugi then went to check on his mother to find her sleeping with a damp rag on her head. He slowly crept into her room and looked at her red face. 'Oh mom, if Yami was here he would tend to you like you was his actual mother. He would say things like "this will clear up soon and soon you will be swatting our heads like you use to" or "I bet you faked being ill just so you want the attention from your favourite sons".' Yugi hold back a sob as he thought back to the time when Yami would take care of anyone in the household who was ill and do it until he either collapsed due to exhaustion or when they were cured. "That's where I got it from," Yugi said silently to himself. His mother moved about and opened her eyes to see her son."Oh Yugi. What are you doing here?" she said him, calm like.
"Oh, I was just seeing how you are doing." He replied sitting on her bed. She sat up to face Yugi and put a hand on his cheek so Yugi could face her directly. "You look so tired. Have you be staying up late again?" she asked him with worry.
"No, I have been sleeping well that's all."
"Was it about Yami?"
Yugi was speechless. Of course, it would be about him, his nightmares so far were all about Yami's fate with that kidnapper and how he is calling out for Yugi. That's why he was depressed, he missed Yami to the core and all he wants he him to come home, but there was something else that stirred within his soul, maybe an overprotectiveness was a sign of something more. 'That's ridiculous! Yami would like me like that! Would he?' Yugi thought to himself.
"Yugi, are you alright?" She asked as Yugi jumped in surprise at her action.
"Oh, mom, maybe you shouldn't move too much. I don't want your condition to worsen even more!" He said as he jumped to his feet and tried to tuck her mother in frantically.
"Yugi, it's just the flu. I will be fine in no time and there's no need to worry about me. A parent's job is to worry about their kids, not the other way around. Now tell me, what is really bothering you?" she asked as she grabbed Yugi's hand pulled him onto her lap as she cradled him. Yugi felt relaxed and calm as his mother cradled him and stroked his hair. It felt nice. Though a wave of sadness hit him as he began to cry into her chest."Oh, I miss mom! I really do! I care about him so much and I just want him back and I found someone to help, but I don't think they will!" he cried out.
Yugi's mother then hushed him and managed to get him to calm down and stopped him from crying until he was breathing heavily into her chest. Yugi's grandfather was standing outside her door looking at them and she looked at him with a sad smile. He then nodded and walked over to them and grabbed Yugi's arm and placed it on his shoulder to pick Yugi up. "Come on my boy, I think it's time to get you to bed." He said calmly.
"Ok," Yugi said as they both walked out of his mother's room.
Yugi tossed and turned that night into another nightmare took over…
*DREAM*
"Hello? Is anyone there?" Yugi asked as he was walking through the black smoke. Weird, this was like that dream where Yami was fighting that 7-handed monster back when they were caught in that capsule monster game. As he continued to walk he stopped suddenly where he found Yami stuck in a crucified position with chains holding him up from above, however, there was a black substance behind him as for what Yugi could make out.
"Yami!" he cried out as he ran closer to realise that Yami was completely naked and covered in bruises and bloody cuts from head to toe, dry blood on his chest and groin area as well as bleeding wounds that were continuously pouring out and a weird burn mark on his lower right stomach which looked fresh. He was in a bad state.
"Yu...gi…help…me." Yami slurred out as he looked at him in pain.
"Don't worry! I will find you!" He shouted as he tried to pull the chains on his feet until suddenly the chains started to pull Yami up and out of Yugi's reach. Yugi then jumped up to try and grab him, but no avail as Yami called out in pain and exhaustion, "Yu…gii…he..lp…me..."
Suddenly, the black pool gurgled and bubbled until the substance spurted up and started to take the form of a giant-headed monster (only it headed and a thin neck) with wavy blobby hair that took the form of pigtails on either side of its head. The black creature also had big glaring eyes with grey sclera, red pupils and a big black slit running through them. The creature bore a slimy sharp toothy grin as a disembodied hand emerged from is the thin body and grabbed Yami's chain swing him around and played with Yami like a puppet or doll.
Yugi watched in horror as the monster played with Yami and he had enough and yelled at the monster, "Let go of him!" The monster stopped for a second as Yami was waving around slowly from being moved around so much. His wounds were bleeding even more and he had his head bowed and still had the look of pain on his face. The monster then leaned down to Yugi as its head was three times the size of Yugi and then it boomed, "THIS DOLL IS MINE!"
*END DREAM*
Yugi woke up with a startle. He sat up with a pant and put his hands on his forehead. 'That's the third one this week! What the hell do these dreams mean?' Yugi thought to himself. He looked around into the darkness to see he was still in the dream. 'It was that same area that foretold the battle between us and the 7 handed monster from when we went into the capsule monster world, but it was different. I never witness seeing that kind of monster before, but what about Yami? He was covered in cuts and bruises and not to mention that weird burn mark on his stomach.' Yugi sighed as he got out of bed and crept towards the window to look out into the night. 'Just what does this dream mean?' the questions himself.
The Next Day….
Yugi managed to sleep for a few more hours and he kept dissecting that same dream he had since the day Yami disappeared and thought deeper into its meanings and he was then awoken by a buzz of texts on his phone. He then rolled over to face his bedside table and grabbed his phone and unlocked it to read the texts.
Jou: morn Sunshine! Slept Well?
Anzu: morn Yugi! Figured out whr R we meeting?
Honda: whr R we meeting again?
Yugi: lt me git dressed & I wiL txt U bak d whereabouts.
Honda: kewl.
Anzu: K
Yugi frowned a bit. That's odd Jou would always respond with a reply back, but he pays him mind so Yugi got out of bed, grabbed some fresh clothes and strolled into the bathroom.
After Yugi washed up and got dressed, his phone vibrated in his pocket and he picked it up to look at it and found a text from Jou.
Jou: Yugi, b honest w me. hav U Bin ZZZ well?
Yugi: Yeah, why?
Jou: Don't lie 2 me, I knO U haven't & I cn teL by yor fAc.
Yugi: So wot I hav a few bags undR my eyes., it natRL 2 git dem.
Jou: yeah, f U R not ZZZ weL.
Yugi: ok, itz true I hav not Bin ZZZ weL.
Jou: finalE d truth! bt Y haven't u?
Yugi: it's hard 4 me 2 explain, it's lIk an ongoing nightmare dat won't eva nd.
Jou: how bad iz it?
Yugi: I cnt descriB it.
Jou: duz yor famLe knO bout this?
Yugi: I tink dey R noticing somTIN & itz lIk U said, my fAc shows d truth.
Jou: well, dat aL I wntd 2 knO. I wiL c U l8r.
Yugi sighed form that whole conversation and how he felt mentally tired from hiding his pain and that nightmare away from everyone else in hopes that he can solve it himself and prove that people don't need to worry about him, but he was so tired from hiding and need someone to explain it to fully to just get it off his back.
After he got ready, had breakfast and said goodbye to his grandpa as well as his sick mother and gave them a smile and a thumbs up to show that he was okay for the day and walked outside and smiled whilst texting the others of where to meet.
"So, why are we standing near this mansion?" Anzu asked.
"I have no clue, but this is where Yugi wants to meet us," Honda replied as they were the first two to show up. "I wonder where Jou is?" she asked.
"Hey, Guys!"
"Oh, speak of the devil. Where the hell was you?!" Honda asked.
"I got lost ok!" Jou said while looking at his surroundings.
"Why are we outside Kaiba's place?"Jou asked the others. The others just noticed that they were indeed outside Seto Kaiba's mansion and they were just standing outside his gate. "Oh! So that's where we are! Huh, who knew!" Honda shrugged as he and Anzu just noticed where they were."Man, you two don't think half the time."
"Ah! So you all came." All three turned around to face that voice that called out only revealed to be Yugi."Oh hey, Yugi! So, this is the place where we are going?" Anzu asked while pointing towards the mansion. "Yep. This is the place."
"And we are asking Seto Kaiba for help," Honda added.
"Yep."
"I have one question for you Yugi," Jou said as she slowly walked up to Yugi and placed his hands on his shoulders. "ARE YOU INSANE?!" he yelled whilst shaking his shoulders hard for a bit.
"Alright, I know this is a bit of a stretch, but who do you guys know who would hack into a security camera to finds the whereabouts of Yami?" Yugi asked.
"The police?" Honda replied.
"No, they didn't help much before and who else would you guys know who would have a modern technology to help?" Yugi asked again while getting Jou's hand off him and looking furiously at the others.
They all looked at each other with, who would they know? Pegasus? No, he lives too far away, but he's rich and has the technology, although he's always away on vacation and business trips. They scratched their heads as that who they can think about.
"You see, he's our only option and if he can do it then we will be able to find Yami faster!"
They all sighed in defeat. "What choice do we have? You are right Yugi, we apologise and we will continue to help you."
"Good, so what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Yugi said happily and they nodded in agreement and walked past the gate and onwards to Seto's mansion. It seemed awfully quiet as they walked up the driveway beside from them being awkwardly silent from being nervous about seeking Seto for help. They managed to reach his door and Yugi brought up the courage to knock on his door.
A few seconds Later a voice spoke from the door, "Kaiba residence, how may I help you?"
Yugi hesitated a second and gulped as he answered, "H-hello, we want to speak to Mr Seto Kaiba please?" the others all waved nervously as the peephole which housed the voice.
"For what reason may I ask?" the voice answered.
"It's about asking him for help regarding a certain missing person?" Yugi question sounding very nervous.
"And who is this 'certain missing'?"
"Yami Muto."
"…You may enter." The voice said as it was cut off by a buzz as the front door was opened by a maid as the others went inside."Mr Kaiba is in his is study, if you will follow me." The maid said they all followed her. There were astounded by how easy it was to be let in and how amazing his mansion looked from the inside. Sure they have been in it before when they first met him, but it still looked good even to this day. They followed the maid until they reached a double door. "This is his study. He was notified when you approached the door as you looked at the hidden camera in the peephole, so feel free to enter." The maid said as they bowed to them and left.
"Come on Yugi, you can do this," Jou whispered to him as Yugi gulped and opened the doors. The study looked like a giant library with rows upon rows of shelved books and as they walked into the room they noticed a giant computer screen where Seto himself was sitting at. As they walked towards him suddenly they stopped when Kaiba spoke, "Took you guys long enough to come to your senses to see me. What were you guys posting all posters around like he was a lost cat or something?" He said sarcastically and then he turned around to face them.
He was shocked to see Yugi's face as he had the same look too. Both of them seem to have bags under their eyes and the complete look of exhaustion both physically and mentally. "Jeez, Yugi you look like the dead."
"You could say that too."
"Shut up Jou."
"Ok, before you two fight. Can there be a truce so we could get along to sort this out please?" Yugi interjected before Seto and Jou could either verbally or physically scrap at each other. "Fine, but only if he agrees to help," Jou asked as he put out his hand for Seto to shake.
"As long as we agree on something here that you guys did come for me to help." He said whilst him and Jou shook hands. "Now that's out of the way, I can show you on what I really been working on," Seto said as he motioned the others to come over a bit further to the computer screen to see that Kaiba was looking at the evidence from the police and a map of the entire City with red marks to show different areas. "As you can see, I have asked the police to help me personally find Yami, but I am missing some vital information."
"No wonder they weren't much help."
"I apologise for that, but there was a reason of my own for getting their attention rather giving it to you, but I rather not say it in front of the others."
"I understand," Yugi said.
"But that's not fair-!" Jou replied to them angrily.
"I think this one is just between those two," Anzu whispered to him whilst looking at both Yugi and Seto. Jou did see the same look on their faces as they both looked like they haven't slept in days but Seto looks like he's hiding something more than they know and maybe only Yugi might understand."Anzu's right. Maybe we should leave these two alone for a bit." Honda whispered to the others as they nodded in agreement.
"Say, Seto. What do you want us to do?" Honda asked them. Seto and Yugi looked at each other in confusion. "Yeah, do you want us to do more groundwork for you?" Anzu asked. Seto rubbed his chin in thought."I guess asking around in the more populated areas wouldn't hurt." He said slowly.
"Yeah, we didn't think much of going into the tourist spots or the shopping centres. We always thought the remote areas were better as I think they normally house the weird and the unusual."
"But then again, the kidnapper could be hiding in the popular areas to keep away from suspicion," Seto said. "Sure, why don't you three be useful and go around and ask people in the tourist spots and shopping centres to gather us more evidence. Mokuba can supply you with my contact number in case you guys have any information." Seto motioned them to where Mokuba was as he was standing outside the room waving at the three."Come on guys, out here!" Mokuba yelled. Anzu and Honda went towards Mokuba, but Jou looked at Yugi for a bit and smiled. 'I hope Seto can get through to you more.' And then walked off.
Yugi smiled at him and turned around to Seto. Jou closed the door leaving Seto and Yugi alone. "Ok Seto lets be real here. I never saw you this tired before or this friendly and open to help us."
"Ever since he became popular, I have been keeping a close eye on him in case his fans would do things to him as he had no bodyguards or anything.
"Yami has been known to handle himself in those situations."
"I know, but lately I kept a closer eye on him as I felt like it was my duty to protect him. I grew fascinated by how he is so friendly, selfless and loving towards others. On several attempts, I even dressed in disguise to witness this in person and you know what, he was so friendly to me that he didn't even notice who I really was and I felt something inside of me. When he went off the radar, I felt- I felt so worried about him that I wanted to find him so much. I never knew I cared so much about a person I use to hate."
"Yami does have that effect on people."
"You could say that again, but the real reason I am so tired is that I have been having trouble sleeping. I have been having this weird dream playing over and over again. It begins with me walking down a da-"
"Dark corridor?"
"Precisely and then I see Yami dangling from a black ceiling in chains, covered with bruises and a –"
"Weird burn mark on his stomach."
"Weird burn mark on his stomach."
Soto and Yugi looked at each other in surprise as they realised something."You had the same dream as me?!" They said in unison.
"But, how I don't understand?!" Seto said in confusion.
"Before Yami was taken, I grew worried about Yami and how he was falling for a person who I presume doesn't exist at the time, but I drove him away by pleading him not to go and always have me to call on standby in case, but he was more concerned with meeting that person who he had fallen for that he failed to realise that someone else cared for him."
"If only he weren't so blind about caring for others to even notice you,"Seto said as he got up and walked over to Yugi.
"You could even say that i-i loved him."Yugi blushed slightly at the thought. Seto looked shocked at him. 'Yugi loves him too!'
"And from what you were saying about him. I guess you feel the same way." Seto lowered his head and frowned in fear that Yugi might not want to keep Yami for himself and to keep Seto away." But I guess you can love him too."
"Only if he will ever love us back."
"Oh, I know he will. He likes people to think that he doesn't get it, but he does and I guess there's a weird feeling inside of me that makes me care for you in a weird way."
"Yeah, I guess I might have spied on you a few times and wondered after Yami disappeared. I had guards watching you guys from afar and at first, I was going to show up and help, but I wanted to do an in-depth search of the entire city so I bribed the police to help me and I guess they completely forgot to tell you. Figures."Yugi was surprised at how the police were useless and didn't even give him the secret info of Seto taking control of the case. It would have been useful to know this.
They both inched closer to each other and stared deeply at each other. What came over them so suddenly? Was it the sleep deprivation? Or was missing Yami together made them feel that maybe they might love each other?
They both moved in together and kissed. Seto wrapped his hands around Yugi's neck and back whilst he did the same. The kiss felt good and it showed their spontaneous love for one another and their love for Yami. They soon broke apart and pulled away then realising what they have done. Seto moved away holding his hand to his lips while Yugi stepped back placing his hand over his mouth in a look of horror. "I'm sorry Seto; I don't know what came over me! I think it was due to the stress and sleep. I'm sorry!" he cried. Seto looked back at him and hugged. He then rubbed his hand down his back and hushed him and said calming words to him.
After Yugi calmed down, Seto then moved away and cleaned his throat sternly and looked away."I'm sorry to Yugi I don't know what came over me. My thoughts were clouded by something and I guess I was too 'in the moment' and I apologise."
Yugi sniffled and calmed himself down as he pushed away from Seto."You know Yugi, why did you come to me in the first place anyway?" he asked.
Yugi jumped and remembered why, "Um, me and the others found Yami's phone hidden on the pavement and we found a security camera on corner building and near a housing estate street next door the central park and me thought maybe you could hack into it and find out if it had information on who took Yami."
Seto looked at him in surprise, "I guess we can't use the phone because you may have grabbed it with your hand so that rules out the DNA use on that, but the security camera doesn't sound bad and it might take time for me to hack into it to get that information, but I will let you know, if and when I get that tape. You can be sure of it." Seto said as he sat back down in his chair and then typed away on his computer. Yugi smiled and then walked over to Seto and kissed him on the cheek, "Take as much time as you need but do sleep as well, I don't want you to worry about him too much and I will see you later." Yugi said as he walked off to the door.
"You too," Seto said as he placed a hand on the kissed cheek-in surprise. 'I guess that wasn't a 'heat of the moment' thing.' He thought and smiled as he continued on searching.
Peering out the door, Mokuba started on happily at the two."Thank you, Yugi, for making Seto smile." He said to himself.
TBC
Me: At least it ends on a good note. If you can't understand the text bit, you can pm me and I will translate it for you.
...
Me: I really miss him, but I will see you guys next time for chapter 8 and just a lil heads up as the next chapter might be very angsty. See ya next time, Byee!
