*tire screech!*
Ok! I thought I'd never get this posted!
really sorry everyone! I have no good excuse....except for last night when the website wouldn't let me upload it for some reason...-_-' (seriously, no matter how many timesI tried!)
ok, well I won't waste more time yapping, please enjoy.
disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh or any of it's characters....however, Yami's poem in this belongs to me.
Chapter 10:
After receiving directions and a visitor's badge, Yami stepped into the lobby's elevator, giving a quick smile back to the girl at reception. She still looked a bit nervous about directing him to Kaiba's office, even though the CEO himself had ordered it.
It was a long way up, but Yami told himself to just be grateful that no one else tried to get on the same elevator, and eat up even more of his quickly fading time.
Finally the doors opened, granting access to the top floor.
"Turn right once you get off the elevator…take the second left…go all the way to the end…turn left, and it's the first door on the right." He repeated the directions quietly to himself, making sure to follow each step carefully, until he came to a door upon which he read;
Chief Executive Officer
'Hm? First door on the right hey? Wouldn't it have been easier to say 'only' door on the right?' He thought in amusement as he took note that there were no other doors on the right wall.
Naturally, he didn't dare say it out loud. He didn't trust Kaiba not to have some way of hearing him right outside his office.
'After all…I'm the one who entered the dragon's lair…'
With only a moment's pause, he knocked lightly.
"ENTER!!"
'Whoa, he really is pissed!'
He could resist laughing alright, but it was almost mission impossible not to grin at the tone that would usually send grown men running away screaming.
He was careful to make sure his face was calm and straight before he opened the door.
As expected, Kaiba's office was just as big and impressive as any of the big company offices that one might see in a movie or something.
Kaiba himself fitted perfectly into the scenery where he sat behind a polished wood desk, typing away furiously at the computer.
He didn't acknowledge Yami's presence until the teen entered and closed the door, and even then it was nothing more than a swift glance upwards.
Yami moved closer to the desk, more nervous about Kaiba having the field advantage than of the CEO himself. Kaiba knew everything about this building, and everyone in it answered to him over anyone else. He was in total control.
Yami almost frowned and mentally smacked whatever part of his mind it was than actually saw that fact as kind of a turn on.
"Thank you for the time Kaiba." He spoke calmly.
"Your point Mutou!?" Came the sharp answer, the sapphires not moving from the screen they were focused on.
It cut at Yami's pride a little, but he forbid himself from striking in retaliation. It annoyed him that Kaiba couldn't even stop working for thirty seconds and look at him.
In fact, it annoyed him too much.
His mouth clenched shut…his feet planted themselves to the ground…and his eyes locked onto Kaiba, not shifting.
Perhaps this wasn't the wisest way to act right now, but since when didn't he take risks? Besides, he wasn't always going to be the one to swallow his pride!
It didn't take long for the silence to get to the already impatient CEO, whose hands suddenly came to a halt in such a way that anyone else might tremble, but Yami didn't even flinch as Kaiba glared up at him.
"I don't have time for games today pharaoh!" He warned.
"Then don't force me to play them!" Yami quickly responded in the same tone.
"Your point!?" Kaiba demanded after a moment, sounding like he was forcing himself to calm down.
Yami decided to rein in his anger as well. There was no need for it here.
He took a few steps closer to the desk, enough that he could reach out and place the small box he's just pulled from his jacket upon it. It was just a simple white rectangle with a thin yellow ribbon that served more to keep the lid on than it did as decoration.
Kaiba stared at the box, his eyes quickly shifting back to Yami. Despite the 'are you serious?' look in his eyes, the CEO remained silent, obviously after an explanation.
"Consider it my 'official' thank you." Yami answered, pushing the box just a bit closer to the CEO, though not making it look subtle, before withdrawing his hand, "Or perhaps an apology that my last show of gratitude was so weak. You decide."
Yami kept his tone calm and steady. It felt…weird…to be doing this…despite how it may have seemed, he wasn't actually after brownie points with Seto.
Though doubtful, he kinda hoped the CEO would understand that.
Kaiba looked back down to the box, staring silently at it for some time, and for a moment, Yami wondered if he was actually afraid to open it.
'Hm. Afraid might be too strong. Cautious perhaps would be better…'
Kaiba breathed out heavily through his nose, as he finally picked up the box, pulling off the yellow ribbon with more care than Yami expected, and lifted the lid.
His heart stopped for a split second as Kaiba's eyes gazed inside the box, before giving a hard, painful pound, trying to make him stumble and loose his strength before the CEO, but he refused to let that happen.
Kaiba's only reaction was silence for quite some time. Yami just watched him in return, also not speaking, even as the brunette finally placed the box back on his desk, where Yami could see the tiny parcels wrapped in gold, only six of them, sitting upon ruffled silver paper.
If he didn't require the rest time that weekends provided to prevent himself going insane, Yami was almost willing to give up the rest of his two days off just to know what was really going on in Kaiba's mind, the sapphire eyes hiding all truth behind an impenetrable icy shield.
"Is that all Mutou?" Kaiba suddenly asked, his tone sparing some patience, but making it clear that Yami shouldn't push his luck.
"Yes. That is all." Yami concluded, luckily not having any desire to push his luck, "Thank you once more Kaiba." He repeated, turning around.
He made his way back to the door at a casual pace, not looking around. He didn't hesitate to open the door, and walk out, shutting it gently behind him.
The CEO stared after him for awhile, before glancing almost carefully back to the box, staring at the little golden wrapped chocolates. Glaring furiously, his large hand reached in and grabbed one of the tiny morsels, stripping it of its fancy wrapping to uncover a simple but lovely looking piece of dark chocolate.
He frowned, as if angry he would even consider trying something from his rival, but finally, raised it to his lips, and gently bit it in half.
He gave it no real thought…at least for a few seconds…
Kaiba's eyes lit up for a moment, before his calm look returned, and he raised his free hand, carefully wiping his thumb over his bottom lip, and looked to it.
The tiniest trickle of sweet, golden caramel weakly glued itself to his skin, as if wanting him to smudge some important document with it.
Yet again, he stared silently at the gift in his hand, but again, it wasn't the chocolate itself that made him curious, but the meaning behind it.
"Hmph."
A small amused smirk grew upon his face, as he glanced calmly to the door, before stuffing the other half of the chocolate in his mouth, and wiping the caramel off his thumb with a tissue. He returned his focus to the computer screen; his hands moving like nothing had interrupted their professional rhythm.
****
Outside the door, Yami leant back against the wall, listening with such focus that if someone else had come down the hall, he would never have heard or seen them coming.
A quiet sound caught his attention, the very sound he'd been waiting for.
A sound that announced amusement, a hairline crack in his favourite CEO'S cool and collected armor.
He gave a smirk of his own, announcing his small but oh so satisfying victory, and pushed off the wall. Without glancing back, he moved away down the hall, content for the time being.
He made his way back towards the elevator, almost retracing every step. When the metal doors opened after at least a minute's wait, he stepped in, his mind trying to create the excuse he'd forgotten he needed for his friends, since only Yugi knew where he'd gone. Malik had been glad to help without even being told what was going on.
"Hold the elevator please!"
Yami glanced over his shoulder, surprised as Mokuba came running down the hall. Good thing his hand acted instinctively, and held the door open, since his mind had lost focus for a moment. He adored Mokuba, but hadn't expected to see him here.
The raven haired boy didn't recognize Yami until he stepped into the elevator.
"Yami??"
"We mustn't keep running into each other like this." The teen couldn't help but chuckle, letting his hand drop, allowing the doors to close.
"What are you doing here?" Mokuba asked with a casual grin as the elevator began the long descent.
"I needed a quick word with the president. Now I'm heading back into the city to see my friends." Yami answered.
"Cool! Lucky!" Mokuba replied with a playful hint of envy, "I wanna go somewhere to. I've done all my weekend homework already, but Niisan is swamped with work today, and I'm uber bored."
Yami fell silent in thought for a moment.
"Well, granted it's alright with your brother, you're welcome to join my friends and I."
"Really!?" Mokuba looked up in amazement.
"You are our friend as well, are you not?" Yami answered, smiling properly.
Mokuba really was good at reminding him of Yugi sometimes.
"Thanks so much Yami!" Mokuba cheered, bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet, before quickly stepping over to the level buttons on the door, "I'll stop at our private lounge, and use the phone there to call Niisan! I wanna grab something I left in that room anyway!"
"You…have a private lounge room…in the kaiba corp. building??" Yami had to ask.
"Well, yeah, but I use it more than Niisan. I stay in there a lot during the day when he's working. It's got everything you'd need of course. TV, games, a fridge, bathroom, heck, there's even a bedroom if you want to take a nap!"
The silence from Yami made Mokuba frown a little.
"Hey, don't think my brother is being selfish. All the staff have two very nice large staff rooms to! they were practically the same as ours! Niisan only took away the TV and bed because people kept coming back to work late!"
A burst of laughter from Yami echoed in the elevator.
"Hey! It's not funny!" Mokuba said defensively.
"Sorry Mokuba, I meant no offense." Yami replied, forcing the chuckles to stop, "I wasn't laughing at your brother, merely the thought of the worker's faces when TV and nap time was cancelled."
Mokuba's eyes widened slightly in surprise, before his cheeks puffed slightly in a way that Yami had seen too many times on Yugi not to understand.
And there was no way he could resist taking advantage of it!
Quick as ever, he tickled Mokuba's sides, making the small boy burst into laughter and squirm, trying to get free.
"No fair! No fair!!" He yelled, both trying to push Yami off, and tickle him back.
The older boy just smirked, and let him go after a short moment. Mokuba turned and pouted at him a little, but it soon became a grin again.
The elevator seemed to have great timing, as it stopped just then, and the doors opened.
"Come on in!" Mokuba invited, as he stepped out into a very short hallway that lead into a large, beautiful room. The carpet was a deep, lovely royal blue. Just inside the entrance was a bathroom almost blinding cause everything was so white. From where Yami stood, he could see a black leather couch, but not what else was around the corner.
"Mokuba…I…I don't believe I should…" He began, his feet refusing to move.
"Oh don't worry! Niisan won't know you were in here! Besides, we're only going to be a second!" Mokuba cut in, grabbing Yami's arm and dragging him right into the apartment sized place.
Around the corner the floor dropped a little where the lounge area was. There was two black leather lounges that sat across from a massive flat screen TV. A small coffee table sat just before the lounges.
Back on the other side of the room was a small kitchen, the benches made of white marble.
There was a room just past the lounge area that Yami had to guess was the bedroom he'd heard about, but wasn't willing to go see.
"Make yourself at home, I'll be right back!" Mokuba told him, before running off to the bedroom, shutting the door behind him.
Yami went to say something, but shut his mouth, telling himself to calm down.
It would be fine. They wouldn't be in here long, and it wasn't that big of a deal as long as he behaved.
He made his way over to the back wall, which was entirely glass windows, giving a brilliant view of Domino city below. Sure cities weren't necessarily scenic, but he still had to be a little envious of Kaiba for getting to see such a view.
"Hey Niisan!"
Yami leaped around in shock, staring towards the bedroom, expecting to see Kaiba standing there like he'd just materialized out of air.
"Sorry to bother you Niisan, I know your busy, I just wanted to ask if I could go out with Yami and his friends today? Please Niisan? No no, he said it was fine as long as you were ok about it."
Yami's panic faded, as he just stared at the bedroom door, before giving a grunt of realization, and slapping his forehead. Mokuba had said he would 'call' Seto; obviously there was a phone in the bedroom.
"Really!? Thank you Niisan! And don't worry, I promise I'll be home before dark and everything! Thank you!"
What the…?
Did Kaiba just give him permission? Without a huge fuss?
The room was quiet for a moment, before Mokuba bounced out the door, grinning widely at Yami.
"Niisan is cool with it, as long as I stay with you guys, and don't get home late!"
Yami felt a little dumbfounded, but finally managed to smile.
"I've very glad of that Mokuba. Now come, we'd best get going. Yugi and the others will be wondering where I am by now."
"Sure! Just give me a moment!"
Yami watched as the smaller boy ran over to one of the couches, where he just now noticed a small red bag sitting on the ground.
"Niisan always has me bring any homework I have here. I gotta say, its kinda relaxing studying here, I don't mind it so much. I think maybe it's because when I'm at home…" Mokuba spoke.
"…You just feel like relaxing?" Yami finished for him.
Mokuba grinned in agreement, before finding what he was after in the bag, and ran back to Yami.
"Ok, ready!"
The smaller boy practically took the lead, being the first in and out of the elevator, and the first to get out of the doors after they walked back through reception.
Curiosity nudged at Yami as to what Mokuba and retrieved from his bag, but it wasn't until they left the Kaiba corp. grounds all together, that Mokuba finally turned and held the small item out to him.
"Don't tell anyone about this, ok Yami?" He whispered.
Yami just stared down at the cassette tape, taking a few moments to register what it meant.
"Mokuba?? Is this that…?"
"This is a copy I made for you, since I saw how much you seemed to love it." Mokuba answered, and placed it in one of Yami's hands.
"Mokuba, I...I appreciate it very much. But…your brother seemed unhappy enough that I heard this music in the first place."
"Then just don't tell anyone about it!" Mokuba laughed, and darted off down the pathway before Yami could even try and hand it back.
The ruby-eyed teen just stood there helplessly, looking to the cassette, knowing full well he should give it back…
But the beautiful music was taunting his memories ruthlessly, and he had to concede, and buried the cassette in his pocket, before charging off after Mokuba.
****
Up in his office, Kaiba's experienced focus hadn't faltered or paused the entire time. Phone calls and messages were just normal beats in the rhythm of work.
Even reaching for his mug of coffee was something that barely received any thought.
However, today something dared to ruin the calm rhythm. The gentlest nudge against his finger as it touched something that wasn't normally there.
The piercing gems of blue glanced around; it seemed his finger had knocked the small chocolate box Yami had given him.
He'd almost forgotten about it.
After a few seconds, he made a quiet sound, almost like saying 'why not?' and reached into the box, grasping one of the chocolates.
As he went to raise his hand again though, he quickly stopped.
Something had looped around his finger, what appeared to be the tiniest silver chain.
Letting the golden wrapped sweet drop back into the box, he carefully raised his hand, the silver paper in the box russelling as something on the end of the chain was revealed.
He pulled it up into his palm, and just stared…as if unsure what to do…at a small, plastic figure of a blue eyes white dragon.
****
The day had been great. A perfect start of the weekend in Yami's opinion.
The group had welcomed Mokuba, as they did everything fun they could thing of and afford. Even when it finally came to an end, he wasn't disappointed; he'd had a good time. They dropped Mokuba back outside the Kaiba corp. gates, before once more, separating to go their own ways.
Thankfully, no one asked about Yami's disappearance, and now at home, he and Yugi could laugh and joke about it as much as they liked.
As if they hadn't played enough at the arcade, they were playing video games together.
"Yami that wasn't fair!!"
"What wasn't fair??"
"You shot me in the back! We're supposed to be on a team!"
"If we weren't meant to shoot each other, the game would prevent it. Besides, you were heading towards MY prize, I claimed it first!"
"It belongs to whoever gets to it first!"
"And thus I shot you to get to it first."
"You jerk! Stop grinning!!"
"Why? Do you want me to tickle you instead?"
"Don't start flirting with me! I'm not Malik!"
"No, but your pouty face is even cuter than his."
"That's it!"
"WHOA!"
Game controllers and cushions went flying as Yugi leapt from the floor onto his dark half, and the two began to wrestle. Yami may have been stronger, but Yugi was very good at slipping out of his grip if he wasn't pinned.
"Yami!"
They were quickly interrupted by Sugoroku, who came into the room, handing Yami the phone, not seeming at all bothered by the minor fight that had just been taking place. This was hardly the first time.
Yami pulled himself off the ground, fixing up his clothes before he placed the phone to his ear.
"Hello?"
"Unless you want others to hear this, get in a room on your own!"
Yami could have swore at the voice speaking to him.
Kaiba?? Kaiba was…calling him?
He looked startled around at Yugi, who gave a questioning look, but Yami gave an indication for him to wait for a moment, and left the room, heading up stairs to his room before he finally answered.
"What have you called for Kaiba?"
"To ask if you invited my brother out with you today?" Kaiba grunted, getting straight to the point.
Yami just stared blankly at the ground for a moment.
"Yes. I did. But you already knew that."
"And just why did you think it was fine to do so without asking my permission Mutou!?"
"Kaiba what are you saying? Mokuba asked your permission and you said it was fine!" Yami answered, letting his temper rise just enough to match Kaiba's.
"Oh did he?"
The suddenly drop in Kaiba's tone chilled Yami, and shocked filled him as he suddenly understood what was going on.
"He…he didn't…?" He stuttered out.
He'd thought he'd heard Mokuba talking to Seto over the phone asking permission to go, but…he hadn't actually watched him do so.
'Did Mokuba just pretend?? So I would think Seto was alright with him going out? Because he knew I would say no if his brother didn't allow it?? But…why…??'
"If you want permission to take my brother anywhere, then in the future, get permission from me directly!!"
Yami heard the phone slam down on the other end, but just left the phone at his ear, the dial tone ringing loudly.
When he managed to glance up, he saw Yugi peeping in his door at him, and lowered the phone, turning it off. Yugi was instantly by his side.
"Yami?"
"I think I just got Mokuba and myself in hot water." Yami muttered, and sat on his bed, holding his head in his palm.
So much for a great ending to the day.
****
Sunday passed by quietly as homework, a quick trip down the road to get some chips, and sitting at home watching a couple of movies. Monday kept its reputation of being long, dreary and just plain boring until the freedom of home time finally arrived, only to be spoiled by the reminder of more homework.
However, Tuesday was neither calm nor average.
'Good luck everyone' Anzu had said to all of them, before heading off to English with Yugi and Ryou.
As Yami glanced around his own class, he could see everyone was finally taking this English assignment seriously. And he was no exception. Likely, the nervous vibrations in the air were caused by the realization that each of them were about to stand alone in front of each other, and speak out loud, even though they'd known it all along.
"Wonder how Otogi is going?" He heard Honda mutter somewhere from the back.
"Poor sucker has none of us in his class does he?" Jounichi muttered back.
Yami almost envied Otogi for that fact, at least for this one time anyway. Apparently his English class was the same level as theirs, but he was still away from them.
"Alright everyone! Be seated!"
Almost everyone flinched at the teacher's command.
Though perhaps a little unnecessary, Yami wouldn't blame them for it. He glanced down to the workbook on his desk, just peeping out the top, he could see the piece of hidden paper upon which his own poem was, protected from any eyes that may wander past. No one was going to know its contents until he read it to them.
"Well, since you all seem so eager to get started on hearing each other's creative abilities, why don't we go ahead and get started? We can do that and check the roll call at the same time. What an excellent way to see which of you is skipping my class today."
Judging from his tone, the teacher was no more thrilled about this than the rest of them.
"Right then, Araisan, will you kindly share your poem with us?"
****
The wait was excruciating, but so was the fear that it would end.
It was impossible not to count each name as it was called out, or how many were left until each student had to take their turn. Each of them knew where they came on the list by now, so none escaped the torture.
And yet, the sentence always caught each of them off guard.
"Mutou, please step up."
Rubies looked up to the front where the teacher stood waiting, firm looking eyes behind square glasses confirming that it was time.
Yami breathed in, and slipped the paper out from his work book, clutching it to his chest as he stood, and made his way to the front. His face and stride were as strong and confident as always, but he had to wonder, could anyone see that he shared the same uncertainty as they did?
As he turned back around, their faces spelt out a great big no. Even Honda, Jounichi, Bakura and Malik…not even his friends could see past his mask.
"The most Painful of All" He read aloud.
To no surprise at all, the title of his poem caught everyone's attention. They had all chosen happy stories, ones with fairytale endings.
His was bittersweet.
Even though they were all ready to give their attention to him, to listen fully, the feeling that he'd made a mistake sunk in.
His fingers clenched on the paper. He had no confidence to share this with them. It was something not even his precious Yugi knew. Only one other knew that this memory existed to him, and it was that person alone he wanted to say it to.
'Seto…'
He looked up past the students to the back wall, remembering when Kaiba had stood there to watch a movie with his class. Kaiba, the one person he could stand strong in front of. Someone who gave him strength without even intending to…
Yami's eyes narrowed. He could see Kaiba there, watching him, waiting for him to speak, just waiting to hear what he said.
To Yami, his response wasn't as important as just having the CEO listen to him.
It was him he was saying this to, no one else…
"Silence is my enemy…
And yet here I am,
Deprived of music,
The drumming within my
Chest a traitorous sound."
"Is my name the key
To my rightful place
In this world?
Must I obey and be
Swept up by the darkness
Swallowing my own shadow?"
"Why can I not escape?
Why does my heart bring
Everything I am crashing
Down to rubble?"
"My voice does not exist
Within darkness,
And my body is just a
Broken corpse shattered
By its unrelenting grasp."
"The night is impartial,
So why must this darkness
Try to take what I am?
What is mine?
How is it that anything
Can stand to its strength?
Why are you not afraid
To save me…?"
"Your purposes are unknown to me,
But yet I only care
That you can see me.
It both comforts
And pains me.
You must hate to see
Such weakness.
Standing on my own feet
Before you, is the
Promise I never
Realized I'd made."
"Are you not angry?
Your acting like you
Don't care…
You sweep up my
Shattered soul,
And carry it with you,
As if I were
A precious diamond."
"But that cannot be.
Diamonds don't shatter
The way I have.
But then, if diamonds
Don't break, why do
I see cracks upon you?
What has the strength
To break adamant stones?"
"This bittersweet gem
Within my hand,
A mere fragment of
Your reflection…
…a reflection you hide.
You stand before the mirror,
Shielding the truth
From all who dare
Try to look."
"Please tell me…
Why do you block out
My voice?
Why is this the last
Time you intend to
Let the truth show?
Please tell me…
Why are you crying?"
As if coming out of a trance, kaiba's image disappeared from Yami's vision, and he slowly sank back into reality, turning his gaze to the class he'd almost forgotten was there.
They were just staring at him in bewilderment. Even Bakura was staring at him, sharing the same confusion and curiosity as the rest of them.
"W…well done Mutousan." The teacher managed to speak, "A-and now, could you please explain to us what your poem was about?"
Yami gave a calm smirk.
"Someone saved my life one time, and I never really got to say thank you to them." He answered calmly, and placed the poem on the pile on the teacher's desk, before casually walking back to his own, not meeting anyone's eyes as he sat back down.
The teacher seemed to snap out of it then, and cleared his throat loudly.
"Right. Well, back to it. Nakamura, you're up next please."
****
"I can't believe my eyes!"
Yami glanced up from his work book.
"What?"
"Your actually in here studying?? During lunch!?"
Yami glanced at Yugi, who was peering over his shoulder.
"It would be nice to get home without having to worry about homework for once. So I figured I'd get what I could done here."
He looked back to his book, but soon looked back when Yugi didn't answer. He was surprised by the small frown on the boy's face.
"Who are you, and what have you done with Yami?" He demanded.
Yami smirked and rolled his eyes, shaking his head as he packed his stuff away and stood. Yugi followed him to the reception in the library, where he hired out a few books, and they left together.
"Seriously Yami, what's going on? You seem…calmer…I mean more than even this morning." Yugi persisted a little.
He watched as Yami took a second to word his answer.
"I just feel…almost like…a weight has been lifted...well, perhaps not the whole weight, but part of it. Its lighter now."
"What kind of weight?" Yugi asked, hearing the seriousness in Yami's voice.
"To be honest, I'm not even sure. I didn't realize I was carrying it until…" His eyebrows furrowed a little, "…until after I read my poem…"
"Your poem? Just what did you write about? I heard people talking about it being 'dark' or something…"
"Just a memory Aibou. Perhaps what I needed was to say it out loud, maybe that's why I feel better…"
"Yami…"
The taller boy quickly wrapped his arm around the smaller boy's neck gently, pulling him in close.
"It's nothing to be worried about Aibou, so please don't fret."
Yugi pouted a little, but then shrugged and relaxed.
As they wandered down the hall, they noticed a large group of students gathered around the notice board.
"Is there something we should know about?" Yami asked casually, dropping his arm from Yugi.
"Maybe they've finally assigned dorm rooms for the trip to the beach?" Yugi suggested.
"Perhaps. I'm still not sure about sharing a dorm room with our friends though…"
"And just what's wrong with our friends??"
"You don't recall the time you invited them all to sleep over?"
"I recall being out cold that night. What did I miss exactly?"
"Jou and Honda staying up half the night playing video games, then wrestling whenever one of them lost...Anzu yelling at them every five minutes to be quiet...Ryou and Bakura bickering about some small, trivial matter that they made to sound worse than it was because they were tired...and Malik thinking it hilarious to poke me every time I closed my eyes."
"...Yep. I was definitely out of it."
"Indeed you were. You left me to defend myself." Yami said with a slight grin.
"No wonder you were so grumpy the next morning." Yugi grinned back.
They joined the crowd, quickly locating Anzu amongst the students.
"Hey guys." She greeted them.
"Hey Anzu. What's all the fuss about." Yugi replied.
"The English teachers have put their favourite poems from each class on the notice board. There's some pretty good work to."
"Cool! They've already finished marking them?" Yugi cheered, "Is yours up there Anzu? It was pretty good."
"No, I'm not that lucky. I don't think they've finished marking everyone's work, just those they enjoyed the most when we read them out. Actually, I don't think any of ours our up there, not even Ryou's, and everyone knows how well he does at English."
"Yeah, but he told me even he had trouble with this assignment." Yugi admitted, "Wait! What about Kaiba's? I mean it's no surprise his was awesome...really dark and kinda creepy...but still impressive."
"No, not even Kaiba's was up there." Anzu answered, "I heard yours was good Yami, but it's not there either."
Despite her words, Yami felt a sudden sense of dread that his poem would be up in plain view for everyone to see. He hadn't planned on it going any further than the classroom!
He pushed past the other students until he could see the poems pinned on the wall. A few he recognized from his class, others he didn't. His eyes thoroughly scanned each piece of paper, and he barely breathed until he knew for sure his wasn't there.
"Yami? You alright.?" Anzu asked as she and Yugi managed to get through the crowd.
"Yes. Yes I'm fine." He answered, taking a few seconds to look away from the poems back to his friends.
"Hey! Yugi!"
The three looked around to see Malik and Ryou waving to them from a few metres away.
"Oops! I forgot I was going to duel with Ryou!" Yugi gasped with a laugh, "You two want to come watch?"
"Sure." Anzu answered.
"Go ahead hikari, I just want to buy a drink. I'll catch up with you afterwards."
"Actually, I'm a little thirsty as well. Can I also meet with you later Yugi?" Anzu changed her mind.
"No problem. Don't take too long you two." Yugi answered, and waved as he left with Ryou and Malik.
Yami and Anzu smiled to one another, and headed to the cafeteria.
"How do you think you went on the assignment Yami?" Anzu asked once they got there.
"Hmm. Hard to say, but I believe I did reasonably well." Yami answered as he ordered a bottle of orange juice.
"What was your topic about?"
It had been clear from the start that Anzu had wanted some time to talk with him, but Yami didn't mind. As she was usually one of the calmer, more mature of his friends, she could actually be quite pleasant to talk to sometimes.
"Just an old memory." He answered as she got an ice coffee.
"Same. I wrote about the time I went with my family to see a ballet show when I was a little girl. I remember I was entranced by it. It's what first made me want to become a dancer."
"You've really had your dream for so long?" Yami looked to her, giving an impressed smile.
"Uh huh." Anzu answered, returning the smile as they headed back out into the hallway, "So...what memory did you use?"
Yami's own smile faded a bit.
Was she being kind of persistent? Or was that just him?
"Not a...pleasant one, not one I really want to think too much about..." He replied hesitantly.
"Was it...about him...?" Anzu continued, lowering her voice.
Yami glanced away uncomfortably. Anzu wasn't usually the type to push a topic if she knew someone didn't want to discuss it.
"Sort of..." He blurted out uncharacteristically, not knowing what else to say.
"Yami, why would you write about him??"
"It wasn't about him! I-I just..." Yami hadn't intended to shout, so quickly took a deep breath, trying to settle down, " I'm sorry Anzu, it's not something I wish to discuss."
"In general, or with me?"
Yami was shocked by the bitterness in the girl's voice, and stopped to look around at her.
"If I were Yugi, you'd be fine about talking about it!" Anzu continued, anger appearing in her eyes from...who knows where?
"Don't you dare bring my hikari into this!" He shouted defensively, his own eyes burning with anger.
He wasn't sorry for the threat, but the way the girl flinched back made him reign in his temper...a little...
"Anzu, where is this even coming from?" He asked once he was able to keep his voice low.
The girl didn't answer immediately, but Yami quickly saw the pain that appeared in her eyes...pain he was all too familiar with.
"Who were you spilling your heart to...?"
Yami wasn't sure how to answer her whisper.
"...when...?"
"In your poem!?"
The bright rubies widened.
"You read my poem!? How!?"
"Because it was up on the notice board earlier." She answered, " Yours was one of the teacher's favourites! I went to the bathroom, but when I came back, it was gone!"
Yami was silent for a moment out of surprise that his poem had done that well, but quickly brought his mind back to the topic at hand.
"It's merely an old memory..." He repeated, about to start walking away again, when he paused and looked back around at her, "...one even Yugi doesn't know!"
"Well you were talking to someone who wasn't Marikku!" Anzu stated, before her voice lowered, " I'm not foolish Yami...I know you like someone."
Shock flashed over Yami's face.
"So who is it? Another male?"
"And so what if it is!?" Yami growled, deciding not to restrain himself this time.
"Is it Malik?? Or maybe Bakura? You two have been closer than usual lately..."
"First you dare involve Yugi, now your Bringing Malik and Bakura into this!? This is between you and me alone Anzu!"
"Just tell me the name Yami! That's all I want know!"
"Why!? So you can go and harass them instead!? Even if I had the right to tell you, I wouldn't!"
"What do you mean you don't have the right!?"
Yami looked to the ground, his eyes falling into shadows.
"Because there's nothing official between us. It doesn't matter how I feel...not when I have no clue how they feel about me..."
He stared back up at her firmly.
"And I will not willingly cause them trouble!"
There was a short, heavily tense silence between them.
"Do you love this guy?" Anzu finally whispered.
Again Yami turned his back on her.
"No...No I don't love him..."
It really hurt to say it, but he wasn't going to lie to himself about it.
"I do, however, honestly like him. Alot. If given the chance, I would truly like to try having something serious with him. I don't know if it would even work out, I don't know yet if my feelings run deep enough for something good to come out of it. But, I want to try, I want to know. I...I haven't felt so drawn to a person for a long time..."
He was cut off and stumbled forward a bit as Anzu ran past, knocking him slightly. He watched her go, unable to help feeling guilty as he heard her crying, but as a friend, he knew it would be worse if he lied about how he felt.
Besides, right now he was angry that he'd practically been forced to spill his personal feelings to someone who wouldn't respect them!
He jumped slightly as something drifted past his ear, and was quite puzzled when he saw it was a paper airplane, drifting so carefree despite the lack of a breeze in the hallway.
As it began to lose altitude, he raised his palms and gently caught it, careful not to damage it in anyway. As he looked over the perfect little plane, he noticed there was writing on it. He hated to destroy the simple creation, but some of the words he could see were looking awfully familiar.
He hadn't even finished unfolding it, when he found his poem sitting in his hands. There was no mistake, it was his hand writing.
His head instinctively turned to look around the hallway, and his gaze came to rest upon the figure leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his chest.
"Kaiba?"
The brunette just closed his eyes and turned away, letting his arms drop as he disappeared around the corner.
"Kaiba!"
Yami waited only a second to go after him. It didn't take long to catch up, though the CEO only stopped when Yami boldly reached out and took hold of his arm.
Neither spoke a word at first, the contact leaving neither afraid, but both uncertain.
"Kaiba, did you read this?" He finally asked.
"Should I have?" Seto answered blankly, pulling his arm free.
"Hm. No" Yami replied, glancing down, "But why did you have it?"
"I bother to grab your poem off the notice board whilst I'm grabbing my own, and you throw accusations at me when I come to return it to you?"
Yami looked back to him in confusion.
"Why would you?"
He made sure it didn't sound like an accusation this time, just a normal question.
"Would you prefer it was still up there for everyone to see!?" Kaiba answered harshly.
Yami frowned slightly, but didn't feel anger towards the sarcastic remark. Quite the opposite. Something that didn't seem quite right in the CEO'S tone made him curious.
"Kaiba...why don't you say what you mean?" He requested softly.
Kaiba shifted slightly, but didn't speak, and Yami knew that question had caught him off guard.
"You tell me not to beat around the bush Kaiba. I'm only asking the same of you."
"And just what exactly are you expecting to hear?" Kaiba bit back.
"I don't know. That's why I'm asking."
"Hmph. You actually think I'm trying to give you some secret message?" Kaiba's usual smirk returned, "Please. Your too hopeful pharaoh, just like your friend Anzu."
As the CEO began walking, Yami felt his stomach boil, and walked after him.
"Don't speak of her in that way Kaiba! Even if she makes me angry, it hurts every time I have these ridiculous arguments with her!"
He knew Kaiba had said that as an intentional attack on his ego, but he'd take the blow anyway to defend his friends.
"Aaw, poor pharaoh." Seto mocked cruelly, "Despite all that pain, you still managed to do such a great job on your little speech."
There'd been no doubt in Yami's mind that Seto had overheard the fight between himself and Anzu, and that upset him just as much. Not only had Anzu found out his true feelings, but now Seto to? Over hearing it like that was the last way he'd wanted him to find out!
"That's enough Kaiba!"
The CEO stopped, his smirk fading when he heard Yami's temper flare.
"Do you honestly think that was just some fancy speech to make Anzu back off!? If I had wanted to, I could have easily said anyone else's name, and her attention would have been diverted. But I can't lie to myself about how I feel Kaiba. Everything I said was true, and weither you want to laugh about it...weither or not you're just playing a game, or you think this is one great big joke...I assure you...I DON'T!"
The CEO just stared at him.
"If this really is just a joke, then hurry up and say so! I would rather be told you're not interested in me if it was the truth, than have you toying with my feelings!"
His emotions over worked, he gave a frustrated grunt, and looked away from the taunting sapphires as he walked past Seto.
'If I didn't have Yugi's reaction to worry about, I think I'd just forget the rest of my classes and leave for the day...'
He gasped as pressure crushed his arm, and he was pulled back. Though caught off guard, he knew that grip, and glared furiously at Kaiba, demanding an explanation. The CEO just glared back, before pushing him back as he released his arm.
Still fire and ice clashed, until Seto stepped forward so abruptly that Yami automatically stepped backwards, but he knew there was a wall behind him, and quickly stood his ground, unwilling to allow Kaiba to corner him.
"When...do I ever joke?" Came the quiet, icy whisper, as Seto raised his hand to his collar.
Yami was partially mesmerized as he watched the long, slender fingers so carefully undo the first few button's of the CEO'S school jacket, though naturally there was that initial panic about just what he was up to, but as the blue jacket was pushed open to reveal the white shirt beneath, anxiety was washed away, as Yami saw the blue gem still hanging beautifully from the silver chain around Seto's neck.
"Your still...?" He mumbled, slowly looking up to Kaiba's face, amazement covering his own.
"This guy you like." Kaiba cut in, "Say he was willing to make you a deal...?"
Yami handed his attention over without a complaint.
"Let's say he'd agree to give you a chance...a chance for something… 'official'… what would you say to that?"
It was hard to tell if this was real, or if he was daydreaming, but either way, Yami's answer was the same.
"I would ask what he wanted in return."
His look may not have changed, but that must have been exactly the answer Kaiba expected from his rival.
"What if his condition was that he was the one to pick the time and place of any interaction between the two of you?"
As desperate as he may have been, Yami didn't allow his desire to make the decision for him.
"Would my opinion be considered if there was a conflict of interest?"
"If necessary."
It was exactly what Yami wanted. If Kaiba wanted to pick when and where, it was fine, he had no problems with that. He knew it was probably a selfish act by kaiba to protect his own image from the skeptical eyes of the world, but truth be told, he figured maybe it was for the best. One of the main things that had kept him hesitant about getting near Kaiba was the risk of possibly harming Seto's reputation. He'd worked hard all his life to build it...Yami could never willingly harm it.
"Then I would gratefully accept his offer." He answered short but strong.
Once more, it seemed just the answer the CEO expected from the one person capable of standing against him. He wanted nothing more or less from Yami.
He stepped back a bit, as if to show he was satisfied, but now a tension was growing between them, and it was clear Yami wasn't the only one feeling it. For once, neither seemed sure of how to act, but both knew they shared one thought, a single consideration that neither pharaoh nor CEO knew the outcome of.
But then both rubies and sapphires changed almost exactly the same time. They asked each other the same question.
Why were they hesitating? Both were willing to take risks, and neither would ever back down from one another.
Both duelists reached out and pulled the other closer, Kaiba bringing Yami upwards till he was on his toes, and Yami pulling Kaiba down to meet him half way.
Barely an inch from each other's faces, and they stopped again.
They were there again...back in the control room...both taking strength from the will power they could see in each other's eyes, and neither allowing the other to fall again. They just stared at each other, both cautious about making the first move, but unwilling to let the other do so.
'Not yet...'
Despite temptation, neither duelist was willing to shift just that tiny bit closer, and slowly they backed off from one another. A silent agreement was shared between them.
Neither was ready to take that step yet. Perhaps tempted by the thought, but unwilling unless this little deal worked out. It was a start, but still not time.
A loud familiar ringing broke the silence, and Yami breathed out heavily in both relief and frustration. Kaiba on the other hand, didn't seem annoyed by the interruption. Perhaps for once, it was well timed.
With a last, challenging glance to one another, the rivals turned and left in different directions. Yami pulled his phone out of his pocket, flipped it open, and placed it to his ear.
"Alright alright hikari! I'm coming!"
"Yami?? What are you shouting about? I was just calling to check if everything was alright?"
He calmed quickly.
"Yes, everything is fine aibou, sorry to shout. I'm on my way now."
"Yami? Where are you exactly?"
He had to smirk at how suspicious his little hikari's voice sounded, not that he could blame him.
He glanced around, still almost able to picture Kaiba standing in the hallway, even though he'd already disappeared from sight...no surprise.
"Yami?"
"Cloud nine aibou."
He snapped the phone shut, and continued down the hall, an excited grin sliding onto his face.
****
The angel's hands were freezing. It seemed his efforts were producing nothing more than miniscule results. However, a strange sound caught his attention, and rubys stared back up to the crystal, before the ice directly below his hands cracked and fell to the ground. It was so sudden that the angel fell foward, his body now pressed against the ice. Wincing slightly, he glanced up, and was instantly mesmorised. He felt his strength return...at least a bit...as the angel trapped in ice shifted, almost like a statue coming to life, and lifed it's head, looking up through the solid barrier...
...and finally saw that someone was there.
****
*giggles*....was I cruel to not have yami and seto go through with it?
meh, don't worry, that will happen sooner or later. ^-^
please review!