Yugi awoke next to the warmth of Yami's body, and though the two hadn't made love he felt as though they were closer that they had ever been before. Yugi snuggled himself backwards into Yami's chest, allowing the warmth to pool around and flow over his sides like bath water. Yugi was content enjoying the simplicity of just the two of them in this moment yet he wondered if Yami could make it so they could be like this every day. Could they just disappear; run away together never to be seen again, live out their lives together unfettered by the small minds and rigid restrictions of society and monarchy. Yugi wanted with all of his soul to do just that, but he couldn't leave behind his people, his heritage. Gozaburo's nation was so weak, Yugi couldn't let him or his progeny taint his people. As hard as he tried to force those thoughts from his mind, they always came back, each time louder and more persistent than they had been before.
A breath escaped him in the morning air and managed to see through the dim light that the sun hadn't started to glitter the horizon with dazzling rays. Yugi turned his head as far as he could to try and see Yami's sleeping form behind him. His arm hung over Yugi's side, fingertips grazing over his abdomen. Yugi's eyes fluttered and he rolled as lightly as possible to face Yami without disturbing him. As he became comfortable, He watched Yami and his lips parted.
"Go back to sleep." Yami muttered.
"But I'll miss you." Yugi whined. And Yami smiled and laughed in his throat. "And If I sleep again we may be caught."
Yami grumbled and pushed himself up with an elbow pressing against the quilted mattress beneath them. He rubbed at his eyes as felt a pain in his temple, protesting for lack of sleep and unexpected light. He shut his eyes again to dull the throb in his head and sat up, rubbing at his face with his hands. He cursed lightly and brought the blankets up so he could slide out of bed.
Yugi took his wrist "Are you leaving?"
"I should," Yami said reaching for the shirt he tossed away during the night. "As unpleasant as nearly freezing to death was being discovered with you here would be much worse, it would put an end to all that we have and that I will not risk."
"I'm sorry," Yugi whispered.
"You don't have to apologize it wasn't your fault." Yami replied, managing to get his wrist out of Yugi's grasp and standing at his bedside sliding his shirt over his head. "However, I am getting sick of hiding all the time."
"I know" Yugi responded, "I would do anything to make this right for us."
Yami knelt over kissing Yugi tenderly "I know you would. Just as I would catch a thousand stars just to see your smile."
Yugi laughed and playfully slapped him on the shoulder. "That reminds me, what can I give you for Christmas?"
Yami pulled back and wondered for a moment. "Surprise me."
Yugi beamed and Yami knelt down again kissing him behind his ear, he knew it tickled Yugi and was one of his weak points. Yugi brought his hands up and placed them on his shoulders, to get him to stop. When he parted from him Yami stood and sauntered to the chair that had his belt on it. Without getting out of bed, Yugi crawled and sat at the foot waiting for Yami to come back to him. He watched him tie the leather around his hips and glance back up at him, like he had a question on his mind. The two remained silent as Yami finished dressing; he pulled back the curtains and let the small amount of light from the sun that had risen just below the peak of the trees.
Yami came back to Yugi "I've got to go now, before it gets any later."
"Alright," Yugi said with a hint of dismay.
"Yugi?" Yami asked
"Yes?"
"I wanted to ask you last night… Solomon had told me that he was arranging a series of elaborate banquets until Christmas Day; twelve of them, if memory serves. I wanted to know if you would accompany me. I don't care if it's just one of them, but I'd like to go with you. I don't want to hide; I want to be seen with you."
Yugi's eyes drifted "My answer is a thousand times yes, but we both know that we can't go together though I want nothing more."
Yami turned to Yugi with very serious expression, puffing out his chest he began to march to and fro, "It will be done, be damned Gozaburo and Solomon! We shall attend this exquisite party together" Yami declared, trying not to laugh.
Yugi climbed over the bench at the end of his bed and went over to where Yami stood, proud and silent like a living statue. When he approached he brought his arms up and around Yami's neck, pulling him up onto Yami for a kiss. Yami lifted him off the ground bringing a hand to the back of his head and then they parted.
"I'll go with you then, brave knight." Yugi played along, walking Yami to the window.
Yami opened up the terrace doors, freezing air greeted them both with a shock and then Yami turned his back, a light wind tossing about his hair and he pulled out his dagger, handing it to Yugi.
"Take this."
"The dagger Grandfather gave you, what for?"
Yami's expression changed from soft to hard, and it was made clear that their folly was over as he placed the knife into Yugi's hands, "I am growing less and less trustworthy of the Kaiba's. Its place is with you now. Keep it with you always. "
Yugi closed his palms around it and brought it into his chest, it was as if Yami had given him his heart. A great sadness consumed him as he smiled at Yami, "I've never wanted to be King, Yami I'm not built for it and I've never denied it; Grandfather reminds me of it every day. But when I'm with you, you make me feel like I could do just about anything."
Yami took Yugi's face, lifting it up and looking into his eyes purposefully. "When I look at you Yugi I feel that anything in this world is possible; I love you and I believe in you." He kissed him sweetly. "I'll see you later. And get some more sleep we have more training to cover."
Yugi nodded and smiled watching his lover disappear past the lower edge of the balcony. Yugi could barely hear him escaping down the eaves; he was so quiet, so very stealthy. How he moved around undetected in the snow was beyond him, but Yugi didn't care how he got there, just as long as he'd come back to him.
The rest of the day was spent among the family, enjoying the company and unusually calming good cheer. Yugi, sitting at the dinner table, imagined everyday living to be as simple as today even though deep inside he knew the Kaiba's would leave at the end of the week and Yugi would finally have freedom. That is until the entire month of December came crashing down on him like all the season's snow at once. Solomon cordially invited the Kaiba's to stay to attend his twelve parties on the twelve days of Christmas. Their celebrated cheer collaborated into such noise that Yugi could not be heard coughing and chocking on his dinner roll. When all were asleep Yami once again climbed into Yugi bedroom and Yugi told him of Solomon's invitation to the Kaiba's. Yami would share Yugi's distress with him and they spent another night together with the comfort of each other. Days and nights passed like this and they soon bled into weeks and before Yugi knew it, it was the night of Solomon's first grand party. It was that of a masquerade and he had already spent the entire day preparing for the event. It was the first time Yugi and Teá would enter a grand social event together and be seen as a couple.
Yami was already at the party, alone and hurt that Yugi could not be with him. He sat at one of the few arranged tables so far away from Yugi it was if on purpose and joining him were the other knights, who he would consider bad company. Yami was even getting sick of Tristan and his perpetually mentioning sweet Serenity in some manner or another. Then he would be brought into the picture, the men always asking, taunting Yami to describe his love life. The farthest he would ever go is tell them he had someone in his life, but they were not his to claim. When the men asked for details Yami refused, said he was a gentleman.
Mai pushed Teá's hair up and appeared in the corner of her daughter's eye. Teá was far too busy looking over her tawny brown dress with golden accented trim to hear her mother's questions. Teá at that moment was the paradigm of a princess. Her head in the clouds dreaming of her prince, walking through fields and carpets of wildflowers with nurturing beams caressing them while breezes rich and bountiful give life to the world around them. Romantic scenarios of him whisking her off her feet into a happily ever after sent her dreaming softly of a family that would be hers. It would be delectable perfection.
"Teá," Mai cooed, gently shaking her on the shoulders.
"Yes?" Teá blinked after coming out of her dream, then she caught herself in the mirror "Oh mother, it's perfect." She raised a gloved hand and brought it to her curls, gently rolling them over her finger and she smiled. "Thank you."
"Of course my dear, now you're father's waiting for us. He insists that we all must enter together."
"But mother, Yugi said he'd come to get me at my room."
"Very well dear, do as you wish, but don't be late or your father will not be pleased with you." Mai said severely, for Gozaburo was not a man who took disappointment well. "I'll see you there sweetheart" Mai smiled kissing her daughter on the forehead. "You look beautiful."
Teá watched her mother part from her and upon looking radiant herself, she stooped to hold up one end of her gown as she floated to the door. The door clicked shut and footsteps fainted away, swallowed by distance and Teá uncontrollably brought her hands up to her chest, she sighed heavenly and swirled around the room feeling the happiest she had ever felt in a long time. Her fingers tangled in each other and she laughed at her own giddiness. Giggling like she did when she was younger, she went back to the mirror and tilted it downwards, noticing something she hadn't before, something white near the door. Curiosity veiled her and walking slowly she went do the door and picked up the paper that had slid itself under her door. Her gloved fingers glided over the envelope unaddressed and Teá then dared to open and read its handwritten words.
Dearest Teá,
Sweet Princess's heart does fondly glow
For a Prince whose blind eye doth turn
For I have seen whose love he gives
To another, a man both bright and tall
Kind Princess does search for grief
When actions are so slowly toiled
For soon her love she will most certainly lose
If the other takes said heart unfolds.
Teá's coloured and moist lips parted. It was unsigned, this letter of warning left on her doorstep. She always knew that Yugi's heart seemed cut in two but with who his heart was shared she could never pinpoint. Now she knew, now she understood. She felt dizzy for a moment and sat at the edge of her bed, the paper still taut in her hands. Angrily she pulled off one of her gloves and brought it up to her lashes. When did she start crying? She cleared her throat and forced herself to stand. Not tonight, not now. Tonight was to be perfect. She took a deep shaky breath in through her nose and crumpled the letter hard, so its entirety fit in her palm. Seto's suspicions were right all along. He had told her on more than one occasion that he did not trust Yugi's relationship with that teacher of his. Yami. Teá burned; she wanted to know the truth but blissful ignorance she preferred. She went over to her bedside table and pulled the drawer open dropping the crumpled letter into its new prison. She brought a hand over her lips, wondering as though if she would be sick. She dropped back against the wall; her eyes clamped shut and felt the baby move in her. He was Seto's creation. Damn him. And when she turned like magic he was there, she gasped startled by his cold presence.
"S- Seto." She stuttered.
"You look awfully pale, are you alright?" Seto asked
"Oh, yes" Teá replied, fixing her stance before him. "I suppose I'm a little nervous. What are you doing here?"
"I wanted to see your radiance before anyone else, before the eyes of those undeserving."
"Seto, please-"
Seto took her shoulders, and brought her up with a magnetic force to a full and passionate kiss. Though she did not find the warmth in his obsession, but discovered that she truly didn't love Seto anymore. He parted from her, and stepped towards the vanity with the tilted mirror, there was an air of superiority around him for he believed she still wanted to be with him. She had blinded him and his own insanity thickened this truth.
"Yugi will be here any minute, perhaps you should go." Teá said, her voice shaking and she opened the door a crack before Seto slammed it shut with a hand above her head.
"You're acting skittish today, little sister."
"No, I'm ju-"
"What's the matter?"
"I'm not so confident in your plan anymore." She lied.
There was a rapping at her door and Teá froze like she had been caught red handed and Seto moved to the side, leaning on the wall as Teá opened the door cautiously.
She laid eyes on Yugi, looking as smart and just as dashing as ever and he smiled. She figured it was a fake smile but she couldn't care less. It was she who got to take his arm, take his soul and his life. Yami was out of the picture and if she had to make Yugi all hers she'd do so Yami would never ever look at Yugi again.
"Evening Teá." Yugi said, pulling down on the front of his vest. "Ready to go."
She could see the nervousness in his eyes, and as he held out his hand, she almost hesitated. Those hands once caressed and held Yami, they explored his body and touched his lips and any other action indescribable when it should have been her. Teá felt a little anger boil in her blood and she stretched out her hand placing it softly in his.
"Yes"
Yugi sensed a difference in her voice and she closed the door behind her before taking her arm and hooking it in Yugi's. The two walked down the hall in an unusual silence. Generally Teá would start telling him about her dress, or how they did her hair, what she thinks of the party and how her father is so strict, and she would go on and on about how happy she was when she was there so she could skip out on her lessons. She was silent, eerily silent, only the sound of their feet in perfect rhythm and it brought an uncertainty in Yugi that didn't sit too well with him. He had to break the silence.
"Nervous?" He asked her, keeping his eyes on the hall as they snaked through the labyrinth of halls to arrive at the stairs with their families.
Teá attempted to clear her mind of Yugi's affair "A little, are you?"
"I think I can manage." Yugi smiled, nodding at the strays from the party who passed him the halls.
"Yugi?" she asked, daring to ask about Yami as they approached their family. "a-are you, um. D-do you. I mean, have you ever-"
"Teá! Yugi!" Solomon grinned as he noticed them beginning to descend down the staircase "My children, come, come."
Teá and Yugi came to Solomon and were placed behind Gozaburo and Mai almost immediately and led into the party like an organized parade. Over the crowd of voices and music they could barely hear themselves being announced and standing in the ballroom where they first met, they soon found all eyes and all thoughts on them. The crowded room was adorned with gaudy masks bejeweled and gilded with the finest gold. Light drifted down on them from candle chandeliers on the ceiling, coating the people and themselves in amber clad.
Yami stood with the rest of the knights at his table but could barely see Yugi, he watched Teá and Yugi exchange a look, a gaze that didn't seem acted. Yami clenched a fist around his dinner knife that blood and jealousy flowed out his veins, he didn't trust Teá. He continued to applaud to cover his hate for her as the two stepped down the short staircase and elegantly walked to the line of thrones that awaited them at the back of the ballroom.
Teá blushed with humility and Yugi held himself back from finding Yami in the crowd. He fixed his eyes on the back of the bright room and for comfort, gave Teá's hand a reassuring squeeze as they walked. Teá was surprised, she was certain he'd do almost anything to get out of this. Then she squeezed back, he wasn't going anywhere, she won't let him leave her. She was going to fight for him, and she was going to fight dirty.
Yugi ended up sitting in his chair for most of the events, the occasional dance with Teá to assure sweet princess he hadn't forgotten about her presence. And tedious small talk with noble folk whose names he'd disregard by tomorrow took control over time. The only enlightening conversation worth remembering was with Father Pegasus who managed to speak with him shortly after finding his way through the crowd. And after announcements and dancing and other carrying ons, the party bled into the entire main level of the castle. Solomon had planned this all along, wanting to create a new sort of party where not everyone is kept in the same room and forced to dance until guests they cannot feel their feet. The banquet seemed to be more buffet style of serving and the towns' folk were stupefied with such good impressions.
Yugi held back a yawn as he rested after a dance that might as well have killed him. It was getting late, later than most of the parties Solomon threw. The later it got the more tired Yugi felt, and as he opened his eyes after a lingering blink he noticed a drink held before him. He sat up, looking into the eyes of Yami, looking forlorn.
"Yami," Yugi whispered.
"Here, take the drink." Yami replied "You don't look well."
"I shouldn't. I don't feel well." Yugi said taking the drink. "How much longer will this be?"
"I'm not sure, Solomon certainly doesn't know when to call it a night." Yami didn't look at Yugi, but out into the crowd, he was just thankful Teá wasn't on his arm. He still had to be careful what he said, even if there was not a soul around them. "Solomon is very fond of the drink and yet can withstand few."
"I don't think I can take this anymore." Yugi lowered his voice, tone- dead serious.
"Neither can I." Yami said looking down at him, his voice as low as sand being pushed along the horizon. "Tonight will end on a high note. I'll meet you upstairs."
"I don't want you climbing the eaves again; you almost broke your neck last time." Yugi replied, his voice just as soft.
"I'll sneak up against the crowd; my actions are less conspicuous than yours." Yami said and stood up tall when one of the servers passed with a tray. Yami placed his empty glass on it when the server headed away from them. Out of habit he gave a quick check in both directions and Yami lifted up his heavily decorated mask and snuck Yugi a quick kiss on the lips. He stepped back and lowered his mask before leaving him.
Yugi felt a little fear and his voice whispered after him, to talk Yami out of it. They were just begging to be caught now. As Yami disappeared into the blur of people, appearing to be off centre to hide his true destination, Yugi noticed that Teá, although very far away had her eyes on him. Her look was that of such sorrow it reminded him of the countless orphans he'd seen in his streets. Such sadness. Yugi turned his eyes away with disgust, though he knew that he felt the same way about Yami that Teá did about him. In his eyes her affection to him was grotesquely pathetic. And he stood, wanting to follow Yami, and then Teá fled the castle.
Malik ran his tanned fingers through pale hair and sighed heavily, blowing out nearby candles that re-lit themselves on his command. He was so sure that tonight he would be given some peace and quiet, but it was his own damn fault for not locking the door. He could hide, pretend not to be home. She wouldn't believe it, she'd come to the door, barrel it down and then search for him. The only hiding place he had was under his desk, but it had no front or back so on second thought, he really did have no place to hide. Damn it. Malik sat back on his chair and counted down on his fingers. When his hand made a first the front door burst open. Blowing in fat flakes of heavy snow and another plump flake but she was pregnant and that wasn't kind. Malik snickered as she stood before him, covered in blown snow and frozen tears.
"Teá" Malik said, hiding his cruel grin "What are you doing here?"
Teá frowned horribly; she knew he was laughing at her. She slammed the door behind her and thundered down to the stairs, ripping the masquerade mask off her face and tossing it close to the fire.
"How long have you known?!" She demanded, her voice splintering
"I beg your pard-"
"How long!!" She screamed.
Malik's smile disappeared immediately and he stood, a frown also crawling into his expression.
"All this time, you…" Teá's voice quiet again "watched me fall for Yugi, carry Seto's child and now you hide my husband's relation with another?!"
"My lady-"
"Do you deny it?"
"Teá-"
"Do you deny it?!"
There was a silence he started to move about "I do not deny the knowledge of which you accuse. But he is not your husband, not yet, and he is free to do as he pleases, Yami does please him well doesn't he?"
"Don't you dare make fun of me!" Teá snarled, and upon feeling a sudden woe for herself she dropped onto a dusty chair "This can't be true, it's not possible. He can't love him, the way he loves me. The way he looks at me, the way he talks to me."
"He's a good actor." Malik said offering no sympathy. In pure bluntness he had no sympathy to give. It was no fault except her own, but she wouldn't accept that. Someone else had to take the blame; someone else had to be her scapegoat. Malik watched her for a moment, her sickening state and woe for herself was not refreshing. Malik felt he'd much rather watch a cow give birth than to spend another second with Teá. But Seto offered much gold and a physical bounty.
Teá swallowed heavily, before she bellowed out all her sorrows in a single weeping cry. She brought her hands up to her face and leaned as forward as far as she could. Malik watched her still from where he stood, eyeing her as she moved about in the chair as if with her movement she could change what was happening. He to his own dismay went to her side and placed a cold hand on her shoulder. He didn't want to console her but the sight of her distraught weeping was enough to make anyone sick.
"There, there" he said looking away.
She slipped down onto the floor, grapping at Malik's robes and pulling down on them. She could be quite delirious but Malik could hear the sense in her voice as she pleaded.
"It can't end this way, I can't have it. Yugi has to be mine. I have to have him. Malik you're the only one that can do this. Help me please! It's all Seto's fault, destroy his seed within me! I can't have this baby anymore."
Malik cocked his head to the side "Interesting."
Teá was slightly disgusted "You find my pain fascinating do you?"
"Please do shut up your grace." Malik snarled and stepped back from her, his tone and atmosphere changing the farther he moved from her "To win Yugi's heart…. and truly become his, we remove all of Seto from within you…"
"Yes." Teá said with her lips shaking "I'd rather deceive him, than lose him forever. Just so I can call him mine."
"You're pathetic." Malik sneered.
She watched him, her eyes and nose red and puffy, and streaks of make-up lined her face like jail bars. She was a sorry sight to lay eyes on. Malik turned his head, feeling some voodoo beaded necklaces between his fingers on the stained desk. He sighed.
"What if…" he started, trying to hide a grin. "You were to keep the baby?"
Teá shot up, looking horrified.
"Suppose you could… tell the family, tell them it's Yugi's child that grows within you. Think of the wedding, think of the time you have. You could wed immediately; no others are to have him, to hold him. And he might be yours… right now."
Before Teá knew it he was right in front of her, kneeling on the floor. Staring into her like he could destroy her very life with the power of his eyes, she saw the madness.
"Keep the baby; use the child to make Yugi yours, till death do you part."
Yugi grasped his bedroom door handle and turned it slowly while looking around assuring that no eyes had followed him. It was all quiet in the hall, but the silence was loud to Yugi, and he couldn't hear the mumbles of droll conversations taking place below them. He pulled his door open wide enough to slide in through and shut it behind him as quickly and quietly as possible. After a moment of feeling freedom from his grandfather's rich parties he leaned back against the door frame and pulled the masquerade mask off his face. He turned his head and saw Yami sauntering towards him with a contentment, and yet a hidden sadness in his eyes.
Yugi smiled when Yami stood in front of him, and he reached out to push away the blond strands over his eyes. Yugi took his hand and brought it to his face, feeling his warm hands against his skin.
"I'm sorry I took so long, I hope I haven't kept you waiting…"
"If you took forever, I'd wait for you." Yami said taking his hand back "c'mere."
Yami slid his arms around Yugi's waist and pulled him into a tight hug. The moment felt almost sad, like Yami was clinging to all he had when he gripped the shirt encompassing his lover. Yami's head turned slightly to the side and he closed his eyes, he only wanted to feel. Yugi was almost lifted up off his feet and he rested his head against the nape of Yami's neck. Yugi himself felt the sorrow and let his arms hang from the hug and slowly allowed the mask he still held to slide out of his fingers and drop to the floor. It was so quiet; there was a strange silence in the room where one could hear the veritable pin drop. Yugi's hands came up and hiked over the terrain of Yami's shirt sleeves with hesitation. Yugi couldn't help but feel himself tremble against Yami in fear of being in love with him. He wanted him but was ashamed and nervous all at once. Yami's warm response to his tremble had Yugi wrapping his arms around the knight's neck. The two he started to pace backwards, slowly as if they were both listening for the door, waiting for that sense of urgency to dissipate. Yugi walked with him, stealing the body heat and sad adoration. Then he felt the back of his legs run into the edge of his bed, and the prince lost his balance, falling to a sit near the bedside table.
He broke from Yami's hug and upon looking up to Yami, standing slightly hunched from Yugi's fall, he sensed a cold. Yugi and Yami exchanged a look that could freeze time and the prince reached up. He placed both hands gently on the side of Yami's face and brought him down with a gentile pull. He brought Yami into a kiss soft and luxurious, his sense of awareness inexplicably heightened and Yami brought his knee up onto the bed, setting it firmly down next to Yugi. As he pulled himself up, while allowing Yugi to make room for him, he slid his tall boots off leaving them abandoned at the frame of the bed. Yugi pulled back farther, not letting any space between him and Yami interfere, and rested his back against a horde of pillows. Yami continued attacking the prince's lips, no longer allowing that sadness to take over him. It was replaced with thoughts of Yugi and a passion that was combustible and Yami felt liberated at the sight of Yugi below him. There was a change in Yami's movements and he couldn't help but smile, wanting his passion and happiness to become contagious. Yami's hands parted from Yugi and they went for the tie on his own black shirt.
Yami rested back on his heels as he fought with his shirt. He soon felt Yugi's fingers assisting him in peeling it away from his body. When Yami's chest was free, he brought his hands across and lifted Yugi by his shirt into another kiss. Yugi placed his hands on the top of Yami's bare shoulders and felt the scars of a brutal lashing like the bars of all other outside energy forcing apart this secret love.
With red curtains draped at the head of Yugi's bed, the scene of the lovers pushing aside the laws of what they were supposed to be was exhilarating to them both and it was for only the two share. Yami intruded on Yugi's mouth with his tongue, searching wildly, and he gave back, pushing forward, arching his back, with all the want he had for Yami. Downstairs was more than half the town's finest nobles, judges, lords and ladies enjoying themselves to stupidity and all were unaware and hidden from the prince's true want which lay with him only floors above them. There was a dangerous feeling, a defiance of these strict lines of rule and guides creating repercussions of loss and even death if they were daring to be violated.
A hand glided down Yugi's face over his neck, trailing passed his collar bone and onto his bare chest. The cloth still lined his arms and over his shoulders, with vest undone overtop. They still exchanged vibrant and heated kisses as Yugi attempted to pull the rest of his top clothing off with hands he made free. Yami watched him fervently pull the fancy clothes that adorned him and when he rid himself of him, he tossed them as easily as he would his prestigious title. He brought his hand over Yugi's hips, moving down past his bare navel and to his pants which he wasted no time in undoing. Yugi blushed at Yami's touch, they'd had similar encounters but none such that made Yugi feel so nervous, or even embarrassed. Yami's hand passed down passed an undone leather belt. Yugi's cheeks flushed and he was taken aback by the primal want his body was overcome with. It flooded his entire being and brought his head to Yami's chest while his pants fell past his ankles. He was timid towards this new experience and he moved allowing Yami to sit back and discard his own pants on the floor. Yugi looked at Yami, suddenly his senses of reality hurled down to earth and he flushed with heat. There was a gnawing in the pit of his stomach and Yugi was scared.
Yami took Yugi's hands and kissed them, feeling just as worried as Yugi looked and he took a deep breath. Yugi held Yami up on pedestal and Yami was the one afraid of being subpar this time. He wanted Yugi with every inch of him but waited for Yugi to move first.
Yugi leaned forwards and nuzzled into each other's hands, he was fearful of his future with Yami and wanted to live now, he wanted Yami and he leaned himself back allowing Yami to take Yugi's legs and wrap them over his waist. Without exchanging any words Yami cocked his head to the side and Yugi nodded. Yami watched Yugi frown in the pain as he pushed into him. Yugi let out a hurting growl in his throat and covered his mouth with his hands. Yugi peeled his hands off his mouth as the pain dissolved and brought them to the sheets as the pain came with pleasure.
Yugi squeezed harder at the sheets as he became comfortable with Yami's movements. Yami pulled on Yugi's hips and attempted to conceal a moan as Yugi pressed his body up uncontrollably. Yugi's throaty groans started slow but and he let his head fall back, feeling all his tensions and all his emotions build and tense and he gasped in time with Yami's actions. Yami gripped Yugi's hips and he drove himself to follow his own want that took over his control.
Yami dug his nails into Yugi's hip as there was a pressure, one that lingered before his body twitched and he groaned with his climax splashing a heat inside Yugi. The warmth and continuing thrust in Yugi allowed that build to explode and he cried out squeezing his legs around Yami's waist while covering the sound escaping his lips.
Yami, with beads of sweat that had formed on his forehead, dropped down onto Yugi and gave him a comforting kiss to conceal guilt of the moment before satisfaction took over them. Yami wrapped his legs around Yugi's and tucked him into a hug that soon lulled them into a dangerous sleep.
Yugi stood in the once again crowded ballroom, listening, watching. It had been just eleven days since Solomon threw his grand party and since they began Yugi had seen less and less of Yami. His company was soon Teá almost every second of everyday. Her sudden indifference towards him took him by a light surprise but her quite and broken self was more appealing to him than how she really was.
Tonight was especially gruesome to endure, for not only hours ago at breakfast Teá held announced to Solomon, Mai and her father that her love for Yugi could not be contained and they had dabbled in the fields of physical pleasure and Teá, their future queen was expecting. When Solomon, enraged as ever questioned Yugi of this matter, the prince was too shocked to speak even the smallest of words. Yugi was confused, shocked and insulted all at once and Gozaburo's fury did not aid in calming himself as well and when Gozaburo spoke ill against him, Yugi snapped in a way he'd never heard in his own voice."Do not speak so harshly to me when it was your harlot of a daughter who kept this secret!" Yugi remembered saying.
Teá filled the room again with a her quiet voice "I have never felt worse than having to keep this secret as my own, but Yugi can be coroneted immediately and we can be wed. He can finish his training in secret, and the kingdom may never know and when the child is born everything shall be as it is."
The dining room was taken over by a horrid silence and it was Solomon who first spoke up, after looking at Yugi with enough shame to break his very soul.
"There is nothing else that can be done. Yugi and Teá will have to wed as soon as we return from Egypt."
Yugi was slightly relieved that would not be wed that evening, it gave him time, time to talk to Yami- to explain how their lives were to fall apart.
Yugi took a long blink and as Gozaburo explained to him the shame, the humiliation he felt of that morning. How Yugi should only felt blessed that only that family knows of his transgressions. Yugi looked up as Solomon was about to join them to announce some sort of Christmas Day's Eve celebration.
Yugi turned, and stated to the other king simply "and here I never thought I could fall further in your eyes…"
Gozaburo turned to Yugi- his eyes focused and set on the people celebrating before them. The pain in his eyes was hidden by his disdain and his indifference towards the king at that moment and Gozaburo frowned before him.
Yugi stepped off the raised platform disregarding Gozaburo's harsh words which he assumed were soon to follow and he pardoned himself from Solomon's sight as his grandfather passed him. He could barely hear what Gozaburo told Solomon over the voices of hundreds but as so many times before he assumed he spoke the worst of him.
Yugi made his way into the gathering of people that had come to attend a grand party- when inside he felt the party just as hollow as he. Adorned with fancy clothes, gloves belts and other such accouterments that were appealing to the eye and any other beholder but underneath it- Yugi had never been so troubled, or felt so hideous. He pushed his way past his people, not caring to excuse himself- they pardoned themselves for him, Yugi hated it, he hated everything. He broke free from the Ballroom that had been taken over by celebration and found an escape in a en empty hallway just to the left, by the stairs. He shut the wooden door behind him and walked down the dark hall only the moonlight to colour the tiles before him. He stopped then, and stood in the hallway, in the silence of the dark.
A hand grasped his shoulder and Yugi jumped turning to see Yami's solemn face in the dark, every bad feeling, and ever ill thought dropped and Yugi wrapped his arms around his neck.
"You scared me."
"I've been looking everywhere for you-" Yami said pushing back on his shoulders to look at him in the eye.
"I have to talk to you"
"Shhh" Yami brought a finger to his lips and tugged at Yugi's arm pulling him into the closest room.
He shut the door behind him and flicked the lock and immediately pulled Yugi down on top of him. It was times like this that at time got Yugi through the day, to know that Yami was waiting to hold him, to make love to him. Yugi forgot immediately what he had to talk about as Yami brought him down into a kiss, his hands running through his hair. Yugi felt himself become tense with arousal as the moment and the heat robbed his mind.
"Yami… please-" Yugi begged, not wanting to stand it any longer.
Yami under Yugi's weight struggled to lower his pants before Yugi hand managed to remove himself of his own. Without warning or hesitation Yami felt Yugi push into him and Yami allowed a surprised grunt to escape through his throat. Yami grabbed onto the floor, his fingers digging into the tile as louder and louder groans came through with every thrust Yugi was able to give. Yugi could feel sweat bead on his forehead and could feel himself tensing up again. Yami raised his arms and clawed at the back of Yugi's clothes as he could feel himself climaxing faster that he expected. Yami let his head fall back as the final explosion shuddered through his entire body and it wasn't long before Yugi felt the same- moaning louder than he should. Yugi slowed as his body no longer allowed him to move and he pulled back, resting on his heels.
Yami pulled up his pants, tightening his belt again. "We have to stop meeting this way,"
Yugi nodded and hugged Yami from behind. "I know. And I'm sorry- I missed you today." Yami turned to face him and Yugi let his teacher kiss him lightly before Yugi pulled back. "I should get back."
Yugi pulled on the door handle and just as the door was pulled from the frame Yugi laid eyes upon Teá. The two stared into each other's faces for a horrified moment and Teá retracted her hand from the knob she was reaching for. Her eyes went wide and shock stole all colour from her face as she rested her sight upon the scene. Yami was in the room behind Yugi, she saw him, standing there looking at her- she didn't want to believe it. The letter, the suspicion it was all true. Teá backed away from the door and Yugi moved out after her.
Teá's first reaction to him as he reached for her was to bring her hand up and strike Yugi across the face, as hard as she could with the wedding ring upon her finger. As Yugi recovered from the strike she picked up her dress and left as quickly as possible, humiliation and devastation racking in her gut and Yugi sprinted after her.
"Teá wait, Teá stop! Listen to me!"Yugi commanded and took hold her wrist just as she burst back into the ballroom.
They both stopped as the whole room set eyes on them. More than a hundred eyes scanning them, waiting for their flaws to break free and that's when everything kept locked up and secret split out in front of them for everyone to see. Yugi looked up to his people, an unusual silence filling the room like poisonous gas before he came out from the crowd to welcome the future rulers.
"There you are, I have been begging the majesty to allow me to announce the good news," a delicious and decadent voice echoed through the ballroom.
Teá blinked completely dumbfounded at how he even got close enough to the castle to be considered invited to the party. "M-Malik" She blurted out surprised.
"My goodness, your grace, you're trembling." Malik grinned taking her and Yugi by the wrist "Come, how can you not share the glorious news."
Malik released them at the throne and took a magnificent bow before Gozaburo, Solomon and Mai. Gozaburo stood immediately upon laying his eyes on Malik.
"Malik" Gozaburo's voice rang aloud with both surprise and rage. "How dare yo-"
"How dare I?" Malik played "How dare you, for not sharing this beautiful news, highness"
Mai stood by Gozaburo "Your Majesty who is this creature?!"
Malik took the drink from her hand as he hopped onto the platform "This creature, my beauty, is a humble and gracious servant of his majesty."
"I want him removed!" Gozaburo snarled to Bakura who had been placed on duty by Seto to stand guard by him that evening.
"Oh Please Gozaburo! All is forgiven, let bygones be bygones and all that…" Malik smiled and raised Mai's glass high into the air. "Lords and Ladies, people of Lord Solomon--"
Upon hearing Malik voice, Seto stood from his chair not far from the throne and watched the bejeweled fool joke about, making the towns people laugh. In the group of Townspeople was Yami watching Malik- stupidly in love with Yugi and feeling as if nothing could destroy their bond. Seto would never again feel such pleasure as watching Yami being stripped of all he had. Seto found him in the crowd, moving closer to the thrones as Malik entertained the people.
"It is my personal pleasure to announce to you all, that inside the belly of this lovely, fragile creature" Malik said grabbing Teá's hand as he snatched her up onto the platform with him, placing his hand firmly upon her stomach, "grows an heir to the throne of Moto."
The room was deaf with silence before a great cheer erupted from the people. The city was blessed with an heir to the throne after Yugi, and Malik leant towards the prince suggestively as though to whisper however much to Yugi's dismay Malik shouted loud enough for all to hear.
"You don't waste time do you my boy?" Licking his lips, Malik grabbed Teá and pulled her close to his loins, grinding into her vulgarly as he and the crowd laugh mirthfully before pushing her off and taking a gulp of wine.
"I shall have you killed this time you wretch!" Gozaburo said before Malik
Malik smiled slyly "Too bad, I'd so have loved to have gotten my hands on that lovely wife of yours…on the dfance floor of course. "
Teá looked to Seto as she watched him and Yami approach quickly, a hand over her lips and Mai at her shoulders quickly to assist her poor daughter struck with such social embarrassment. Seto knelt before her.
"My dear sister, are you alright?" He asked and Teá felt a rush of tears flood her eyes. Seto turned, flashing an acted anger at Malik. "Remove him from her sight!"
Bakura took Malik by the hands and removed him, as Solomon rubbed at his face with his hands, what a disgrace.
"I-Is this true my lords?" Yami questioned, mainly to Solomon and Gozaburo, his forlorn gaze darting now and then to Yugi
Gozaburo did not answer and Solomon turned to Yugi, who then locked eyes with his lover. He looked at him for a moment- bewilderment and force cause his eye to grow red with hot tears. He had to lie to him- before his family- he had to lie to protect him, to lose him.
"Is this true your highness?" Yami asked Yugi
Yugi exhaled and a single tear slid from his eye "…yes."
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Note: Finally! A post!! I am SO SORRY that it's taken so long. It's been haunting my dreams and it was a slow process and it got stuck during the first love scene because I had a half case of writers block and then I got sick and then excuses excuses! Lol I do feel really bad that I haven't posted but I hope you guys can live with this for a while I guaruntee that I will post my next chapter before Christmas- hopefully sooner if my computer stops freezes. Thanks for being so patient with me I totally don't deserve you're loyal reading.