Well, ok...just a quick reminder...
To those who read chapter 13 the whole way through before this change was made, you will not need to read this (unless you want to XD), as it is just the second half of the original chapter 13.
To anyone else who hasn't read it, then please enjoy! ^-^ I reeeaally hope this turned out good!
Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh or any of it's characters...however, the song in this belongs to me...no pinchy! ^^
chapter 14:
He had no idea how long they walked for, it seemed almost an eternity. But then, he couldn't care less.
This was a strange situation just following the tall male through the dark forest. They must have been pretty deep into it by now, and Yami's stomach was attempting to make him feel anxious again, whilst his feet berated him for absently dropping his shoes back on the beach!
It didn't stop him from following Seto though, the taller male's steps so strong and confident that there was no doubt he knew exactly where he was going.
Still, there was no way the brunette would go through all this for something small.
What was so important to him?
He stopped almost in time with his rival, who had paused as a natural fork appeared. He watched as the ceo's head slowly drifted between the two directions.
Had Seto forgotten the way to his destination?
No...Yami reaconed Seto knew exactly where each path led, and was simply contemplating which destination he wanted to choose. Whilst waiting, his eyebrows bent a little as he thought he could hear water running not too far away.
He quickly turned his attention back as Kaiba finally made his choice, taking the right path, which headed up a small slope. Yami felt a short pang of disappointment, since he'd rather hoped Seto would pick the left path, which instead was down hill.
He grinned to himself, tempted to laugh at how lazy he could be sometimes.
He followed along on the grassy path, his eyes adjusted to the dark, though without the moonlight filtering in from somewhere, he didn't doubt it would be far harder to make this trip. He noted absently how the path curved around a bit, and that the sound of water was getting louder.
The trees around him quite abruptly vanished, as they came to a narrow clearing, where a stream was flowing gracefully right down the middle. Yami looked on in awe, stunned by just how clear the water was even at night. As he moved closer, he noticed...and rather liked...how even though it stayed in the centre of the clearing, there were gentle curves all along, and tiny drops in the level of the ground made minature waterfalls here and there.
Not that he'd seen too many streams or rivers before, but this subtle little version had to be the most pleasant one so far.
"This is beautiful..." He whispered absently.
"Try it."
Yami looked around to Seto, unsure of his meaning.
"Have a drink."
Blinking in suprise, Yami looked back down to the stream, before he knelt on the bank, and cupped his hands, letting them glide slowly into the water. He flinched as his fingers just about froze.
'So, something so innocent does have some bite to it? I suppose I should know better...considering I've got Yugi.'
He raised his hands and brought the clear liquid to his lips, closing his eyes as he lent his head back.
It trickled down his throat like tiny drops straight from a peice of ice, and caused him to shiver as he felt it slide all the way to his stomach. But despite the tempurature, he could only feel a calm pleasure as he looked back to Seto.
"It's so fresh..."
"It comes from a spring high up on one of the mountains behind the town." Kaiba answered calmly, and copied his rival, kneeling down to take a drink of the liquid ice.
As he stood, Yami thought about what he knew on rivers, and a sad look flashed through his eyes momentarily.
"Does it just end up in the ocean?" He whispered.
"Eventually." Seto answered also standing.
Maybe he was imagining it, but Yami thought he heard the tiniest spark of disaproval in the ceo's voice.
Did he also think it was a shame that such unique beauty would eventually wind up being swallowed into the massive sea?
He couldn't tell just by looking at the sapphires...since they were turned away from him again. Instead, he just followed their gaze, and blinked as he saw that further down...in the direction that they'd come from...it looked like the stream vanished. He tilted his head curiously, before a glimpse of movement made him look back to Seto casually...
...He almost didn't catch his tongue in time.
Kaiba had pulled his shirt off his shoulders, and was...oh so casually...letting it slide down his arms, revealing the lean, powerful muscles of his back. Yami kept his hand clamped visciously hard over his mouth, but his eyes wouldn't work with him and look away. He desperately tried to stop his mind from making small, unnecessary observations, like how the smooth skin wasn't quite as pale against his as he'd originally thought, Yami's just having a slight tan that Kaiba's didn't.
His will power was the only thing that stopped him from biting his own finger to avoid gasping when Kaiba's shirt hit the ground, and he proceeded to slip his white pants down his legs. Using all the strength he could muster, he finally managed to turn his gaze away, though when he glanced back, he was at least a bit relieved to know Kaiba wasn't going to remove the long dark blue swim trunks he'd had on hidden beneath his pants.
Instead, the brunette stepped carefully into the stream, which wasn't very deep, only coming up to the tall male's knees. Yami just stared at him dumbfounded.
"Seto that water's freezing!"
The sapphires turned to face him, and Yami was taken back by the look he was given. It wasn't so much angry as just plain uncaring. Seto must have been able to feel the icy water, but it was as if he purely and bluntly didn't give a damn.
"I told you there was no point before..." Seto whispered, before turning and walking slowly through the stream.
Yami went to ask what he meant, but then remembered how his rival had declined sitting by the fire earlier.
So he'd planned to come out here all along?
Though the cold didn't bother him the same as it did Yugi or his grandpa, he really didn't like the sound of purposely stepping into the arctic water.
'I...I can't...can I? This would never have bothered me in the past...no, calm down...it means nothing more than keeping your clothes dry...'
Taking a deep breath, Yami began to remove his own clothes, pulling the hoody over his head, and letting his jeans drop, now eternally grateful that he'd kept his swim trunks on. He gripped his necklace protectively, not sure if he should take it, but not having the courage to leave it behind.
He refused to step into the water, and instead walked along the bank, staying close to Seto.
'Typical. Just when I start being comfortable whenever I'm around him, Kaiba just has to throw a new element in to make things awequard.'
Only the wind through the leaves, and the water shifting where Seto walked broke the silence they maintained along the stream.
Quick glances showed Yami the focus in Seto's eyes, but still...at this rate he'd never figure out what was going on!
The walk was longer than it first appeared, but eventually they came to where the water seemed to be vanishing.
And no wonder why...it really was disappearing! It fell from a short cliff straight down into an opening in the ground.
Just infront of the minture waterfall was another opening. This one however, was on a slope, and was big enough for a person to walk inside.
Uncertain but not overly suprised, Yami watched as Seto jumped down the small cliff, his legs long enough to do so without a hastle. He himself was a bit more careful on the way down, though it still took him practically no effort at all.
The cave before them was dark, and so he didn't let himself fall far behind the ceo, having no desire to loose sight of him as he walked in as confidently as if he was at school or at his job. Not nearly as relaxed, Yami couldn't say it was pleasant...the ground was slippery and the dim light actually irritated his eyes, but he kept his footing and didn't let seto out of his sight.
All the time they kept moving, he noted that the rushing of water was still present, and eventually, Yami had to look up in puzzlement, as he was certain he now heard it coming from above. It was weird and somewhat unerving.
Finally, the ground levelled out, and Yami felt his eyes light up in amazement.
The sound of water coming from above wasn't a trick or an echo, it was the stream running through some unseen passage to end here, where it cascaded down in small, multiple waterfalls so smoothly that they seemed like pale blue silk curtains hanging from somewhere above, whilst each disappeared into it's own hole within the ground.
Feeling as if he'd just stepped into a mystical place far beyond earth, Yami followed each step of the ceo's, the brunnette flickering in and out of his sight around the water, until the small ones vanished, giving way to where the cave disappeared, leaving a wide exit, the outside world hidden by a thin veil of water.
The much larger waterfall wasn't roaring or pounding, instead, there was just a calm gushing sound from where it joined another unseen body of water.
Despite being so crystal clear, the rushing motion still made it impossible to see just what lay beyond. It merely teased with a blur of colours that failed to present a clear image.
'The cave that the stream fell into back outside mustn't go as deep as this one, and followed some underground passage that got into the rocks above us...'
Lightly scolding himself for trying to interpret mother nature's fine work of art, Yami turned his attention back to his true reason for being here.
"Seto...?"
Said teen had stopped just infront of the waterfall, and slowly looked around at the quiet call. The blue orbs shined even in this dimlight, and the forgein softness within them told Yami that they'd finally arrived. Whatever Kaiba was seeking lay just beyond the penetrable wall.
Their eyes stayed connected for a short period that neither counted, a feeling of anxiousness circling them both. Yami knew it wasn't just his nerves at seeing whatever it was that was hidden...he could feel nerves of equal strength coming from Kaiba, and in that instant, he came to realise that whatever it was...
...he was the first one to see it.
Seto had never shown anyone else.
Whatever the silent message that passed through them translated as, it ended gracefully, and seto turned...disappearing through the makeshift curtain.
Feeling honoured by the knowledge that had just come to him, Yami followed without hesitation...well...atleast until he got to the waterfall itself. He could have kicked himself as he looked up and down the cascading water, feeling the same kind of expression a child might wear if they whined 'do I have to...?' grow on his face.
He was three quarters naked, and the night air was cold enough without him getting wet! If he'd known he'd be faced with this, he might as well have just walked in the stream!
Scolding himself harsher this time, he took a deep breath, and raised his hand to step through, when he glanced to the side. A narrow gap seperated the rocky wall and the water, and a small ledge granted a pathway out the side.
Feeling like a silly child, but none the less praising Ra, he quickly scooted over and pressed his back against the wall. Keeping his body as flat as possible, he slid his feet across the smooth ledge, cringing here and there when spray hit his skin.
'I don't care how much you like the cold Kaiba...there's no way this water didn't freeze you as well!' He thought bitterly.
As he came out from behind the waterfall, the end of the ledge widdened slightly, just enough that he could balance without pressing him against the rocks at his back.
However...he could've almost fallen in when he raised his ruby eyes to see what greeted him.
He was standing within a large clearing, circled so neatly by tall, lush trees, almost like the collumns one saw in greek arctitecture. The ground was a beautiful green carpet of long, visibly soft grass. The waterfall itself fell into a beautiful half moon lake that took up a large part of the clearing, and upon either side, smaller falls like the ones inside fell from where water divided above, and ran down rocks that jutted out from the main wall, like a frame to the centre peice.
Small rocks sat like jewels within a crown through the lake, and upon one of these in front of the waterfall, stood Seto, his gaze staring up high to where the water came rushing out of the rocky wall.
No..He was staring higher...to the sky glistening with more stars than Yami had ever seen at once, even if the moon's light over powered those closest to it.
Yami was too captured in the beauty of this place to even care why they were here anymore. If the only reason was to experience such tranquil elegance, then this whole journey was completely worth it.
Minding his step, he used the rocks as stepping stones, and made his way towards Seto, stopping upon the one closest to the ceo. He turned to face the massive body of water, and also stared up, feeling the power of even such a subtle waterfall. He'd never been this close to one before, and not putting up any resistance to his curiousity, he raised his hand up above his head, and slid it into the liquid wall.
The little rivers that formed their paths down his arm made him shiver, but he held on a bit longer, until he pulled back, cupping the hand to his mouth, and drinking the small pool of water in his palm.
It was still as sweet and fresh as back up at the stream.
He looked back to seto, again just watching as the brunette raised his own arms, cupped his hands, and used them to direct a small stream of water down to his face. The sapphires closed again, and once more, Seto seemed barely aware that he wasn't alone in the world.
Yami might have been upset by that, if he wasn't so focused on the fact that he'd never seen Seto so relaxed before tonight.
The beautiful teen was making no effort to hide how much he obviously liked the caress of the water. He looked so peaceful and natural...
...he...he looked...
...He looked just the way Yami felt when gazing upon fire.
'Seto...'
If was as if the moonlight shining down upon the clearing, was bringing something into view that even the powerful sunlight had failed to.
Yami turned more to face Seto, his eyes wide with realisation. He had always...and he knew he wasn't the only one...assosciated Kaiba with the element of ice.
'But ice...ice is really...'
Ice was nothing more than frozen water. The very same element in it's coldest, hardest form. Melt it, and it revealed it's softer side. Water could be cold and merciless...but it could also be gentle and soothing. In the form of ice, it could be unbreakable and stand against whatever force came at it...but as water, it could flow and adapt...accept whatever came it's way.
This water...
This was Seto.
In his truest form of all.
'Seto...this is who he truly is...his spirit flows and adapts to whatever challenge greets it, just like water, weither he needs to be able to work around the challenge, or become like solid ice and stand firm to meet it head on. It's like how I can't stand to be contained or suffocated...why I fear the thought of being held down...just like fire...'
A small gasp left the pharaoh as he remembered something, and clenching his hand for just a moment, he looked back up to the ceo, silently cursing that he would risk ruining this perfect moment.
"Seto...where does...the water continue to the sea?" He asked merely to break the silence, looking around but unable to see where the water continued it's journey.
"It flows underground through a small passage at the bottom of the lake, and comes back up at a spring not too far from the beach...that's where most people believe it to start." Seto answered almost absently.
However, there was a very clear hint in his tone that he knew that wasn't the thing Yami actually wanted to talk about, and so the pharaoh gave himself a light, mental shove, and got on with it.
"Seto, yesterday..." He paused, but only to find his words, "...Were you really...not angry?"
"What exactly were you expecting me to be angry about?"
Yami turned his body to face the ceo properly.
"You know what."
Unexpectedly, it was as if all of Yami's emotions came rushing up at once, and he fought to contain them.
"It's something I haven't told anyone...not...not even Yugi. I don't know why I haven't, but that's how it is!"
"Wow. So you do actually keep something to yourself?" Came the unsuprising sarcasm.
"Stop it Seto." Yami answered trying to keep calm, "You left the club acting like you were angry at me, but you still say that you weren't. I wanted to try and get past it, but how can I when I still don't understand your reaction?"
"What buisness of mine is it what you do with your spare time?"
The ceo's uncaring sarcasm was truly frustrating.
"Because I thought...!" Yami began, pausing to lower his voice and gaze, trying not to lose control, "...because I thought...out of everyone I know..."
He bit his lip, not wanting to finish.
"You thought I'd be the one person who wouldn't accept you were capable of something so different from dueling." Kaiba finished for him, his rival's silence acknowledging that to be the right answer, "Yet again you pressume something about me. Why should I care if you can dance?"
Yami just didn't answer, not sure what to say, just upset that the tranquil mood was disappearing.
Seto's eyes shifted to him when he didn't get some sort of retort, and the brunette gave a sigh.
"Are you really so desperate to know why I don't care?"
Yami looked back up at the serious whisper, and knew there was no sarcasm this time. Taking a silent, deep breath, he forced his emotions right back, and his posture changed as his look did, to firm, bold and strong, his eyes giving the only answer Seto would need, the ceo able to feel the gaze without looking.
"Then look for the reason I came here, and maybe you'll find out."
Yami could only blink in suprise as seto looked right around at him, a spark of amusement within his eyes, though they still remained very much serious.
"If you can find it, then it's not that hard to figure out."
With that, the ceo looked away, clearly telling his rival to get started. Yami could only stare around the clearing in puzzlement.
Find what exactly?
Just what was he supposed to be looking for? He couldn't see anything that stuck out.
'I don't suppose it's just the scenery by chance?'
Knowing this wasn't going to be easy, Yami took a deep breath, and began his search. He stepped carefully over each rock in the lake, crouching to check the clear water in case this so called secret was beneath the surface.
He made his way back behind the waterfall, checking there though not going too far from the clearing.
When that failed to present any clues, he went back out, again avoiding the water the best he could, and slowly made his way over to the land. The grass was almost silky on his feet, tempting him to just lay down and stare at the sky.
Grinning ever so slightly, he pushed the thought under the 'try it later' list, and kept searching around.
He must have inspected the entire area for about twenty minutes. He checked everything thoroughly, doing his best to make sure he didn't miss anything.
'The answer is suppose to be clear if I can find the clue...but just what am I looking for? What would bring Seto here?'
Frustrated, he sat down against a tree, desciding to take a break from looking and try thinking instead. The area was very calming, and allowed him to clear his mind.
Seto bought this area and the land around it, and that stopped others from destroying it. But what for? Did he want to protect this area? I can understand why others would want to keep this place safe, but seto would have some other reason for it...what would be so important to him?'
Sighing heavily, he leant back against the tree, closing his eyes as one hand ran through his hair, the other tracing over the natural dents and lumps of the bark on the tree behind him.
He could almost have chuckled at how strange it felt under his fingers, mother nature really was a funny artist. It just felt so weird...
...infact, something just didn't feel right.
Opening his eyes and frowning, He moved back and looked to where his fingers were. Beneath them upon the bark, there were marks that were definately NOT natural.
Something was carved there, and quite low down the trunk, as if it had been done at a child's level. He shifted so he could see the mark better. It definately wasn't new...this must have been done years ago, but still he could make out the symbol. It was a kanji that he knew all too well.
"Otouto?"
The kanji for little brother? Just what was it doing...?
The answer slapped Yami hard in the face, and he couldn't believe his slowness.
What in kami's name was more important to Seto!
"Seto!" He called from where he was sitting.
The ceo didn't react, but Yami knew he'd heard.
"Mokuba! This place...it has something to do with him right! Did he ask you to protect it?"
"Mokuba has only been here once in his life, and he wouldn't remember it." Seto answered calm and blunt.
Yami felt dishearted, and dropped his gaze, but only for a moment, as seto's words didn't leave his mind when he expected them to.
'A place he'll buy but won't use...that he'll keep how it is...a place important to him...somewhere that Mokuba has been...only once...and wouldn't...remember..."
A loud gasp left him, one that must have been heard all over the clearing, as at that moment, Seto turned to face him, his eyes acknowledging the realisation in the ruby eyes that stared back at him.
"You see where you're sitting right now?" He called back, his voice low, but in the quiet clearing, it was still loud enough, "Right there...is where I saw my brother open his eyes for the first time."
"Seto..." Yami barely managed to respond, watching as the ceo stared back up towards the waterfall.
"This place...this...is where Mokuba was born."
Yami felt a strange sence of peace wash over him, as an internal warmth began flowing through his body. Without really intending, but in no way resisting, he began to move back towards the lake, his steps slow as he moved over the rocks, though it was as if he barely noticed himself doing so.
"This is why you bought the land...?" He whispered when he was barely a metre from the ceo, "...You bought the entire area so no one would find this place? And possibly destroy it?"
"I told you my reasons were selfish...didn't I?" The ceo whispered in return, the sapphire eyes glowing with emotions Yami knew he'd never seen before...memories visible only to Seto made their presence known within the orbs.
the brunnette looked back to the waterfall once more, and took in a quiet breath. Yami just waited in silence for whatever the ceo was going to say.
When the words came, he could only be left absolutely speechless, the knowledge of where he was, why he was there, and anything else but the person in front of him, and the voice in his ears...forgotten.
"This night of ice,
freezes my heart...
reminding me,
not all is well.
I cannot close my ears
to silence...
nor can I run from
the screams.
I hold on...
I hold on...
I cannot ever let go..."
Yami felt himself drawing in breath until his chest was expanded to it's limit, though it still tried to pull in more air.
"And now...
And now...
I fear that sadness,
the sympathy that
should not be mine.
Let me be strong...
if only for this night."
"Its a shame, but as you see, Niisan doesn't like me playing this cassette outside my room anymore..."
"Why not?"
"Oh? You can't tell? It's because..."
'it's because...' Yami whispered in his own mind, as the memory that seemed so long ago now returned.
"Brighter than the sun
up high...
More than the stars
in the sky...
No greater light
have I seen...
than that which I saw,
when you opened your eyes."
The song that Yami had fallen in love with the first time he'd heard it, and still lost himself in whenever he listened to it, remained unchanged from word to word...
...not even the voice was different.
The song died away at that point, not to be completed, but the same magic it seemed to create hung in the air, as Seto turned to meet the ruby eyes staring in nothing short of awe at him.
"...Still think I should care that you can dance?" Came the quiet whisper.
Yami thought he might cry, and though he would of course know better later, for this one blissful moment in time...
...he loved the person standing before him.
Smooth, pale skin glowing in the moonlight...spray from the waterfall making his face and hair shimmer...and sapphires that shone with more warmth than anything in the clearing.
The warmth drew him closer...he longed for it...he was desperate for it, so he could bid farewell to the cold embracing his body...
...and imprisoning his soul.
"GAH!"
The blissful little dreamland he'd stepped into was gone in a flash the way a dream always was, as Yami's lack of focus caused him to lose his footing on the smooth, wet rock.
Luckily for him, the rude interuption also vanished quick enough, as he felt a familiar grip enclose around his arm, and yank him forward.
It was just like the time in the elevator...except this time, instead of being thrown against a cold, steel wall, he was pulled into a warm, firm chest.
Never before had it been so very clear to Yami just how tall and strong Seto was, and yet it didn't bother him in the slightest. Of course he'd always stressed that there wasn't such a thing as a perfect person...but damn did the brunette come close!
The skin against the side of his face was smooth but firm where it hid the powerful muscles, which though subtle in appearance, always caught others off guard if challenged. He'd seen the result of such ill judgement in the past, and it made him smile that he could feel that same strength in a much more pleasant way.
The arm around his waiste held him securely, but without hurting him, as it kept him upon the rock that wasn't quite big enough to accomodate two people.
Seto's other hand was still clutching his arm where he'd caught him, and it seemed almost like the ceo wasn't planning to let go.
Not that Yami would at all mind if that was his intention. After just finding out that his favourite voice belonged to the one he might as well call his dream guy, he had no real desire to move from his current position.
He probably should have atleast tried...
A most familiar and chilling sound caught his attention then, and dread filled his stomach as he suddenly saw his situation in a very different view.
There was no mistaking what he'd heard either...he could never mistake Seto's cruel chuckle.
'Kuso...what have I just gotten myself into?'
Something was coming...and it was highly probable he wasn't going to like it!
...ok...he KNEW he wasn't going to!
The arm supporting him suddenly tightened, and a small gasp left him as he felt his feet leave the rock, only the tips of his toes keeping any sort of contact.
However, it was only afterwards when he felt a peculiar sensation that he realised just what was going on.
'Oh shit!'
Seto was quite intentionally...falling backwards!
Only a very short, paniced cry had time to excape Yami, before the ceo crashed back into the water, taking the past life pharaoh with him.
When the initial crashing of man made waves faded, only ripples and rising bubbles caused anymore interuptions to the melody of nature...at least until Yami burst back through the surface, his almighty curse echoing through the forest and rising to the heavens to disturb the gods from their slumber.
IT WAS SO COLD!
Gasping in shock, he hastily pulled himself up onto the nearest rock, squeezing his entire body upon the tiny sanctuary. He sat there shaking, his eyes wide and his teeth on the brink of chattering.
As he sat there hunched over, panting to regain the breath the freezing water had knocked out of him, his ruby eyes watched as the culprit for his current condition rose up through the surface with such grace that merely a few ripples were formed.
That face that had previously been so calm and gentle...couldn't be more smug and amused.
Yami glared back at him furiously, his teeth now gritted in anger instead.
Typical. The one night he really makes a fuss about the cold, and it comes back to haunt him!
Seto just raised an eyebrow at him, still clearly laughing internally. Yami could have slapped him if he was in arm's reach!
Now that he thought about it...maybe that's exactly what Kaiba was wanting him to do.
His actions and expressions were like a challenge, and now the ceo was calmly tredding water, waiting to see how his rival responded to said challenge.
That fact didn't really destroy Yami's anger...more correctly, it changed it to will power.
Seto already knew how he was going to react...he was simply taking his chance to nudge at his ego until he responded.
'Well Seto...if you're so eager then how can I deny? I'm already wet and cold anyway...'
Pushing himself up onto his feet, he suddenly sprang off the rock, right at the brunnette, and knocked straight into him, sending them both back under the freezing water.
Again there was a moment of peace, before the surface was broken again, this time by Seto.
The young male calmly wiped the excess water from his face, before looking around for his rival.
Except Yami was no where in sight.
Frowning in the way he would when contemplating an opponent's next move, he smoothly glided through the water, his eyes scanning the crystal like lake for anything out of the ordinary.
Inhaling lightly, he slipped under the surface, and swam beneath the waterfall to rise back up in the small gap between the cascading liquid and the cave.
He hauled himself back up into the dark passage with ease, immediately going on alert as he examined the area, his eyes narrowing in suspision.
He didn't deny Yami was quick, and there was no doubt to him that the smaller teen could have swam away and gotten past the waterfall out of view before seto had resurfaced.
However, he spotted nothing, and turned to exit the cave again.
Immediately...
...wasn't quick enough to realise his mistake.
He swiftly turned back, just as Yami burst through one of the smaller falls, and charged right into the taller male.
The sheer size difference didn't stop the force behind the tackle from knocking Seto clean off the ledge, sending him back through the cascading wall behind him.
Whilst Seto was clearly caught of guard, Yami could only smirk, making sure his hands were clutching tightly to the ceo's waiste.
He breathed in deeply, just before they crashed into the lake once more. The moment they were fully submerged, he pulled the still stunned ceo right against him, placed his mouth to the bare skin of the brunette's stomach, and forced out all the air he'd been holding.
A drowned out cry of shock caused the taller male to loose all his own air, and the next thing, Yami's wrists were caught by an unforgiving force, and wrenched from the slim body.
The ceo pushed him away hard, and swam back up. Yami got struck lightly on the side by one of the long legs as it kicked through the water. It was just enough to make him wince, but not enough to make him loose his grin as he quickly rose back up for air.
The second he'd taken a gulp of the clean, fresh oxygen, he greeted Seto with the very same, dark smirk he'd received before.
"What the hell was that!" The brunnette bellowed at him.
"My best tecnique against Yugi." Yami answered almost laughing, his cruel grin only widdening.
Then something he really wasn't expecting happened...
Kaiba's hand struck down into the water like a spear, pushed foward through it, and sent a wave at Yami as it came back up.
The ruby eyed teen raised his arm instinctively, startled by the action, but his smirk just changed to a frown, and he was fast to splash back. Kaiba raised his own arm in defense, and retaliated with equal speed.
To anyone else, a splashing fight between the world's top two duelists would seem quite unusual, but such a fact was unimportant to either of them.
They were rivals.
Competition was the origional reason for them even being aware of the other's existence.
If all else failed...even if this enchanting relationship didn't last...the bond created by their respect as competitors would always be there.
The proof was in the way they just naturally continued to battle even when they both were out of anger. They would test each other's speed and skill...battle with the mind and see who was the quicker thinker, and who would realise what the other would do before it was too late.
Seto would catch Yami off guard by moving towards the smaller male, making him instinctively back up, until he yelped in suprise as he suddenly found himself under the downpour of water, and Yami in return would dive under...kick off the rocky wall behind him, and grab the ceo's legs, swiftly pulling him under.
Neither relented, and both attacked with all their force each time, even when they began to tire.
When they at last did stop, it was mutual, a simple contact between their eyes the only sign of agreement they needed to descide they should call it quites before they wound up drowning themselves.
Yami hated to tear his eyes away, and only did so in order to get back to the bank. He dragged himself up, unbothered by the grass and dirt that automatically stuck to his hands and legs, before he rolled onto his back. He laid there, gently bringing his breathing under control as he waited for the exhaustion to pass.
He felt movement beside him, and heard Kaiba's quiet, controlled breathing.
At any other time he might have considered it weird, or possibly even jumped at the way they were laying so close to one another, but right now, nothing felt wrong about it.
"Seto, may I ask? Why haven't you ever brought Mokuba back here?" He asked quietly when he was able.
He could feel the way the ceo tensed beside him, and looked around in suprise. The sapphires were glaring at the sky, but Yami didn't miss the spark of hurt shining faintly through the barrier of anger and stubborness.
"I'm sorry, you don't have to say." He quickly spoke, looking up to the sky, realising the innocent sounding question must have hit the nerve of another, not so joyous topic.
"You don't understand it do you...?"
He glanced back at the unexpected whisper.
"Understand what?"
Seto released a weak sigh.
"...Say the first part of the song..."
Yami blinked, unsure what that had to do with it, but trusted Seto and narrowed his eyes as he thought about it.
"This..." He paused, momentarily forgetting the words that had pretty much been implanted in his mind otherwise;
"This night of ice,
freezes my heart...
reminding me,
not all is well."
His eyes widdened slightly.
"Did something else happen here?" He spoke in a hushed voice.
Kaiba unclenched his fists, though it seemed forced.
"...Ever wonder how Mokuba and I became orphans?"
Yami sat up so fast he feared he might have some how offended the person next to him.
The topic of his parents had to be one of Seto's most private subjects. Was he really about to divulge something about them to Yami?
He knew why they'd become orphans of course, but not the details.
"Our father grew ill and passed away when I was eight, and Mokuba three..."
The ceo's voice suddenly trailed off, and the anger took over his eyes, his hands balling into fists once more.
"...Your mother...?" Yami whispered hesitantly, dread starting to grow as he began to see where this was going.
"She died earlier...three years earlier..."
Yami felt undescribable coldness wash over him, and suddenly wanted to punch himself for making such a fuss about the physical cold earlier.
'If Mokuba was only three when their father died...and their mother died three years before that...then...oh no...'
"She died...right after giving birth to Mokuba."
Yami had prayed it wouldn't be the clear answer that had formed in his mind, but cringed heavily inside when his fears were confirmed.
"My parents and I were on holiday here whilst she was pregnant...a little last minute relaxation before her time was consumed with a new born, if you will. However, we came out for a walk and got lost in the forest...would you know it?...it was then she went into labour. Father believed it was the exhaustion of walking around so much, and how she'd been stressing about how dark it was getting at the time."
Seto stopped for a moment, his eyes closing for a mere second, before shooting back open.
"...She got to see her child for just a moment in time, before her body just...just..."
Yami jumped as Seto raised his arm and slammed his fist into the ground suddenly.
He caught a glimps of the rage on seto's face, before the ceo turned away and stood.
He stormed to the tree where the carving was, and leant against it. He kept his back to Yami, who could both see and feel the icy sheild raising again.
Seto had never shown so much emotion at one time...it must have been overwhelming for him to do so.
Yami's heart begged to be allowed to go over and comfort him...or atleast try, but the clear fact that the ceo needed some time kept that desire at bay.
A few minutes passed before the brunette stopped shaking, and Yami allowed himself to stand and move closer. He kept his steps slow, and when he finally stood by the ceo, the hand he placed upon his back was light, offering support but not forcing it upon the male.
"My father died when I was young. He did it to protect me." He said quietly.
He wasn't expecting this to make any difference to Seto, or give him any kind of comfort, but he didn't know what else to say.
"I...I don't remember my mother very much...only that she was a beautiful...kind...and very fair woman. Still, I wish I had more memories of her."
Kaiba didn't respond, but Yami could feel his aura settling. The sheilds weren't exactly gone, but there wasn't going to be any sort of icy retaliation to the sympathy.
"So which one gave you that ridiculous hair?"
Yami just stared at the completely unexpected question, but finally just had to chuckle.
"I'm not entirely sure...but I believe the black was from my mother..." He closed his eyes for a second, trailing through the distant memories, some clear, others still fuzzy, "...but...I think my eyes were from my father..."
He allowed himself a short time to dwell on the memory of the strong, dignified and loving face of his father.
"And you?" He then asked.
Kaiba looked up for a moment,as if thinking about it.
"Mokuba resembles father a lot, both with his unruly black hair, and grey eyes. I recieved mother's hair..."
Yami waited silently as he paused, not daring to ask the thing he wanted to know most...
Just where had he gotten his eyes?
"My eyes..." Seto continued, hushed, "...Are from my grandfather."
Well that was certainly unexpected, but it only gave off a spark of excitement in Yami.
"My parents and grandmother would always say my eyes were the spitting image of his...whilst he always denied it."
"How come?"
At that, Seto smirked.
"Because he was a stubborn grouch."
Yami couldn't help but also smirk at that, though he also wanted to smile at the fondness within Kaiba's eyes at the memory, though weither or not the ceo was aware he was showing such emotion wasn't clear.
But definately for certain, was that Yami wished he could have a glimps of this stubborn, grouchy man who had gifted his ceo...yes...HIS ceo...with such brilliant, elegant eyes. True he liked to think of those eyes as Seto's and Seto's ALONE...but he still would have liked to see what it was that Seto could.
"What was he like?" He asked without thinking, though descided to go with it, "Besides stubborn and grouchy?"
He wanted to chuckle at the thought that maybe his eyes weren't the only quality Seto had recieved from his grandfather.
"Fussy." Seto answered a bit bluntly, "Sometimes he wanted Mokuba and I around to put us to sleep with lectures on everything he could think of...other times he didn't want to be disturbed at all. He just wanted to sit on the veranda in the same seat every time and read."
The words may have created a not so flattering image, but Yami could hear the different attitude in Seto's tone. If one only listened to the words, his grandfather might have sounded very boring and perhaps not someone you'd like to be around a whole lot. But there was no way that was how Seto really felt, that was far too clear to Yami, but he'd allow the ceo that privacy...his emotions were obvious enough, there was no need to ask him to put them into words.
"You should bring him..."
He looked back around to the moon as he whispered, feeling a warmth he didn't know the opponent of the sun could bring. It was different from the sun, but just was as strong.
"Mokuba...I think he'd be ready to see it now."
It must have been a painful topic for Seto. He wasn't stupid, and there was no way he would never plan to bring Mokuba here at some point, even if he wasn't one to dwell on the past. He was protective of his brother, but not to the point he would deny him the truth. If he had waited this long, it was because he wasn't certain that Mokuba was ready.
He felt Seto shift behind him, knowing his eyes were upon him, before they must have followed his own gaze to the guardian of the night sky.
However, he was interupted by a light, sort of frustrated shove.
"I'm aware of that." The ceo grumbled a bit defensively as he made to walk past Yami.
However, he stumbled to the side as the ruby eyed teen shoved him back.
"Sure you are." He replied shortly with a frown, not sure himself if he was teasing or being defensive.
Seto's frown matched his, and the ceo shoved him again, this time with both hands and a bit harder. Yami was quick to retaliate, and pushed him back.
Both pairs of eyes narrowed, the challenge made.
Seto reached foward swiftly, so fast that if Yami hadn't automatically reacted, he'd likely have been caught. As the ceo tried to grab him, he moved foward, and placed his hands upon the taller male's shoulders. Quickly bending his knees slightly, he kicked off the ground, and pushed himself above the ceo's head.
Yugi had used this a few times on him, and usually wound up over his back and clinging like a koala...it was a very suprising move coming from dear little Yugi, however...Yami had reacted automatically, and not had a second to consider the fact that Yugi wasn't as short against him as he was against Seto.
With a yelp, he grasped Seto's shoulder and arm, trying not to slip to the ground. But the unexpected weight was making Seto stumble. He reached up, trying to pull his rival off, but the smaller male just shifted, climbing over his back, though Seto's wet skin was making it very hard to keep his grip.
Seto growled, grabbing his hands and trying to yank him off, whilst Yami fought to hold on, even wrapping his legs around the slim waiste.
Naturally, it was only a matter of time before the feirce tug of war game sent them both crashing to the ground...it didn't however...stop the wrestling match. The pair continued to roll around...pushing, shoving and pulling...both determined to not let the other dominate the fight.
Mother nature was the only witness, and watched over the teenagers as they were caught in the clash of their egos, just like before, and as always...neither relenting, not until exhaustion called an end to the game.
Yami laid there panting heavily, his eyes shut tight as he struggled to get his breath back. It was a few minutes before he could even think right, and when he did, the first thought that registered was the question of just how he'd wound up on his back on the ground once more?
"Do you want an apology?" He asked then, the words the first to come from his mouth.
"Do so, and I might just find the strength to hit you." Seto answered beside him.
Yami could only smirk, his eyes staying closed even as his body began to relax.
How long had they been out now? Was it hours? Was it perhaps only one or two hours? Could they be risking the dawn's arrival before they returned to the hotel?
The thought couldn't contain his attention for long, he was too tired to dwell on it.
He could feel seto's arm beneath his head in the position they'd ended up in...laying right by each other, their bodies a fraction away from touching.
The long, slender arm was rather comfortable...perhaps only because he was as tired as he was, but none the less it caused him no discomfort. He could feel heat from the body next to him, a resiliant force to the night air, refusing to disappear simply because of the lack of sun...
Seto flinched and looked swiftly around. He stared in total shock as the smaller form of his rival curled up beside him, seeking the warmth his over worked body was giving off. The teen seemed hardly aware of what he was doing, as if he was most of the way on the journey to slumber land.
Seto's body tensed feircely, his eyes widdening as he seemed completely unsure what to do.
He should push him off...tell him to keep his distance...he should...
In an instant, the tension left his muscles, as they just relaxed completely on their own. His eyes softened in uncertaintly, a look he would never have allowed had the ruby eyes been open and looking at him.
He felt his body curl in towards the smaller figure hesitantly, his eyes not leaving the face of the resting male, not yet asleep but just as blissfully unware of anything.
With a heavy but still quiet sigh, he let his own eyes slip closed, as he lowered his face into the crown of black, gold and crimson hair.
It was far softer than its spiked form let on.
Yami's eyes snapped open with a start. He couldn't tell if he'd been sleeping or simply on the verge of doing it. He sat up, his mind completely blank about where he was or what was going on, atleast until he looked around and saw Kaiba standing.
The teen looked around at him as he was brushing grass off his arms.
"I have to get back to Mokuba." He said quietly, his voice sounding a bit lost, though he turned back to getting the grass off his skin.
Yami sat there, and sighed as the memories slowly awoke within. He smiled slightly, and stretched his relaxed muscles, before standing and immatating the ceo.
"There's no way I'm going to get to sleep with the scolding thats coming my way..." He replied when his voice was ready.
"Do you care?"
Yami grinned slightly at the tiny hint of tease in the brunnette's tone.
"Only that I would worry Yugi...but otherwise, no."
He stretched again, and stepped foward a bit, before stopping.
"...Thankyou..."
He felt the sapphires turn to him.
"Thankyou Seto." He repeated quietly.
Kaiba didn't answer, but then walked past him.
"Come on." He said shortly, heading towards the lake.
Yami followed him across the rocks slowly, wobbling a bit from where his body was still a bit too relaxed. When he over balanced, he felt Seto grab his wrist, and pull him back up.
Rubys and sapphires met once more, and Yami noted the way Seto hadn't let go of his wrist, and also how he in return, was now gripping back. The two just stared at one another, contemplating the same thing, but only for a moment, before Seto's eyes darted away to look around the clearing, and Yami understood the hesitation in the beautiful blue eyes.
'Not here...'
He let his grip slacken, and pulled his arm from Seto, the motion making the ceo look back around, before he turned and disappeared once more through the waterfall.
Yami looked to the cascading wall of blue, before staring around the clearing, admiring it's beauty once more, unable to supress the honour and gratitude he felt for having been able to see such a magical place...
...a place so deep in meaning to Seto.
"Thankyou." He whispered, not sure weither it was to the place, or the memory of Seto's parents.
Either way, he gave a small bow of respect with his head, before bravely walking through the waterfall, tensing at it's coldness, but not regretting it. Seto was waiting for him on the other side, and led the way back from where they'd come.
There wasn't a word spoken between them as they made the journey back out of the cave, and along the stream. It felt like Yami had come back to the real world, as if the clearing had been a seperate land all together. Seto trailed just ahead of him in the stream, whilst Yami stuck to the land again. He dipped his foot in on occassion, but wasn't quiet willing to walk all the way through it.
Finally, they reached the spot where they'd left their clothes, and Yami stiffened a sigh of relief to know nothing was gone...even though he'd known no one else was around the area. They kept their backs turned as they pulled their clothes back on.
Again Yami wondered just how long they'd been gone, his mind a bit more willing to work right now. He'd told Yugi he wouldn't be long, no doubt he would be furious at his alter ego by now. And what about Mokuba? Seto had played the adult and sent him to bed, was he going to be worried to?
"Hm? Hey, Seto?" He finally spoke as a curious little memory played in his head.
"Hm?" Was Seto's only response.
Yami turned to him as he finished pulling his hoodie on.
"What was it you didn't want Mokuba to make you say?"
The ceo's eyes bent in confusion.
"Back at the beach earlier, Mokuba didn't want to go to bed...you told him you'd both prefer it if he didn't force you to say something...?" Yami clarified.
Seto glanced away to let the memory come back to him. When it did return, he gave a smirk.
"...Do as your told."
Yami looked a bit dumbfounded as the ceo smirked around at him, before very abrumptly, the tranquil air came alive with laughter not from just one male...but both of them.
Seto was laughing just as much as Yami at the idea of saying such a cliche parent line...and the sound kept the smile upon Yami's face even after their laughter fell quiet.
Their eyes met automatically, as they shared a grin, Seto's the same bad ass expression he liked to wear, though it was much more playful than cruel.
Yami turned away with a slight chuckle, feeling Seto do the same thing. This wasn't even an actual date, and yet it was the best night he'd spent with the ceo. He was sad that it had to end, he could've stayed in the clearing with Seto for...
He looked around swiftly as he felt movement next to him. The ceo's height forced him to stare up to see his face as he stood so close. The smirk was gone, no sign of a smile or anything left.
However, his eyes were still intense, a hesitant desire that Yami understood all too well trying to hide behind the ice.
He glanced away, but only for a second, his ruby eyes looking back with the same intensity that greeted him. He turned his body to face the ceo, and slowly, closed the gap between their bodies.
He found he was already missing the feel of seto's skin, which now lay hidden beneath his clothes, but it didn't distract him much from the gorgeous face his eyes were locked to.
He remembered the first time this situation had taken place...a feirce challenge that neither had been willing to accept at the time...then the second time...they'd been willing to try, but maybe the interuption was an act of fate...
This...this was their time...
And their time alone.
Yami reached up, placing his hand to Seto's shoulder...not gripping or pulling, just resting it there...and raised up on his toes as far as he could. Seto in return, leant down towards him, his large hand finding the back of Yami's head, gently guiding him foward, temporarily reminding the smaller male of the time in the restraunt when the ceo had helped him with the bleeding wound on his head.
They held their positions just an inch from the other's face, letting their eyes linger upon each other for awhile, a last reassurance to both of them that this was ok...neither was here against their will...and that this time, neither had to be afraid.
The silent promise made to each other, their eyes closed, and after so long of keeping the desire down, they finally granted it's wish, and let the gap between them fade away.
Yami had forgotten what it was like to kiss. He'd forgotten the rush of emotions that came when a first kiss was shared.
Seto was so gentle, his lips were as soft and smooth as the rest of his skin, and though no longer hesitant, his hold on the past life pharaoh was kind, not rough.
Yami was losing himself to the contact, and absently noted how his other arm raised up, joining it's partner in wrapping around the ceo's neck. Just the same, he now felt Seto's other arm slide around his waiste, pulling him closer.
This wasn't the first time He'd been kissed...far from it...
But...this would be the one...he would consider his first!
This was the first true kiss he'd always wanted.
A jagged stone perhaps...? He couldn't tell...but something sharp and painful suddenly found it's way beneath his foot then, sending a bolt of pain the entire way up his body.
It was so sudden and painful that he cried out, the sound muffled by the lips still against his own. He squirmed feircely as the pain coursed through his foot, desperate to pull out whatever it felt like was stuck in there.
And then he suddenly felt lost.
It took a second to realise that Seto had pulled away from him in an instant. He was standing back from him, his eyes wide in what could only be called horror.
Though the pain was still there, yami's now opened eyes could only grant attention to the brunnette, startled by the fear within the sapphires.
"Seto?" He whispered, and slowly reached a hand foward, wanting to know what had shocked his ceo so badly.
But his simple action seemed to snap the brunnette out of his shocked state, and before he could say anything, the taller male dashed away past him.
"SETO! What is it!" He yelled after him, before his brain screamed to chase him.
He bolted after the taller male, his speed the only thing allowing him to keep up with him. Still, those few seconds head start gave the brunnette quite an advantage. Yami called for him to stop, actually begging him to say what was wrong.
The ceo however, just kept running, as if he was a wild animal fleeing from a predator. It was as if the direction didn't even bother him, since there was no way they were going back the way they'd come. Yami was exhausted and tripped twice over the rough landscape, but didn't let himself stop.
He followed as Seto slid down a small hill, and watched as he ran into a small strip of land where...strangely...the trees parted ways, but it was too dark to see why.
But more confusing, was the way Seto suddenly haulted, his eyes turning to the side as a strange, bright yellow light illuminated his whole body, and a horrible, peircing screech...like an animal in pain...filled the air.
And then the world disappeared around Yami, as he watched a large, strange object plow straight into Seto, sending the strong, powerful figure of his rival and boyfriend...
Crashing into the hard surface below his feet, where he laid motionless...the sapphire hidden behind closed lids...
"SETOOOOO!"
*Ehem*...yes...well, all I can say is...
*dives under a mountain of pillows* PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!
In the words of the narrator from 'George of the Jungle'..."Nobody dies in this fanfic...they just get really big booboos."
In any case, I can't say too much...but be assured this is NOT a death fic...so don't panic too much.
I really hope this was enjoyable, again, I had so much fun writing it! (other than the ending of course XD)
please read and review!