Seto could see sunlight streaming through his eyelids and he kept his eyes firmly shut, nuzzling into Yami's warmth, inhaling deeply.
Did Yami want to fuck now?
He pressed his body flush up against Yami's back, reaching around Yami's body and giving his chest a slow, sensual rub, feeling Yami roll away and pin his hand down into the mattress.
"Hey…" Seto said softly, leaning his weight against Yami's slender frame, feeling Yami tense.
Yami tried to calm his frantically beating heart. He hadn't slept a wink and Seto's hand running up his shirt indicated that his owner wanted to play, and Yami wasn't in the mood for it.
"Stop," Yami said darkly, and he felt Seto's hand slowly slide off his body.
Disappointed, Seto sat up slowly as he realized Yami was still upset from last night. Fine. He would charm the pants off Yami to the best of his ability.
"What do you want to do today?" Seto asked lightly, giving the rolled-up lump beside him a gentle pat, and Yami felt a warm hand on his leg.
"Nothing. I want to stay in bed," Yami replied miserably, pulling the covers higher up over his head.
Seto frowned and nodded, slipping his phone out from under his pillow, realizing it was past noon. He hastily dialed the number for room service and quickly ordered some food, wondering if he could lift Yami's spirits with a game of chess.
Yami shut his eyes against the bright light, trying to feel less miserable.
He was more aware of everything now than he had ever been.
He had heard the maid's soft footsteps passing by their door in the hallway, followed by the quiet whir of the vacuum.
He could feel the ship rocking gently on the waves.
He could hear laughter drifting from the balcony above them.
"Want to play a game?" Seto asked lightly, tapping the projector icon on his phone and laying it flat on the bed. He gave the screen a few practiced swipes and a hologram of a chessboard hovered steadily above it.
This wasn't solid vision, but it was better than nothing.
Yami shook his head and buried himself deeper in the covers, trying to quell his nausea. He felt a warm hand on his leg as Seto gave him a reassuring squeeze through the sheets.
"How about a…?" Seto asked worriedly, wondering if Yami could understand him. A massage might help calm him down.
A what? Yami thought moodily, not moving from his place on the bed.
"Or we could play…." Seto continued, thinking he could just list every activity that was available on this ship. Anything that peaked Yami's interest. Anything to get him out of bed. Was he having a depression mood swing?
Play what? Yami wondered, beginning to grow frustrated. Why was Seto suddenly using words he had never heard of before?
"Okay," Seto said anxiously, giving Yami's leg another firm squeeze, feeling his chest tighten strangely. "You don't want to play….and you don't want to get a…. How about we go for a swim?"
Hell no, Yami thought, terrified, and his nausea came back tenfold.
Seto felt Yami's leg tense beneath him and pressed on. "We could go shopping…again. Are you sure you don't want to play chess?"
Yami shook his head underneath the covers, keeping his eyes tightly shut, feeling a slow, pounding headache coming on.
Seto gave Yami's leg another reassuring squeeze. A soft knock sounded at the door and Seto felt Yami tense underneath the sheets again.
"Service!"
Sighing, Seto eased off the bed and pulled the door open carefully, trying to contain his shock when he saw that it was the waiter from the dinner Yami had run off with.
He was standing behind the food cart, looking pale and frightened with his head bowed low, his gloved hands gripping the handle of the cart tightly.
The waiter moved to push the cart into the room, but Seto blocked his path, glaring angrily at the man.
"Leave," Kaiba said coldly, seeing the waiter bob his head and hurry off without making eye contact.
Seto pulled the cart into the room and shut the door with an angry click, staring at Yami's rolled-up lump on the bed.
"Your new friend came to visit," Seto said spitefully, and he waited for Yami to react, but Yami remained motionless.
Gritting his teeth, Seto moved towards Yami and gave the covers a vicious poke. "Hey."
Yami still didn't move, and Seto gave the top of the sheets a gentle yank, surprised to see Yami had fallen asleep. His delicate brow was furrowed into a frown while his chest rose and fell with even breathing, and Seto swallowed his frustration as he draped the covers gently back over Yami's shoulders.
Sighing, Seto sat down on the edge of the bed and palmed his face in his hands, his shoulders growing heavy. He snatched his tablet up from the nightstand. He would check his email to pass the time while he waited for Yami to wake up.
Several hours passed quickly, and Seto spied an orange strip of sunlight panning across the bottom of the sheets and he glanced up, realizing with a jolt that the sun was setting.
He reached over and gave Yami a gentle shake. There was a soft knock and Seto heard a familiar voice drifting from the doorway.
"Kaiba-boy…!"
Clenching his jaw in annoyance, Seto threw his tablet aside and strode angrily to the door, yanking it open to see Pegasus standing before him, looking pale and stricken.
"Let me in, Kaiba, we need to talk," Pegasus said, his demeanor changing instantly.
"Leave," Seto growled, moving to shut the door in Pegasus's face, but Pegasus stuck his foot into the room, shouldering the door open gently, shaking his head insistently.
"This is important, and I can't say it in the hallway," Pegasus hissed, shoving Kaiba aside and striding purposefully into the room, sweeping his gaze over Yami's sleeping form.
Seto shut the door quickly and leaned against it, his heart thudding frantically inside his chest as he tried to remain emotionless. What the hell did Pegasus want?!
"Where were you last night?" Pegasus asked in a low whisper, gazing fearfully at Yami, who was still fast asleep.
"None of your fucking business," Kaiba replied coldly, folding his arms across his chest.
"Then tell me, where was he last night?" Pegasus pressed, pointing a shaking finger at Yami's rolled-up form underneath the sheets.
"With me," Seto hissed, beginning to lose his temper. "Get to the point or get out."
"Was he with you…all night?! He left the dinner early!" Pegasus said, sounding deeply frightened, and he was no longer whispering. "This is a matter of our safety, Kaiba! Be serious!"
Seto grit his teeth, feeling himself sweat. Pegasus's behavior was making him feel uneasy.
"Yes, he was with me all night," Seto lied, his pulse racing dreadfully.
Something had happened.
What had happened?
Yami had asked him to erase the ship's security footage.
Was Pegasus's strange behavior related to that?
"You don't have to lie to me, Kaiba," Pegasus growled, his hands stiff at his sides as he threw another fearful glance towards Yami. "Get your story straight, and I can protect you."
"I don't know what the hell you're talking about," Seto answered angrily, knowing that Yami had definitely pissed someone off last night while he was running around the ship with the handsome waiter.
"That's it then?" Pegasus asked, sounding exasperated. "You don't know anything? That foreigner was with you all night?"
"Get out," Seto hissed, leaning up and away from the door, advancing towards Pegasus. "Or tell me what the hell happened."
"Judging by your tone, they haven't paid you a visit yet," Pegasus said coldly, planting his feet apart and folding his arms across his chest. "I came by to compare notes."
Seto ground his teeth angrily, pointing at the door again, losing all interest in what Pegasus had to say. "Out."
"The ship's security is on high-alert," Pegasus said calmly, his hands shaking at his sides as he clenched them into fists. "There was an incident in one of the VIP suites. Head Security will come knocking on your door any minute now, Kaiba. Be ready. And might I suggest…" Pegasus nodded stiffly at Yami on the bed. "…hiding him, while they're in the room."
"Why? What did he do?" Seto frowned, his anxiety rising higher and higher as Pegasus shook his head solemnly.
"I don't know, and that's all I can say to help you," he said shakily, moving to the door and grabbing the golden handle with shaking fingers. "Kaiba…I know you're involved. The cameras on this ship all malfunctioned without a trace. Who on this ship is capable of doing that?"
"What?" Kaiba blinked, his body growing numb.
"Good luck, Kaiba," Pegasus said darkly, pulling the door open and ducking gracefully into the hallway.
Seto watched Pegasus hurry off, noticing that his usual leisurely gait was strangely frantic.
Feeling a slight headache coming on, Seto shut the door quickly and palmed his face, his shoulders growing heavy.
He walked over to the bed and sat down, trying to quell the rising unease that was threatening to swallow him whole. He laid down beside Yami and shut his eyes, willing himself to calm down.
Everything was fine. Whatever the hell Yami had done last night, they would work through it.
He would ask Yami about it when he woke up.
Yami jerked awake. The room was pitch dark, and his clothes stuck uncomfortably to his skin with cold sweat.
He slid out of bed and walked slowly over to the balcony, easing the door open with shaky arms, shutting his eyes as the cold night air stung his cheeks. Taking deep breaths, Yami stepped towards the railing and bent over the edge, staring down into the endless pit of darkness below.
The air was strangely calm, but the sound of rushing water was echoing loudly around him, and Yami held his breath, wishing everything would disappear.
The nightmare wasn't over.
He had woken up after a long bout of sleep and realized that nothing had changed. Lina and Rahim were still dead in their rooms….
"Yami, step down from there."
Yami whipped his head around, his heart skipping frantic beats in his chest as he gazed at Seto standing behind him, looking tired but handsome as usual.
His pale skin was strangely illuminated by the white glow of the moon coming from above them, and Yami watched as Seto quietly stepped out onto the balcony and slid the door shut, his hand outstretched, offering to help him down from the railing.
Swallowing tightly, Yami reached for Seto's hand and let his owner pull him forcefully down from the edge, his feet skidding on the smooth concrete as he was pulled into a tight embrace.
Yami grit his teeth, feeling a strange pressure building behind his eyes as Seto's hand threaded through his hair and pressed his face tightly into his muscular chest.
He blinked, feeling his eyes water as tears threatened to spill out, and he forced himself to remain calm, taking deep breaths, letting Seto's calming scent wash over him.
"Now, tell me what happened," Seto said quickly, burying his nose deep into the mass of pointed spikes of Yami's hair, feeling the tips gently poke his cheeks.
Yami blinked and tried to keep his voice steady as he spoke. "Nothing happened."
There was a long silence, and Yami's ears began to ring from the loud roaring of water coming from below them. Was Seto angry with him?
Seto released Yami slowly and leaned against the glass door, gazing into Yami's delicate face, memorizing every detail, enjoying the way his skin glowed in the moonlight, taking in the way his spiky blonde bangs framed his face, and the way his jaw dipped down into a solid V.
Yami began to itch in his own skin as Seto's gaze burned through him, and he looked away pointedly, moving to lean along the railing again, suppressing a shiver as a light wind blew past him.
"I'll tell you anything you want, but I can't tell you what happened," Yami said slowly, nodding at the dark abyss beneath the railing.
He heard a soft shuffling and turned to stare at Seto, slightly shocked to see that he had slid down into a sitting position, gazing up at him with a slightly helpless expression.
"Okay," Seto said, his mind humming with a thousand questions. He could start with the one he had been dying to ask since Yami had been brought to his mansion.
"Where did you come from?"
Yami frowned, his heart pounding frantically as this question threw him off guard. He had expected Seto to skillfully ask around the situation to glean information that way, but apparently, his owner was more concerned about his personal life?!
"What do you mean?" Yami asked roughly, gripping the cold railing with stiff fingers.
"Where did you come from?" Seto repeated, crossing one leg over the other, fully aware that he was looking like a complete fool, sitting on the floor while Yami was standing, but he was too tired to care.
"You want to know what country?" Yami asked solemnly, and he held Seto's stare firmly, steadily counting his own heartbeats.
He saw his owner shake his head and nod stiffly.
"Sure, whatever," Seto said gruffly, feeling the wind gently ruffle his hair, and he grit his teeth, suppressing a shiver. "Your country, your family, your life before…this." He pointed a slender finger down at the floor, his anxiety rising. He had a feeling he wouldn't like what he was about to hear.
Yami sighed and shook his head, defeated. He carefully lowered himself into a seated position on the floor across from Seto and answered the questions as vaguely as he possibly could.
"My country? Egypt. My family? I have none that I know of, and my life before this? Terrible."
"No family?" Seto echoed darkly, and he saw Yami shake his head angrily. "I don't consider them my family."
"Right," Seto said emptily, watching Yami stretch his legs out, the pads of his tanned feet brushing against his ankles.
There was another long silence, and Seto stared at the bottoms of Yami's feet, watching his toes curling in slightly from the cold. He took a deep breath, preparing to ask another question, but Yami spoke before him.
"You keep asking," Yami said quietly, giving Seto's calf a firm nudge. "So I'll tell you."
Seto blinked and nodded quietly, folding his hands in his lap to keep himself from reaching out to touch Yami's feet, which were now draped warmly over his shins.
"I was caught stealing," Yami grit his teeth as the memory of the rough burlap sack rubbing around his neck came back in a rush. "And now that I think about it, the merchants recognized me easily, and sent those men after me."
"Men," Seto repeated hollowly, seeing Yami nod, and he felt his stomach swoop nervously as he recalled the haunting blog entries he had read several months ago.
"And I'm glad…" Yami continued, his voice cracking uncharacteristically. He pressed his knuckles so hard into the concrete floor beneath him, it left painful indents across his skin. He was unable to finish his sentence as his emotions became overwhelming, and his eyes began heating up dangerously again.
"…I'm glad." Yami repeated stupidly.
He wanted to say so many things to his owner, but his throat was closing up painfully.
He was thankful and immensely grateful for the second life he had been given.
He was happier and more comfortable than he had ever been in his entire life…and he was deeply in love with Seto.
Seto frowned, confused. He stared intently at Yami, who had his head lowered so much his blonde bangs obscured his face.
"Come here," Seto said tentatively, patting the spot beside him.
He saw Yami hesitate for a moment before slowly rising to his knees and inch towards him.
Seto panicked internally when Yami pressed his hands down against his thighs and straddled him tightly.
"I love you," Yami said nervously, curling his fingers into Seto's shoulders, feeling Seto tense wonderfully beneath him. "I'll never leave your side."
Seto nodded stiffly, his stomach tightening with a glorious feeling. Love? Real love? Or was this an admission of loyalty?
"Good," Seto managed to say as he reached out to gently cup Yami's cheek in his hand, and he marveled at how pale his skin looked against Yami's skin. He felt Yami's legs tighten around his thighs, and his heart rate increased tenfold.
Yami leaned forward and kissed Seto deeply, feeling him respond warmly by gently squeezing his arms, setting his skin on fire, and he leaned in closer, parting his mouth eagerly, melting as he felt the tip of Seto's tongue slip past his lips and sensually lick the backs of his teeth.
Seto dug his fingers into the tops of Yami's thighs, deeply aroused. He crept his hand up Yami's leg, his mind buzzing with excitement. He kneaded the flesh along Yami's inner thigh, his knuckles brushing against a clothed erection.
Seto felt Yami tense strangely under his touch, and Yami's desperate expression from last night flashed through his consciousness.
Maybe…it was uncomfortable to do it out here on the balcony…in the cold.
Yami felt Seto pull away and he frowned, feeling his lips swell and throb at the sudden loss of contact.
"Inside," Seto said hoarsely, biting his tongue painfully. He pushed Yami off his legs and stood fluidly, yanking the balcony door with a shaking hand, feeling Yami's warm fingers closing around his wrist, and he grabbed Yami's arm, pulling him into the cabin, leading him to the bed and throwing him down on it, hearing Yami gasp in the darkness.
Yami felt his head spin as his owner pushed him down strongly, a cold hand pressing down onto the center of his chest, knocking the wind out of him as his legs were forcefully nudged apart.
He twisted away frantically, his heart leaping into his throat as he realized Seto wanted to dirty him, and Yami couldn't bear the thought of being dirtied while Lina and Rahim lay rotting in a room nearby.
"No!" Yami gasped, kicking out with all his strength, feeling his heel catch on Seto's shoulder and he heard his owner curse loudly, and fear shot through his core like a hot knife. Why was Seto being so forceful now?!
Seto grimaced and eased off the bed, his shoulder throbbing at the place where Yami had kicked him. He strode angrily towards the light switch, punching it with his fist, his eyes heating up with frustration as a warm light flooded the room.
He whirled around, glaring at Yami who was sitting on the bed with his legs tucked underneath his body in a formal sitting position, his eyes wide with a strange expression. Fear?
"What is wrong with you?" Seto spat, curling his fists at his sides as deep disappointment swirled low in his stomach. Mood killed.
Yami opened his mouth to speak, his throat closing with anxiety as he scrambled for an explanation, knowing that Seto had every right to be angry with him.
Seto planted his feet firmly apart, his fury rising as Yami continued to stare silently at him, blinking his large, angular violet eyes, clearly at a loss for words.
What the fucking hell?! Did he want to fuck or not?
Why was Yami giving such mixed signals?
The silence grew colder and heavier before Yami finally found his voice and spoke.
"We can't…" he said weakly, folding his hands in his lap, mentally recalling the way Isono had bowed apologetically to him on the floor of his room many months ago. He would assume the same position and hope that Seto would accept his apology.
Seto set his jaw, his blood rushing furiously in his ears. What?
"We can't have sex?" Seto growled, advancing towards the bed, seeing Yami nod, looking stricken. "Why the hell not?"
They had sex earlier! Why the sudden change?!
"It's…" Yami blinked rapidly, unable to come up with a credible lie. He didn't want to lie to Seto, but he needed to give a solid answer, one that Seto would accept.
It's dangerous? No, that wouldn't work.
"You are seriously pissing me off," Seto sighed, standing at the edge of the bed with his arms tightly crossed, glaring down at Yami, who was still sitting with his legs tucked underneath his body. "Stop that. Sit properly."
"I'm apologizing," Yami said desperately, curling his fingers over his knees as he saw Seto's eyes widen slightly at the corners.
This was the correct way to sit while apologizing!
"Yeah, apologize for being a fucking tease while you're at it," Seto hissed spitefully, feeling his body growing numb.
Was this going to be a one-way street?
Yami was apologizing for never wanting to spread his legs for him?
This behavior was despicable!
"You can put it in my hole all you want…after we get off this ship," Yami said shakily, seeing Seto narrow his eyes at him, and his heart skipped several beats. Handsome. Why was it that even when his owner glared at him, he looked incredibly handsome?
Seto would understand, right?
Once Seto found out that Rahim and Lina's bodies were rotting while he was dirtied for the first time, it would tarnish the memory!
Seto wouldn't want that, right?
"Right," Seto seethed, thinking Yami was going to keep fending him off until the end of time. Would Yami then say he didn't want to do it in the car? And then when they got back to the mansion, Yami would ask him to wait until everyone was asleep, but then say that he was too tired? Where would it end?!
"Give me one good reason why we can't do anything now," Seto said angrily, leaning down to press his palms onto the mattress, thinking he would climb atop of Yami and force his legs apart anyway. That would teach him a lesson.
"Because…" Yami grasped wildly at broken strings of thought for any reason that would make sense, but he couldn't find one.
Fine. Then he would make one up.
"The ship is cursed!"
Seto blinked. Everything was steadily growing farther and farther away in his vision. What the actual fuck?
"That is hilarious," Seto growled, climbing onto the bed on all fours, seeing Yami shaking his head frantically at him, but making no motion to get off the bed.
"It's true!" Yami insisted, his heart sinking into his stomach as he stared intently into Seto's face, trying not to enjoy the way his light brown bangs fell nicely over his clear blue eyes. This was bad…!
He edged nervously off the bed as Seto's expression turned dark.
"You mind telling me why you believe in silly superstitions?" Seto asked, trying to keep the anger and sarcasm from showing in his voice. "Did you see a demon? A ghost? Get real, Yami."
"There are demons and ghosts!" Yami said cryptically. He briefly flashed back to Rahim's bloodstained body laying motionless on the floor, and to Lina's tearstained expression while she pointed the knife to her throat.
This was the truth.
One demon and one ghost.
Yami watched as Seto palmed his face and sat back on his heels, looking exasperated.
"Look, if you don't want it, you can just say you don't want it," Seto said, his voice muffled from his hands pressing into his face. "You don't have to make up bullshit excuses."
"No, I want it," Yami corrected him desperately, his anxiety rising. "I really do! But not here!"
Seto lowered his hands down into his lap and stared at the backs of his knuckles, listening to his heart beating steadily inside his chest, trying his best to understand.
"It needs to be special," Yami said weakly, feeling his insides curl at this lie.
It didn't have to be special.
He had wanted Seto to dirty him yesterday, the day before yesterday, at anytime, anywhere.
The time or place didn't matter!
To his great surprise, Yami saw Seto nod firmly and lift his head slowly, speaking softly. "I understand."
"Really?" Yami asked doubtfully, seeing his owner move towards him with his arms outstretched.
"Yes, I get it," Seto said reassuringly, grabbing Yami around the shoulders and pulling him into a tight embrace, pressing Yami's face tightly into his chest.
His heart was racing a thousand beats per minute and Seto forced himself to calm down.
He had to remind himself that Yami was quite inexperienced.
Yami wanted his first time to be memorable!
It was painfully sweet.
It was something he had forgotten in the whirlwind of one-night stands and casual sex-friends.
He leaned away and cupped Yami's face in his hands, gazing deeply into Yami's dark violet eyes, his stomach twisting with a strange feeling.
"We'll make it memorable," Seto said warmly, pressing his lips against Yami's forehead, feeling his eyelashes flutter against his skin. "Whatever you want."
"Whatever I want." Yami echoed incredulously, his heart soaring as Seto's lips sent electric tingles running down his spine. This was surely too good to be true! What did he do to deserve such a kind and handsome companion?!
He blinked rapidly, seeing Seto's face shifting in and out as his vision began to blur with tears of relief and happiness.
Suddenly, they were kissing, slow, wonderful, sensual kisses. Yami held his breath as Seto gently sucked on his lower lip, smiling playfully, and this encouraged Yami to throw his arms around Seto's neck, pulling him in closer, parting his mouth eagerly to deepen the kiss, drowning in his wonderful scent.
Yami leaned back into the pillows, breathless.
Seto lay on top of him, smiling softly, his brown bangs handsomely framing his clear blue eyes.
"Where do you want to do it?" Seto asked seriously, closing his eyes and listening to Yami's strong steady heartbeat pounding beneath his ear. Was this closeness?
This felt warm and comforting. He had never felt this close to someone before.
"Anywhere," Yami replied plainly, staring up at the ceiling, enjoying his owner's weight on top of him. "Anywhere but here."
He shut his eyes tiredly, feeling himself drifting off.
It was wonderfully warm and comfortable.
Maybe, if Seto stayed like this on top of him, he could fall asleep peacefully, without nightmares about knives and murder.
Seto propped his chin up on Yami's chest, enjoying the heat emanating from Yami's body beneath him. "Anywhere, Yami. We could fly anywhere. Would you want to do it in another country? Do you want flower petals on the bed?" And Seto let out a dry laugh, feeling his chest ache strangely.
Sappy shit.
Yami liked that nonsense, right?
If the matching rings and bracelets were anything to go by, it was safe to assume that a flowery de-flowering was probably something Yami wanted too.
Yami's eyes shot open and he tensed, slowly stiffening with shock.
Wh-What was his owner suggesting?! Being dirtied wasn't a special event!
Why was Seto treating it as such?
"I don't want to be in another country," Yami replied indignantly, thinking he would die from the stress of traveling. "In my bed, with no one around to interrupt, is all I ask."
There was a long silence, and Yami shut his eyes again, letting Seto's weight sink steadily into him from above. The ship rocked their cabin gently and Yami heard the soft rush of wind from just beyond the balcony doors.
"Not even your own country?" Seto asked softly, his stomach twisting with dread as he knew that Yami probably wanted to go home. "You want it in your own bed, in your own country?"
Yami clenched his jaw, shaking his head tightly. A kind offer, from his kind owner, but Seto was misunderstanding.
"I'm staying with you regardless of the country," Yami said adamantly, laying a hand to rest gently atop of Seto's head, and he threaded his fingers through his soft brown hair, marveling at how soft it was. "My bed is the one in the room connected to yours."
Seto sighed quietly, feeling a strange mixture of relief and happiness wash over him. That was the best answer he could've received!
That meant Yami really loved him, right?
He pressed his cheek down on Yami's chest, felt Yami's breathing evening out slowly, and he raised his head curiously.
"Hey, do you really like me?" Seto asked quietly, staring at the soft curves of Yami's cheeks.
Yami didn't move, and Seto frowned, realizing Yami had fallen asleep. Dismayed, he lowered his head back down onto Yami's chest, feeling his eyes heating up with emotion as doubt clawed its way up his chest.
In his past experiences, if things were too good to be true, they usually were.
Trust wasn't something that came easily, and Seto couldn't help but wonder if Yami was lying to him about something.
Sighing tightly, Seto let the soft rising and falling of Yami's chest lull him to sleep.
There was a loud pounding knock on the door and Yami pried his eyes open slowly, feeling Seto bolt upright beside him, shouting hoarsely. "Go away! We don't need service!"
"We are not service!" a voice called from behind the door and ice shot through Yami's core like a searing hot knife.
Police.
He bounded out of bed and raced towards the kitchen, ducking down low behind the counter. He would stay out of sight.
Seto rubbed his eyes tiredly, wondering why Yami was acting so skittish so damn early in the morning. He yelled angrily at the door again. "If you're not service, then go away!"
"Mr. Kaiba, please open the door," the male voice at the door said solemnly, and Seto palmed his face in frustration, sliding out of bed and striding across the room to yank the door open.
To his intense surprise, it was two uniformed police officers.
"What do you want?" Seto asked gruffly, tousling his hair roughly, attempting to look presentable.
The two uniformed men gave him a strange look and bowed. "May we come in?"
"Say what you have to say and then leave," Seto hissed, thinking Yami was already spooked. Having these men come in would make it worse.
"We'd rather not discuss this in the hallway," one of the officers said, looking pale, and his partner shook his head.
Seto frowned and nodded, pulling the door open and stepping aside to let the men file into the room.
He eyed them headily, watching the way they surveyed his room, clearly looking…for something.
Seto blinked, fear trickling through him as he wondered if they were looking for Yami.
Was this what Pegasus had come to warn him about?
He shut the door quietly and watched as the two uniformed men seated themselves on the couch, gesturing for him to sit too.
Gritting his teeth, Seto complied, sinking into the leather, his stomach churning with nausea as the two men studied him closely…way too closely.
"We're going door-to-door, because we didn't want to announce the incident over the intercoms," one of the officers said, and Yami held his breath, slowly sinking into a sitting position on the cold kitchen tiles, his worst fears confirmed.
Police had come into the room to question Seto.
Incident? Seto thought faintly, his dread rising higher as the second officer spoke.
"We are also here to humbly ask for your help," the officer on the right spoke softly, bowing forwards.
Seto stared at the man's blue armband and registered that this man was a chief officer of sorts.
"My help," Seto repeated hollowly, seeing the other man nod and clasp his hands together tightly.
"Our camera feeds have been down, and we don't know what caused it, or when it happened, but we are hoping with your expertise, we could recover some lost footage." The lower ranking officer said, looking to his superior for help, and Seto jumped on this chance to ask what he had been itching to know since last night.
"What the fuck happened? Just say it." Seto said rudely, and he watched as the two officers shared a look before one of them spoke. "W-Would it be better if we showed you?"
Seto nodded stiffly and watched as the chief officer slapped a manila envelope onto the coffee table and emptied the contents on the surface, making sure to keep all the photos facedown.
Seto reached for them quickly and the officer stammered hastily, "Um…uh…please…with discretion…view it carefully. It's…"
Kaiba ignored him and flipped the photos around, his world coming to a screeching halt as he gazed down on the bloody scenes depicted in each frame.
Blood. Blood was everywhere.
Lina's beautiful face was splattered with blood as she leaned against a set of cabinets. Was this girl dead?! Had Yami murdered her?!
His hands shaking, Seto spread the photos out slowly, seeing a pair of slipper covered feet, lying in a pool of dried blood. The body had multiple stab wounds.
In another photo, Rahim's lifeless stare gazed up at him and Seto felt bile rising quickly in his throat. Oh…oh fuck.
A double murder?! Was this real?! Had this been staged?!
The policemen were talking, but Seto didn't catch a word they said. He was staring listlessly at the last photo which had a message written neatly in Yami's rounded handwriting. The blood had dried dark brown against white kitchen tiles.
"He killed me, and I killed him. Naoko Inc. is responsible for this mess."
"What happened…" Seto breathed, feeling as if everything was extremely far away. When the policemen answered him, their voices echoed painfully around in his head.
"Th-That's what we are trying to figure out, Mr. Kaiba. The feeds have been down, and we think this was a professional hit, staged to be a murder suicide. Some patches of blood were doused with alcohol, and the girl…" the police officer looked to his partner for confirmation before speaking again. "The girl is an undocumented citizen. The man, as I'm sure you know, is a high-profile liaison, whom you've had a run-in with before…"
Seto blinked, Yami's terrified face flashing through his mind from last night.
"I did everything I could…to keep your name away from it! Your name was tied to it! I had to! I had to!"
Had to what? Commit murder? Seto seethed internally as fear threatened to consume him. Was Yami capable of murder? What's more, the officers seemed to think it was a staged scene. Holy shit.
The officer was still speaking. "…Clearly, we are now looking at Naoko Incorporated, but the chairman and his daughter—"
"What do you think happened?" Kaiba asked coldly, cutting across the officer and he watched as the man paled and looked to his superior for help. The chief officer folded his arms solemnly across his chest and answered him carefully.
"I'll tell you, but this is under the assumption that we have your help?"
"Yes," Seto replied hastily, lying through his teeth. "I'll try to restore the security feeds, but I can't work miracles."
The chief officer nodded and sighed heavily, looking down at the photos with an expression of deep pity. "We believe that there was a struggle as the girl was raped, and she killed the liaison. There are markings on her hands that indicate she stabbed him with great force before committing suicide."
So, Yami didn't kill anyone, Seto thought, relieved, but the officer wasn't finished speaking.
"This incident would be open and shut, but it happened when the feeds were down, and alcohol was poured over a patch of blood on the bed, which suggests someone was trying to hide evidence. We have reason to believe there was a third person in the room."
Yami bit his bottom lip so hard, his eyes watered. Damn. Damn! Maybe if he hadn't poured the alcohol over the blood patch! But what if they found his suit fibers on the bed?!
"Maybe the girl did it," Seto said aggressively, knowing full well that the third person was mostly likely Yami. "Or someone from Naoko Inc."
"That's the problem," the officer replied seriously. "We can't find any ties to Naoko Inc. other than the bloody message she wrote. The knife has gone missing. If the girl committed suicide, why would the knife go missing?"
Because Yami gave it to her! Seto realized as clarity washed over him in a sudden wave. Yami had taken the knife during dinner, and went to "the bathroom."
This was probably what had happened "in the bathroom."
"You don't need the murder weapon to declare the incident as it is," Seto argued, feeling as if he was greatly overstepping his boundaries as an impartial third-party.
"We're trying to see if Naoko Incorporated is really involved. And while everyone is on this ship for two more days, we will be watching and questioning everyone." The officer said firmly, moving to stand.
Shit, Seto thought darkly, slowly getting to his feet, praying Yami would be smart enough to stay hidden. If the officers spotted him, they would immediately want to question him.
"We're keeping this quiet, because if we were to return to shore at twice the speed, people would panic. Knowing a murder-suicide happened on-board would incite panic." The officer repeated, sounding as if he was trying to convince himself he was doing the right thing.
"What happens if I can't recover the feeds?" Seto asked steadily, knowing full well he wasn't going to participate in this incident anymore. He would play the victim card and get Yami the hell off this ship. "What happens if this gets out to the media? This is a corporate event hosted in my name! Tell me what the hell I'm supposed to do!"
Yami blinked rapidly, feeling his heart skip several terrified beats in his chest. This entire ship's event was hosted in Seto's name?! Had he known that, he wouldn't have given Lina a knife of any kind!
"We understand your concern, Mr. Kaiba," the other officer squeaked, hurrying towards the door and throwing a nervous glance over his shoulder at his superior. "Our hope is that we resolve this incident before panic sets in!"
"I'm already panicking," Seto said calmly. His mind was oddly clear.
It was obvious that Yami had done his best to distance himself from the incident too. All that was left to do was to continue walking in the opposite direction.
Yami stared at his knees, his heart pounding steadily in his chest as he recognized Seto's tone of voice. His owner was acting and lying again…but this time, it was to protect him!
"We understand, Mr. Kaiba," the chief officer said quickly, bowing deeply and sweeping the photos off the glass coffee table in a hurry. Seto saw a stray photo float to the floor and he rushed forward to shake the chief officer's hand, attempting to keep the man distracted.
He wrapped his fingers warmly over the back of man's hand, making sure to keep his expression sympathetic as he gave the man's hand another squeeze, seeing the officer's eyes widen with shock and awe.
"Thank you, Chief," Seto said seriously, feeling a delirious laugh threatening to burst out of his chest as both men blinked incredulously at him. "I hope you'll understand that I need to deboard immediately due to the nature of this incident, but you have my full support."
"Yes, , yes," the officer mumbled, tucking the envelope under his arm and bowing stiffly again. "Your support is much appreciated. We'll be in touch."
Yami held his breath, unable to believe what he was hearing. Had his owner somehow charmed the officers into letting them leave the ship early even though they had explicitly said they were keeping everyone on board for questioning?!
There was the soft shuffling of footsteps and the door shut quietly as the men left the room, and a loud ringing silence followed.
Seto blinked rapidly, staring at his hand wrapped around the golden door handle, his mind racing. He could question Yami about this later when they were safely back at the mansion. Their priorities were now to get off the ship without being photographed or seen.
He strode over to the nightstand and snatched up his phone, hastily sending Isono a text before grabbing his tablet tossing it into his bag. He grabbed stray articles of clothing off from the edge of the bed and began methodically packing everything, not bothering to separate his stuff from Yami's.
Everything was going to the same place anyway.
Seto bent down and made sure to pick up the stray photograph from under the coffee table, and he tucked it safely into his pocket.
Yami swallowed dryly, wondering if it was safe to come out. His owner was being eerily quiet, and there were a lot of odd rustling noises. Was he angry?
There was a faint buzzing echoing around the room and Yami heard Seto speak, sounding rushed. "Fifteen minutes? …. Yes. Have the guards wait in the elevator."
Yami blinked rapidly, wondering what was happening. Was he in trouble or not? Was Seto in trouble? Why did they need guards?
"Yami!" Seto shouted hoarsely, stuffing the last articles of clothing into their bags and slinging it over his shoulder. "We're leaving!"
Unable to believe his ears, Yami stood shakily and scanned the room, realizing that everything had been packed incredibly fast, and it seemed like they were getting off the ship…now!
"I'm sorry," Yami said numbly, seeing Seto shake his head frantically and move to swing the door open, standing impatiently by the exit.
Incredible! There were really leaving!
He hurried around the kitchen counter and skidded to a terrified halt when he realized his chlorine-soaked suit was still hanging in the bathroom.
Yami turned and disappeared down the hallway, reemerging with his suit, which was still on its hanger, and Seto wordlessly grabbed it out of Yami's hands, flinging the hanger onto the ground and dropping to one knee, hastily unzipping his duffel bag to unceremoniously stuff it in.
Yami's legs grew weak as he watched Seto move with precision, zipping the bag up again and throwing it over his shoulder, nodding silently and stepping out into the hallway.
Unnerved by all the silence, Yami forced himself to ask, "Are you in trouble?"
Seto curled his fingers tightly around the handle of the bags as he slowly turned to face Yami, who was gazing up at him with a wide-eyed expression, his lashes impossibly dark against his wonderfully deep complexion.
Somehow, Yami looked beautiful, even when he was deeply scared.
"Did you do it?" Seto asked tersely, knowing the answer full well. Even if Yami did have something to do with it, he would line the walls of his office with the best lawyers in the country to clear his name.
"No!" Yami replied in a hushed whisper, feeling his cheeks burn under the intensity of Seto's gaze.
"Then they can't touch you, or me." Seto said quickly, leaning down to press his lips tightly against Yami's cheek, feeling his body heat up inadvertently.
Yami blinked, his stomach clenching and swooping wonderfully as his owner hurriedly kissed him softly on the cheek.
Not angry. Seto wasn't angry.
He was acting loving and understanding.
How was this possible?!
"Come on," Seto said darkly, grabbing Yami by the wrist and leading him out of the room and down the hallway. "Keep your head down, follow me closely, and don't make eye contact."
They stopped at the end of the hallway and the elevator door slid open slowly. The room was packed full of men in dark suits and Yami felt his terror rising.
He watched as Seto pushed his way into the elevator and disappeared behind the wall of men. A pale hand stuck out from between two elbows and Yami grabbed it hesitantly. He was pulled forwards forcefully and he found himself standing tightly beside Seto with no room to turn his body as the men pressed in around them from all sides.
The elevator traveled upwards for what seemed like an eternity, and as it came to a sudden stop, Yami felt his stomach drop to his feet, making him feel nauseous.
The doors opened, but Yami couldn't see anything past the backs of the men, and he kept his head down as he was told, staring at his shoes, seeing them blur in his vision.
They walked across a carpeted room, and there were hushed whispers echoing around them.
"Seto Kaiba…and his snooty entourage…."
"Wow, this is overkill. Imagine going to the bathroom like this every day."
"Is that Mokuba?"
"I don't know! I can't see…but my goodness, Kaiba is so handsome!"
"Being treated like this, Mokuba is going to grow up to be just like his older brother. What a pity."
Yami grit his teeth and stepped over a golden bevel, feeling the wind whip his hair around his face. Mokuba had an older brother?! Who was his older brother? There was no one else in the house…!
Yami turned his gaze towards Seto with a strange feeling curling in his chest, studying him closely, seeing him with his head lowered so much, his brown bangs obscured his eyes.
Was it Seto?!
Seto and Mokuba were brothers?!
He looked away quickly, his stomach churning as they were ushered through another small door, which led down another narrow hallway.
They went up a series of concrete steps with yellow paint, and through another door, and suddenly, they were outside again, but this time, the wind was more violent and there was the loud clattering of a machine gun coming from above them.
Terrified, Yami stopped so suddenly, the circle of guards also paused around them, and Yami felt one of the men tread painfully on the back of his heel.
"I said don't fucking stop!" Seto shouted over the roar of the helicopter, and he grabbed Yami's arm, pulling him forwards.
Yami blinked, his eyes stinging and watering at the terrible combination of the bright sun coupled with sharp winds. He was grabbed under the arms and lifted upwards, and Yami was temporarily blinded by a white streak of chrome passing under his feet.
Startled, Yami glanced around frantically for Seto as green spots swam in his vision. The men climbed in to sit around them and a bulky pair of headphones were dropped into his lap.
Trying to gather his bearings, Yami slipped the headphones on snugly over his ears, thankful for a reprieve from the noise. Were they on a small plane?!
No, judging by the noise, it was a private helicopter!
He realized with a jolt that Isono was sitting at the very front in the pilot's seat as his streaks of gray hair were instantly recognizable from the back.
The guard to his left slammed the door shut and Yami jumped as a deep voice spoke too closely in his ears. "All good, boss."
Shaking, Yami pressed the headphones tighter over his ears, seeing Seto nod and his voice also echoed from the headphones. "Take off, Isono."
The whirring and roaring grew louder and Yami felt hot and uncomfortable as his stomach churned and dropped to his feet violently as they flew higher.
The men shifted tightly beside him. His leg was pressed too tightly up against Seto's leg, and everyone was sitting too close together due to the small space in the cabin, and Yami felt his vision fading in and out as the helicopter dipped and made a sharp turn.
He glanced down at his knees, unable to stomach looking out the windshield in front of him, for fear he'd vomit and get even more sick.
A pale hand rested softly on his knee and gave him a reassuring squeeze, and Yami forced himself to breathe, staring at the slender curves of Seto's knuckles, unable to tear his eyes away from the elegant silver ring sitting on his slender forefinger.
In all of the chaos, he had almost forgotten…!
Yami placed his hand over Seto's much larger one and laced their fingers together, staring at his own matching ring. He lifted his head to meet Seto's gaze, his heart thundering in his chest as he saw Seto smile dryly at him, as if to say, "This is shitty."
Nodding weakly, Yami gave Seto's hand a firm squeeze and felt Seto squeeze his hand in return as the cabin took a sharp dip downwards.
Yami tensed, watching as Isono circled a familiar building with a white roof, and Yami realized that the mansion was directly beneath them.
A strange pressure began building in his ears as they descended, and Yami shut his eyes, clenching his jaw uncomfortably, hating the feeling of his stomach flipping terribly.
Seto's hand tightened around his knee and there was a solid jolt as the helicopter landed roughly. All the guards in the cabin shifted in unison, slowly rising to their feet and throwing the door open, causing the wind to come whipping in through the opening.
Yami gazed past the guard's elbow, staring at the green expanse of grass beneath them, unable to believe that they had returned so quickly.
The guard held his hand out for him to grab, and Yami ignored it, leaping nimbly out of the helicopter and feeling his legs buckle the second his feet hit the ground.
Cursing himself internally with his knees stinging and his eyes watering, Yami slowly got to his feet and dusted himself off, berating himself for misjudging the distance from the door to the ground.
The whirring of the helicopter blades stopped and headphones were lifted off his head. Yami spun around nervously, seeing Seto handing the headset to the guards behind him, and something ran into his legs with a force so strong, it threatened to topple him over again.
"Seto!" Mokuba balked, clinging tightly onto Yami's leg, and Yami felt his owner's strong arm around his waist holding him steady as Mokuba hugged him fiercely with surprising force. "You came back early…! Did you get my mint choc-"
Yami tensed as he saw Mokuba choke on his words mid-sentence and pull away to stare at his shoes with a strange expression while the tips of his ears slowly began turning bright red.
"Let's go back inside Mokuba, come on," Seto said nervously, watching the men disperse around them to return to their posts surrounding the property.
He bent down on one knee and Mokuba edged nervously around Yami to run into his arms.
"I wasn't looking," Mokuba said lamely, and Seto nodded, giving his brother a warm hug in return.
"I don't think he minds," Seto said mildly, rising to his feet and catching a strange look panning across Yami's face. They would talk later.
Now that he was back home, he needed to purge his business accounts and connections, removing everything with Naoko Inc's name on it before the news of the murder-suicide surfaced.
Yami watched as Mokuba threw him a nervous look over his shoulder as he walked away, holding tightly onto Seto's hand.
"Coming?" Mokuba asked hesitantly, and Yami nodded hastily, and saw Isono's shadow approach him from behind.
"A word, Yami," Isono said seriously, keeping his jaw tightly clenched, hoping his anger didn't show on his face.
Yami nodded again and he nervously followed Isono back into the house, his mind racing with frantic thoughts.
Could he ask the manservant to burn the suit now?
Would Isono do it without asking questions?
One of the guards had stayed behind, dutifully carrying their bags into the main sitting area and thunking them down onto the plush white couches.
"Stay," Isono said, and Yami frowned, realizing he was speaking to the guard.
The guard nodded and planted his feet apart silently, becoming eerily still, and Yami's unease began to rise higher and higher.
The front door swung shut with an echoing bang, and Yami held his breath, daring himself to feel relieved.
Everything looked familiar now, and it was no longer overwhelming to be in this huge house.
The crystal chandelier above his head was reassuring to see.
The grand-staircase leading up to his room was reassuring to see.
The large marble mantel above the elegant fireplace was comforting; even the white couches and silver end-tables were soothing to look at.
"Isono," Yami began hurriedly, but his voice caught as he watched Isono slide a thick, white envelope out from his suit pocket and press it into his hands, bowing stiffly.
"For you," Isono said coldly, keeping his gaze lowered respectfully. He would do this tactfully, and by the time Master Kaiba came downstairs, this foreigner would be gone.
Yami blinked rapidly and accepted the envelope with both hands, astounded to see a stack of bills sitting neatly inside. His heart stopped in his chest and the air slowly began to leave his lungs. What was this?! Money!
"Th-Thank you," Yami choked, wondering how he should tell the manservant that he no longer planned on leaving. Should he also tell Isono about what happened on the ship? After all, Isono was the closest to Seto…and would do anything to protect him!
"It seems your bags have already been packed," Isono said cleverly, nodding at the duffel bag on the couch. This was extremely convenient.
"Yes, but…" Yami paused, panicking slightly as he realized Isono thought he wanted to leave now. But he had just gotten back! He was looking forward to sleeping in Seto's bed tonight!
"No excuses," Isono said firmly, straightening up and communicating silently with the guard by giving him a stiff nod, seeing him nod in return. Throw the boy out if he refuses to leave on his own. "Have we come to an understanding?"
"Yes," Yami said desperately, a terrible feeling curling his chest as he struggled to compose himself. "I have another request…and I have something to tell you!"
"What is it?" Isono sniffed, moving to the couch and grabbing Yami's duffle bag by the handles, making it clear that he was going to help carry the bag to the front gates.
"There is a suit inside that bag," Yami whispered, fearing that Seto would somehow hear them from upstairs. "Please burn it. There was blood on it. Another man's blood. It could get the Master in trouble."
Isono froze, his ears ringing with shock as he processed what Yami was saying. Blood? Had this foreigner gotten into a fight while he was on the ship? Was that why they had come back in such a frantic rush?
"Tell me why," Isono said darkly, folding his arms and eyeing Yami headily, seeing the boy shuffle his feet nervously. "I'll do everything you ask. You just have to tell me why."
Yami hesitated for a moment, his mind racing frantically for a solution that didn't involve telling Isono the truth, but he couldn't find one. Maybe it was better that Isono knew the truth!
"A girl…stabbed a man…while I was in the room," Yami said, feeling his body growing numb. Now that he was speaking about it, it made everything seem a lot more real.
"His blood was everywhere, and he is a man that Seto knows! The girl and the man are both dead!"
Yami saw Isono pale suddenly and drop the handles of the bag, reaching shakily into his pocket to pull out his gloves, slipping them on slowly and carefully unzipping the bag.
Isono pulled out a wrinkled blazer, and the sharp smell of bathroom cleaner assaulted his senses. Repressing a gag, he pressed a gloved hand over his nose and mouth, addressing the guard on standby. "Get a plastic bag and hurry back."
Yami watched as the guard walked away silently and he wrung his hands nervously as all of his worst fears came pouring out.
"I cleaned it up, but the police came and questioned Seto, asking him to restore camera feeds, which I asked him to erase! It's all my fault! If I hadn't asked him to erase the feeds, perhaps the authorities wouldn't be as suspicious! But if I'm seen…I'm seen with him and they will know—"
"Stop talking. I understand," Isono interrupted sharply. He had heard enough to know that Yami had gotten Kaiba more than involved with this mess, and Kaiba was currently upstairs in a conference call with his board of directors.
"So please burn it now," Yami implored, bowing forwards so much that he felt the blood rush to his head. "And burn anything that has my handwriting."
"Already done," Isono replied shortly. He had destroyed all of the practice sheets out of sheer fury, and shoved all of Yami's textbooks into the shelf in Mokuba's room.
The guard returned with the plastic bag, and Isono snatched it up hastily, stuffing the suit into it, spying a pair of dress shoes at the bottom of the bag covered by a stray pantleg.
"The shoes too!" Yami said, nodding forlornly, and he watched as Isono neatly tucked the shoes into the plastic bag as well.
"Now, you leave," Isono said shakily, zipping the bag back up and handing it to Yami, pleased to see that it felt noticeably lighter. He saw Yami accept the bag with shaking hands, looking miserable.
"I don't want to leave," Yami whispered, feeling a terrible lump choking the voice out of his throat. Was it possible to stay? Where would he go?
But…was it safe to stay beside Seto given the precarious situation?
Could he come back?
"Think carefully," Isono said quickly, ignoring the sudden rush of anger that bubbled up inside his chest. "Do you think you can stay here while you're asking me to burn a suit with a man's blood on it? You said the police had come by, and somehow, two people are dead!"
How horrible! He had been more than kind to this foreigner, and he had been repaid with blood on their hands. Kaiba should've listened to him when he first said that this boy was dangerous.
"Can I come back?" Yami asked boldly, feeling his tongue swell as a crushing weight began squeezing his heart so painfully, it was hard to draw his next breath.
"No, and you know why!" Isono replied harshly, folding his arms across his chest, trying to ignore the surge of guilt pooling low in his chest.
Deep down, he knew that Mokuba would be angry about Yami's sudden disappearance, because the younger Kaiba considered Yami to be his friend, and friends were hard to come by…for both Kaibas.
"No contact," he continued, seeing Yami's head lower his head shamefully, and he ignored the rapid pounding of his own heart. "Even if you had nothing to do with it, the farther away you are, the better."
I understand, Yami thought miserably as his bag grew heavier on his shoulder, causing his neck to ache. It was the smart thing to do.
Leave now, before the authorities came knocking on the door.
"Can I say goodbye?" Yami whispered, staring at the tips of his shoes, feeling his eyes water painfully. No…he couldn't cry now.
His absence while the authorities were here would protect Seto…and Mokuba.
They were brothers…and Isono was like their father. It was a strange family, but it all made sense. He was trespassing on their lives.
"No," Isono said firmly, an odd sinking feeling curling in his stomach, wondering why he was acting so cruel. It was better that the foreigner disappeared quietly from Seto and Mokuba's lives.
Yami felt his mouth go dry and the room swam violently in his vision. That was a fair request, and Isono was denying it!
"I need my dictionary," Yami said cleverly, trying not to let his despair overwhelm him.
Isono paused, fully aware that Yami was being deceptive. The boy was completely fluent, and was clearly looking for a way to enter the rooms upstairs…to say goodbye.
"You have five minutes to find your dictionary," Isono said tightly, gritting his teeth. "I'll be waiting at the front gates with your bag."
Yami blinked and nodded, dropping his bag to the floor without hesitation and dashing up the grand staircase, his legs growing heavier with every step upwards.
This was the last time he would be in this beautiful house, with his kind owner.
This would be the last time he'd be walking up these stairs he had cursed so often.
He strode towards Mokaba's room, knocking softly. "Mokuba?"
Isono sighed tightly and tossed the bag over his shoulder, hearing Yami's voice echo from upstairs. So, the foreigner was saying goodbye to Mokuba first. Poor Mokuba was about to lose a friend.
Willing himself to feel nothing, Isono motioned for the guard to follow him out the front, and he left the doors wide open behind them.
Yami heard soft rustling coming from behind the door before Mokuba's scruffy head poked out from behind it. "What."
"Is my..." Yami swallowed tightly and blinked, feeling a hot tear curl down his cheek, and he brushed it away quickly, deeply mortified.
He would not cry in front of this child! He would not let Mokuba think that anything was wrong!
Mokuba frowned and pulled Yami into his room by the arm, closing the door quietly behind them, pointing at his bookshelf, thinking Isono had bullied Yami into crying by hiding his books.
"He put them there," Mokuba said dryly, rolling his eyes. He was so fed up with Isono and Yami's subtle fighting. Did Seto know about this?
"…dictionary." Yami managed through clenched teeth, and he saw Mokuba shrug.
"I didn't see it here," Mokuba replied, studying Yami's face carefully, wondering why the foreigner looked so stiff. Did the helicopter ride scare him?
"I know it's scary, but it'll get less scary," Mokuba continued, nodding knowingly, seeing Yami's angular eyes widen at him. "But I'm learning how to fly one right now! Cool, right?"
"What?" Yami asked numbly, wondering what planet he was living on. Was Mokuba saying he could pilot a helicopter? For real, or in his imagination? The level of conversation with this child was so strange!
"Yeah!" Mokuba smiled, thinking he had impressed Yami so much that he had shocked him speechless. "I'll bet Seto would let you fly one too if you asked!"
Blinking rapidly, Yami composed himself, reminding himself that he had limited time. He wasn't here to speak casually about nonsensical things! He was here to say goodbye! And at the same time…he could confirm that Mokuba was indeed Seto's younger brother.
"Your brother, Seto, would let me fly a helicopter," Yami recited in monotone, seeing Mokuba nod once and grin brightly at him again. "Yep!"
"Yep!"
"Yep!"
Mokuba's voice echoed oddly around in Yami's head and he felt faint.
Mokuba was Seto's brother.
Mokuba was not a toy.
Why did they look nothing alike?
"Your hair and eye color are different," Yami said aggressively, his panic rising as he wondered if he had enough time to say goodbye to Seto.
"We're brothers…" Mokuba frowned and his face twisted into an expression of deep confusion. "Why does our hair and eye color matter?"
Yami was taken aback by this reaction and he shook his head frantically, realizing he had accidentally struck a nerve. "It doesn't! Just like how…we are brothers, aren't we?"
"Y-Yeah…what?" Mokuba scratched his head and felt his face heating up strangely. Yami was being weird.
"I'm saying, you are like a younger brother to me," Yami said in a rush, feeling his ears burn. He glanced down at his arms and hastily slid the bracelets off his wrist, setting them on Mokuba's desk.
Mokuba felt himself blush deeper as he wondered why Yami was suddenly complimenting him and giving him presents.
"Please keep these safe for me," Yami lied, hating himself as he saw Mokuba's eyes widen curiously at the matching golden bracelets. "Put them in your desk, or hide them somewhere in the house where Isono won't be able to find them. Move them every day if you have to."
"Okay…" Mokuba said worriedly, shoving the bracelets into his desk drawer carelessly. Another stupid fight-thing with Isono. Whatever. He would tell Seto about it later.
There was an awkward silence, and Yami moved towards the door, wondering if it was out-of-line for him to hug the child.
"Where are you going?" Mokuba asked, rushing towards the TV and extracting the game controllers from the drawer beneath it. "I wanna play that level we were stuck on!"
Yami grit his teeth, his hand had almost reached the handle of the door knob, and he felt his eyes heating up dangerously again. He would hug the child, and Isono could kill him for it…if Isono could catch him.
"Yami—" Mokuba turned around and found himself being pulled into a crushing embrace. His chin rubbed against Yami's shoulder and he winced, feeling Yami's arms wrapping around his shoulders warmly.
W-Weird! Did Yami miss him that much?
The cruise probably sucked a lot!
"Okay, I missed you too," Mokuba said gruffly, trying to shove Yami away, feeling Yami resist and the arms around his body tightened alarmingly, and Mokuba held his breath, his heart racing uncontrollably in his chest as he wondered what was happening.
"Take care of your brother, Mokuba," Yami said quietly, choking back the sob that was threatening to wrench its way out of his body. "Make sure he eats and sleeps on time."
"Yeah yeah get off me!" Mokuba squirmed away, watching Yami lean away and walk towards the door. Yami gave him a reassuring nod over his shoulder before swinging the door open and striding out into the hallway back into his room.
Blinking in confusion, Mokuba sat alone in the middle of the floor, staring at the controller in his lap, wondering why Yami had refused to play the game with him in such a weird way.
That was also the first time Yami had ever hugged him, and something felt off. Maybe it was because he had accidentally hugged Yami's leg earlier.
Foreigners were weird.
Shrugging it off, Mokuba switched the TV on and waited for his game to load.
Yami stepped into his room and scanned everything carefully, thankful to see that Isono had cleaned everything up in a way that made it look unlived in.
At a glance, you couldn't tell someone had slept here for a few months.
He walked towards his desk and pulled open all the drawers, sweeping up the spare change and the pin his owner had given him during their first month together, and he tucked them all into his pocket.
He was also relieved to see his dictionary sitting in the lowest drawer.
Yami sank to his knees, gripping it tightly, his heart thudding slowly in his chest.
After a moment, he grabbed a pen from the top drawer and flipped to the very back of the dictionary, hastily writing a message for Seto in Arabic.
"Please think of me. I will think of you often."
He snapped the book shut and tucked it under his arm, cautiously approaching the connecting door, testing the door handle. To his surprise, it was unlocked, and he eased the door open quietly, seeing Seto standing at his desk, speaking rapidly on the phone, clearly buried in his work.
"Yes…sell them now. The sooner the better," Seto hissed, jerking his head up to see Yami creeping in to his room, looking oddly timid. He shook his head and pressed a finger to his lips, drawing a line across his throat. Make noise and I will kill you, I'm on the damn phone with important people.
Yami nodded stiffly, walking towards the nearest nightstand and edging it open. If he remembered correctly, this was the drawer with the photo of Seto and Mokuba. He felt around in the back and his fingers brushed against a hard metal edge.
He slipped the dictionary under the picture frame and shut the drawer quietly with Seto's voice ringing in his ears.
"Good. Other employees who have had meetings with their representatives will be sent a non-disclosure document to sign…no one can comment to co-workers or to the media about any of this."
Yami moved steadily towards the desk, seeing Seto's eyes widen and then narrow into a hostile glare as he shook his head again, pointing at the phone and making the gesture for quiet.
Yes, I'll be quiet, Yami thought forlornly, his stomach twisting with dread as he realized there was no way he could kiss Seto if he was going to keep talking on the phone. Would Isono be patient enough to wait until Seto finished his call? Then maybe…
There was a quiet beep as Seto hit mute, and he lowered the phone onto his desk, placing it on speakerphone.
"…would definitely be a good idea…"
"Can it wait?" Seto hissed, seeing Yami shake his head and rush towards him, pressing his warm lips across his own, kissing him deeply.
"…So, we will all be signing a non-disclosure agreement after.…"
Blinking in astonishment, Seto grit his teeth as he tried to shove Yami off, feeling Yami climbing nimbly on top of him, straddling his legs tightly, his tongue thudding insistently across the fronts of his teeth, demanding entrance. Holy f-fuck! No!
Yami's hands gripped his hair tightly and Seto felt his head being jerked back forcefully as Yami strongly held him in place, apparently refusing to let up until his tongue entered his mouth.
Giving in momentarily, Seto unclenched his jaw and let Yami slide his tongue thickly into his mouth, causing his heart to swell wonderfully as Yami kissed him lovingly. Seto tried to keep his eyes open as Yami continued to press his lips tightly over his, alternating between sucking gently on his lower lip and shoving his tongue fully into his mouth, almost choking the air out of him as he did so.
"…isn't that right, Mr. Kaiba?"
Seto gave Yami's hip a few frantic pats. Yes, yes, get off me now, fucking please.
Yami cupped his owner's face tightly, forcefully grinding his hips downwards, thinking that maybe he could get away with staying in this room and never leaving.
He could sit on Seto's dick while he was on the phone! Anything was possible if he tried hard enough!
"Mr. Kaiba? …Is your connection poor, Mr. Kaiba?"
Yami felt a sharp pain sting his bottom lip and he tasted blood in his mouth as he was shoved away forcefully, sending a set of pens clattering across the desk and onto the floor.
"Yes, I hear you," Seto gasped, simultaneously tapping the speakerphone button and untangling himself from Yami.
"Good, so now, we can address the issue of…"
He hit mute again and rounded on Yami, biting back his fury when he realized Yami's cheeks were wet with tears. What the fuck! Of all the times to be fucking needy as hell…!
"I'm leaving now, I'll go!" Yami said tearfully, reaching out to touch Seto's hand, seeing his owner hiss and jerk his arm back angrily.
"Time and place!" Seto seethed, hearing his name echoing from the phone again but he ignored it. Yami needed to know that he couldn't just come in whenever he wanted to fuck. "I know you're not stupid. Get the hell out."
"Mr. Kaiba? Do you agree? To repeat…."
Seto hit unmute and growled at his phone, "I agree," and he pointed furiously at the connecting door, seeing Yami bow deeply and very formally, keeping his hands tucked in front of him.
Fucking selfish wierdo.
He glared at Yami's slender shoulders, his heart thundering in his chest, watching as Yami slowly walked out of the room and shut the door behind him.
Yami grit his teeth and brushed the back of his hand across his lips, feeling them swell, hating the salty mix of tears and blood in his mouth. Worst goodbye kiss ever.
He caught a glimpse of his face in the mirror, startled to see that his bottom lip had become slightly swollen, and he panicked, rushing into the bathroom to wash his face.
He couldn't confront Isono like this. He needed to be presentable.
Yami hastily dried his face and walked out into the hallway, passing by Mokuba's room, hearing loud clings and explosions coming from his game. He paused to stare at Mokuba one last time, memorizing the way the child sat cross-legged, facing the TV, cackling to himself as his character exploded on the screen.
He shook his head sadly and turned to walk down the stairs, unsurprised to see the guard standing at the bottom, waiting for him.
"You were taking too long," the man said gruffly, and Yami ignored him, walking right past him and out the front door, blinking in the harsh sunlight, heading towards Isono, who was waiting obediently by the front gates.
Look at me, Lina, Yami thought spitefully, striding across the white concrete. I'm being escorted to freedom by my owner's manservant and guards. You died for a good cause.
Isono pressed his finger against the scanner, noticing that Yami was not holding his dictionary. His eyes were swollen and his lower lip was bleeding, looking as if he had been hit across the face. The older Kaiba was probably responsible for that, and the younger Kaiba had probably made Yami cry.
"Please be well," Isono said carefully, handing Yami his bag and seeing Yami accept it with both hands, bowing deeply, his slender shoulders shaking slightly.
"Thank you for your guidance, Isono," Yami said quietly, feeling his eyes sting with tears again. Damn. Damn everything.
"You're welcome," Isono said stiffly, bowing in return. He straightened up and nodded at the guard. "This man here will escort you past the edge of the property. It goes without saying that you should stay away from all reporters and journalists."
"I will do that," Yami said deeply, blinking back tears. "I appreciate your kindness and generosity. I will not speak of my time here. I will treasure it quietly."
Isono nodded, slightly touched by Yami's sudden eloquence.
"The Kaiba family appreciates your discretion," Isono said robotically, wondering how he was suddenly speaking to this foreigner like a complete stranger, when only a few weeks ago, they were cooking meals and airing out futons together. It was strange indeed.
Yami slung the bag over his shoulder and stepped past the gate, feeling the guard follow him closely at his heels. He stared at the gate's spiky shadow passing by his feet, wondering why at one point upon his arrival, he had tried to climb these bars, thinking that this beautiful house would be his prison.
Instead, this house had become his home. The maids and servants had provided everything he needed, and the Master had become his doting lover, while Mokuba had felt like a genuine younger brother.
Life worked in strange ways.
And now, he was walking away to live his own life.
Author's note:
Hello, im back after a little break. My heart was being squeezed as I wrote this chapter. Thank you for your continued interest in this story.
I will still be updating this story every week!
Leave a comment! I love hearing your thoughts!
Many warm thanks to YLJE for editing this chapter!
Hugs,
UGLI