Mokuba watched the men and women in dark suits march his older brother into an empty meeting room and lock the door with grim looks on their faces.
Slightly terrified, Mokuba ran towards the glass doors, but found his way blocked by the family's manservant, Isono, accompanied by another stranger in a dark suit.
"Step away from the door," the stranger commanded, and Mokuba opened his mouth to protest but found himself dragged forcefully back by Isono's strong arm.
"Seto! Are you in trouble, Seto?" Mokuba cried anxiously, trying to shake off Isono while craning his neck, attempting to see past the many shoulders blocking his view into the meeting room.
Inside the meeting room, Seto Kaiba sat at the head of the table silently, doing his best to keep his expression impassive.
Nothing special was happening today.
It had been a pretty mild day, until these suits had stormed in without warning and separated him from hugging Mokuba after getting off a long flight.
They were trying to corner him, to scare him.
Kaiba willed himself to stay composed.
He would not show fear.
He knew he had done nothing wrong.
"Someone want to bring the kid inside and question him too?" An officer to his left spoke, and Kaiba tensed, ready to shout down any person who would dare to approach his younger brother in a bid for this mystery information.
"No, we'll speak with Seto Kaiba first," said a woman who seemed to be in charge. She had sleek black hair tied back in a twisted bun and her silhouette in the black pantsuit was threateningly sharp.
Kaiba eyed her headily, watching her sit down across from him and attempt a friendly smile that only came across as a grimace.
"Mr. Kaiba, do you know who we are?" She asked impatiently, and Kaiba quickly shook his head, choosing to remain silent as he continued to observe the other suits in the room with them. They were working quickly to draw the blinds over the large glass windows, and Kaiba's skin crawled unpleasantly at their oddly synchronized movements.
He had somewhat of an idea.
These people were military…organized, and intelligent.
"We are from the national intelligence agency," she said plainly, sliding a laptop across the table and flipping it open. "We're here because your life is in danger."
There was a long silence, and Kaiba blinked slowly, realizing he didn't feel at all surprised or frightened at this information.
He was a man at the top of the food chain, with money—billions, almost trillions, and multiple campuses around the world for a company in his own name which he had built from the ground up.
Who had he pissed off so badly that they'd want him dead?
"I see, you don't seem surprised," the woman said coldly, and the agents around the room shuffled uncomfortably. "I'll have you know; this isn't your usual internet death threat. A well-known assassin has been hired out of retirement to kill you."
Kaiba managed a stiff nod and tucked his tongue between his teeth, biting it lightly.
Okay, sure, cool. An assassin.
His life was about to become an action movie. Great.
"Still quiet?" The woman shook her head, looking slightly amused. "The reason for our urgency and sudden intrusion is because the man after you is on our top ten most wanted list. You should be scared, Mr. Kaiba. Your stony expression is admirable. This man is violent and unpredictable."
Kaiba nodded again, realizing his voice had died in his throat.
"We've been trying to catch this kid for the past six years," a man chimed in from the side. "He's the youngest and most dangerous criminal to make our list. The rest of your living family might be targeted too."
Kaiba grit his teeth and managed to say, "all I have is Mokuba."
"Yes, your younger brother and a…boyfriend?" The woman raised her eyebrow knowingly. "We can help protect everyone around you, including your live-at-home staff."
Kaiba couldn't do anything other than nod again. This was shitty. Life was about to get extremely difficult.
The woman tapped rapidly at the laptop's keyboard and spun the computer around to face him.
"Here's a photo of the man who is after you," she said grimly, "His name is Atem, and he's a skilled assassin." Then she leaned back into her chair, quietly giving orders to the men around her.
Kaiba stared intently at the photo on the screen, feeling his entire body slowly growing numb while a strange ringing filled his ears.
A familiar face stared back at him, the features grimy from the pixilated surveillance photo, but it was unmistakably…his boyfriend, Yami.
Slender build, hollow cheekbones, olive skin, spiky blonde bangs framing his face, accentuating a set of deep, angular violet eyes which were glaring upwards into the camera, his face twisted into an expression of deep contempt.
Kaiba suppressed a shiver and couldn't help but think that he had never seen such a nasty expression on Yami's face before.
He snuck a glance at the woman sitting in front of him, glad that she was so preoccupied with giving orders, and he looked at the photo again, remembering the time he had first met Yami.
It was at a gala. Or a fundraiser.
He had already forgotten what the event was called because it had been so long ago, but the angular eyes staring at him from across the room had shot jolts of mysterious electricity down his entire body.
They had mingled, sometimes eyeing each other between conversations with strangers, other times brushing elbows casually. It wasn't until the end of the night when everyone had sat down to listen to the last band play, did they have a chance to speak.
And Yami was the one who had spoken first, seemingly quite drunk on what looked like his fifth glass of wine. His cheeks were tinted wonderfully pink as he leaned across the table to say one word in a deep, resounding voice.
"…Pity."
Kaiba remembered smiling reluctantly and asking, "What?"
"You," Yami had declared loftily, tossing back the rest of his glass and looking oddly forlorn. "…You're attractive. I hate that."
Kaiba had no response, so he opted to remain silent.
He wasn't sure if it had been a compliment or an insult.
They had sat in awkward silence for a bit longer and listened to the performers croon on stage until Kaiba decided to retaliate with, "It is a pity you find me attractive."
Yami threw his head back and laughed boyishly. It made his heart race.
Kaiba watched his every move, slightly curious about the odd behavior, but deeply enchanted nonetheless.
"It's funny…you're funny…" Yami drawled as he tapped his slender fingertips against the stem of his wine glass. "I told them this would be my last time. This…right here. I wanted to be done with these events forever. I'm out."
"Yeah, these things bore me out my fucking mind," Kaiba remembered replying trying to sound sympathetic and conversational. "But anything for the good publicity, right? That's how this works. Can't escape it."
"Right…right," Yami answered aimlessly, and his alcohol-misty eyes had suddenly gone dark. "I want to escape it. All of this, all at once. Do you know anywhere we could go where no one knows us?"
Kaiba blinked rapidly and remembered feeling a strange swirling in his stomach, thinking he was being picked up. Was it romantic or creepy? He couldn't figure it out at the time, and before he could reply, Yami reached across the table to grab onto his hand tightly, looking deep into his eyes.
"They're watching us. Let's go somewhere where they're not watching."
Before Kaiba could protest, he was pulled out of his seat and through the crowded ballroom.
"Hey, slow down. I don't know your name," Kaiba had hissed, and he received a tight shake of the head in response.
"If we make it out of this building, I'll tell you my name," Yami said hurriedly, shouldering open a door to the stairway with urgency.
Kaiba remembered barely being able to hear Yami speak over their tapping footsteps echoing in the stairwell. He had also almost tripped his way down each flight of stairs as Yami led him forward at a demanding pace.
"If we make it to your car alive, I'll—"
A door several floors above them swung open with a deafening bang, followed by many pairs of footsteps, and Yami had glanced up with wide eyes, his forehead beaded with sweat, "Shit. Let's run!"
And Kaiba found himself yanked forward with surprising force as they raced down the remaining flights of stairs and burst into the parking garage.
"Call your car! And then a plane. We're leaving the country for a bit!" Yami had whispered hoarsely, and Kaiba found himself obeying without question, because at his core, he understood that an unknown danger was after them…after him.
"Who are they? Why are they after me?" Kaiba tapped his phone repeatedly in his pocket, calling for his car and listening for the telltale rumble of his engine as Yami ducked and weaved them through the parked cars with alarming familiarity.
Kneeling behind a large delivery truck for safety, Yami had given him a wry smile while replying, "They want you…and me, dead. Our odds of survival are better as a team."
"Mr. Kaiba?"
Kaiba snapped back to reality. He stared into the pale face of the woman sitting before him, and watched her mouth move as she spoke, but all he wanted to do was finish his recollection to piece together everything that was happening.
His limousine had pulled up in front of the delivery truck while men in suits were spreading out through the parked cars towards them.
Yami had shoved him into the limo headfirst while muffled clacks! hit the sides of the doors, and angry shouts rang out in the garage.
"I did my research on you, Mr. Kaiba. Armored and bulletproof!" Yami had grinned handsomely while the car lurched forward violently and sped towards the exit. "…Chauffeured around by ex-racers. I guess you are what they call 'smart money'."
The woman sitting in front of him was still talking. "…And we're going to need access to all the rooms in your house, including the ones that are fingerprint locked."
Kaiba cleared his throat softly and re-crossed his legs, feeling an odd bubble of annoyance curling low in his chest, "That won't be necessary."
Yami had then leaned forward in the seat and kissed him passionately in celebration.
It had been a life-changing kiss. His lips were warm and cold at the same time.
His breath had been very sweet, and heavy with wine, and the arms around his neck were tight and comforting.
Then Yami had pulled away breathlessly with a grin and said, "Let's go to Norway. I've always wanted to vacation there."
The woman was beginning to sound angry as she spoke, "He was last spotted circling you at a fundraising gala two years ago. This is very necessary, Mr. Kaiba. He might be closer to you than you think. Perhaps you recognize him? You were seen leaving the event with him, and he was never seen again after that."
Kaiba laced his fingers together and leaned forward, looking her right in the eye while lying, "I don't remember a gala from this last year, let alone two years ago. Too many fucking galas with too many people. Also, if this happened two years ago, why are you here now? And wouldn't I be dead if he wanted to kill me then?"
"We were only recently made aware," the woman said, exasperated. "Hence the reason for our urgency. The footage was being deleted, but our facial recognition software which has improved over the years, picked up on it. Are you sure you don't recognize this man? He may have changed his appearance since approaching you at that gala."
"No, I don't," Kaiba said plainly, trying to calm the rapid beating of his own heart.
"If he wanted to kill me, I'd be dead. I don't need your people to clutter my life with all your 'protocols'. Thanks for the heads up. I've got it from here."
The woman gave him a stony look and pressed on with her agenda, "I don't think you understand the gravity of the situation, Mr. Kaiba. We've caught this before it was too late, but your reaction tells me you might've known about this before we arrived."
"Yeah, threats are made on my life weekly…daily," Kaiba said, rolling his eyes. "My own private security is more than enough. I don't need your help. Get out of my meeting room and off my property."
He stood fluidly and moved towards the door which was still blocked by two burly men in suits. "Get out of my way."
"Gentlemen, let him leave," the woman said stiffly.
The men stepped aside hastily, so Kaiba brushed past them and out the door.
Mokuba rushed at him and clung tightly onto his leg, his large eyes wet with unshed tears of worry, "Who are they, Seto? Are we in trouble?"
"Everything is okay, Mokuba," Kaiba reassured his younger brother with a pat on the head, and he heard footsteps coming up behind him.
"We will check-in with you periodically, Mr. Kaiba," she said, and Kaiba turned to give her a withering look.
"Don't," he said coldly. "Or I'll press harassment charges. Leave and never come back."
He led Mokuba out the front doors and to the waiting limo on the curb.
They sat in silence all the way home, while Kaiba fought with himself.
It only hit him just now, how little he knew about Yami.
He didn't even know Yami's exact age.
Yami had just brushed the question off with, "We're the same age, don't you think?" Always giving him vague answers to his specific questions.
About birthdays, the answer was a satisfying, "I don't care about birthdays. Same as you!" And then they would fuck. He chalked it up to compatibility. But he never got an answer about a birthday month.
When asked about siblings, it was, "I've always wanted a little brother like Mokuba." And then they would fuck. He was glad someone accepted Mokuba so wholeheartedly, since his brother was such a little brat, and Mokuba loved playing with Yami. Watching them game together always warmed his heart.
When asked about his deep skin tone and how he ended up in Japan as an immigrant, it was, "…I came here for you. Wasn't that obvious?"
…No?!
The car pulled into his driveway and parked around the fountain. He climbed out with Mokuba's hand in his, and they walked up the front steps, filing into the elevator, holding the door open just long enough for Isono to join them inside before letting the doors slide shut.
There was a long silence as the elevator continued to descend, and Isono spoke up first.
"Is there anything I can do for you, Master Kaiba?"
"Facial scans on every person who walked in all my buildings today," Kaiba said furiously, feeling Mokuba grip his hand tighter. "And I can't believe I didn't ask you to do this before, but scan Yami's face too."
"Why?" Mokuba asked shakily, turning to gaze up at his older brother. "Did Yami do something?"
"No," Kaiba said through clenched teeth, but his stomach churned painfully at all the potential lies Yami had been telling him. "We're just being safe."
Mokuba nodded weakly and watched the elevator doors slide open.
Yami was standing at the bar counter behind the lounge, making himself a drink, and before Kaiba could stop his little brother, Mokuba rushed forward and threw himself at Yami, almost toppling him over.
"YAMI!" Mokuba cried happily, tugging at the hem of Yami's blazer and pointing at the TV. "Do you have time to watch my favorite cartoon with me today?"
"Yes, I have plenty of time," Yami said smoothly, giving Mokuba a smile and a pat on the head. "Now don't push me over. I'm making drinks. Want a soda?"
"Seto, can I have a soda?" Mokuba asked excitedly, turning to gaze at him with bright eyes.
Kaiba stood at the mouth of the elevator, observing Yami's every movement, trying not to feel betrayed.
"Yeah kid," Kaiba felt his own mouth move mechanically while his entire body was numb. "You can have a soda…while Yami and I talk in the other room."
Two years. They had two blissful years together and he had to learn this news from the Japanese Intelligence Agency. He'd spent so much of his life with someone who was on a top ten most wanted list? They had said he was violent and dangerous. An assassin.
Was he a murderer?
And if so, how many people had he killed?
Was Yami playing the long game, trying to find the perfect moment to sabotage him?
His stomach churning, Kaiba strode into the adjacent room and began pacing. It seemed there was a whole other side to Yami, and the fact that he'd only been made aware of it now was startling. In fact, it wasn't a side.
It was more like his entire past life was a mystery.
They never talked about it because the topic had been cunningly avoided.
His name wasn't even Yami! Or was it?
"I'm here," Yami said calmly. Kaiba caught a sympathetic look from Yami as he stepped into the room and eased the door shut with a soft click. "Had a bad day?"
"Yeah, pretty fucking bad," Kaiba said, trying to keep the emotion from leaking into his voice. "What did you do all day?"
Did that sound accusatory? He had not meant for it to sound accusatory, and thankfully Yami didn't seem to notice his tone.
"I called to check in on the management for all your other properties, mainly the ones in Macau and Venice," Yami said, nodding and sounding thoughtful. "Because I forgot about them when I called to check in on the others. Then…I sat around and read a book."
Kaiba nodded and tensed when Yami approached him slowly, wrapping his arms around his waist with a languid smile.
"You need to relax," Yami said bossily, his eyes shining with warmth. "I already apologized for forgetting. Sell the properties. We're not using them. The upkeep is tiring."
Kaiba gazed deeply into Yami's angular violet eyes and felt his chest tighten pleasantly with emotion. There was no way Yami was the same person two years ago. What would happen if he asked about Yami's past?
"Hey, I've got a fun question," Kaiba said aggressively, trying not to enjoy the way Yami's arms tightened wonderfully around his waist.
"What is it?" Yami asked playfully, jutting up on his tiptoes and pressing his nose against the bottom of Kaiba's chiseled jawline. "You smell…. like a meeting room. Come take a shower with me."
"How many ex-boyfriends did you have?" Kaiba asked instantly, and he couldn't help but add, "And how many of them are still alive?"
Yami gave him a funny look, the corners of his mouth tugging upwards, "None. I've never had an ex-anything. Well, you know, I have an ex-job, and that job made me so busy, I never had time for anyone. You're my first."
Kaiba's heart swelled happily at these words, but he sobered up instantly, and he placed his hands down onto Yami's shoulders, giving him a tight squeeze, "Tell me what you worked as. Why were you so busy?"
"Why are you asking so many strange questions?" Yami retaliated, pulling out of the embrace to give Kaiba's hand an encouraging tug towards the door. "Let's bathe together."
"No, answer my question first," Kaiba insisted, realizing that this was exactly how he had been dazzled by Yami in the first place. Any time he tried to ask a personal question; it was deflected with practiced ease. And they would have mind-blowing sex. Every time.
"Well, I had to travel at a moment's notice…a lot," Yami said, frowning and beginning to look uncomfortable. "I'd have to travel, meet people, and do it all over again week after week. It was so tiring. Places began to blur together and traveling had no meaning anymore."
Kaiba bit his tongue and stared deeply into Yami's eyes, his throat tightening with emotion. Was that a lie?
"Now come on," Yami insisted, tugging at his tie and loosening it quickly. "I missed you today."
Kaiba dug his heels into the floor but found himself being dragged up the grand staircase, through the long hallway, and into the master bedroom.
He could already hear the rumbling of the water jets from the tub which were echoing through the spacious bathroom, and Kaiba watched Yami casually strip off his clothes while making his way down the steps into the bathroom.
He stood motionless at the doorway, his chest tightening with a strange emotion as he watched Yami give the steaming water a swirl with his arm.
Yami had clearly planned this meticulously.
The bath had already been run several minutes before his return, and he could see stray rose petals bobbing up and down in the white foamy water.
How thoughtful?
"What's the occasion?" Kaiba asked, hearing his own voice echoing hollowly through the bathroom, and he caught a demure smile from Yami before he lowered himself in the water with a contented sigh and patted the marble bevel.
"No occasion," Yami answered smoothly, his voice barely audible over the noise coming from the rumbling water. "Come in. Let's spend some time together before you need to fly off somewhere for a meeting."
Kaiba shook his head firmly and set his mouth in a tight line, intent on getting some answers.
"Is it true the police are after you?" Kaiba blurted, and he watched Yami's face carefully for a reaction, but to his dismay, all Yami did was give him a strange look.
"Why would the police be after me?" Yami asked incredulously, his eyes narrow with confusion. "Or…are they after you?"
"Nope, definitely you," Kaiba said furiously, feeling his heart pound loudly the longer Yami continued to feign innocence. "Do you have anything you want to tell me?"
Yami stared at him for a long moment before seeming to compose himself and he patted the water encouragingly, "if you get in, I'll answer your questions."
Kaiba ground his teeth and quickly stepped out of his clothes. This was fine. If Yami wanted to play this game, he would play along. Sticking a leg into the water, Kaiba sat stubbornly on the top step and gazed apprehensively at Yami's bare chest, unable to meet his gaze.
"Right, now tell me—"
"All the way in," Yami insisted, floating over to him and giving his leg a playful tug. "I'm guessing some law enforcement uniforms showed up today to ask you some routine questions? It's normal, Seto."
"Why would that be normal?" Kaiba asked aggressively, letting Yami drag him deeper into the tub until the water lapped over his shoulders, stinging his skin pleasantly. Dare he relax? Yami was so disarming when he was naked and smiling…
"Because you are at the top," Yami said matter-of-factly. "They are always watching you. Everyone wants to take you down and will use anything they can to run you over. Being at the top is dangerous, but you know that already."
Kaiba's heart skipped a nervous beat as he felt Yami give his hand a tight squeeze under the water, still speaking, "but don't worry. We have each other. You know I'll always be here for you."
Slightly speechless, Kaiba just nodded and sank deeper into the water, registering that Yami was still dodging his questions.
"What did they look like? Were they serious?" Yami asked, looking very interested suddenly. "Call your lawyers and make sure they don't come back if you're that bothered."
"No…" Kaiba said quietly, staring at a clear drop of water hanging off a strand of Yami's spiky blonde bangs. "They came by to make sure I was 'safe' or whatever. They said someone was after me."
"Who?" Yami asked instantly, his expression darkening so fast, Kaiba barely caught it. "Did they show you a photo? Why didn't you start with that, Seto? Now you've got me worried."
Kaiba opened his mouth to say 'it's you', but his voice had died in his throat.
Yami's angular eyes darted left and right all over his face, his brow stuck in a permanent, serious frown.
"I see, they didn't tell you who," Yami said, trying to read Kaiba's expression for information. "But perhaps they are near enough…for them to be worried about you? Seto…please speak."
"No, they said they took care of it," Kaiba found that the lie came easily, and the water was starting to get too hot. "And that's why they came by to check on me, to check on…us."
Yami sighed, visibly relieved, and a determined look crossed his handsome features. He dragged a tanned hand over the still-bubbling water and gathered a couple of rose petals in his palm, draping one lovingly over Kaiba's pale shoulder.
"Red is a good color on you," he said warmly, and Kaiba's stomach twisted with arousal as soft fingers trailed up his arm began gently massaging the nape of his neck in firm, sensual circles.
Relaxing reluctantly into Yami's touch, Kaiba felt his eyelids grow heavy. The wonderful caressing along with the thick steam in the air was making it hard for him to keep his mind clear.
He was dimly aware of the fact that this was how Yami managed to control the direction of their conversations, and warm touching always ended in amazing sex. The gentle massage was a reminder of it, and it was enough to give him a solid erection in the water.
"Relax," Yami coaxed, burying his nose into the crook of Kaiba's ear and inhaling his refreshing scent mixed in with the roses in the water. "Tell me what they said…"
And he felt a hot hand come down around his stiffness and slide sensually down between his legs, cupping his balls softly, sending warm tingles up his body.
Kaiba's mind hummed pleasantly and shut off as Yami's lips pressed against his ear, and the gentle breath sent his stomach curling with arousal.
"Tell me," Yami said seriously, lifting his hand away from Kaiba's arousal and hovering his nose inches from the CEO's much sharper one. "Please. I'm worried about you."
"What?" Kaiba breathed, wishing Yami would put his hand back on his dick. He bucked his hips upwards tentatively and felt his tip hit Yami's palm, and to his relief, Yami reached down to grab him again, giving him a few long, loving, up and down strokes.
"The police…what did they say?" Yami said gently, sliding one leg over Kaiba's thighs and burying his nose into the crook of Kaiba's slender neck, inhaling lightly and enjoying the floral scent of his skin.
He felt Kaiba tense momentarily before replying, sounding strained, "…they said…an assassin has been after me for several years…"
Kaiba shut his eyes and leaned his head on Yami's shoulder, enjoying the warm threads of pleasure snaking up through his stomach, and he bit the inside of his cheek when Yami's hand tightened too much around his base, causing him to curl forward in the water suddenly.
Holy fuck. Yami was really skilled at…sex manipulation.
"Don't cum in the water," Yami said tensely, releasing Kaiba and rising to sit on the edge of the hot tub. "Come up here."
Kaiba shuddered and heaved himself out of the water to sit beside Yami and lost himself to the pleasure of Yami's hand moving up and down on his length, his mind spinning as he came in a heave, feeling the cum drip down between his balls and pool wetly around his ass.
"You didn't enjoy that because you must be stressed," Yami said instantly, using his clean hand to push Kaiba's damp bangs out of his forehead, exposing a handsome brow. "You want to keep talking about it? Will it make you feel better to tell me what else they said?"
"I…didn't care enough to remember," Kaiba lied, tucking his chin over Yami's slender shoulders and listening to his own heart thundering in his chest. "I'll just double my own security."
"No. You should triple it—quadruple it!" Yami insisted his tone changing alarmingly fast, and Kaiba stared heatedly into his face, wondering why he was putting up such an act.
"It's been years," Kaiba said hollowly, biting back a shiver. "Whoever it is clearly takes their time."
"Perhaps," Yami snapped, his eyes narrowing dangerously with an expression Kaiba had never seen before, and goosebumps rose along his arms.
Holy shit. He was in trouble.
He'd been having a relationship with this dangerous man and had no idea!
But he somehow couldn't see Yami…as someone who would want to hurt him.
"I'm going to borrow your satellite phone on the fifth floor that you never use," Yami said instantly, lifting his feet out of the bath and rushing to grab a towel. A clean, fluffy white towel landed on Kaiba's shoulder, and he touched it briefly, feeling Yami bend down to kiss him lightly on the cheek before walking away.
"Stay in there for another fifteen minutes!" Yami called over his shoulder, roughly toweling his hair dry. "Your muscles are tense!"
Kaiba gripped the towel tightly and nodded, giving Yami a stiff smile before seeing his slender form disappear out the door.
How the hell did Yami know he had a satellite phone on the fifth floor? Now that he was really thinking about it, Yami's eerie knowledge about his entire life had been red flags, but his sappy-self had pushed it off as…love and understanding.
"I'm fucked," Kaiba said emptily, gazing down at his own bare legs, trying to stem the crushing pangs of resentment and fear rising steadily. No time to sit around and wallow in his own self-pity. He had to defend himself.
First, he had to figure out who the hell Yami was calling.
He hopped into the hot water to clean the semen off himself before dashing out of the tub, still sopping wet, to pry open the lid of his laptop on his desk.
Tapping into the security feeds on the fifth floor, Kaiba sank into his chair and ignored the wet droplets of water trailing down his arms as he clicked 'audio' and listened to Yami's conversation. He couldn't hack the line while it was still active…damn, but he could trace it after Yami hung up.
Inside the study, Yami listened frantically to the empty rings on the other end, and the dial tone hummed coldly in his ear. Fuck!
That number had likely been burned…
Time to try another one?
No. He needed to be on high alert.
No more asking for help from his one friend who knew he was out of the game. The men after Kaiba had likely been planning to send another killer after the first assassination didn't go as planned.
"I'm going soft," Yami muttered to himself, tucking the satellite phone back into its holder and closing the cabinet doors with a heavy clunk. He threw the security camera over his shoulder a furtive look, staring at the black dome for five seconds before he looked away.
He could program his own intrusion scan into Kaiba's system, but that might trigger an alarm. Kaiba's defenses were the best he'd ever seen in his entire career, hence why he thought he'd be safe here, but deep down, he knew he was never safe until he got to the root of the problem: the men who hired him.
Kaiba gazed into Yami's face through the screen, trying to ignore the painful pounding of his own heart as they maintained eye contact briefly before Yami looked away first.
Good. That was long enough for a facial scan.
Kaiba hovered his finger over the keypad, unable to bring himself to open the program.
He didn't want to know.
He had been so happy with Yami that the past two years had felt like a dreamy blur.
He thought life was worth living again. It made him sick to his stomach with nausea at the thought of Yami ever betraying him, but what was happening before his eyes right now?!
Yami exited the study and ran his palm along the wall of the hallway, his mind racing as adrenaline coursed through his veins. If men were after Kaiba, this house was the first line of defense, so he needed to fortify it on top of Kaiba's added security.
He knew the safe codes after careful coaxing, so all he needed to do now was… act.
Rushing into the elevator, Yami scanned his thumbprint and waited for the car to rise. A horrible sense of panic was settling in, and Yami recognized this crushing feeling.
Fear. Dread.
That everything he loved and built up to this point would be taken away.
There was also a child in the house. Shit. Shit…he had not prepared for this! But the warning was good. He now had at least 24 hours to plan an escape route for Mokuba.
The elevator doors slid open, and Yami stepped inside, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath as the car sank lower and lower. He would not panic. Everything was under control.
The bell dinged softly and Yami opened his eyes, rushing out of the elevator and into Kaiba's lab, going straight for the safe that held weapons.
Tapping in the combination from memory, Yami pried the heavy metal door open and gently laid all the weapons out in front of him, recounting all the convenient hiding spots he'd cooked up over the years.
He could do it.
He would make the Kaiba Mansion a fortress in five hours.
He'd always been on short notice, and now was no different.
Kaiba watched with bated breath as Yami loaded and unloaded all the guns in front of him with too much ease, checking the barrels and weighing them in his palms.
Fuck…Kaiba's blood ran cold. This was worse than seeing Yami cheating on him with someone. In fact, cheating was preferable! What the hell was he planning on doing with all that shit? Kill him now?
Unable to breathe, Kaiba held his hand frozen over the mouse, moving the camera as Yami walked around the underground lab with ease.
The top drawer of a steel desk was unlocked, so Yami tucked the loaded gun into the far back before slamming it shut with his hip.
Blinking in astonishment, Kaiba watched Yami select the most petite gun and tuck it in his belt, openly carrying it as he marched back into the elevator.
Oh fuck…oh fuck.
Time to confront him about this shit. But he couldn't move from his chair. He had been glued into his seat with horror the moment Mokuba stood at the elevator's doorway, grinning at Yami.
Mokuba's smile slid off his face when he saw Yami standing with his arms full of weapons, and he backed away fearfully, wondering if something had happened.
"Don't be afraid," Yami said instantly, and he set the guns down on the floor, letting the elevator doors slide shut behind him. "Listen, Mokuba, something dangerous is coming this way."
"What…is?" Mokuba squeaked, unable to stop staring at the tiny gun tucked into one of Yami's belts, which he now knew why Yami wore two. One was for…guns.
"Men with intent to kill you or Seto," Yami said darkly, resting a hand on the child's shoulder, gazing into his grey eyes. "Several men, or just one man, or a woman. Be wary of any strangers from now, okay?"
"I know Stranger Danger. You don't have to tell me!" Mokuba puffed, crossing his arms haughtily. "You don't need all of that. We have security, you know?"
"I don't need this. You're right," Yami said, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Want to play a game with me? Let's play hide-the-weapon. Ready? Let me show you my first idea."
Kaiba bit the inside of his cheek so hard, his eyes watered.
What was happening?!
What was happening?!
What was happening?!
Author's note:
NEW STORY!
"how many ex-boyfriends do you have and how many of them are still alive" was the alternate title!
and just in case it needs repeating, the warning tags are: GUNS, GAY SMUT, depictions of violence and Yami being a badass
this is a new territory for me, so I hope you'll enjoy this ride along with me.
I probably got put on some list researching these weapons-
in fact, if i DIDNT get put on some list, someone isn't doing their job wueueueu
-Ugli