Disclaimer: I will own Yu-Gi-Oh! one day! But as of yet, it still doesn't belong to me.
A/N: Wells, it appears as if our friends have finally figured it out, ne? *sighs* Kawaii...anyway, I've had a bit of trouble with this chapter, because I was unsure of where I wanted it to go...but I finally got it out! It doesn't help that I keep starting new fics, does it? Yu-Gi-Oh! seems to be my current kick, though. Two one-shots, and another fic started, which you might want to check out, if it so interests you! ~Yami
---
Seto's eyes widened as he felt Yami kiss him. Was...was this really happening? He just could not bring himself to believe it. But even through his disbelief, he slowly brought his arms up and wrapped them around Yami, pulling him closer.
Yami gasped softly as he felt Seto draw him nearer. "Can he possibly feel this way too?" Yami wondered. He had known that he had to find out, had to try this. But he never expected that Seto would return those feelings. Sighing softly, he lost himself in the undescribable ecstasy that he felt from this.
Finally breaking the kiss, Yami pulled back, panting from the rush of emotion. "Seto..." he said, delighted by the feelings coursing through him. "I...I have something to tell you."
Seto looked at him, wondering what in the world he could have to say after...that. He waited, until finally Yami started to speak.
"Seto, I...I love you," Yami said.
Seto just stared at him for a moment. "You...what?" he asked, slightly confused. Yami had caught him by surprise; that much was for sure. But as he let what he had just heard sink in, he could feel his heart fill with happiness.
Yami watched Seto with some amount of uncertainty. He looked bewildered, like his current thoughts seemed to betray his previous actions. "Please don't tell me I've made a mistake!" he thought desperately to himself, watching and waiting for a response.
Just when Yami thought he had lost the battle, Seto grabbed him and kissed him hard. Yami couldn't move, couldn't believe what was happening. "Yami..." Seto said, "I love you also." He said the words softly, and smiled as he saw Yami's face change from panic to awe.
"Seto..." Yami whispered, pulling him impossibly closer. He cradled Seto in his arms, still rocking him. Seto sighed and let himself be held. For the first time in so many, many years, he felt...safe. And as he let his emotions go, he realized just how much he had yearned to know this feeling, to know love. There was no trace of doubt in his mind that this was indeed love.
They sat together, simply reveling in each other's presence. "I can't believe that it took me this long to realize it..." Yami whispered, running a hand through Seto's hair. It still felt so unreal, to know that Seto actually did return his feelings. After all the two had been through...
"Yami...does Yugi know about this?" Seto asked suddenly, pulling Yami out of his thoughts.
Yami smiled. "Yes, he does," Yami answered, "As a matter of fact, he is the one who caused me to realize how I truly feel. I believe it is to him that I owe much gratitude."
"Well, I think I'll have to thank him as well..." Seto said, grinning. "After all, if not for him, I doubt I would have ever known how you feel...nor been able to act on my own feelings."
At that moment, however, another voice was heard. "Thank who?" Yugi asked as he walked in. He stopped short as he noticed Yami and Seto on the couch, arms wrapped around each other. "Oh..." he said, not quite managing to hide a smile.
Yami blushed. "Hello, aibou. We were, uh...just talking about you." Seto looked equally embarrassed. They somewhat unwillingly separated, both a nice shade of red.
Yugi had to stop himself from laughing. "So you figured it out too, huh, Seto?" Seto turned even more red, and this time Yugi couldn't suppress a giggle. "Well, I just want you to know that I am happy for you. For BOTH of you," he said emphatically.
Yami smiled and hugged Seto, who was looking a little surprised. "For...for both of us?" he asked, unable to believe what he had just heard. Did Yugi really care about him, too? Was he really too blind to see that he did have friends around, friends that truly cared for him?
Yugi frowned. "Of course I'm happy for both of you," he said, "Why wouldn't I be happy for you, Seto? You deserve to be happy, just like Yami does."
"I...I don't know..." Seto whispered, looking as if he were going to start crying again. "It's...it's just hard to believe that all of you would actually care about me...after everything that I have done to you..."
Yami frowned. "Seto, in both love and friendship, there is a role for forgiveness. Friends will forgive one another, hoping to be forgiven when the roles are reversed. And your true friends will be there for you, no matter what has happened. And in love...Seto, no one is perfect, and part of love must be overlooking those imperfections. I know that you have done things in the past that you regret now; I have my own misdeeds to account for. But I love you anyway."
Seto took a moment to absorb everything that Yami had just said, but it was extremely difficult. All he could see were his own inequities. And when compared with Yami, he seemed to be much too inadequate. With Yami he could find no fault; all he saw was someone who was perfect, one that he would never be able to compare to.
"Seto, don't you understand?" Yami asked, noticing that Seto didn't look all that comforted. He sighed as an example of his own imperfections came to mind. "Listen," Yami said quietly, kneeling in front of Seto, "I don't like to remember this, but one incident comes strongly to mind when thinking of my own wrongs. Do you recall the duel we had at the Duelist Kingdom, on top of the castle?"
Nodding, Seto looked at Yami. Relieved at getting a response, Yami continued. "At the very end of the duel...you had stood at the edge, and challenged me to attack, creating the possibility that you would fall. And I did attack, but fortunately Yugi stopped me from making the biggest mistake of my life."
Yugi shuddered slightly as he remembered that moment. Yami had actually been willing to hurt Seto in order to win. Yugi was lucky that he was able to regain control, or else Seto might have fallen, and...
Yami sighed as he spoke. "That is not a decision that I am proud of. Looking back on it now, I can't help but wonder...what would have happened if Yugi had not stopped that attack? What if you had fallen off of that castle, and been killed? How could I have possibly lived with myself if I knew that I was responsible for your death? And now...knowing my true feelings for you only intensifies the shame that comes with that memory. Seto, you have to realize that I am by no means perfect."
Seto just stared at him. "Yami, you were only doing what you had to, in order to rescue Yugi's grandpa," he said, unable to believe that Yami would still hold guilt for that day.
Yami smiled sadly. "That may be so, but it was the wrong choice to make, and I pay for it now. There have been so many times that I remember that duel, and how close I came to..." he broke the sentence off, not wanting to think of what the outcome might have been. "The point, Seto, is that you seem to have forgiven me for that. So how could I not forgive you?"
"He's right, Seto," Yugi added. "You have to realize that forgiveness needs to go both ways. You have forgiven Yami, but you also have to accept the fact that Yami has forgiven you."
Seto sighed. "I don't know if I can..." he said quietly. "But I know that he loves me. And I understand now, why I must allow myself to be forgiven." He smiled slightly as Yami wrapped his arms tightly around his waist. "I love you, Yami," he said.
Yami smiled up at him. "And I love you, Seto Kaiba. I love you for everything you are, both the good and the bad. And no matter what, I will always be willing to forgive you. No matter what."
Seto shuddered as a sob racked his body. Yami looked at him, concerned. "Seto?" he asked, "Are you all right?" Seto smiled and nodded, as tears of happiness streamed down his face. He couldn't believe everything that had happened; the drastic change in his relationship with Yami, the newly learned fact that they did care about him, and the new knowledge that he was accepted as he was.
Yugi just watched them, smiling. They really did love one another, just like he and Ryou did. He gasped as that reminded him of something. "I'm going to call Ryou," Yugi said, heading out of the room. Yami turned and nodded in acknowledgment. By the time Yugi was to the phone, his smile had grown. He couldn't wait to tell Ryou what had finally happened.
---
Yami Kaosu: *sighs* Just gotta love those "I love you" moments...
Chaos: And Seto learning that some people actually do care...I have been there...
Yami Kaosu: And there was quite a bit of hugging, wasn't there?
Yami Yugi: Yes, there was.
Yami Kaosu: I bet you liked it, didn't you?
Yami Yugi: *blushes*
Chaos: Now...to figure out where this story is heading now...
Yami Kaosu: And as a final note...please let me know how this chapter was received! I NEED to know what people think!
Seto: You know, there's one person who surprisingly enough, hasn't shown up yet.
Yami Kaosu: He's busy trying to mess up the other story, because he actually plays a major part in it.
Seto: Oh...
Chaos: Well, that's all for this chapter, minna!
Yami Kaosu: Sorry it took so long to get out; I'm not making any promises for chapter 6! However, I WILL try!
All: BAI!
A/N: Wells, it appears as if our friends have finally figured it out, ne? *sighs* Kawaii...anyway, I've had a bit of trouble with this chapter, because I was unsure of where I wanted it to go...but I finally got it out! It doesn't help that I keep starting new fics, does it? Yu-Gi-Oh! seems to be my current kick, though. Two one-shots, and another fic started, which you might want to check out, if it so interests you! ~Yami
---
Seto's eyes widened as he felt Yami kiss him. Was...was this really happening? He just could not bring himself to believe it. But even through his disbelief, he slowly brought his arms up and wrapped them around Yami, pulling him closer.
Yami gasped softly as he felt Seto draw him nearer. "Can he possibly feel this way too?" Yami wondered. He had known that he had to find out, had to try this. But he never expected that Seto would return those feelings. Sighing softly, he lost himself in the undescribable ecstasy that he felt from this.
Finally breaking the kiss, Yami pulled back, panting from the rush of emotion. "Seto..." he said, delighted by the feelings coursing through him. "I...I have something to tell you."
Seto looked at him, wondering what in the world he could have to say after...that. He waited, until finally Yami started to speak.
"Seto, I...I love you," Yami said.
Seto just stared at him for a moment. "You...what?" he asked, slightly confused. Yami had caught him by surprise; that much was for sure. But as he let what he had just heard sink in, he could feel his heart fill with happiness.
Yami watched Seto with some amount of uncertainty. He looked bewildered, like his current thoughts seemed to betray his previous actions. "Please don't tell me I've made a mistake!" he thought desperately to himself, watching and waiting for a response.
Just when Yami thought he had lost the battle, Seto grabbed him and kissed him hard. Yami couldn't move, couldn't believe what was happening. "Yami..." Seto said, "I love you also." He said the words softly, and smiled as he saw Yami's face change from panic to awe.
"Seto..." Yami whispered, pulling him impossibly closer. He cradled Seto in his arms, still rocking him. Seto sighed and let himself be held. For the first time in so many, many years, he felt...safe. And as he let his emotions go, he realized just how much he had yearned to know this feeling, to know love. There was no trace of doubt in his mind that this was indeed love.
They sat together, simply reveling in each other's presence. "I can't believe that it took me this long to realize it..." Yami whispered, running a hand through Seto's hair. It still felt so unreal, to know that Seto actually did return his feelings. After all the two had been through...
"Yami...does Yugi know about this?" Seto asked suddenly, pulling Yami out of his thoughts.
Yami smiled. "Yes, he does," Yami answered, "As a matter of fact, he is the one who caused me to realize how I truly feel. I believe it is to him that I owe much gratitude."
"Well, I think I'll have to thank him as well..." Seto said, grinning. "After all, if not for him, I doubt I would have ever known how you feel...nor been able to act on my own feelings."
At that moment, however, another voice was heard. "Thank who?" Yugi asked as he walked in. He stopped short as he noticed Yami and Seto on the couch, arms wrapped around each other. "Oh..." he said, not quite managing to hide a smile.
Yami blushed. "Hello, aibou. We were, uh...just talking about you." Seto looked equally embarrassed. They somewhat unwillingly separated, both a nice shade of red.
Yugi had to stop himself from laughing. "So you figured it out too, huh, Seto?" Seto turned even more red, and this time Yugi couldn't suppress a giggle. "Well, I just want you to know that I am happy for you. For BOTH of you," he said emphatically.
Yami smiled and hugged Seto, who was looking a little surprised. "For...for both of us?" he asked, unable to believe what he had just heard. Did Yugi really care about him, too? Was he really too blind to see that he did have friends around, friends that truly cared for him?
Yugi frowned. "Of course I'm happy for both of you," he said, "Why wouldn't I be happy for you, Seto? You deserve to be happy, just like Yami does."
"I...I don't know..." Seto whispered, looking as if he were going to start crying again. "It's...it's just hard to believe that all of you would actually care about me...after everything that I have done to you..."
Yami frowned. "Seto, in both love and friendship, there is a role for forgiveness. Friends will forgive one another, hoping to be forgiven when the roles are reversed. And your true friends will be there for you, no matter what has happened. And in love...Seto, no one is perfect, and part of love must be overlooking those imperfections. I know that you have done things in the past that you regret now; I have my own misdeeds to account for. But I love you anyway."
Seto took a moment to absorb everything that Yami had just said, but it was extremely difficult. All he could see were his own inequities. And when compared with Yami, he seemed to be much too inadequate. With Yami he could find no fault; all he saw was someone who was perfect, one that he would never be able to compare to.
"Seto, don't you understand?" Yami asked, noticing that Seto didn't look all that comforted. He sighed as an example of his own imperfections came to mind. "Listen," Yami said quietly, kneeling in front of Seto, "I don't like to remember this, but one incident comes strongly to mind when thinking of my own wrongs. Do you recall the duel we had at the Duelist Kingdom, on top of the castle?"
Nodding, Seto looked at Yami. Relieved at getting a response, Yami continued. "At the very end of the duel...you had stood at the edge, and challenged me to attack, creating the possibility that you would fall. And I did attack, but fortunately Yugi stopped me from making the biggest mistake of my life."
Yugi shuddered slightly as he remembered that moment. Yami had actually been willing to hurt Seto in order to win. Yugi was lucky that he was able to regain control, or else Seto might have fallen, and...
Yami sighed as he spoke. "That is not a decision that I am proud of. Looking back on it now, I can't help but wonder...what would have happened if Yugi had not stopped that attack? What if you had fallen off of that castle, and been killed? How could I have possibly lived with myself if I knew that I was responsible for your death? And now...knowing my true feelings for you only intensifies the shame that comes with that memory. Seto, you have to realize that I am by no means perfect."
Seto just stared at him. "Yami, you were only doing what you had to, in order to rescue Yugi's grandpa," he said, unable to believe that Yami would still hold guilt for that day.
Yami smiled sadly. "That may be so, but it was the wrong choice to make, and I pay for it now. There have been so many times that I remember that duel, and how close I came to..." he broke the sentence off, not wanting to think of what the outcome might have been. "The point, Seto, is that you seem to have forgiven me for that. So how could I not forgive you?"
"He's right, Seto," Yugi added. "You have to realize that forgiveness needs to go both ways. You have forgiven Yami, but you also have to accept the fact that Yami has forgiven you."
Seto sighed. "I don't know if I can..." he said quietly. "But I know that he loves me. And I understand now, why I must allow myself to be forgiven." He smiled slightly as Yami wrapped his arms tightly around his waist. "I love you, Yami," he said.
Yami smiled up at him. "And I love you, Seto Kaiba. I love you for everything you are, both the good and the bad. And no matter what, I will always be willing to forgive you. No matter what."
Seto shuddered as a sob racked his body. Yami looked at him, concerned. "Seto?" he asked, "Are you all right?" Seto smiled and nodded, as tears of happiness streamed down his face. He couldn't believe everything that had happened; the drastic change in his relationship with Yami, the newly learned fact that they did care about him, and the new knowledge that he was accepted as he was.
Yugi just watched them, smiling. They really did love one another, just like he and Ryou did. He gasped as that reminded him of something. "I'm going to call Ryou," Yugi said, heading out of the room. Yami turned and nodded in acknowledgment. By the time Yugi was to the phone, his smile had grown. He couldn't wait to tell Ryou what had finally happened.
---
Yami Kaosu: *sighs* Just gotta love those "I love you" moments...
Chaos: And Seto learning that some people actually do care...I have been there...
Yami Kaosu: And there was quite a bit of hugging, wasn't there?
Yami Yugi: Yes, there was.
Yami Kaosu: I bet you liked it, didn't you?
Yami Yugi: *blushes*
Chaos: Now...to figure out where this story is heading now...
Yami Kaosu: And as a final note...please let me know how this chapter was received! I NEED to know what people think!
Seto: You know, there's one person who surprisingly enough, hasn't shown up yet.
Yami Kaosu: He's busy trying to mess up the other story, because he actually plays a major part in it.
Seto: Oh...
Chaos: Well, that's all for this chapter, minna!
Yami Kaosu: Sorry it took so long to get out; I'm not making any promises for chapter 6! However, I WILL try!
All: BAI!