Sorry for the delay this time around. I have seemed to stumble across a wee bit of a writer's block. I shall be holding back on the plagues for another chapter! Therefore this chapter picks up where the last one left off. Fluff abounds… I still stand by Yugi being a wee bit on the crazy side. It's more evident in this chapter then the last however.
Act Four:
Temptation is the foolish man's end,
Distracted by beauty away from that of import.
The foolish man is foolish for giving in.
What killed the foolish man?
Not being able to take his eyes away!
The dimmest amount of sunlight crept over the sands. The sky was colored a pinkish orange in it's early morning light. A slight heat built up against Katsuya's cheek causing him to groan and turn over in his sleep, bits of sand falling off of his bare backside. Words could not describe how much he despised the morning light.
Jounouchi sat up slowly, more bits of loose grains of sand dropping off of his back in the process. There was a slight aching pain in his backside as he did so, but he easily pushed it aside having grown used to it, as time with Seto had passed. There had been times when the brunette priest had decided to be particularly violent—not that he was complaining. It always seemed hurt the next day no matter how many times they had done it.
This time however it wasn't from the fact that the night before had been rough. On the contrary it had been quite gentle from what Jounouchi recalled. It was just the last time he had slept with someone was when… His amber eyes closed tightly. Katsuya didn't want to think about the last time he had slept with anyone. Thinking of the priest was still far too painful even if he was starting to grown a liking for another one at the moment. Ryuuji was sweet but Seto was passionate, possessive. Over time he had grown fairly attached to him. So even after all the time had passed he still loved him. Jounouchi missed him greatly.
"Katsuya," the concerned voice of Otogi broke through his thoughts and his honey-hued eyes to snap open. It was only then that he noticed the slender arms that had wrapped around him and the head that rested against his shoulder. "Are you all right? You look troubled," the raven-haired male questioned worriedly.
"I'm fine," Katsuya murmured dryly. Ryuuji frowned at his rude way of replying. He hadn't realized he had done anything to upset the blonde in the first place. The reaction had been seemingly offensive in his eyes because of that. A sigh escaped Katsuya's lips. He titled he head back to lean against Otogi's shoulder. He really hadn't meant to be so unkind to him. "I'm sorry, Ryuuji," he muttered letting his eyes fall closed once again, "I'm just not in a very good mood."
A small chuckle left Otogi's throat at that comment. "I can certainly see that," he teased earning him a half-hearted elbow in the chest. He let out a fake sound of pain, which caused the blonde to laugh slightly having caught that it was indeed faked. After a few brief moments the soft laughter had died down and the thoughtful look once again adorned Jounouchi's features. "What is it that has caused you to be in such a bad mood?" Ryuuji asked, nestling his nose into the crook of Jou's neck.
"Memories," Katsuya stated rather dreadfully, "memories in which I didn't have to remember. I often to find that they are painful to think about." He felt the small press of lips against his jaw. It caused him to smile faintly.
"Thinking apparently isn't one of your better attributes," Ryuuji teased laughing pleasantly. Emerald eyes twinkled at the mock-glare that was sent his way, his lips tugging into a smirk. "You're adorable when you're offended," he complimented.
Amber eyes opened lazily at the comment. Jounouchi's head turned to the side to meet the warm emerald eyes that awaited him. "You are far too generous with me for your own good," the blonde replied, light tints of red showing across the bridge of his nose and cheeks.
At this Ryuuji shrugged, grinning impishly. "Funny, I thought I couldn't be generous enough," he stated in a mere whisper. He pressed forward, his lips grazing Katsuya's lightly. A soft moan escaped the blonde's lips. He was simply amazed at the sensation that even the lightest of kisses from the priest created.
Jou himself leaned in this time, desiring more of that sweet contact only to growl in frustration as Otogi kept pulling his head away. He heard the other's rich laugh fill the air again and his honey eyes narrowed into a glare. He certainly didn't find it funny, not even the slightest bit. He was quite pleased when the other fulfilled his desire for another of the sweet kisses.
Another moan from Katsuya was heard as thick brown lashes fell over honey colored eyes, concealing them completely. He let himself fall quite literally into the kiss, the two males' bare skin meeting the desert sands. Another laugh escaped the raven-haired male at this act, though it was swallowed completely but Jounouchi's ever-persistent mouth. Eventually—meaning seconds later—Ryuuji gave into the kiss too, slipping his tongue through already parted lips, teasing Jou's with slow, soft caresses which were eagerly returned. Gentle strokes of Otogi's hand against Jounouchi's arm heightened the light-hearted sensation of the kiss.
Reluctantly the raven-haired male parted from the kiss, knowing that if he stayed away any longer the Pharaoh would worry. Yugi had always been an odd one like that. For some reason he felt the need to panic if even one of his priests or priestesses were to turn up missing for more then an hour.
"Regretfully, Katsuya I must bid you farewell, midday shall be approaching soon," Ryuji stated, his words taking the form of a whisper. He felt as if he spoke any louder the moment would be ruined.
The blonde frowned at him. "Midday is still a ways away. It is morning, I promise you," Katsuya declared, grinning as the priest shook his head. He shifted so his arms were completely encircling Otogi's body and his weight fully atop him effectively pinning him down. "I don't wish for you to go," he muttered with a soft sigh.
"I don't wish to either, but I must," Ryuuji replied, attempting to slip out of the blonde's arms. The grasp only tightened, pulling him further into the embrace. "Katsuya," he said, "don't make it harder to leave then it already is. I have wanted to be with you since that first day we met on the sands. For years I watched you wallow in that sorrow of yours, wanting to ease it but not being able to do anything. Yesterday I didn't see that sorrow in your dark eyes. I saw happiness. It's makes it that much harder to leave you knowing that I really can ease that sorrow."
With a groan of defeat and much disinclination Jounouchi released his hold on Otogi waver so that the raven-haired male could slip from his grasp. The said male muttered a small thanks as he did so. Quickly Ryuuji slipped on his clothing—it didn't take long at all considering Egyptians wore hardly anything—then departed. A small kiss was placed on Jou's forehead before he did so.
Katsuya watched the priest's retreating figure still silently wishing that the male didn't have to leave. Once Otogi was out of sight he let himself slip back onto the sand. He felt bad about still loving Seto when he knew he could so easily fall in love with Ryuuji also. Seto didn't love him. Jounouchi had known that for a long time now. Even still the strong feelings he held for him never faded. For that he felt awful. Otogi had always done his best to comfort him. He was sweet, so unlike Seto. How was it possible to fall for two people who were so very different? The answer to that question, Jounouchi didn't know.
Black hair fell over dark blue eyes. The woman in which those dark locks belonged to pushed them back out of her face in faint annoyance. "Isis, my Queen," a deep voice bellowed, "if you do not keep still I will never be able to finish painting you for Pharaoh." Warm deep blue eyes turned upwards to face the painter who had addressed her.
It had seemed to Isis that she had been lying in that uncomfortable position there for days. Her arms were growing tired from keeping them in the same upright position for so long and her legs dreary with holding the weight of her body on one side. "I am aware of that Pegasus," she replied bitterly as she returned to her arm back to its previous position above her head, "can we not take a break. My limbs ache."
"My Queen, I am afraid we can't do that. Pharaoh wants this portrait done as soon as possible," Pegasus explained. His mahogany eyes were locked onto the canvas majority of the time aside from the breaks he took to look back at the Queen. "You are his most beloved wife. He wishes to have something for him and his child to gaze upon."
Another sigh escaped Isis's painted lips. She saw no way to earn a break. Whatever the Pharaoh wanted is what the people of Egypt listened to. There were no exceptions or in-betweens.
The sound of someone clearing their throat was heard in the room. Isis tilted her head to look in the direction the noise had come from. There she found the servant boy, Ryou at the doorway of her chamber. "Queen Isis," Ryou said softly, "the Pharaoh requests your presence."
Isis blinked at those words. It was not very often that the Pharaoh summoned her. At least not during the day though he had tendencies to summon her at night. Aside from that he normally spoke to her during dinners. "What for?" she asked, shifting from the spot in why she lied and pushing herself up into a seated position. The complaints of Pegasus were heard in the background but she waved them off with ease.
"I wouldn't know my Queen," Ryou replied, "I am a servant of the High Priests of Sutekh, Hor, and the High Priestess of Eset and Hathor. Pharaoh merely had Priest Seto send me off to fetch you. Though he did tell me that Pharaoh said it was of dire import."
"Forgive me Ryou," she said with the faintest of smiles on her painted lips, "I should've known you would not receive commands from Pharaoh himself. Very well, if it is as important to Pharaoh as you say it is, I shall go. Lead the way." She pushed herself up into a standing position then turned to Pegasus, "I shall return later and when I do I will expect you to be prepared in proceeding with the portrait."
"Most certainly," Pegasus said with a nod of his head, "I shall await your return, my Queen." With that Ryou exited, Isis not far behind him.
The two walked down the long corridors of the woman's palace until they were out of it. It seemed like ages to Isis before they had finally made it to one of the Pharaoh's many chambers. Respectfully, Ryou bowed before Yugi and Seto, one of his masters, before leaving them in privacy.
Almost immediately Yugi rushed over to her, wrapping his small arms around her waist with his head pressing against her chest. "What is it my Pharaoh?" Isis asked, concerned with the way her husband had rushed into her arms. She was his most beloved wife but the only being in which Yugi ever clung to in such a way was her brother Malik (in which she was always envious of). He acted so distressed. She slid her arms around him comfortingly, holding him in the lightest embrace.
With that small question, Yugi withdrew for a second. Upon seeing the face of his wife so masterfully painted in white with black round the eyes and white on the lips, her long black tendrils of hair making her seem porcelain, he had been engulfed by that beauty. Being so he had completely forgotten the presence of the High Priest of Sutekh.
"Seto," Yugi said, "You can leave now." As soft-spoken the words had been—not to mention friendly—they really were more of a polite command. The brunette gave a nod of his head and left, bowing at the entrance just as he did so. With Seto gone the small Pharaoh's attentions were turned fully onto his wife. "Isis," he whispered, "I am sorry for summoning you, I know that you must be busy."
"It's nothing that couldn't wait," Isis replied giving her husband a warm smile, "Seeing you is always more important then any task I could be in the middle of doing, my Pharaoh." She let out a small sigh once again hit with the full force of the distraught look on Yugi's face. Gracefully Isis knelt down beside Yugi, her hands on his face and her deep blue eyes bearing a worried expression of her own as she looked upon him. "What is it that you have summoned me for?" She asked, her voice soft and concerned, "You look distressed, my love."
Yugi gave a nod of his head. Indeed he was distressed. It had been barely a day since the brother he had not seen in years had showed up suddenly. "Do you remember my brother—Yami—the one who is really a Hebrew?" The question came wearily from Yugi's lips as he met Isis's gaze with his tear-filled violet eyes.
"Certainly I do. I have many fond memories of Yami. Aside from you he has shown me more kindness then anyone else that I know," Isis's features become even more worrisome then. It had been years since he had last heard Yugi speak of his brother. "What is it about Yami that has troubled you so?"
One of the tears that Yugi tired so hard fell from his painted violet eyes. It rolled down his cheek until it dripped off the tip of his chin and onto the floor. "He visited the palace yesterday," the words were but a whisper. Those same violet eyes, brimmed with the salty liquid of tears, slipped closed, pained.
Those words only caused Isis to blink. Was Yami visiting not a joyous occasion? He had been gone for so long. She knew all too well exactly how much Yugi had missed his beloved brother. Yet here the young Pharaoh was, grieved by the mere thought of it. "Please, my Pharaoh, tell me what happened?" Once again Isis gathered Yugi up into her arms, his face pressing into the soft tendrils of her ebony hair. At that moment she felt more like a mother or an older sister to Yugi then a wife.
"He came to tell me to free the Hebrews," the tri-color haired ruler whispered hoarsely. He was almost to the point of hiccups his grief was so overwhelming. "He said he came in the name if the Hebrew god to free the Hebrews from enslavement. Had it not been for Malik I would've done just as he told me to, I believe." Yugi looked up into the face of his wife, his breath hitching in his throat for a moment. "I told him that I couldn't free his people and begged him to leave," the words were all but choked out as Yugi sobbed helplessly into Isis's arms, "Did I do the right thing Isis? Surely you of all people will know whether or not I have made the right decision."
For a long moment Isis could only gaze intently at her husband. Each word that came from the young ruler's lips was being mulled over and processed with great care. When she finally spoke again the words came paired with a warm smile. "Of course you did, my love," she whispered pressing her painted lips against Yugi's forehead, "It is not the Hebrew's place to be asking for freedom. The Egyptians and many others have helped freely whereas they refused. Whatever turmoil the Hebrew are, they have brought it upon themselves. They are ungrateful for all that they have—all of the mercy that you and the Pharaohs before you have shown them. If they suffer because of it, it is not your place to worry. And if Yami wishes to join them, my Pharaoh, I am afraid you're going to have to let him go. What he wishes to be is his choice and his choice alone. You can only pray that he comes back your way."
A soft wind blew stands of blonde colored hair against Katsuya's pale skin. The sands of the desert beneath him swayed almost as if it were dancing as the breeze passed over the grains. Jou knew that soon Ryuuji would be arriving sometime soon. For that he was grateful. Time seemed to have passed slower than normal without him there to keep him company.
In a way the blonde found it amusing how quickly he had grown attached to the other male's company. Though looking back on it, it seemed that he had developed the attachment over the years they had spent as friends. It only seemed to grow stronger now that something more had happened between the two of them.
There was the quiet sound of sand shifting under the weight of heavy footsteps coming from behind him. A smile placed itself on Katsuya's features knowing whom the footsteps belonged to. "It's nice out tonight?" the blonde asked. He was completely lost in his dream world, not even bothering to turn around and look at the person who was approaching him.
Again the sound of shifting sand filled the air—this time more loudly—as the person who Jounouchi assumed to be Ryuuji settled into the sand. "It could be a lot nicer," the stern voice in which those words were said in caused amber eyes to widen fiercely.
That voice was one in which Katsuya hadn't heard in years. He snapped his head to the side looking at the familiar features of the High Priest of Sutekh, Seto. He was wearing but a traditional toga, his many pieces of gold most likely lying forgotten on his bed. Seto's chestnut strands of hair fell perfectly between his eyes, drawing even more attention to their enrapturing blue depths. It had been so long yet his appearance had yet to change.
"You act as if you are surprised to see me," Seto said sounding indifferent about the subject as he did many things. That was how Seto was. Any emotions aside from pride, indifference, and anger was rare to see slip through.
"What are you doing out here?" Jounouchi asked. The question had come out in a near snap. All of the sadness that had welled up inside of his chest over the years grew into a dark bitterness with the brunette around. The pain and anger he had felt years ago was still alive that day. Seeing Seto only proved to kindle the emotions that swelled in his chest.
"Visiting you," the way in which those words were spoken was that of a causal demeanor, as if they had spoken earlier that week rather then many years. "Do you have a problem with that? If you do I highly suggest that you forget about it. Leaving is something I don't plan on doing for a while."
The answer only proved to anger Katsuya further. "I meant why are you here?" Again his words were bitter. Not only that but they were beginning to hold a bit of venomous edge to them.
"I wanted to see you," Seto replied. As the answer he had provided before had done, it angered the blonde next to him. It had gotten to the point where the brunette could almost feeling it scorching his skin.
"Why?" Jounouchi snapped at the brunette. His amber eyes were usually so warm but then they were colder then Seto's own. Seto hadn't realized exactly how much damage he had caused to the blonde back then. "Why do you want to see me Seto?" The question came out in a choked whisper.
"I miss you, that's why," Seto stated plainly. It should've made Jounouchi happy to hear but he was filled with an undeniable rage. Before Seto could do anything to stop it his head was turned to the side, his face red and stinging. Katsuya had slapped him hard.
"You can't miss me," the blonde yelled, pushing himself up off the sandy ground below him. The next part was said drastically different. It was a low whisper full of all the pain that Jounouchi had endured all of the years, "You never cared enough to miss me." He started to walk off but two hands roughly snatched him. He was thrown roughly down onto the ground.
It took a moment before Jou realized what had happened. By then he was already pinned to the ground roughly by the immense weight of Seto's body. Azure eyes were gazing into his own in a way that made him shiver involuntarily. "Why do you say that?" the question was snapped, causing Jounouchi to flinch.
More than anything, it upset him. He glared fiercely at the priest above him. "Do you not recall what happened the last time we spoke? Don't tell me you've forgotten it!" He hissed thrusting his body upwards to fling Seto's body off but doing so unsuccessfully. Seto's hold on him was much too great.
A soft chuckle came from Seto. Jounouchi glared at him as if to say 'what's so funny?' "Are you so blind? The answer has been right in front of you all along, Katsuya," Seto announced. Chuckles turned into ironic bouts of laughter cruel in the fact that he was laughing at such a time when he never laughed, "If I didn't love you, you would be dead now. If I didn't love you, I wouldn't have put myself at risk for all of those years. Do you know that if the Pharaoh would've found out that I had been not only sleeping with a Hebrew but sneaking him into the palace and excusing him from doing slave work I would be executed?"
"Then why did you tell me you didn't?" Jounouchi asked his amber eyes still glaring at the brunette priest. To him it was just a sick joke. Seto didn't love him; he would find that out soon enough. Seto couldn't love him because he was too closed off. Jounouchi had convinced himself of that a long time ago. Seto couldn't love him because it would ruin everything that he had come to understand—destroy what he had accepted as 'reality'.
"I did it for your own good," Seto replied calmly after his insane laughter had died down, "Had I told you that I love you, what would you have done? Not only would you have ended up dead but I could've died with you. Or worse you could die and I could live having to think of nothing more but how my stupidity killed you. So I said no."
Jounouchi still didn't believe it. The reasons were logical enough but he didn't want to believe it. He wanted to believe that it was a lie. So that's what he believed. "You're lying…" Jou whispered miserably once again trying to squirm from Seto's grasp.
"I'm not lying to you," Seto said. He moved his hands from their places on Jounouchi's side, up to the blonde's face cupping his cheeks. Because of this Jounouchi was forced to look him right in the eye. Then came the three words the blonde wished he could've heard a long time ago, "I love you."
He couldn't stand it. Those three simple words were almost enough to make Katsuya break down and cry. So he retaliated in the only way he could think of. "Well you're wasting your time because I don't love you anymore, Seto. I love Ryuuji," He stated calmly. It sounded true enough even if his mind screamed that it was a lie. He loved Seto not Ryuuji.
A small smirk made its way to Seto's lips. This confused Jounouchi greatly. Shouldn't he be hurt rather then smirking? "If you love him and not me then don't kiss back," he stated smugly. Before Jou had a chance to protest or stop him, he felt Seto's lips on his own. It was only a few seconds before the blonde melted completely. Jounouchi returned Seto's kiss.
I hope that everyone has enjoyed this despite my supreme evilness. Mind you I—Hyatt the Jou worshiper—will kill all who hurt Jou for what he just did to Ryuuji. *Smacks Jade Maxwell's hand away from Jou's eye* The next chapter will be late again. I'm sorry to say that but I'm going through and debugging this story before it gets too into it.