Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.
Chapter 8: Investigating
Getting ready for bed that night was pure torture. Since I could still barely separate from him, I had to stand directly outside the shower curtain as Seto showered, and try not to stare as he dressed. But, despite my best efforts, my eyes slid to the smooth, supple skin not three feet away, and I gawked in wonder. He was so beautiful… I just couldn't help it. I peeked through the corner of my eye while Seto slipped into his boxers and a pair of cotton sweatpants, and I could feel my face heat when he began drying his thick, dark hair with a fluffy towel before putting on his shirt. A few drops of water still clung to his slim chest, and tiny rivulets trickled down the back of his neck before he could catch them with the towel.
Seto glanced briefly at me and caught me watching him; but he merely quirked an eyebrow and gestured for me to take my turn in the shower. As I hurried through my shower, trying not to think of the intoxicating presence on the other side of the curtain, my mind drifted instead to the way Seto had held me in his arms mere hours ago, and the soft kiss on my forehead when I was being completely frustrating and unreasonable. He never seemed to mind being near me; which frankly still surprised me a little, since after all I did nothing but inconvenience Seto.
But, though he didn't mind holding me, or being near me, I couldn't handle his presence anymore. What a strange turn of events.
Even as I mused over this, I finished my shower and pulled back the curtain, revealing the striking blue eyes of the object of my current turmoil. Seto observed me neutrally, not bothering to avert his gaze while I hurried into my pajamas, blushing awkwardly the entire time. After I was dressed, Seto wordlessly reached for my hand and led me back into the bedroom. My stomach flopped dangerously at the contact, and for a moment I was afraid I would vomit again.
I sighed in relief when Seto finally turned off the bedroom lights.
Still gripping my hand, Seto climbed into bed, and I crawled in behind him and cautiously drew my hand from his grasp. Then I lay as far from Seto as I dared (though this was still close enough to feel the warmth of his slim form all along my side) and closed my eyes, slowly calming my nervously pounding heart. Still uncomfortably aware of Seto's warm body so close to mine, I clenched my eyes tighter and forced myself to relax, until I finally drifted into a light doze.
The Dream World once again invaded my slumber.
I stood watching as Jiichan lay on the hospital bed, surrounded by machines. He rasped heavily, chest rising gently with each labored breath, and Yugi knelt beside his bed. Tears fell from Yugi's eyes and he clutched Jiichan's hand tightly. "I'm sorry, Jiichan, I tried, I really did," Yugi whispered.
"Yugi?" I called softly. He whipped his head around and glared at me angrily, and I gasped at the pallid, sickly hue of his skin and the deep, dark circles under his furiously snapping violet eyes.
"What are you doing here? Look what you've done to him! To both of us! I can't believe you would be so selfish!" Yugi snarled.
Before I could protest, a swirling, multicolored tornado wiped away the scene, replacing it with Anzu comforting Yugi as a doctor spoke to them. "I'm sorry, we did all we could," the doctor said sadly. Yugi fell weakly to his knees and buried his face in his palms, his hands trembling violently. Anzu bent to help Yugi to his feet, but Yugi's legs quivered and he fell again, this time only his palms halting his face-first plummet to the harsh concrete floor.
"What's going on?" I gasped. "I don't understand!" The swirling tornado reappeared in a blinding flash, and I was left shielding my eyes from the multicolored whirlwind. "I don't understand," I whispered once more, as hot tears flooded my face.
"I don't understand," I said for the third time as my eyes snapped open.
Seto stared back at me, inches away; his cerulean eyes glittering in the moonlight. A clump of his thick brown bangs slipped into his eyes and he brushed them away impatiently, yawning widely and blinking. I must have woken him up. "Don't understand what?" he mumbled.
"Sorry, bad dream," I replied, rolling over to face the wall. He rolled with me and draped an arm over my chest, and I could feel the steady rhythm of his heartbeat against my back as Seto settled alongside me, resting his head on my pillow and drawing me close to his chest.
"Do you want to tell me about it?" he murmured, yawning once more. The gust of warm air across the back of my neck sent chills down my spine and made my breath hitch. I shivered and carefully scooted from under his arm.
"No, I'm tired. I'm just going back to sleep," I answered shortly.
Seto sighed and rolled over so that his back faced me. "Good night, then," he muttered, and I could hear a trace of annoyance in his voice.
Feeling slightly guilty for making him angry (even though it was his fault- he had no idea how he made me feel when he touched me that way), I cautiously shut my eyes again, but now Seto was too far away. Hints of the swirling Dream World hovered behind my closed eyelids, taunting me and seeming to dare me to slide farther away from Seto; until suddenly a grotesquely twisted monster flashed before me and I panicked. "Seto!" I shrieked. Scooting close to him once more, I huddled against his back and clutched at his arm.
"I'm sorry, I'll tell you whatever you want! Please don't be upset," I pleaded hysterically.
"For god's sake, calm down," Seto replied impatiently. He rolled over and pulled my shaking form into his arms. I kept shuddering violently while Seto gazed at me thoughtfully for a long moment. Then he leaned in and kissed my forehead lightly. He pulled back a little, observing me, but I just stared at him in wide-eyed disbelief and continued shaking. Seto sighed quietly and rubbed my back as he leaned in once more and planted another soft kiss against my forehead.
I gaped at him.
"Why did you do that?" I croaked. He couldn't know how that made me feel. It was almost cruel.
"I don't know; it seemed to calm you earlier. And it worked again," he replied with a smile, and I realized I had finally stopped shaking.
"Oh. Sorry," I muttered.
He watched me for a moment. "You said you'd tell me whatever I wanted," he said.
"You want me to tell you about that dream, then? Well, Jiichan was in the hospital…"
"No," he interrupted. "I want to know why you keep pulling away from me today."
"I-I can't tell you that!" I gasped.
"You have to," he informed me with a smirk. I bit my lip hesitantly.
"It's because…because when you…because you make me feel…" I trailed off.
"Make you feel what?" he asked softly, inches from my face.
"Sick," I blurted.
"SICK?!" he repeated incredulously.
"Er, well…nervous, at least. When you were leaning over me before, my stomach lurched and I threw up," I muttered, cheeks burning in humiliation.
"So that's why you threw up?" he laughed. He chuckled for a few minutes at my expense before I punched him in the stomach, effectively shutting him up.
$$$$ Next Scene $$$$
"Can we see him yet?" I asked Yugi breathlessly, tugging Seto along behind me.
Yugi slowly rose, stretching, from his seat in the hospital waiting room. "They finally let me in late last night, so maybe you could convince them to let you see Jiichan," Yugi informed me, raking a hand through his hair tiredly.
Raising an eyebrow, I observed Yugi's wrinkled clothes and the deep, dark circles under his eyes. "Yugi, how long have you been here?" I asked in disapproval.
"Two days or so," he shrugged. "I eat in the hospital cafeteria."
"Yugi, you have to go home and sleep," I breathed. "Or at least go to a friend's house, if you don't want to be alone."
He nodded slowly. "I didn't want to leave Jiichan all alone, but since you're here, I'll go home for a couple hours," Yugi replied; then hugged me and shuffled out the door.
"Bye, Yugi," I called softly as I watched him plod slowly down the hall and out of sight. "Seto, I'm so worried about them both," I sighed when Yugi was out of earshot. "I think Yugi is sick, too."
"No, he just seems tired to me," Seto mused as he strode toward the door, motioning for me to follow. I trailed him to the nurse's station, where he convinced (well, more like terrorized) the nurse to let us both see Jiichan.
Once inside the sterile hospital room filled with dreary beeping machines, I hurried to Jiichan's side and clung to his hand, while Seto hovered a foot or so behind me. "Hi, Jiichan, how are you doing?" I murmured, eyeing his pale face. He slowly opened his wide violet eyes and observed me, though he didn't lift his head, and I felt a pang of worry clench at my heart.
"Yami! It's wonderful to see you," Jiichan whispered with a quavering smile lighting his face. A muscle just below his right eye twitched spasmodically. I smiled softly back at him, lightly stroking his pale, trembling hand, though the pang of worry in my heart swelled to a frightening ache. What was wrong with him?
"Jiichan, I was wondering," I began as a thought occurred to me, "how exactly did you get sick? I mean, what exactly happened?"
"Well, I'm not sure exactly. About three and a half weeks ago, I was watching the game shop when I suddenly felt weak; I felt exhausted, drained for no reason. It just got gradually worse until I ended up here," Jiichan related tiredly.
"Drained?" I repeated thoughtfully. Jiichan nodded and rested his head back on the pillows, closing his eyes.
"Yami, we should probably go. He looks tired," Seto whispered in my ear. At the sound of his voice in the quiet room, however, Jiichan stirred.
"Kaiba? That you?" Jiichan asked, opening one eye. "Well, Yami, you did bring him back, after all. I must say, I hope things work out between the two of you." He closed his eyes again and my stomach flipped.
"Huh? Jiichan, what does that mean?" I asked weakly, but Seto was already tugging me out the door. "Goodbye, feel better," I called over my shoulder; then sent Seto a withering glare. "Why did you do that? I was still talking to him, Kaiba!" I spat, scowling darkly. He just rolled his eyes at my nasty expression.
"Yami, the man is sick and exhausted. You can't keep asking him difficult questions," Seto replied exasperatedly.
"Fine. But he said he felt drained, and I think it may have something to do with the Dream World. I need to speak to Isis," I said.
"Not her again! How many times do we have to go out to that stupid museum?" Seto groaned; but my continued glare, he finally sighed, relenting. "Alright, whatever, but tomorrow. I have a lot of work to do today," he muttered. He frowned sulkily, reminding me of a pouting toddler, and despite my annoyance I had to fight to keep from grinning at the sight.
"Fair enough," I replied, and followed him to the limousine, clutching his arm tightly.
$$$$ Next Scene $$$$
Later that evening Seto and I sat on the couch in his study as he pored over thick stacks of paperwork. I watched him work- his fine, dark hair hanging over his eyes as he bent over the papers; and tiny lines of concentration wrinkled his nose as he read. While I observed the endearing picture, I suddenly remembered Seto's conversation with Mokuba the day before- and his mysterious 'problem.' All the worry over Jiichan had driven it from my mind until now.
But, I had to know what it was; if only to help him. I couldn't let Seto suffer- even though it seemed, from his conversation, that he didn't want me to worry, I couldn't help worrying about him. I wanted to worry about him… because I cared about him.
However, I still needed to figure out how to find out Seto's secret. As I contemplated this, I glanced aimlessly around the room- and my eyes fell on the black-haired boy in the chair beside me, scribbling determinedly in a notebook as he glanced periodically at a textbook propped on the arm of the chair. Of course! I could just ask Mokuba- though I'd have to do it discreetly…
I checked to make sure Seto was occupied with his work, and then turned to Mokuba. "So, what do you and your brother usually talk about when I'm not around?" I asked conversationally; in a low voice, so not to draw Seto's attention.
"Not much, I guess; I tell him about school and he talks to me about his work and things like that," Mokuba shrugged, looking up from his homework.
"I bet he tells you things he doesn't tell anyone else, huh?" I commented.
"Oh, sure!" Mokuba beamed. "I was the only one who knew about his plans to build Kaiba Land, and I'm still the only one who knows that…"
"MOKUBA! Go downstairs and see if dinner is ready," Seto commanded, interrupting him. Mokuba's eyes widened and he blanched when he realized what he'd almost done. I frowned in disappointment.
"Oh, I'm sorry Seto!" he gasped. "I didn't mean to…"
Seto cleared his throat and nodded at the door. "Go on, Mokuba," he said, more gently, and Mokuba scurried out the door. Seto glanced at me briefly before turning back to his work. "That was clever of you," he commented neutrally. Seto stared at the papers in his lap, but his eyes didn't move, and I could tell he wasn't reading. As I continued to watch him, a slow flush spread up his throat and over his cheeks.
He kept staring at the papers.
"I wanted to know what the two of you were talking about yesterday when you thought I was asleep," I told him quietly as I gazed in wonder at Seto's blush. What could it mean? What had I been about to find out?
"Why didn't you just ask me instead of trying to trick my brother?" he asked. Seto finally looked at me again, and I saw that the blush had disappeared, but a hint of a smile now graced his handsome features. My stomach flopped at the sight of him.
"I didn't think you'd tell me," I replied.
Suddenly Seto slid the papers off his lap and turned to me. He stared at me for a long moment with a strange expression in his bright eyes, and I involuntarily scooted closer, until our thighs touched. Still watching me with that unreadable expression, Seto cautiously lifted a hand and gently brushed the bangs away from my face. I leaned automatically into his touch, and he slid his long, slender fingers over my cheek. As he tenderly cupped my cheek in his hand, a rush of happiness flooded through me and I smiled up at him.
Then Seto smirked.
"You're right. I wouldn't have told you," he commented cheekily, and poked the tip of my nose with his index finger.
My eye twitched.
A/N: Hmm, the horizontal rules don't seem to be working today. I hope you don't mind the weird scene divisions. Anyway, sorry for the wait- I think it's been almost a full week since I updated, but it's finals week. You're lucky to get a chapter at all! lol The next chapter should be up on Saturday, and I think you'll like it...
As always, thank you so much to everyone who reviewed! I love hearing from you guys!