Seto: -glares at Seth-
Seth: WHAT?!
Seto: you got him first!
Desidera: -makes to hug Seto to comfort the poor guy-
Seto: -death glares at her- Stay away from me!
Seth: How dare you??? She needs to write a lemon for me and Atemu!!!
Desidera: Uhm....
Seto: No, how dare you?!?! The lemon is for me and Atemu!!!
Desidera: Hey...guys....
-both prepare to call upon their Ka monsters-
Desidera: Guys!!! This is PG13 anyway!!! Dragooon!!! Help!!!
Dragon: -throws them several copies of Seto/Yami Doujinshi then grabs Desidera by the collar and runs-
Desidera: -hugs Dragon for saving her-
-they start typing-

As the first rays of the life giving sun peaked above the horizon, Seto found him self still sitting out on the balcony. Ever since the events of yesterday he couldn't keep his mind from going over every detail as if he had a rewind button in his head. The faces, sounds, feelings, glances, and the underlining meanings behind the words that were exchanged between the Pharaoh and his High Priest were not lost to him.

And for some reason it made him sick the more and more he thought about it. If this was supposed to be his and the other Yugi's past then were was the battle between them? Isis spoke of a fierce rivalry that matched the one they had in his time. So where was it? And why wasn't their obvious feelings recorded or mentioned?

But did he want them recorded? Would he want to know about it in his time?

No.

He had no need for such nonsense. For that's what love was, wasn't it? Wasn't it nothing more than a weakness? Something that another person could hold against you?

Then why did a person such as the Almighty Pharaoh, ruler of rich and powerful country, give into such a thing? Surely he knew the risks, didn't he? Anyone, male or female, could take that emotion and twist it around to take what they truly wanted.

And if Seth WAS him, then surely the High Priest was using the Pharaoh to gain more power, cause wasn't that what he always wanted? Sure he had the power of his money, his company, but didn't he always want more?

So if he was Seth's reincarnate then surely Seth was wanting, needing the same thing; power. And to gain the power of the Pharaoh, without killing him, he would seduce him.

Right?

So why did that thought make him sicker than anything else?

Seto shook his head to clear those thoughts. He needed to relax and get his mind back to the state it was in before he ever came to this place, this time. For everything here was going totally against what he believed and thought.

He took a quick glance around and decided he wanted another bath, but the last thing he needed was those wacked out girls coming in there and treating him like a child again.

After a few more minutes of trying to find a way around it, he gave up and pulled the cord.

The morning sunlight also found its way into the Pharaoh's bedchambers, where Atemu was sleeping peacefully in Seth's arms. Waking up early as usual, Seth found himself confronted with a variety of thoughts.

Atemu had surprised him the night before. He had never felt like this, never needed a person that much, never wanted to need anyone or anything like this. But it had been so right, so wonderful. They hadn't made love yet, but they had been so close. And now Seth didn't know what to do. He had told his pharaoh to wait and he still had doubts about this. None of the others would like this. Could they do this? Live their...their....relationship...in secret?

It was a relationship, right? The pharaoh was his cousin....

But wasn't he the one who had asked for more? And what did those words mean, that he didn't have much time anymore? Where they coming from the puzzle or from Atemu himself? Wasn't there already looming some dark shadow above Egypt?

And what about Seto, the stranger? Were they truly the same person? He lusted after the pharaoh as well, that much was obvious. And he had the same Ka. And the same looks and the same temper. So the story he had told Atemu was almost credible. But better to mistrust someone who didn't deserve it than ignoring a possible danger to his pharaoh and lover, he thought.

Suddenly, Atemu stirred next to him, mumbling something into the pillow. Seth smiled and bent down to catch what the Pharaoh was saying.

"No. No, don't kill them....Please....Seth...Seto....Where are you?? Seto...go back....you have to warn.....no, Seth, Seth!!!! Come back!!!"

"Atemu!", frantically, the priest shook the small body. "Wake up! It's me!"

"Ah!", the pharaoh shouted, sitting up, a wild look in his widely opened eyes.

"Shhhh", Seth tried to calm him down, "Atemu, it's alright. I'm here for you...."

The pharaoh took a deep shaky breath, then looked at his priest, relief floating his eyes with tears. "Oh Seth!", he cried. "I'm so glad it was only a dream"

Seth didn't say anything but pulled Atemu close, holding him tightly and started chanting and ancient lullaby. After a while the young pharaoh calmed down again. They were silent, still holding each other.

Then Seth asked, "What was that dream about, my pharaoh?"

Atemu smiled weakly, "Nothing of importance, Seth, you know how strange our dreams can be."

Seto growled as he walked blindly though the massive halls of the palace. Those girls clearly needed to relax when it came to their job. If he didn't know better he'd almost think they enjoyed their job of stripping and bathing him.

He had no idea where he was going but he just couldn't sit in his room anymore. Usually he had his computers and company to keep him busy, but here he was useless and utterly bored.

One thing that struck him as odd was how everyone seems to look at him then shy away as if he was some sickening creature from the gates of hell. For the life of him he couldn't figure out why, after all everyone knew he wasn't the High Priest anymore. He didn't even dress like the other. So what was the deal?

As soon as he rounded another corner a familiar voice called out to him.

"Seto?"

The young businessman blinked out of his daze to look upon the face of Pharaoh. As causally as he could he let his eyes trail down the smaller tanned body of the one in front of him. He was again dressed in almost the same attire he was that night Seto had first met him, except this time he wore a deep purple cape attached at his neck with a gold and ruby Eye clasp at the base of his neck. The mere sight of the young Pharaoh was enough to make his breath hitch and heart race.

"I take it you got bored in your chambers?" Atemu's deep silken voice sent shivers down his spine.

"Yes, I'm not use to just sitting around."

"I see, well then would you like to accompany me out to the gardens? I too felt the need to escape my chambers."

With a curt nod of his head, Seto quietly followed him. Sapphire eyes once again trailed down the powerful body before him, landing right on his….

"Tell me, yesterday was the first time you had ever seen your Ka like that right?"

"Yes, I guess so. I usually see it in my holograms, as nothing more than an image. I was surprised to feel its breath. It was so real."

Atemu smirked as they stepped out into one of his favorite gardens. "It was real." He titled his head to the side, "Are you having any trouble out of the servants?"

Seto shook his head and almost grinned at the sight of the Pharaoh. There was something almost cu…no he will not say that word. "No, but everyone seems to break their neck to stay away from me. Haven't figured out why yet, unless it's because I look so much like your High Priest."

Atemu led him over to his favorite spot under a palm tree. Sitting under it he patted the ground beside him to let Seto know he was free to join him. "The arm bands you where tell everyone you are under my protection. If they do anything to make you feel wronged they could be punished by death. That is why they keep their distance."

"Oh", Seto answered, not knowing what to say. He suddenly had to think about him firing incompetent workers. What about their lives?

Looking down upon his armbands he studied the fine carvings of hieroglyphs. Atemu's next question caught him completely unaware.

"Your rival who looks like me – did he tell you anything about his past? Maybe – about this?" He pointed to the puzzle that hung around his neck.

"Not much," Seto answered guardedly, not wanting to admit that he had never cared enough to listen. "He always wears it though. And I think...when he duels, it gives him power. He gets an aura of power when he duels. Just like...." A strange thought suddenly struck him. "Just...like you."

"Does he?" the Pharaoh whispered. "I wish I knew who he is. I wish I knew more about him and his puzzle"

"Why is that so important to you?", Seto demanded.

"It's nothing," Atemu murmured, "Just a strange dream"

Seto didn't press further, since he himself didn't like talking about bad dreams, and by the looks of the pharaoh he had already figured out the dream hadn't been exactly pleasant. As the ruler of Egypt sat on the ground like this, head bent, a thoughtful expression on his face, Seto felt the urge to hug him, give him strength. He understood how he felt, such a great burden being placed on him at such a young age. After all he himself had experienced it in his future life.

"Tell me more about you," the Pharaoh suddenly demanded. "What are you doing? What is your life like? When did you meet the boy who wears the puzzle?"

So Seto started telling the story, leaving out lots of cruelties he remembered Gozaburo to force onto him, leaving out many wrongs he had done, only mentioning his soul was guilty. While he talked memories emerged of the other Yugi, dueling him, shattering his heart, saving him, saving his brother, believing in him when no one else did....

It was strange how the other duelist had always been there for him. And strange how much he resembled that small pharaoh, who was now listening with bated breath to his tale, when they dueled.

He told about Duelist Kingdom and Battle City, describing everything in detail that he felt could be of interest to the Pharaoh.

When he was finished, the other sighed deeply.

"It seems so foreign to me that people should call upon monsters and battle just for fun. You do realize that here in Egypt every duel is played on the cost of a soul? The way that man wearing the sennen eye made you duel for your own soul..."

"I didn't know," Seto answered, feeling a bit shocked and sickened at the thought of having almost started a duel with the High Priest. Suddenly he felt the urge to explain,

"He had my brother. I had to duel him to get my brother's soul back."

The Pharaoh smiled, "You are very fond of your brother, aren't you?"

"I love him with my soul," Seto admitted, then felt very strange about having said such a thing.

"To be loved is the greatest thing that can ever happen to you. No matter how guilty your soul is, your love for your brother makes it worth saving. And I think your rival understood this before."

Seto turned away, his words harsh, "He was wrong about that. And you are too. My soul isn't worth anything, least of all to be saved."

"And yet he did," the pharaoh murmured, a strange glitter in his eyes.

Silence fell heavy between them. The ruler of Egypt leaned back against the tree, looking up at the deep blue, cloudless sky. "You both have eyes of the color of the sky," he whispered. "You look so similar. Something about you is different, but something isn't. I can't understand it. But you are both...." He didn't finish his sentence.

Atemu looked at him, half lying next to him, again talking in a soft voice.

"I wish there was no duty I had to follow, just could go away with both of you. My priest and you. What more do I need?"

They were quite for a long time after that, the Pharaoh's words leaving Seto speechless. Then suddenly a thought came to his mind.

"What's your name?", he wanted to know. "I still don't know your name. It seems strange to me."

The other smiled. "One day you'll learn it. But now isn't the time yet. I don't know what force sent you here, but it certainly didn't do that without a purpose. Perhaps...."

Suddenly their quiet moment was interrupted buy a voice. It was Jahi, storming into the garden as if a Blue Eyes White Dragon itself was behind him.

"Pharaoh!!! Pharaoh!! Monsters...they.....they are appearing.....in the....city....the High Priest....is already...."

"Seth?!," the young pharaoh cried, jumping to his feet, "Where?! Lead me there, Jahi!"

The boy nodded and ran, the pharaoh following as fast as his robes allowed him to go.

Seto stared at them for a second, then without another thought he ran after them as well. They were fast and he had difficulty keeping up with them, despite his longer legs, but finally he saw stables with many beautiful horses ahead and figured that was where they were heading.

Dragon: -snickers- evil ending. There's a battle and poor Seth is out there! Please review!