TO ( ): look, whoever you are, STOP FLAMING ME. Or, in other words, shut the hell up. I don't CARE if it was a joke or what not, but its not fucking funny. Look, I never understood you people; why the bloody hell are you reading my story if you don't like it or don't like ygo or don't like yaoi or WHAT? If you can't stand the story, then either stop reading or don't read at all! If you don't like yaoi, DON'T READ IT! If you can't stand fanfiction, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING ON THIS WEBSITE THEN!? What, you think its FUNNY to insult people? You have a sick sense of humor, you bastard. 'Constructive criticism?' I don't consider 'reveling in your stupidity' any kind of constructive criticism; if you wanted to imply that this story was going down the wrong path, either leave a nice suggestion or just don't review and go bother someone else. Its not *too* hard to just stop reading the story if you don't like it, unless you don't have a high enough I.Q to push the goddamn back button. Oh, plus, if you actually paid attention, I mentioned myself that my notes were long and could be a story all by themselves, but its not too hard to just ignore them and go on to the story, right? (which you most likely didn't read either) Plus I was trying to help those people wanting more s/yy stories so if you actually took an effort to GLANCE at my notes you would have found some good s/yy stories to read, but, since u hate my notes, you lucked out. Look, simply put, I don't take lightly to flames. They annoy me and aggravate me to the point that I'm flat out cursing, which I don't like to do. So for future reference, you S.O.B., LEAVE ME ALONE. And if you're going to insult younger or beginning authors or any authors at all, do me a favor and go play in traffic.
THAT GOES TO ALL FLAMERS. Consider this a first and last warning. Next time I'm turning on the review filter and, though I'd miss the anonymous reviewers (who can always get an account) I wouldn't have to deal with you bastards anymore.
*WHEW* Okay, sorry, that's been bugging me since day 1 of Ch.4's update. *twitch twitch* The flame was the second review I got and, duh, I haven't been taking it well. Unlike some people (like Orange-Lemons :-p you go girl!) I don't take flames very well at all. BUT THANK YOU TO ALL THAT LIKED THE LAST CHAPTER!! I haven't gotten such great reviews for a while! *squeal* *tear* A big giant hug (since Blue wanted one :-p) to all my loyal fans, email buddies, idols, and yahoo-group peeps. *MASSIVE GROUP HUG* I feel so happy. :-p Thanks so much you guys! I'm actually starting to recognize a lot of names cuz they keep popping up, and I'm so glad you guys keep up with my work. Means a lot, really. ^_^ 3
Ahem, as for some vague, name-less replies.... No I don't use 'Atem' or 'Atemu' cuz a, I'm too used to 'Yami' to let go of it, b, Atem is an Egyptian god in my mind, and c, I don't think the name goes very well with 'Seto' either. O_o Lol heh heh I'm sorry I left you guys hanging. I got some pretty impatient fans over that last cliffie, I see... ^_^;; (Lightening Sage, LOL thank you so much for the wake-up call... Best April Fool's joke I've had this year. :-p) I see many of you are eager to see what happens to Yami and Seto... Heh heh. ^_^ I'm not saying a word. Well, just one; Kaiba doesn't remember his 'angel's' face. :-p Keep that in mind. I'm not about to make a story THAT flat out forward and make Kaiba all of the sudden match Yami w/ his dream. :-p Sorry to disappoint anyway.
EMBER ELIDD - Oh, you poor dear...! Um, email me at alquawen88@yahoo.com and I'll see if I can email what you can't see, okay? Or maybe... since you can't read updated chapters... I'll find *you* instead. ^_^;;
ORANGE LEMONS/TASSY- heh hi! Lol thanks for the toast. I, erm, don't drink, but wut the hell, I'll take a swig anyways. :-p Of COURSE I'd put your story down! Its one of my favorite!! As for the idea thing, don't worry about it. I wasn't offended and I didn't really mind; I was more flattered. ^_^ I was really just curious as to if I really did guess right on the manga or this was all just a big coincidence (I tend to think like that cuz I'm paranoid occasionally ^_^;;). But you're welcome to take ideas any time as long as I know it. O_o Um... as far as I know... I think you ARE the 100th reviewer, but I can't really tell cuz the counter's always off and the reviews aren't number. ^_^;; But in case you are, congrats and thanks!
~~~~~~~~~~
/.../ = mindlink connection (between aibou's and yami's)
'...' = personal thoughts
... = translated ancient Egyptian
//...// = thought speak (for gods only; assumed to be Egyptian but understood by all)
"..." = spoken dialogue (if in English, assumed to be Japanese)
lots of italics = dreams/flashbacks/visions
bold = song lyrics
[ ] = footnotes
AN = author's note
~~~~~~~~~~
~*~*~*~*~*~Gifts~*~*~*~*~*~
Kaiba's eyes hit Yami like a slap in the face. They were the color of clear blue diamonds, a vibrant, rich hue that matched the depths of the ocean. Narrowed and intense, they were as cold and reflective as arctic ice, revealing nothing but a clear, incisive distain. And by Ra, those eyes were beautiful...
When the CEO's piercing gaze shifted to him, it was all Yami could do to stop his knees from buckling.
It was funny, really. Up until now, the Pharaoh only saw the world through Yugi's eyes, though generally he could care less for what he saw anyway. For a spirit who cared about much higher things, little pleasures like colors and shapes meant nothing. After all, the yami's learned a long time ago never to trust what you see; possible danger lurks behind every smile and every friendly wave. And despite their hikari's coaxing and teachings, Bakura and Yami still held on to this belief, greeting everything and everyon with wary suspicion. And now that the spirits had their own bodies and a new set of senses, there was all the more reason to distrust.
RA, but Yami never imagined this... Until now, the Pharaoh never understood why others feared the CEO's gaze, for he himself --being nothing but a spirit-- had been immune to its charms. He never feared to look Kaiba dead in the eye, and he never cowered under its glare like the others.
But now... now with his own pair of functioning eyes... now that he peered into the very dreaded eyes of Seto Kaiba himself...
Yami melted like putty.
Something came to his mind then, something Mai once described Kaiba as a long time ago; "drop-dead gorgeous ". Of course, she called him a bastard after that, but that wasn't the point. The biological part of Yami's mind that had been missing for some thirty centuries ignited then, eagerly pointing out observations he hadn't noticed through Yugi's eyes. Kaiba's strong jaw, his elegant nose, his long neck, his silky hair, his sculpted body...
'Oh Ra, oh Ra, oh Ra...'
Yami felt sick. He had once the guts to challenge a teen magazine that dubbed the CEO "the sexiest man alive". But by all hell, the magazine turned out to be right. Right by a long shot.
For a dreadfully long moment, Kaiba did not utter one single sound. He eyed Yami up and down like a hawk, one eyebrow rising as a flash of rare emotion passed through his gleaming eyes. First surprise, then curiosity, then... then something Yami had very little experience in identifying. What was it, admiration? Fascination? Somewhere between the two?
The Pharaoh shifted uneasily under the intensity of the CEO's gaze. Feeling a flush of heat rise up his neck and on to his cheeks, the boy desperately tried to look away, scuffing a boot shyly into the sidewalk. "Hello, Kaiba..." he whispered, hoping to break the awkward silence that had settled over the area.
Mokuba, thankfully, took over for him, pointing excitedly to the resurrected boy. "C'mon, big brother, aren't you going to say hi?!"
Kaiba blinked owlishly, as if the thought never occurred to him. He tried to speak once but any words died on his tongue. He tried again, swallowing as he tried desperately to find his voice. When it finally came, it was rather strained and some half-octave too high. "Mokuba, get in the car."
Mokuba frowned, bewildered. "Wha--? But big brother--!"
Kaiba gritted his teeth, fixing the boy with his most stern glare. "We're leaving. Get. In. The. CAR."
Mokuba knew better than to risk his life. With a hurried goodbye, he scrambled in one of the limo's doors, wincing as he shut it quickly behind him.
"Hey, what's the big idea, hot-shot?" demanded Jou. "Mokuba can stay as long as he--"
"Look, mutt, we have better thing to do than waste time with you losers. And Yugi," Kaiba shifted his blue eyes toward the addressed boy, who looked slightly panicked, "Nice 'surprise'."
No one could tell if he was being sarcastic.
Before any objections were made, the limo's tinted windows rolled up with a whirl and the car speed smoothly down the road, a blur of white on the dark concrete. Jou was left sputtering at the vehicle's rear end.
"Yeah, 'hi' to you too, you bastard!" yelled the boy vehemently, taking a few running strides toward the disappearing limo. He glared at it for a few more minutes before sighing and deeming his cause dead, sticking his hands in his pockets and meandering back to his friends.
To their surprise, he was smiling.
"Did you see his FACE?!" he crowed with a large, goofy grin, waving his arms, "Man, KODAK MOMENT!!"
He was awarded with a few awkward chuckles, though no laughter came from anyone except Bakura, who seemed in an awfully good mood. Yami didn't seem to notice, eyes somewhat vacant as they followed the disappearing limo.
The hikari's eyed their yami's worriedly, then shared a meaningful glance.
Ryou bit his lip, eyes twitching. "I better take him home before he does any more damage..." he mumbled finally, nodding politely to his friends as he rounded Bakura in the general direction of his house. "Good day, guys."
Yugi's large eyes followed the two nervously. Then, with a sigh, he then turned to Yami and was quite alarmed to find the former-spirit covering his cheeks. "Good Lord, Yami, what's wrong?"
Yami's eyes were wild when they shifted to Yugi, and for a moment his lips worked wordlessly around some unformed sentence. Than, in an instant, he was gone, scrambling back into the Shop.
Everyone blinked at each other.
Then, in a blur of bushy, tri-colored hair, Yugi rushed after him. "Yami? Yami, whats--?" His voice faded as the door closed itself.
Again, everyone blinked.
"Well, that went well..." commented Otogi awkwardly, rubbing the nape of his neck.
"Gee, you think Yami's oka--?" started Anzu, moving for the shop.
Mai stopped her with a hand upon the shoulder, shaking her head. "I think we should let them be. You see the way Yami reacted when I poked him? I thought he was going to have a heart attack! The poor guy's a nervous wreck!"
"Really?" Honda scratched his head. "I thought he was just ticklish."
Mai rolled her eyes.
"I suppose that's understandable," said Shizuka quietly, thoughtfully, "He didn't seem particularly happy surrounded by this many people, and Kaiba--"
"Screw money-bags, sis," broke in Jou with a face, "He's enough to make anyone suffer a mid-life crisis right then and there." He linked an arm around Shizuka's, grinning. "On the brighter side, I've got thirty extra bucks. Who's up for a round of celebratory ice cream?"
~*~*~*~*~*~
Hearing the din and chattering cease outside, Yugi turned to his yami, who was currently cowering on the couch.
"You okay?" the younger boy asked finally, brow furrowing. He sat down gently beside his yami, rubbing his back and turning off the blaring show that had been wailing from the TV.
The silence was comforting, but Yami simply buried his head in his knees, drawing up his legs into his arms. Yugi could see that the back of the Pharaoh's neck was bright red.
The hikari almost laughed. 'Oh, my poor yami...'
The Pharaoh has had a rather big --if not traumatizing-- day. Apparently the boy woke up in his own body and found himself locked in an air-tight container and completely mummified below the neck. Since there was very little oxygen in the chamber and that his newly regrown flesh was bound by linen meant to wrap a dehydrated corpse, Yami didn't have much fun in his first few moments. Ishizu and Shadi --Ra knows HOW-- rushed to the aid and apparently were so intent on getting Yami out as fast as possible that they resorted to good-old-fashion physical action; apparently Shadi took a chair and smashed right through the glass, though luckily, Ishizu had scrambled the burglary alarm. After ripping the ancient linen off Yami's body, the woman then had to run to go help Bakura, who had apparently found his own body and had been currently locked in an ice-cabinet in the middle of the experiment room. He nearly froze to death in there before Ishizu got to him, or so the tomb robber claimed; Ryou later found out that there was still ice melting in Bakura's hair.
After the hikari's and yami's were reunited and Shadi awoke Ryou --after the Key was unsuccessful-- with a good ol' bucket of cold water, Ishizu calmly explained to the hysterical youths that the yami's old bodies had simply absorbed their respective spirit and was almost 'reborn' instantly with new, untainted bodies. When Ryou asked what 'untainted' meant, Ishizu turned to Bakura and drew upon his face a double-cross scar that now no longer existed. These new bodies, she explained, were completely based on their genetic identity and their age at death; no trait gained over the years of the yami's past lives were reborn.
Shadi then added a much less cheerful note; these bodies were not all powerful. Immortal, yes --they could not age nor be harmed from abnormal body functions-- but they were vulnerable to infection, wounds and, if hurt, death. Yugi almost burst into tears upon hearing this, though Shadi reassured him that, if necessary, Yami could still teleport back into the Puzzle. Technically, all the transformation did was give him a physical form outside the Puzzle that could be seen and touched; if he returned to the Puzzle, the body would disappear with him only to reappear for use when it was needed. However, Shadi warned, while the yami's new forms were capable of as much magic as they had in their spiritual state, they were bound by the laws of physics. Therefore, no superpowers; no great strength beyond their muscles; no teleportation; and certainly no more invisible, passing-through-the-walls fun.
Bakura had been terribly upset by this.
Ishizu, upon scolding him, explained to the hikari's that their yami's were highly sensitive and would be quite 'off' for the first few days until they adjusted to their bodies. At first Yugi wasn't too worried, but later at home, when the phone rang and Yami promptly blew it up, he took the warning much more seriously.
It was quite strange and almost comical to see Yami struggle like this. The first few hours were agony to the poor boy, who --upon reaching the Shop-- curled up in a pathetic ball on the bed, simply overwhelmed by stimuli bombarding his awakening senses. After that, he spent the rest of the night gulping down food and exulting in the wondrous miracle that was taste before he promptly threw it all back up again in the toilet. Exhausted, he then dozed on the couch, which excited him to no end when he awoke from his first true sleep in three thousand years. And since the rising of dawn, the Pharaoh has been nonstop buzzing around the house, touching everything he could and almost weeping in joy at every sensation. His speech, which had been somewhat warped in his first few hours, improved vastly as the clock ticked on, and by late morning he was babbling out nonsense in both Japanese and Egyptian, though Yugi took note that the Pharaoh still needed the help of the bond to speak Japanese since he learned it all second-handedly through Yugi's mouth.
What has yet to fix themselves were Yami's balance and his coordination, not too surprising considering he had been out of practice for many centuries. Ishizu warned that it might be a few days more for coordination to kick in, and much to Yami's dismay, she wasn't kidding. It took him at least four tries before he could go up the stairs at half-speed, and even longer before he could manage a brisk walk down the hall without tipping against the wall. He often misjudged distances and tripped over something that he thought had been much further away, resulting in Sugoroku hiding every breakable object in the house. And sometimes the poor Pharaoh forgot that he was now a solid being and thus couldn't walk through walls, which he found out were just as solid as he was when he tried to take his regular shortcuts into the kitchen.
Yugi and Sugoroku weren't so much worried as they were amused. Still, they found themselves heading down a troublesome route. There needed to be a new bed and new clothes put into Yugi's room, not to mention some kind of excuse for the friends, teachers and neighbors who might grow suspicious if Yugi was suddenly and inexplicably cloned.
However, Sugoroku himself was out right now, apparently trying to absorb the fact that he now had two grandsons instead of one. No doubt it was quite a shock.
"Yami?" Yugi lowered his voice to a whisper so not to upset his yami's delicate eardrums, "Are you okay?"
Silence. No answer.
Yugi sighed, shifting uneasily. "Are you alright?"
"Fine," muttered Yami finally, looking up with a wince. In a plain attempt to change the subject, he announced that he needed some milk and got up hurriedly, barely taking a moment to steady his wavering balance before shuffling his way to the kitchen.
Yugi followed closely, a grin on his face. Yami was such a horrible liar; he still had quite a lot to learn about his body. Apparently he had not realized that every thought that crossed his mind was betrayed his body expression, and therefore making him as readable as a book.
Watching with amusement as Yami nearly spilled the carton of milk all over the counter, Yugi saved them both a lot of trouble when he poured it all for him, pointing that the taller boy should sit at the table before he did any more damage. With an irritant pout, Yami did so, swinging his legs like a child and watching his bobbing feet with fascination.
Rolling his eyes, Yugi handed Yami the milk and sat across from him on the small kitchen table, one eyebrow raised. "Sooo..." He drew out the word in a very obvious manner.
"So what?" came the muffled answer, a goofy look on Yami's face as he savored the sensation of sweet liquid on his tongue.
"...Yami, don't kid with me; you're beet red. What's bugging you?"
Yami almost choked and dropped the mug. Patting his cheeks wildly, he was horrified to discover that his hikari was right. Flushing even redder, the Pharaoh looked away, sipping his milk meekly in embarrassment.
Yugi grinned, obviously enjoying this. "Sooo...." he emphasized the dreaded word once again, "...how do you feel about the others?"
Innocent enough question.
"They're... uh... awfully *touchy*," mumbled Yami into his drink.
Yugi rolled his eyes. "Duh, Yami, they're excited to finally be able to see you after all this time."
"But Jou...um..." Yami flushed redder than his eyes, "...He pinched my butt."
Yugi's eyebrows rose and he laughed. "It was a joke, Yami, don't worry. Besides, you're hot stuff."
Yami choked and coughed, then awkwardly settled the mug on the table, thirst clearly forgotten. "Pardon?" His voice came out an octave too high.
Yugi sighed. Right. He had forgotten. Yami and Bakura weren't quite... 'up-to-date' in terms of modern expressions. Which was quite amusing considering the Pharaoh and Jou had a huge debate about the origin's of 'O.K' earlier on. "Yami, flatly put, you're attractive."
Yami's eyebrows flew up to the heaven and he almost protested outright, though he found no deception in his light's twinkling eyes. He blushed faintly, coughing down his indignation. "Um... thank you."
Yugi shrugged, drinking some of Yami's milk himself. "You obviously haven't been told that in a few thousand years," he teased somewhat playfully.
Yami shook his head silently, his cheeks still colored.
Yugi grinned, "I'm just telling the truth, you know," he said light-heartedly, glad to see that Yami no longer seemed as pale or sick as he initially was, "Besides, I thought it was fairly obvious seeing how everyone looked at you."
Yami's gaze snapped up, eyes wild. "Yugi!" he cried as if he had been some virgin-eared darling who had just been revealed to the world's worst curse.
The boy giggled. "What? Its true!"
Yami had now invented a new shade of red. "They were... surprised, that's all," he mumbled.
Yugi raised an eyebrow, laughing. "'Surprised'? To put it in the least, perhaps."
Yami frowned.
Yami's left eye twitched. "What... What are you implying?" he said slowly and warily, eyes narrowing.
Yugi cocked his head, resting his chin on his clasped hands in an angelic pose that bore no more innocent than the devil himself. His violet eyes twinkled mischievously. "...I think you like someone."
Yami blinked. "....'Like'?" he echoed, clearly unfamiliar with the concept.
Yugi smirked. "You know... 'like like', dummy." He formed a heart with his little fingers.
Yami eyed the symbol like it was some foreign disease. "What?"
"Dear Lord," Yugi rolled his eyes. "You love someone, Yami. Admit it!"
Yami looked aghast and flabbergasted. Apparently the thought had not occurred to him and he didn't like it now that it did. "I do NOT!"
"Do too." Yugi grinned, resting his head on one hand now, casually.
"Do *not*!" sniffled Yami indignantly.
Yugi sighed. "News flash, Yami; its been some three thousands years since you last felt 'love', so I'm not surprised that you don't recognized it now. But then again... I've never seen the signs so obvious."
"...'Signs'?"
"You, my dear friend, are clueless," stated Yugi flatly, continuing without missing a beat, "Yes, signs. Blushing like mad? Yup. Fast heartbeat?"
Yami gulped, nodding faintly.
"Butterflies in the stomach?"
Yami frowned, "Butterflies couldn't possibly--"
"Its an expression, Yami. Does your stomach feel funny?"
Yami bit his lip. He had only had his 'stomach' for a day, though he was pretty sure this gut-twisting gymnastics thing it was doing wasn't quite normal. He hesitated and nodded again.
Yugi echoed the motion, pleased and beaming. "Its love, alright. You've got a crush, Yami."
"I do NOT!" sputtered Yami for the last time.
"Denial." Yugi smirked, cocking his head. "Another sign."
Yami shut himself up before he fell further into this trap, though he glared venomously at his once-innocent little light.
"Girl or guy?"
Yami blinked, train of thought crashing. "Pardon?!" he all but shrieked.
Yugi rolled his eyes. "Guy or girl?" His smile was growing by the minute, radiating an aura of innocence.
Yami's eyes crossed briefly, stunned. "Uh..." He blushed. He hadn't really thought about that... Back in Egypt, homosexuality and heterosexuality were quite distinct, the former often frowned upon, but he doubted the commoners cared --or even knew-- which gender he preferred. Quite frankly, he didn't know either.
Yugi sighed when Yami didn't respond, the other obviously either in deep thought or utterly confused. 'Dear Lord, I am NOT explaining all this...' prayed the smaller boy, now wishing he never brought up the topic. He had failed to take note that Yami had not, *ever* in his long life, taken a health course.
After a moment of awkward silence, however, it seemed Yami suddenly hit his answer. His eyes flew wide and Yugi was rewarded by a sudden wave of color on the Pharaoh's already dark cheeks.
Yami squeaked something and buried his head in his hands, trying --in vain-- to stop the rising blush from spreading to his neck. "Guys," he whispered finally, voice tiny and humiliated.
Yugi blinked, cocking his head. "Really?" 'Strange...' He wasn't angered or outraged at all, though he expected Egyptian Pharaohs to be straight since they all had queens at some point --except for Yami, apparently. The small boy quickly grinned in reassurance when Yami winced at him. "That's nothing to be ashamed of, Yami... In Japan, anyway."
Yami sent him an odd look. "I'm going upstairs," he suddenly mumbled a bit too quickly, getting up clumsily to leave.
Yugi let him go, watching the taller boy's retreating back with sparkling eyes. 'Interesting...' Before, it had always been him on the lower end of their yami-hikari bond, always the one looking up to the other and asking for advice. But now that he was the more 'experienced' one, it seemed Yami needed his help.
Which was an interesting twist on things.
'Very interesting indeed...'
But enough brooding. Yugi leaned back in his seat and sipped at Yami's abandoned milk thoughtfully, hearing his friends reenter the shop with ice cream in tow. 'Speaking of the gang... just who is it...?'
~*~*~*~*~*~
Meanwhile, Ryou cowered in the corner of his living room, amber eyes wide in horror. Bakura stalked about the room, eyes blazing as he inhaled pixie sticks, poking everything in sight and occasionally squealing in glee as some of the more delicate objects crashed to the ground. He had been doing this for quite some while now, and it was scarcely better then what he was doing before, which had been consuming every scrap of food in the house. And, unlike the Pharaoh, the tomb robber apparently could keep it all in.
Needless to say, Ryou was frightened. The one thing he wished that would never come true just had.
Bakura had a body.
Ryou winced, hugging himself lightly and flinching visibly when a picture crashed into the wall. His yami had been violent enough as a spirit, using magic to both beat and manipulate his hikari when given the chance. But now that the tomb robber had his own solid body, Ryou feared for his own life. He doubted that he would escape with just a few bruises the next time Bakura threw a fit.
The hikari was snapped out of his musing when he saw Bakura by the kitchen counter, scourging the cabinets for more pixie sticks. The boy's eyes widened in horror as he saw his mother's old vase tip dangerously, the delicate flowers within flying off into space. He scrambled upward, hands outreached as he dashed forward. "Yami, you shouldn't--"
The hit came at lightening speed.
Bakura spun around in a blur of white and blue, elbow connecting solidly with Ryou's face.
The boy went flying back against the wall, his head connecting solidly with the wood. There was a sickening crack and a flash of white-hot pain before the boy felt himself sinking to his knees, vision wavering. The last thing he saw before sinking in unconsciousness were Bakura's wide eyes peering down at him.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Unconsciousness was, contrary to popular belief, rather comfortable. Like deep, deep sleep, only it was very, very hard to wake up.
Bewilderment was, surprisingly, not Ryou's first reaction when he slowly pulled in the dizzy, spinning world that was his mind. He felt... tired, mainly, like he wanted to go back to sleep. 'That had to be the best rest I've had in days,' he thought dazedly.
One by one, his senses restarted, dully at first then ever faster. Eventually he could make out that he was swamped by layers of something soft, warm and comfortable. A few seconds later and he could make out a distant, garbled voice growling above him.
"Stupid hikari... Going and dying on me like the pathetic wimp he is..."
Ryou's eyes fluttered under his eyelids, instant fear shooting through him before he was even fully awake.
"Hold still, you little brat!" A rough, strong arm pressed firmly down on Ryou's chest, holding his twitching body down.
Something cold and wet dabbed on Ryou's forehead.
Struggling blindly in panic, the boy's eyes flew open, tearing and blinking madly in an effort to focus his blurred vision.
A double image of Bakura looked down him, his gaze intense and flaming.
"Get away...!" Ryou croaked, clawing at the hands that held him.
Bristling, Bakura did so, stepping back to allow Ryou some breathing room. "You're filled with thanks, aren't you, twerp?" he growled, tearing irritably at the wet cloth in his hands.
'Thanks?' Ryou jolted upright in bed, almost losing the contents of his stomach as a wave of nausea washed through him. Swallowing down bile, his watery eyes widened.
Bakura's white shirt --one of Ryou's bigger ones-- was smeared by blood, splashes of crimson dotting the yami from head to toe. With a shriek, Ryou patted himself madly to see if Bakura had done some last-minute open surgery on him. Finding nothing except a bruised nose and soreness in his shoulders, the boy glared at the tomb robber, breathing hitched and hysterical.
Bakura shoved him down again, lips pursed. "Shut up before you hurt something, nitwit."
"Hurt... something...?" Ryou's eyes twitched again in alarm as the taller boy settled by his side, reaching for him. "No, stop, plea--" he whispered weakly, too tired to try another attempt to escape.
"I'm not going to fucking hurt you, you idiot!" exclaimed Bakura, face red with fury as his hands descended upon Ryou's face, much more gentle then expected.
Ryou went completely rigid with fear, holding his breath and shutting his eyes tightly as he prepared for the worst. A tense moment went by and his stomach twisted upon itself.
Still, no slap came.
Bakura's touch was warm and firm, at first, trailing from Ryou's forehead to his cheeks, massaging and caressing gently. It was almost... soothing.
Ryou released a shaky breath, melting to the touch.
The strong fingers stopped briefly at either side of his temple, a wave of warm magic passing between them. Instantly, Ryou's dizziness was gone. Then the tomb robber continued on, long digits light and airy as they trailed downward, brushing the boy's jaw.
Ryou felt panic rise up within him once again, realizing that he was a sitting duck under his yami's arms, Bakura's fingers dangerously close to strangling him.
Instead, the large hands paused and surrounded the boy's neck, massaging a spot under the back of his skull.
Sharp pain made Ryou jerk, and with a cry he shoved Bakura away with the last of his energy. But the tomb robber's magic had already performed its miracle; all that remained of the tender spot under the boy's hair was a dull throb in his neck. Blinking madly, Ryou hesitantly snaking his own hand up to poke tentatively at that spot.
He let out a hiss of pain, trailing his fingers over what was quite obviously a large cut.
So that's where all the blood came from.
Ryou frowned. Wait... only there wasn't any blood. Very slowly, he turned huge, questioning eyes to his yami, who was currently scowling at him from the foot of the bed. "B-Bakura...?" the boy's voice was a little more then a croaked whisper, both hopeful and frightened. 'No way...' Bakura had healed him before, perhaps, but only since he needed Ryou's body alive for himself to survive.
But now...
Bakura made a low, displeasured sound deep in his throat. "That's the last bloody time I friggin' save your life, you ungrateful twit. Don't expect me to do it again."
And with that and a little proud sniffle, the yami stormed out of the room and noisily downstairs, no doubt to raid the fridge. He left his hikari bewildered, dazed and blushing.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Yami had faced the worst of evils. He had faced the stupidest of the stupidest and the wisest of the smartest. Hell, he had faced death itself and didn't even blink.
And yet here he was, curled up in a ball on Yugi's bed, feeling somewhat sick in the stomach.
What if what his aibou said was true? Yami winced at the mere thought, but his hikari had hit a nerve right on target. But unlike Yugi, the Pharaoh knew exactly who might be causing all this 'lovesick' nonsense.
'Damn him, damn him!!' screamed Yami in his head, cursing obscenities in all the languages he knew, most of which were dead anyhow. And damn his stupid body! It just had to go and get attached to the first attractive guy it saw! And Kaiba of all people!
It all started when Jou came skipping out of the Game Shop after rushing to pick up the phone, singing out that Mokuba and Kaiba were coming over for Yugi's 'surprise'. Yami --who had been pinched and poked nonstop since the first of the gang arrived-- had been horrified at the thought and tried desperately to escape upstairs, but Yugi's friends had forcibly grabbed him and dragged him to the front steps, assuring him that nothing was going to happen except that maybe Kaiba would throw a fit. Tempted by that mental image, Yami reluctantly stayed, fiddling nervously as his friends fussed over him.
He had to admit, he was very uneasy about the whole deal. His rival was not going to like this turn of events. It had been hard enough for Kaiba to reluctantly --if unhappily-- accept the existence of yami's and magic, but now that a supposedly dead spirit has suddenly solid flesh and blood, what would the CEO's reaction be?
Kaiba Kaiba Kaiba... Strange man, he was, Yami decided a long time ago. They had been fierce rivals from the start, tentative allies at best, though only in the most desperate of situations. Still, there existed a relationship between them like none other, a bond of mutual respect for each other's skill and knowledge. Kaiba showed a level of fascination and obsession to his rival that almost had Yami flattered, though the Pharaoh had to admit that he returned it all full force, if not secretly. Kaiba was fascinating, even to an ancient spirit who understood nothing of the modern world. The CEO wasn't like the other mortals... While Yugi and the gang were humorous, social and bubbly, Kaiba was cold, stubborn, and arrogant, out there to be the best no matter who or what got in his way. He was young, yes, but youth did nothing to hinder his undeniable genius, nor did it ever stop him from joining and surpassing every aspect of the adult world.
Yami had never seen anyone quite like that... except himself, perhaps. Maybe that was what had first drawn him to the blue-eyed CEO... The fact that they were both quite alike; devoted to their beliefs, wise beyond their years, holding honor and pride above all other, willing to die for their loved ones... Not to mention they had some unique obsessive-compulsive disorder for dueling.
Whatever the reason may be, Kaiba had always captivated Yami, in more ways then one. The CEO was the only one --and to think, a mortal!-- with the skill to challenge the Pharaoh at his own games, and he was the only one with the guts to laugh in the face of death merely because he had no fear of it. Despite popular belief, Yami had been quite eager to accept Kaiba's challenges every time they were offered; it was always Yugi that declined them, worried about time and saving the world and what not. But if Yami had been in total control, Kaiba would have had a duel every time he asked for, simply because he evoked the curiosity of the age-old spirit.
There was something always so... so thrilling to Yami every time Kaiba was around... He couldn't explain it.
Yami clutched his head, his head spinning. 'This is not happening, this is not happening, this is not happening...'Already, this new body of his seemed more like a curse then a blessing. "Hey, Yami, I--"
Yami jumped visibly as Yugi bounced in, grinning.
The hikari frowned instantly, apologetically. "Sorry; I'll knock next time." He raised an eyebrow at Yami's flustered state but thankfully didn't bring up the attraction topic. Instead, the boy heaved a bag full of stuff on to the bed, sitting on the other side of it as the bed sagged under their combined weight. "Grandpa came back! He got you some school stuff."
Yami looked at him with huge eyes, twitching. He looked down and poked tentatively at the bag with horror. "School...?" he echoed with clear distain.
Yugi laughed. "Yeah, sure! We have school tomorrow! Grandpa signed you up and got a uniform and everything!" He produced some papers, thumbing through them with a small frown. "And just so you know, you're the last son of the daughter of Grandpa's late second cousin once removed."
Yami's eyes twitched.
"... or you could just be my long lost brother," finished Yugi, pleased when his yami nodded. "Okay, cool. Now help me sort all this stuff out; you gotta have a binder for Chemistry and History and Language Arts and... What?" He frowned when Yami crossed his arms and fixed him with a stubborn glare.
"Pharaoh's don't go to school."
Yugi rolled his eyes. "News flash, Yami; people aren't going to be too happy with the living dead walking among them, so you just have to suck it up and fit in."
Yami made a face at the mere suggestion. "'Fit in'? Aibou, I'm three thousand years old and--"
"No, you're sixteen," corrected Yugi cheerfully, pointing to something that looked suspiciously like a birth certificate. "But if it makes you feel better, you just transferred here from Egypt."
Yami scowled darkly but said nothing, huffing.
Pleased, Yugi continued rummaging through the bag, pulling out various folders and binders and those clicky mechanical pencils he knew his yami would like to play with. "Besides, school's not that bad... Jou and the others will be there, and Ryou's making Bakura go, so you won't be all alone." He winced, pausing as if in thought, "Well, its... er... bound to be interesting tomorrow. That is, if we survive it first."
He laughed to himself, seeing horror flash Yami's face. Raising an eyebrow, the boy grinned mischievously, busying himself with trying to fix the zippers on Yami's new backpack. "Kaiba'll be there, you know." He batted his eyes innocently, as if the comment was perfectly normal and expected.
Stunned silence.
Yami's eyes boggled from his skull and he flushed redder then his eyes. "What?! I--"
"I'm not your hikari for nothing," chirped Yugi, grinning with purely devilish innocence. "Besides, it wasn't too hard to figure out. You almost died when he looked at you. Besides," the smaller boy winked, "he is pretty cute."
An undignified, rather choked sound of horror rose in Yami's throat, but it was cut off roughly by a loud, obnoxious ringing.
BBBBBBBBRRRRIIIIINNNGGGGGGG!
Yugi went flying across the bed, sending the mountain-high load of books flying in his effort to save his phone from sure destruction. Thankfully, Yami was too distracted to try another attempt on blowing up any more modern appliances.
Grinning at the frozen look of dismay on his yami's face, Yugi held the receiver to his ear and managed a breathless, "Hello?"
He was silent for a moment before he frowned, handing the phone to Yami. "Its for you."
Yami blinked at it, clearly clueless. Then, mimicking Yugi, he wrapped his finger around the receiver and brought it to his right ear, though upside down. Sighing, Yugi fixed it for him.
Your majesty?
The voice made Yami jump. Sure, he had been in Yugi's body when the boy picked up other phone calls, but he never expected to actually experience the occurrence himself. Hearing someone's voice right in your ear while their physical form was miles away is quite a... er... new experience. Making a mental note to ask Yugi the details later, Yami hesitantly replied, "Yes?"
Yugi watched curiously as Yami cocked his head, the Pharaoh's eyes growing distant in the mist of the telephone conversation. Then, quite suddenly, the Game King cursed vehemently in Egyptian. Yugi jumped; he didn't know quite what Yami said, but he had heard the term enough in bad situations to get the general idea... though Yami didn't seem like the type to swear in front of ladies.
The Pharaoh shook his head wildly, quite clearly forgetting that Ishizu couldn't see him. He replied something heatedly in Egyptian, obviously dismayed by what he heard earlier. A brief argument then came to pass, heated Egyptian words occasionally broken by silence as both debaters tried to put in their point.
Then, abruptly, Yami almost tossed the receiver at Yugi's head, cheeks flushed with something not too unlike rage.
Yugi frowned, turning off the phone. "What is it?"
Yami opened his mouth to speak, then close it again, brow furrowed. Then, shoulders slumped, he stood. "I have to go the museum to pick up something," he mumbled, irritation and defeat heavy in his voice.
"Why? For what?"
Yami was silent, hesitating.
Biting his lip, Yugi stood, "I'll go with you."
"No." The sharpness in Yami's tone made them both wince, "Sorry, little one..." Yami's eyes grew a little softer, "This is something I have to do alone. Please, I can't have you interfering."
Yugi was hurt. "But Yami, I--"
"Yugi... I'm sorry, but no." Yami shook his head, his words dying and unheard as he slowly made his way downstairs with the help of the stairway's railings.
Yugi followed him, growing worried. "Is this... dangerous?" he demanded. Knowing Ishizu, she was probably asking Yami to commit suicide for some save-the-world reason or other.
Yami sighed. "Ra, I hope not."
~*~*~*~*~*~
Mokuba was having the time of his life. "Seto likes Yaaaaammmiiiiii....!" he sang, prancing around the room with the occasional batting of his eyes in his brother's direction.
Kaiba, on the other hand, sat slumped in his computer chair, head buried in his hands, trying valiantly --but in vain-- to ignore his brother's ranting. A low growl was all he managed, his left eye twitching somewhere within the darkness of his hands.
Mokuba sat on the railing of the chair, tipping it dangerously. A large grin found its way on his cherubic but perfectly demonic expression. He poked Kaiba lightly in the shoulder. "Admit it, big brother, admit it! I saw the way you--"
"Mokuba!" Kaiba sent the worst glare he could manage. "Don't you...have some cartoons to watch?!"
Mokuba's eyes bulged. "You'd LET me?"
Kaiba sank lower in the seat, "Sure, melt your brains out," he mumbled.
Mokuba cheered and ran off in a mass of hair, and within a record breaking two seconds the sounds from a flat-screen plasma TV was blaring through the whole house. "GOTTA CATCH 'EM ALL!!!" came the victorious and gleeful scream from down the hall.
Kaiba rolled his eyes, groaning as he rubbed his head. This couldn't be happening... No. Bloody. Way. Just hours before he had been worried about business, work and headaches, but now all he could think about was Yami. Yami and those huge, beautiful eyes of his and that delicious body that looked good enough to eat.
Kaiba groaned, hands clenched in his hair.
Lord, never in his wildest dreams had he ever imagined that the Pharaoh would look like that. And never in his wildest dreams had he ever dreamed that someone could look like that... That someone could be so beautiful and bloody brilliant all at the same time. In Kaiba's experiences, either you had brains or looks; it was never both. There was exceptions of course; himself, perhaps, but now most likely Yami as well.
When he was first told the concept of 'yami's', the CEO had always imagined them related to some vague, split personality kind of thing that was far beyond psychiatric help. But in a way, he held on to that new knowledge like a lifeline; finally, a worthy opponent! He always had a nagging feeling that it wasn't sweet little Yugi he had dealt with in their numerous collisions, nor was it Yugi that finally beat the CEO without breaking a sweat. Lets put it this way; Kaiba didn't like to lose. And if he did, he would do everything possible to prode at his opponent, stalking their every move, learning their ways, studying their weaknesses. And the fact that his ultimate rival claimed to be some body-possessing 'spirit' only fascinated Kaiba even more.
But he never expected this...
He never prepared to meet his rival face to face, nor to peer upon a body as solid as his own. 'No one should be allowed to look that perfect,' Kaiba decided with a sigh. No one was perfect, but Yami came pretty damn close, with his huge eyes and his cute smile and the slight sway of his hips that had Kaiba hypnotized.
And --damn him!-- the CEO now couldn't get the bloody boy out of his mind.
No, Kaiba was not vain. He was not one of those slick-haired James Bond characters who fell for every hottie they saw. He had met plenty of attractive people in his work and his travels, but not one single one of them interested him, though plenty of them --and most of Domino-- was romantically interested in him.
Not that he cared.
Especially not about the girls that constantly squealed as they stalked KaibaCorp's doorways.
Fine, so he admitted it; he was gay. He wouldn't run outside stark naked and scream it or anything, but just in case anyone asked, he was gay. He preferred the word homosexual, but it didn't matter in this world anyway. And he didn't care squat if he was met with laughter or blank stares or even disgust; since when did other people's opinions matter? His life revolved around Mokuba and KaibaCorp, and Kaiba wasn't planning on searching out or keeping a long-term lover anyway, so it didn't matter which gender he preferred; more often then not, he hated them both.
But the second he laid eyes upon the beauty that was the Pharaoh, something deep in the pit of Kaiba's primeval instincts stirred, and he had the strangest urge to reach out, toss the boy over his shoulder, and run off with his treasure like some victorious Viking with his loot.
This sudden sense of possession unnerved Kaiba, for he never felt it with anyone except Mokuba before, though on completely different levels. And if that wasn't strange enough, his headache stopped instantly on the spot, banished by a sudden wave of light-headedness that felt --dare he say it-- far too joyful. And for a moment, just a moment, Kaiba felt as if he was back with his angel again, holding the boy close as they kissed under the starry stars.
But this was Yami...!! The blasted Pharaoh-half of Yugi that now, of all things, had a separate body. Of course, a very beautiful body which could move, dance and, best of all--
Kaiba broke that train of thought with a fierce blush, mentally smacking himself. NO, he would not relive that moment on the Motou's front steps. At the time, he had enough sense to save himself from humiliation by leaving the scene instantly, but next time he had a feeling he wouldn't be so lucky...
But the moment the limo had jerked away from the Game Shop, Kaiba took note that his headache quickly returned; by the time they were three roads down, it had throbbed back to full force. Which was painful, if not bloody annoying.
So here he sat, alone in silence with his computers abandoned and his ringing cell phone ignored. And damnit, every time he tried to focus he would see nothing except those blasted ruby eyes that had gazed so passionately into his own.
'Forget it,' Kaiba scolded himself, opening --for the fifth time-- his laptop, 'Spur of the moment. No big deal.'
But now a painful longing wormed its way into him, one not too different from the same destitution he felt every morning when he was tore from the arms of his angel. Only now he had a second angel on his mind, one that he would see and remember just fine, one that was equally exquisite to look upon and no doubt touch, dare he go with it that far.
Goddamnit, why couldn't the Pharaoh had been ugly and just made his life a whole lot easier?
DING DONG!
Kaiba stiffened. Mokuba's show turned off abruptly, the boy just as alarmed.
No one made it through security without the brothers knowing first.
In a flash, Kaiba was up, fingers flying across his computer screen. Security camera screens pop up all over, one for each some 5 by 5 feet square of the Kaiba manor and its surrounding area. All of them blank. Static flew across some, while others were completely blank.
"What the--" Kaiba swore colorfully. Those were the best security cameras on the planet, practically indestructible to attack. Heck, anyone who wanted to sabotage them might not even find them.
And what happened to all the other security measures?
Kaiba sighed. He would have to fire some more employees tomorrow.
"Big brother? You want me to get it?" Mokuba popped his head in the room.
Kaiba hesitated. "No, go back to watching TV." He didn't want his brother in harm's way if this was some armed assassin or something. Of course, he himself had guns all over the place, but the mansion itself was well armed and well prepared to protect him if need be. Plus he needed someone to yell at.
It didn't take too long to reach the front door, though the seconds dragged on like hours as Kaiba flew through the empty mansion. The Kaiba brothers rarely allowed anyone else in the manor, choosing to live alone than in the presence of servants; all business meetings were held at the KaibaCorp building or elsewhere, and all birthday parties or play dates were always held in one of the lesser wings especially made for that use. The central part of the mansion, also the best guarded, was where the brothers slept and lived.
And may God have mercy on those that dared to disturb them.
Kaiba skipped down the last stairway of the central hall and made it to the large double doors without so much a second of hesitation, preparing his most fearsome glare. Despite the fact that the beautiful manor always looked in the best and neatest of order, very few dared to dream of it as fragile or unprotected; in every corner lurked KaibaCorp cams, armory and arms, all designed on a level that rivaled the American Pentagon building, though of course under much more secrecy.
Feeling not the least bit alarmed --though a bit wary-- Kaiba flung open the doors, eyes narrowed. "Who the hell do you think you ar--"
His voice faltered.
Large wine-red eyes peered up at him with their own piercing power, soulful and wide. Yami blinked at him, chagrining inwardly as the CEO towered over him, though not at all about to complain at the very *nice* view of the CEO's tight leather shirt and the sculpted torso he could just *imagine* underneath.
"... You...?" Kaiba's voice was suddenly tiny, though extremely soft and deadly. His stomach suddenly twisted upon itself.
Yami said nothing, lips working wordlessly.
For a moment the two duelists stared at each other, each unable to find something to say.
Finally, Kaiba raised an eyebrow and demanded, "How the hell did you get past security?"
Yami blinked innocently, smirking his devastating little smile. "What security?"
Kaiba glared, crossing his arms, his height rather intimidating even with him leaning against the door. "What the hell do you want?" he demanded finally, quietly.
Yami frowned, "Look, I'm not here on my own free will." He pulled out a strange, wrapped package from his arms. "Ishizu told me to give you this."
Kaiba raised an eyebrow, mouth suddenly dry. Quite frankly, he wouldn't trust anything Ishizu gave him, but to have *Yami* deliver it... Curiosity winning out, the CEO snatched the package and tore at it unceremoniously.
Yami watched him curiously and carefully, gauging his reaction.
The CEO frowned, ripping the last of the wrapping off. He turned the object revealed over and about in his hands, cocking his head. It was a rather strange item made of gold or some other heavy metal, nothing more then a bulbous, twin-bladed sphere attached a handle. One slim fingers traced the odd eye etched into the staff's head. "What kind of--"
He stopped breathing.
Oh god...
The Millennium Rod.
The Rod twinkled happily, glowing faintly as if happy to be recognized. A shiver ran up Kaiba's spine then, a wave of strange, warm energy coursing through him in an instant. The feeling was ancient, powerful... and most of all, familiar...
Kaiba didn't like it.
In a flash, he shoved the Rod in Yami's face, eyes cold and unreadable. "Take it."
Yami frowned, "It belongs to you," he said calmly, slowly, as if talking to a child.
"Look, I'll say it one last time: I'm not a some heathen priest and I don't care for your silly Egyptian prophecies." The CEO seemed more exasperated then angry, though it was hard to tell since he masked his thoughts well.
Yami looked at him strangely for a long time, eyes sad and almost weary. Then, silently, he looked away, stepping back as if to resist Kaiba's request. "It doesn't matter what you think," he said quietly, thoughtfully, "This Rod has no true master but you, and it doesn't belong anywhere but in your hand."
Kaiba rolled his eyes, fury growing. "Look, whatever, just the goddamn thing. I don't want it and I don't need it, and you can tell Ishizu to keep her little toys to herself."
Yami's eyes raised once more and Kaiba felt his breath die in this throat. There was something so distressing in that gaze... Something so sad and ancient... "You don't need it? Fine." He covered the CEO's larger hands with his own, squeezing to tighten the grasp on the Rod. "But keep it. It is a gift."
Then he was gone.
~*~*~*~*~*~
AN: RA I HATED WRITING THIS CHAPTER!!! *SIGH* And this is CRAP compared to the other chapters!!! AAAAHHHHH!! -_-;; And I'm totally serious this time, too. I liked the Bakura/Ryou interaction, but generally everything else was horrible, and I didn't understand either why Yami was sad at the end. AUGH! *bangs head on table* Damnit, this chapter was so hard to write and I kept blanking out! So I ended up writing most of it while playing Pokemon Yellow on the Gameboy and doing my stupid homework. O_o Talk about multitasking...! ^_^;; Me proud of the ending though; another thing I planned out since the beginning. Hopefully you guys are a bit happier about the 'romance' involved? The real fluffy stuff starts next chapter, just so you know. Review anyway! Suggestions are always welcome, but FLAMES ARE NOT.
NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE *SO* MUCH BETTER, I PROMISE!!
NEXT UPDATE: (I'm a bit... distracted with my personal life as of the moment --in a good way -- but despite the fact that I also have nothing written after this, I'll try to get the next chapter up soon cuz I feel bad for giving you guys such a crappy chapter...) first times at school, Bakura acting weird, Yami and Kaiba having some interesting... uh... moments in gym class, and as always, some pointless fluff :-p
Oh yeah! If any of you are interested, there's a great new yahoo group started entirely for seto/yami (seth/atemu, wutever) fans. Its GREAT! Its run by crimsonvioleteyes and has people like aniron legolas, yummyyami, yamislove, high priest seto, duo's only chick, moonlitspire, and all these other s/yy authors that I luv and adore. GO JOIN!! Its *GREAT!* Heres the link (be sure to get a yahoo email first if you don't already have one): groups.yahoo.com (slash) group (slash) The_Pharaohs_Palace (slash). Sorry, gotta write it out cuz websites don't upload right or something on ff.net. -_-;; Sorry! Just take out the (slash)'s and replace it with / and you should be fine (add www before the thing if it doesn't work).