Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

Chapter 5

The next day, I went back to work. I had decided to leave Yami alone, after all, since apparently I was a dreadful friend. I mean, in less than a week I had horribly upset him twice- and gotten him fired. But, to my consternation, I found myself missing him terribly. As my fingers whirled across the keyboard in the commands for whatever computer program I was working on today, my mind whirled in a different direction.

All I could think about were flashing crimson eyes and a warm, slender hand on my elbow.

Slightly to my surprise, I finished the day's work just after 2:00 P.M. Apparently I worked faster when I thought about Yami…not that I was thinking about him; I just…I was…

Once more, Kaiba, shut up.

Anyway, when I finished the stack of work on my desk I shut off my computer and stalked out the door, nodding curtly to my secretary as I passed her. She gaped; surprised that I actually acknowledged her presence, but when I gave her a brief glare she smiled a little, relieved. I suppose some people just don't like change.

The crowd of people in the downstairs lobby parted in awe as I strode past, and I rolled my eyes at them all, when suddenly I heard a familiar deep voice pleading with the receptionist. "Please, just let me talk to him for a minute? I'm sure he'll allow it if you just tell him my name; I'm a friend of his," Yami begged.

The receptionist eyed him disbelievingly and started to reply, until she saw me walk up behind Yami. She blanched at the angry glare I sent her way and began to stutter. "M…Mr. Kaiba, h…how may I help you, sir?" she mumbled.

Yami whirled at the sound of my name, and his long blond bangs swept across his face, shading his crimson eyes, which were…full of tears?

"Yami? What is it?" I asked concernedly.

He lunged at me.

I staggered in shock at the sudden weight clinging to my middle as Yami squeezed the air from my lungs. He buried his face in my shoulder and I felt my shirt grow slightly damp from his tears. "Er…Are you okay?" I muttered stupidly, and he mumbled something into my chest. His shoulders started heaving, so I awkwardly put my arms around him and patted his back.

After a long moment Yami pulled away, grabbing my hand in both of his as he did so. "Seto, I'm so, so sorry for what I said to you. I know you didn't mean to get me fired, but I was upset because…well, you know. But…but I didn't expect you to… I mean, Jou called and told me you had… Thank you. Thank you so much for what you did for Yugi," Yami breathed, and fresh tears fell from his eyes.

I reached to wipe them away, and this time he let me. Slowly, I wiped his face with the pad of my thumb, noting how warm and soft his skin felt under my hand. "I didn't do it for him," I murmured softly, and Yami's eyes widened.

"Seto…"

Behind me, someone sneezed.

I jerked my gaze away from Yami's face, only to see the entire lobby crowded with people staring at me in silent shock.

I would never live this down.

After the crowd and I had exchanged stares for a long moment, I spun on my heel and stomped out the door, dragging Yami (who still gripped my hand) gracelessly behind me. We stopped beside my car (a silver convertible, today) and Yami climbed into the passenger's seat without a word. He obviously understood my silent invitation.

"So, have you been looking for another job?" I asked as we sped along the highway.

"I've applied at a few places, but nothing seems promising," Yami sighed.

"You know…"

"Yes, I know, Seto. But it might be awkward for me to work for you," Yami muttered, and a flush spread across his cheeks as I watched him from the corner of my eye.

What did that mean?

"What does that mean?" I asked, echoing my thoughts.

"Well," Yami mumbled, "It might be…well…strange." He flushed a deeper red, and my heart gave an odd thump. This conversation was making me strangely uncomfortable; though I wasn't sure why. Judging from the heated blush across his cheeks, I'd guess that Yami felt the same way.

An awkward silence descended in the vehicle, and I drove aimlessly for ten minutes or so until I pulled into my driveway. I hadn't even realized I was going home. Yami, however, seemed unperturbed- actually, a tiny smile flitted across his lips when he saw where we were, and I wondered what was going through his mind.

"Did you ever read any more of that book? I know you didn't seem to like it much…" I ventured, hoping to lighten the strange atmosphere.

Yami blinked. "Oh, well…I sort of…er…" he mumbled, and blushed an even deeper red than he had a few minutes before. I raised an eyebrow, but waited for him to finish; however, when I had parked the car and Yami still stuttered idiotically, I lost my patience and snapped at him.

"Will you just spit it out already? You sound like the stupid mutt!"

Yami's eyes narrowed in anger and he swore under his breath. "God, Kaiba, you are so rude! I threw your stupid books out, okay? When I was mad at you…I tossed them out the window. I don't know where they are…" Yami glanced furtively at my stunned face before staring uncomfortably at his hands. "I looked for them later, but they were gone," he added quietly.

Well, so much for lightening the mood.

I started to bristle in anger- until I noticed the guilty frown creasing Yami's forehead. His blush had disappeared, and the unhealthy pallor had crept back into his thin face. Yami looked absolutely miserable. Suddenly my heart sank, and I couldn't bear to see that expression on his face a moment longer, so I did something I'd never done before in my entire life.

I forgave him instantly.

"It's alright," I shrugged. "I have plenty of books. Those were yours anyway, so if you want to throw your things out the window, it's your business." I gave Yami a sarcastic grin, and he finally glanced up at me again, with relief shining in his crimson eyes.

"Really? I'm sorry I did it, and I did try to find them again," Yami apologized. He gripped my forearm anxiously and searched my face to make sure I was serious.

The car suddenly became extremely warm.

"Yes, well… Whatever," I grumbled shortly and wrenched free from his grasp, stumbling slightly as I rushed to escape the stifling car. Luckily he didn't notice.

Yami stretched luxuriantly when he stepped onto the pavement, and I caught a glimpse of his smooth stomach for a second time. I tried not to stare. Why I wanted to stare is still beyond me. Sometimes I really wish I could leave him alone; but I never could- two years ago, I was obsessed with dueling him, and now…

Now I was just insane.

"So, what do you want to do?" Yami asked, shooting me a half-smile, and I smirked, remembering my thoughts.

"What would you say to a duel?"

At my suggestion, Yami's eyes flashed brilliantly for a moment- and I nearly gasped aloud. He looked…something looked different, looked right; as if the tired, sad Yami had disappeared, and had been replaced with the fierce rival I once knew (and begrudgingly admired). But then the expression vanished as quickly as it had appeared and his ruby eyes dulled in disappointment.

"I can't; I don't have my deck anymore," he sighed.

"Oh… Come to think of it, neither do I," I suddenly remembered. I had locked it away when Mokuba and I started building Kaiba Land, and had never bothered to take it out again, since I didn't know anyone worth dueling, anyhow.

Yami laughed cheerily, and I felt rather stupid.

That seemed to be happening a lot lately.

We never actually decided what to do; instead we gravitated silently into the living room and sat next to each other on the soft, blue sofa. Yami waited until I relaxed fully against the cushions before he crossed his arms and gave me an expectant look. "Well?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, what?" I questioned, rolling my eyes. Honestly, Yami acted like a girl sometimes. Did he think I was a mind reader? I didn't have the Sennen Eye…not that I believed in that magical nonsense, of course.

"Why did you do it, Seto?"

Oh. That. I had hoped that he would leave it alone, after what happened at KaibaCorp; but I should have known he would pester me about it, since Yami never gave up on anything. I hesitated for a long moment, glaring at nothing.

"Kaiba, are you ever going to answer me?" Yami snapped impatiently.

"Yes," I replied vaguely.

He waited.

I didn't say anything.

"KAIBA!" Yami groaned loudly. "Please, I just want to know why you paid Yugi's tuition. I sent you to talk to Jou because I wanted you to understand what you'd done, not because I wanted to take your money," he said. "Of course, I am grateful, for Yugi's sake, and I'll pay you back, I promise…"

"I don't want your money," I cut in shortly, interrupting his rambles.

Yami blinked in surprise. "Seto, I can't let you…"

"Well, you'll have to," I interrupted again. "Since you don't have a job anyway, that is." I smirked at him, and he frowned deeply, obviously trying to come up with a decent reply to this.

Finally he sighed reluctantly and muttered, "Thank you. But I still want to pay you back eventually, as soon as I find another job."

My smirk widened triumphantly and I crossed my arms lazily against my chest, studying him. "You know you can still work for…"

"No."

The next day I actually took my lunch break and drove out to Yami's apartment. As soon as I parked on the curb that annoying thug neighbor waved cheerfully at me, but I ignored him, of course. I climbed the stairs to Yami's apartment, but when I reached his floor I noticed that Yami's door was slightly ajar. Worried (this building was just begging to be a crime scene), I silently pushed open the door and furtively glanced around the room.

I would have been far less surprised if I'd found vandals.

Yami sat on the far end of the couch, apparently lost in thought. A thick teardrop slipped down his cheek and fell from his chin as I watched, but an odd smile wryly twisted his lips. Yami gripped a cardboard box in his hands, and while I stared incredulously at him he drew the box close to his chest and hugged it, a slight blush coming over his cheeks.

My heart sank. This must have something to do with whoever Yami was pining over. I hated to see him upset… I cursed softly, frustrated at Yami for making me so stupidly emotional, and he lifted his head in surprise at the sound. When he saw me his eyes widened and he blushed cherry red, hastily shoving the box behind his back.

Like that didn't look suspicious.

"Kaiba! How did you get in here?" Yami gasped. Tear tracks glistened on his face and he made no move to wipe them away.

"The door was open," I replied shortly. Yami stared incomprehensively, mouth agape, and I sighed. "But I can leave if this is a bad time," I added, eyeing the box protruding from behind him.

He shifted slightly, hiding the box, and shook his head. "No… I'm glad you came. Really," Yami answered, and smiled softly.

"Well, are you busy?" I asked, deciding to ignore the incident (as best I could, anyhow). "I thought I'd come by and see if you wanted to eat lunch with me."

"You actually took a lunch break? That's hard to believe," Yami laughed, but he climbed from the couch and strode towards his room; probably to hide the box. While I sulked over his comment (and the fact that he knew my habits so well) Yami fumbled around in the other room, and I could hear various rustling noises; it sounded like he shoved the box under the bed.

Not that I'd look for it…

When Yami reentered the room, minus the tear tracks and smiling cheerfully, I raised an eyebrow at him thoughtfully. How could he change moods so quickly? But then, maybe he was still upset and just hiding it from me; I never knew how to read people's emotions, after all. I wished Mokuba were here.

"Ready?" Yami asked, laying a soft hand on my arm. I nodded, trying to ignore his touch, and we silently left the apartment- after Yami locked the many locks, of course.

As I drove, Yami cheerfully told me all about his last conversation with Yugi, and I heard more than I ever wanted to know about the mutt's study habits. But I listened anyway, somehow calmed by the sound of his deep voice, intermingled with soft, rumbling laughter as he chuckled over his own story.

"…so, Jou and Yugi decided that if they got a lot of vitamins, they would do better on the test. But they ate so many bananas that Jou threw up right on his desk as the teacher handed out the test!" Yami finished telling me as we walked into the restaurant, side by side. He laughed heartily and I smiled a little at him.

I held the door open for him, and as he entered, still laughing, an arrogant, flamboyant voice called out his name. "Yami! You certainly look better than the last time I saw you."

We both turned to see a young man in tight, black leather with his long black hair tied back in a ponytail. He wore thick eyeliner around his flashing green eyes and a cross between a grin and a sneer curved his lips. It was that dice guy…What was his name again?

"Otogi!" Yami cried, sounding surprised. He immediately stopped laughing.

"Nice to see you, too. What are you doing here with Kaiba?" he retorted, raising an eyebrow at me. I just gave him my trademark icy blue glare.

"We're friends," Yami replied quickly, glancing briefly at me before returning his gaze to the sneering Otogi.

"Oh, really?" Otogi questioned sardonically as he rolled his eyes. "I find that rather hard to believe, Yami. Unless things have changed more than I knew…" As he eyed Yami suspiciously, Yami flushed self-consciously and I lost my patience with the dice freak.

"As a matter of fact, they have changed," I snapped. "I may not have been that nice to Yami before, but that was two years ago. We ARE friends now, not that I'm looking to join your little group."

Otogi chuckled sarcastically. "I'm not exactly part of the 'little group' anymore, either. And you have no idea what I was referring to, so you might as well mind your own business, Kaiba," he drawled.

I bristled, but Yami laid a consoling hand on my elbow and I paused, glancing at him in confusion. "Seto, don't mind him. He didn't mean… He was talking about something else," Yami said.

"Yes, I was referring to Yami's sudden change in temperament," Otogi smirked. "Since when have you decided to get rid of that dark cloud that usually swirls over your head? Then again, you know what? I think I might just know the answer to that…" Otogi stared meaningfully at Yami, who blushed heatedly under his gaze.

I couldn't help feeling like I was missing something.

"Otogi, please don't," Yami murmured, and looked away.

My eyes widened. Surely the DICE FREAK wasn't the one who… But then, Yami didn't seem very happy to see Otogi; and he would surely be thrilled if the love of his life spent any time with him. Unless, of course, I was in the way…

"Well, I suppose I should let the two of you alone, since this seems like a private conversation," I spat icily, and spun on a heel, stomping toward the door. Yami gasped in surprise, but Otogi let out a derisive snort; and I scowled all the way back to the car.

Who was I to come between old lovers, after all?

"Seto! No, wait, please!" Yami cried. He raced after me and I could hear the thumping of his boots against the paved parking lot as I unlocked the car door. "Please don't leave!" he begged. He grabbed my arm with both hands and tugged as hard as he could. Finally I turned to face him, since I didn't particularly want my arm wrenched out of its socket.

"Why not, Yami? I'm sure Otogi will give you a ride home," I grumbled sulkily. "It sounded to me like you two had a lot to discuss, anyway."

Yami flushed again, turning nearly as red as his crimson eyes, and dropped my arm as if it were a burning brand. "I… Well, he…" Yami stuttered incomprehensibly.

I rolled my eyes and went back to unlocking the door. "Convincing," I drawled, and pulled open the car door. Suddenly, Yami reached over me and pushed the button to unlock the passenger's side door, and while I stared at him in surprise he rushed around the car and jumped in before I could lock it again.

"You aren't leaving without me," he said firmly, and crossed his arms across his chest in a familiar defiant gesture, and I had to fight down a smile at the sight of him.

We watched each other for a silent moment before I finally climbed in beside him and shut the door. "So, where do you want to eat, then?" I asked.

Yami grinned shakily. "Anywhere but here," he replied.