Hello all my wonderful and encouraging people! I love you all so much! I was so afraid no-one would like my sequel, but you have all helped me so much.
And just so people know, if they bother to read this part, this is a 'sequel', therefore, you might become a little lost when I sometimes refer to First Touch and it's happenings.
Hope you all enjoy this chapter, and I should prolly thank Tassy for making me update it now.
Silver-dagger-113 – yes, beware of young siblings. I do… evil little buggers… and there's nothing wrong with a naked Yami in the hall is there?
Shy – your reviews always make me smile. Thanks for your opinion on third person, glad you liked it.
Mellinde – thanks! Glad you like the pov!
Hakudoshi-chan – and of course, I will oblige
Bourei no Hikari – ha, thanks muchly. Hope this is soon enough.
Jackie – thank you for the hug! Badly needed. And I'm glad you like the pov. Thanks heaps!
Darleneartist – thank you, hope you enjoyed the first too, I really appreciate the encouragement. gives big cookie
Tassy – such a lazy sod you are. And I very much intend to talk to you about the ending, or lack thereof.
Nachzes Black-Rider – don't you just love a devious Seto? Mind, I love any Seto…
Disclaimer: Nup, Lanse is out bidding me on e-bay, and she still hasn't gotten it…
Chapter Two - Worries
The CEO'S head slumped a little more, as he struggled to stay awake. His eyelids drooped constantly , and if it wasn't going to cost him another early morning, he'd of called off the whole bloody thing.
As it was though, his head now rested against his face up palm, and many of his fellow executives were shooting him unseen looks of contempt at being so rude.
Only his secretary looked at him with worry and concern, but he could not see it, as she sat behind him, against the back wall.
"What do you think Mr. Kaiba?"
Kaiba raised an eyebrow, his eyes pulling themselves open to regard his chief secretary of economics, who stood at the other end of the table.
"It's fine Luca, you have done a fine job."
Luca, tall with dark brown hair and golden yellow eyes, rose two thin eyebrows.
"Thank you Sir. Yet I'm concerned."
Kaiba sat up straighter, forcing himself to be more alert.
"Bout what?"
"You seem… forgive my impertinence, distracted. Or maybe tired. Perhaps you need some time off, or a break sir."
Every sense honed in immediately, and all weariness vanished as he stood, eyes snapping back to their fear instilling form, as he glared down the table. The amount of energy it took was alarming…
Luca swallowed. The board gave a silent gasp.
"My physical health is not your concern Luca. Your concern is keeping this business economically stable. If you think caring for my well being will get you a pay rise, you are quite mistaken."
Kaiba glared him down with a gaze to freeze your veins, and he cowered slightly where he stood.
"My apologies Sir, I was merely concerned."
"Don't be," the CEO sneered, "I can handle myself."
When he glanced around the board room, all faces were down turned, as thought carefully examining the metal table for unsightly blemishes. Such was the gaze of the young man. Normally, he'd of smirked, but figured he had to save that energy for speech…
"If that was the final matter of discussion, I think this meeting should be adjourned."
Silence.
"Good. You may all go."
Swiftly he stood, pushed back his chair, and strode from the darkened room, his secretary leaping up from her chair after him, her foot steps echoing down the hall as she followed.
The board room remained inexorably silent, before every pair of eyes turned to Luca in anger, and he blushed.
"Do you have a death wish?" one asked irritably.
"Of course not," he returned evenly.
"Then what did you think you were doing?"
"I 'was' concerned."
A few snorted in amusement and disbelief.
"For him? I wouldn't bother."
"Why not? Regardless of 'rumors', he is human."
"He only cares for himself and his brother. It's better to leave it at that. Any more compassion, and whatever heart he has might just break."
Luca frowned, but stayed silent, as he looked out the door the teen billionaire had vanished through. All he needed was someone to care, he thought, but no-one could get close enough. Could they?
Down the hall, and through another expensive wooden door (that had been slammed shut after the secretary had dived through), and in an expensive office and chair, sat Seto Kaiba, his head in his hands atop a paper laden desk.
"Sir…"
"Unless the end of that sentence involves 'when should I set the next meeting', the odds are you will be fired."
The executive lifted his head and stared down at his assistant with the once again weary blue eyes. Despite his weakness, she could not help but falter beneath that gaze. She couldn't imagine how Luca must have felt…
Taking a deep breath, she took her courage in both hands, and held it tightly.
"Sir, I think Luca's right. I don't care if you fire me, but I think you need some time off and soon. You look exhausted Sir."
And then her courage fled her, and she went silent, turning her gaze to the floor.
Kaiba regarded her with careful eyes.
About 5'4, slim, with shining sleep black hair pulled back and vivid baby blue eyes, there was little doubt for many men why Seto Kaiba hired her.
Alexa Wolfe, 23, was indeed very beautiful, but Kaiba had not allowed himself to be so shallow as to hire her for that alone.
He had hired her for times like this, for her courage and compassion, that distinct desire to care. He sighed deeply, and looked out his high rise window, to the stunning view of Domino City.
"Though I do have to wonder how truly 'exhausted' I look, thank you Alexa."
She looked up abruptly, startled. It was rare thing to say what she had said, and to not be fired for it. Rarer still was the occurrence of being thanked for it.
"You're welcome Sir."
He'd had to thank her. How could he not when it was the truth? He had snapped at Luca, who he knew only cared, because he could not show weakness before a board of traitorous snakes, likely to stab him in the back just like the last lot.
For weeks now, he'd been getting more tired, drawn out and exhausted. At first, Seto had considered it was just him growing accustomed to having Yami in the house, in his bed in the night. But it wasn't…
He 'knew' it wasn't.
"Are you going to then Sir?"
He snapped his attention back to the present.
"Going to what?"
She looked so nervous, her normally happy go lucky expression hidden beneath measured anxiety. "Take time off." "Sir," she added hurriedly.
He regarded her again, as she shifted from foot to foot.
"You should Sir. You never take time off. I mean, you even work when you're sick."
She said all this as though it really meant something, as thought it settled the matter. He hated suddenly realizing she was right. His body would benefit greatly from a little rest. And besides that, it meant he could go home earlier, to help Mokuba.
"Alright."
"What?" she did a double take, having sworn she did not just hear Seto Kaiba agree with her; it was ultimately impossible.
"Until further notice, I am on vacation. All meetings are to be post-poned, any major business deals I should still be alerted about."
Alexa scribbled it all down on a note book she'd taken to carrying around, before she looked up and beamed at him.
He stood wearily, and walked out from around his desk.
"Mokuba and Yami will be thrilled."
Seto inwardly winced, and felt an upsurge of sad disappointment. Would Yami be happy? He doubted he'd even notice.
He was so busy, preoccupied…
And Mokuba… Mokuba was leaving him…
"Yes."
"Well, let me know when you'll be coming back. I hope you get a lot of rest, and have some fun. I'm sure that face can smile," she said lightly.
He looked at her, and offered her a small smile (making her heart flutter. Hey, ice or not, he was nice on the eyes), and headed for the door.
"Alexa, thank you. When I return, we'll discuss your raise, and Luca's."
Her eyes widened, then lit up, and she blushed.
"Oh… thank you Sir."
He waved it off. "You deserve it."
"I'll send round the car sir."
"Yes, thank you."
And he vanished out the door.
Yami
Spiky black hair on the droop after a steaming hot shower, crimson eyes alight and shining, Yami Motou strode into the kitchen, heading straight for the instant coffee maker. Such a wonderful invention it was…
When he reached the bench, he deposited the pile of books he had slung under his left arm, and began fiddling with the machine, intent on a complete dope up of coffee this early in the morning.
When Mokuba coughed at him from across the bench, he jumped in shock, jolting the coffee jar and scalding his hand.
Wincing, he stuck his hand under the tap, turning as he did so to glare at Mokuba.
The child smiled innocently.
"Good morning Yami-kun."
"Morning."
"You know," the child began speculatively, "I learnt about a great Egyptian land mark this morning."
"Oh yeah? And what was that?"
"The windy valley of the great Pharaoh Yami."
Owner of said valley blushed.
Mokuba laughed, obviously enjoying himself.
"I said I was sorry. Very sorry."
"Ha, doubt as much as I am. What possessed you?"
Yami scowled. "Your brother. He removed all of my clothes from his room."
"Ok, I don't wanna know about you in his room, but I'm curious as to why you didn't use any of his clothes."
"He meant it to be a challenge." Yami shrugged. "I met it."
Mokuba shook his head, raven hair shaking with it, then smirked. "I spose it gives you something to tell everyone. Now you can say that every Kaiba has seen you starkers."
Yami frowned light heartedly. "Although that would indicate pedophilia, I get your drift."
He clutched the now full coffee mug to him, bringing it to his lips as he took a tender sip. His eyes closed and an expression of pure bliss washed over his face.
"I love caffeine."
Mokuba snorted. "Druggie."
"I am not," Yami said with a scowl.
"When was your last cup?"
"Yesterday lunch."
"Liar."
The crimson eyes narrowed. "Fine, last night."
"Time?"
"Nine."
"Druggie."
"Stop calling me that!"
Mokuba just gave a sadistic Kaiba grin, before shrugging.
"So," the boy began again, looking forward to this afternoon?"
"Huh?" Yami replied distractedly, as he had begun to page through his diary, reading over classes and appointments. When he flipped over on to the current day, he spat out a mouthful of coffee and swore, completely missing Mokuba's response.
"Holy Ra! I have a class!" he yelped, slamming shut the books, grabbing them up, and spinning around to head for the door.
"But what about the party!" Mokuba shouted, sounding a bit distressed.
Yami spun round again. "What?"
"The party, this afternoon, my going away one. Aren't you coming?" Mokuba tried valiantly to keep the feeling of slight neglect at bay.
Yami looked distracted as he responded. "I'll try Mok, I promise I'll try."
With a hurried smile, the spirit disappeared through the door.
Mokuba sighed, and jumped off the chair, away from the bench. Feeling a little rejected, the youth stalked off through the house, heading to the back door. Just before he got there, he heard the front door open, then slam shut, as Yami dashed off.
Mokuba sighed.
It wasn't that he didn't support Yami in what he was doing, no, he'd been all for it when suggested, but now he wished the spirit might give it a rest for a while.
He wondered if Seto felt like he did now, when Yami was constantly out. Did he feel somewhat ignored? No, he couldn't, Mokuba realised. His big brother never felt like that, and he loved Yami with everything he had, apart from how much he loved him. He was probably happy for him, and treasured the time they did spend together.
Mokuba figured he just had to get used to it, and grow up.
Yami had, in the past few months, moved in with Seto. But then, he'd also gotten a job, starting to save money (for what Mokuba hadn't the slightest clue) and had applied for a scholarship at a nearby college.
He was taking courses on archaeology and history, both modern and ancient.
He loved it.
Mokuba could still recall going to Yami, and asking him why he'd gone for a scholarship instead of asking Seto to pay for it.
The spirit had smiled and said he didn't want money or problems such as that to come into their relationship.
"But Seto loves you," he replied, puzzled.
Yami had just smiled and said, "and I love him."
So Yami took classes after winning the scholarship (which hadn't been difficult. They'd had to complete a 6000 word essay on a part of ancient history. Yami, being Yami, wrote his winning piece on his life as a Pharaoh, leaving out the I's of identification), and was now frequently out of the house.
Mokuba thought that if it bothered him this much by now, surely it bothered Seto, but Seto always seemed to be impervious to such things.
He thought Yami didn't take as much notice of Seto lately.
Mokuba new Yami still loved Seto with everything and anything, to that Mokuba held no doubt, but the problem was that he wasn't around enough to show it.
Now Mokuba was outside, heading towards the big out door table set, which was laden with brightly colored decorations.
Across from the table was a large and beautiful swimming pool, with one side decorated with assorted luscious plants that could shade the water at numerous times of the day. Near it's deeper end, was a rock water fall, under which Mokuba loved to disappear.
In a few short hours, it would be filled with all his friends.
The thought made him smile.
Until his eyes returned to the table, and all the decorations. The smile faded, and he felt suddenly lonely. How was he to put them up all on his own?
He frowned sadly at the daunting task ahead.
Bakura sat, restlessly flicking from channel to channel.
It wasn't as though he wanted to watch anything in particular, his mind just needed something to do until the time he could go and drown himself in Mokuba Kaiba's pool.
As to that joyous occasion, he couldn't even believe he had been invited.
The young Kaiba still looked at him like a particularly evil looking insect; as though if there was a large enough swatter or can of bug spray, he'd kill him and watch with fascination and enjoyment as he twitched, writhed and died.
Bakura knew enough of these looks. He gave them often enough.
Yet this wasn't the only problem. Marik would be there, and the albino couldn't stand the thought of seeing him either.
So why was he even bothering. He sighed irritably.
Probably Ryou, he thought absent mindedly. He hadn't spent much time with his light in a while, even though Ryou still had the ring.
They talked sometimes, late at night and in their minds, but that was sometimes.
Ryou, very generously, had given Bakura their small house, and had moved in with Yugi. The two were inseparable.
So at least Bakura knew his light was happy, which, though he hated to admit it now, was what counted.
He shrugged. If Marik bothered him, he'd drown him too.
"Jeri! Jeri! Jeri!"
"Ahh, Spranger fest." He sighed contentedly. Better than watching his own miserable life, was watching someone else's miserable life.
"Today's show, 'Men, Women, and 'Fruit', bizarre fetishes'."
A disgusted smirk slid onto his face, as he got comfortable in the soft white couch, fluffing up an equally soft pillow.
He settled in.
"Here we have Chesty Larue, who's here to tell her lover she's cheating on him."
A rather loud echo of boo's and taunts rose up.
"Skanky ho, skanky ho, skanky ho," they shouted, while Bakura joined in, shouting at the T.V.
"Now, Chesty, what's your story?"
A skinny, buck toothed blonde appeared on screen, with a horrible fluro green short skirt, and very low cut blood red top. In her fingers, she twirled a lock of her hair, which was dirty with split ends.
The fact she had gotten a boy friend at all just proved how desperate some men could get.
"Hi Jeri. I'm here to tell my boyfriend, Lou, that I'm cheating on him with his cousins wife's step sisters nephew, because he appreciates and accommodates my tastes more than Lou can."
More booing. "Slut slut slut!"
She gave them all a lecherous kiss, puckering up her cracked lips.
"What do you mean he accommodates your tastes?"
She smiled. "He accepts that I like to have sex with fruit."
Bakura snorted, as the camera panned across the audience, who were booing, shouting, and being sick. He laughed. He'd seen far worse from being a tomb robber.
"Now, we're going to bring out 'Lou'. Come on out."
The doorbell rang.
"No!" Bakura groaned, uttering distinct oaths as he pulled himself to his feet. As he left the room, Chesty had just pulled a banana from under the hideous skirt.
"This better be Jeri Spranger himself," he called to the door, "or I'm going to dress you up like Chesty Larue and throw you back out the door."
He pulled open the door and froze.
"Um, ok, but what is Ms. Larue wearing?"
Bakura eyed the blonde up and down. "Well, I could say nothing…"
"You could," the blonde agreed, "but I have it on good opinion you aren't in the mood for that."
"Ah, so Marik sent you."
Malik winked, "Yeah, to talk to you."
Bakura sighed, and stepped out of the doorway. Marik strode in, smirking.
Bakura was surprised Marik had been able to get hold oh his light either. He spent so much time with his raven haired boyfriend.
Not that that didn't stop him from 'screwin round', and Otogi didn't even mind. Hell, if he didn't join in, Bakura thought, then the albino himself was a hippo.
He shut the door, wondering idly what the light was going to tell him as he turned round. Yet it seemed he wasn't going to speak. At least not straight away.
The blonde pushed him fiercely up against the back of the door, and then pressed his body against him, smothering any argument with his lips.
Bakura reacted as planned, freezing from shock, and then silently submitting, as Malik kissed him harder, pushing him further.
"This is what you're missing out on," the blonde purred into the spirit's ear, as he rubbed their hips together. Malik then nibbled his ear, before seeking his lips again.
'Missing out on? No…' Thoughts raced through his mind and bombarded him. 'No'
With a violent shove, Bakura pushed Malik away, sending the teen stumbling back into a wall, looking utterly shocked.
"What's his message?" Bakura breathed heavily. Malik smirked again
"I just gave it to you."
Then get out."
The shocked look returned. "Why?"
Bakura pulled himself up to an impressive height, looking threatening, his eye's flashing to shade themselves an intense red brown, like dry blood.
"I don't very much feel like being his casual fuck!" he spat the final word with venom. "If that's what I'm missing out on, it isn't bloody much. Tell your dark if he's so keen for a fuck to go fuck himself!" the spirit snarled.
"Now thank you for the tooth inspection, but I'd prefer it if you left. Now. And if you mess up a word of my message to him, you're in even deeper shit," the tomb robber warned.
With that, he pulled open the door, seized the blonde's arm, and pushed him through it.
"See you at the party," he muttered to the still shocked face, before slamming the door shut.
He walked back into the living room.
Now he was angry with himself. And confused. What wasn't to want from both Egyptians? Why turn 'that' down? Yet another art of him, a part that followed more and more down the path of his light, hated the idea of being just what he'd said. Someone's casual play thing.
He was angry with Marik now. Very angry.
Bakura wished it had been him who'd come, so he could still be yelling at him. Though, when he sent Malik, it usually meant a very rowdy threesome.
But he didn't want it, because a very small part of him, that seemed to grow during his contemplating, wanted what Yami had, what Ryou had, even what Jou had with Mai.
He wanted to be 'loved', not just shagged.
He sat down heavily on the sofa once more, eye's returning to the T.V, where a very ugly man was sucking, in what he thought was a seductive way, on a red cherry.
Blech, he thought irritably.
That took me sodding forever to type out! Argh…my fingers ache…
Note: Jeri Spranger, we all know who that is right? It's just, I'm not allowed to refer to his actual name, so there you go.
Hope you all enjoyed that chapter, but now I gotta fly.
Laters ma lovelies, R&R!
