A thousand apologies. Here is a good chapter for my slackness.
Oh, btw, this sitehad a hissy fit, and I realised a few of you didn't get the author alert. So, sorry to those who have read this chapter, or did, and to those who haven't, here you go. It's just that my beta said she never got an author alert and i thought 'oh poo.'
Shy – squee! Hehe, love you! Glad you found the last chapter funny, hope this one's just as good.
Nachzes Black-Rider – haha, will have to check summary then. I seem to produce random chapters at a time. Thanks.
silver-dagger-113 – hehe, the Kaiba maze, with Seto as the prize at the end. I'd certainly do it…
NtAsMorbid – sometimes I like being mean. Hehe, you got into the chapter? Frankly I sometimes find my shoes more interesting than what I write. Never thought I was that good. But thanks heaps.
NaruCrawford – can't make em kiss, would wreck the path im leading the fic down. No show of emotion yet, but there will be. Soon. Thanks for reviewing, glad you like it!
mellinde – I know, im sorry, im so bad when it comes to updating! Forgive me!
Link – ha, that's ok, was mildly amused when suddenly there's a review mentioning freaky Friday. But I'm glad you like my character portrayal, was afraid I was screwing it up. And the dark seed in his mind? Hehe, soon, very soon.
Vampiress24 – goodo, glad someone else other than me thinks they shouldn't kiss. Not the right time. I love the brawl coming up between the Yami's. Hehe, pyscho's…
aloneforevemore – thank you so much! And im terribly sorry for my lateness, seems to be a recurring thing for me…
doodie head – viva le sexy Yami's and Seto's!
Sango3670 – Thanks so much! Your review made me feel really happy! And I'm so glad you liked FT, and I hope you like it's sequel. Am still panning it out. Thanks heaps!
Yami RavenFyre – omg did I blush when you said that. A billion thanks to you, and Seto and Yami plushies as well. Cookies, take em. Felt like a million bucks after your review, thanks so much!
I'm so sorry if I missed any reviewers. Let me know, please, and I'll fix it up.
Disclaimer: Ha, no, cause all the stuff in Enter the Shadow Realm with Mokuba, Noah, and Kaiba would be so much more candid. I mean, did you see that episode, where it ended "I'm coming Mokuba!"? Honestly, you could do 'so' much more with that…
Dedication: …well, how bout this, if I was seeing someone, I'd definitely dedicate it to them…and no, I'm not 'pathetically' sad, just sad.
Chapter Seven – Gifts
Seto's pov
My eyes widened.
Immediately, the hand shot to my shoulder, and pushed hard. I allowed myself to go back, and used the momentum to land on my knee's, then jump to my feet.
Shock was still dancing through me. Had he been…had he been reaching for me? No…I was losing it…
I glanced back down at the teen at my feet, and forced a smirk.
"Now that you've been put in your place, we should get started."
I sat back down in the chair.
Yami managed a glare, as he pulled himself to his feet. Around us, Joey looked disgruntled, while Marik grinned, hand out toward the other blonde.
"Pay up, he lost."
Joey glared, but thrust his hand into his pocket, extracting his wallet. "Bloody greedy evil sun of a b"
"Now now Wheeler," I cut in, "language. This should be a wholesome and fun filled PG13 time."
Both he, and Yami, shot me looks of disgust.
Finally, the mutt extracted a ten dollar bill from his undoubtedly cheap leather wallet.
Marik smirked. "Today your ten dollar bill, tomorrow the world."
"You call wanting ten bucks greedy mutt? You only think that cause you're"
"Seto!"
I stopped. Mokuba gave me the warning look, and I smiled gently, trying to appease him.
"Sorry Mokuba."
He shook his head, frowning slightly, but trying not to smile. "You're meant to apologise to Joey."
I raised an eyebrow. "Well, we both know that's 'never' going to happen so how bout I just stop instead?"
Joey scowled, while Mokuba rolled his eyes.
"Come on Mok, presents!" Yugi said enthusiastically, picking a random present from the pile on the table in the middle of the room.
"You're not starting without us are you?" A smooth voice cut through the din.
I glanced up, and growled.
Yami's pov
I moved away from the chair, over to stand by Yugi's side, listening to Marik, Joey and Seto.
My body was burning and my heart was leaping in erratic beats.
I'd come so close…
Close to revealing it, everything.
Close…to him.
I barely recovered in time, to hide the emotion rising within me, to push him away, to act 'repulsed'.
How could I, when he was beautiful?
I inwardly groaned.
This.
Sucked.
My eyes wandered back to the brunette, to his eyes, alive with cool amusement, as he taunted Joey.
/Cheer up my Yami/
/Yugi/
/You have other voices in your head/
I glared at him out of the corner of my eye.
/I am cheerful/
/Not to mention a bad liar/
/What/
/I'm your other half, Yami. I'm where our brain resides, so please, give me a little credit/
/You lost all credit and acknowledgment when you left me to be eaten by the house/
/Yeah yeah. Anyway, cheer up, cause you have three days to make an impression on Seto, and moping makes your face unattractive/
With that, he leapt to his feet, his face a brilliant picture of happiness and innocence as he snatched up a present, which he urged Mokuba to open.
My mind had not even been given the chance to absorb my light's words, before another voice cut through the rest, silencing the others.
"You're not starting without us are you?"
Seto growled, and got to his feet.
I smirked.
"Bakura, Ryou," I greeted with a nod, winking slightly at the first albino, who was grinning maniacally.
"How did you get through the front door? And find your way here?" Seto asked with a snarl.
"I'm special," Bakura retorted.
Seto rolled his eyes. "Yeah, we know, but the loony bin is full."
"Mind your mouth Kaiba, or I'll put you in an actual bin."
"This is 'my' house, and if you want to walk out of here with your head still on your shoulders and your nuts in your pants, you'll mind your manners."
"Seto!" Mokuba abolished, embarrassed.
"Just laying down some ground rules Mok," Kaiba said, a smile flitting to his lips, but not reaching his eyes.
I shuddered slightly. I hated when he did that. He looked so dead…
"Well, I know the rules and rules are made for breaking," Bakura replied coolly.
"Then you must be a rule, so be careful, I might just break you," the CEO hissed.
The venom in his voice…
My eyes shot up, to look at his face, but it was smooth, calm, almost open. My eyes then darted to Bakura.
He was pale, and his eyes were wide in shock, and…was it fear?
Then it was gone. He let another even, easy smirk grace his lips.
I kept looking between them rapidly, cricking my neck.
Mokuba, whether he had seen Bakura's face or not, was looking uncomfortable. "Can we open presents yet?" he asked his brother timidly.
"Yes, of course you can Mok," he replied warmly, though his eyes did not leave Bakura's face.
Bakura however, tore his gaze away, looked to Mokuba, and grinned.
"Please, allow me."
With a flourish, he pulled a black box, no bigger than his fist from his pocket, and walked over to present it to the boy.
I noticed Kaiba turn, and make his way back to his seat, which I should have tried to occupy, but didn't.
All I could think of was Bakura.
What was he afraid of?
The others, seated about, immediately pulled back on smiles, and urged Mokuba to open it, even if it was from the Tomb Robber.
Yugi reached out, and pulled me closer, smiling happily. I forced an equally cheerful grin, and sat on the edge of his seat.
Mokuba began opening the present with a furious haste.
Was I losing what was left of my mind? Did I imagine Bakura's fear?
I couldn't of…
I haven't seen him truly afraid in over 5000 years…
"Um, Bakura, what 'is' it?"
Mokuba was holding what looked like a black arm band by it's edges. On closer inspection, I saw it had pins sticking out of it the whole way round.
Ryou looked annoyed.
Bakura looked proud.
"It's a fashion statement, not to mention, if any goons try to grab you again, they'll get schiscabobed!"
Kaiba's eyes narrowed, while Ryou reached out his hand, and gingerly snatched the object away.
"Bakura, you are 'not' giving this to Mok, he'll skewer himself for pity's sake! Sorry Mok," he added, looking at the child apologetically.
Mokuba just chuckled.
Bakura however, looked outraged.
"I spent all afternoon making that! There's nothing wrong with it!"
"Then you wear it."
"Fine!" he snapped, and snatched it away with deft hands.
"Bakura, you should really think these things through," I scolded, amused.
He shot me a very dangerous look.
"Ok, why don't we start now with actual presents?" Ryou said, picking a nicely wrapped silver box.
Bakura scowled at his light.
"Thank you all so much guys! This has been great!" the raven haired child beamed around at us.
Scattered about him, were a variety of different colored papers, and before him, a small mountain of gifts.
"Alright, I think it's time we partied!" he said enthusiastically.
Everyone cheered and leapt to their feet.
Kaiba stood, and paced out of the living room. For a horrible moment, I thought he was leaving permanently.
"Seto!" Mokuba called out, grinning, making his brother stop and turn. "Why don't you take Joey and Yugi and the others to get the stuff? I know there's too much for just you to carry, and you can show everyone around!"
The brunette nodded, and waved for the others to follow him, which they did with an impressive amount of noise.
Mokuba turned to me as I approached him.
"I get the feeling you wanted to talk to me, so you can help me cart all this," he indicated his presents with a smile, "up to my room."
I smiled. "Your psychic." 'As long as it isn't a family thing…' the thought made me blush slightly.
I quickly dashed over to my bag, and snatched up the small box, before tucking it gently into one of my pockets, and hurrying back over to the pre teen.
I opened wide my arms, and he joyfully dumped a load of presents there, before taking up some for himself.
He grinned, and headed off, and I followed.
"So, what did you want to talk to me about?"
"Well, really, I wanted to give you something."
We turned a corner, and started up a flight of stairs.
"Oh really? Cause, you know, it being my birthday, I could never have known."
"You know, sometimes you're 'too' much like your brother."
I could tell he was smirking behind the presents. "You know me, I'll take that as a compliment."
"Undoubtedly. He's not exactly a 'bad' person to take after is he?"
"I was about to ask you that."
"What do you mean?"
Mokuba stopped, and turned around in the middle of the hallway they were now traveling down.
"Come on Yami, I'm smarter than most people give me credit for. What's going on between you guys?"
I flushed slightly.
"Ok, and Marik and Bakura mentioned something, and said they needed the 'low down' of the house, but I got the inkling."
I glared at a spot on the white wall. Bastards. Trust them? Yes, like I would a terrorist with a stick of dynamite.
"Yami?"
I sighed. "Nothing. Not a damn thing."
"Meaning?"
"I have about as much of a chance with your brother as I do with that wall. Not only is it a wall, I probably just offended it by glaring at it."
Mokuba laughed, and turned to continue. At the end of the hall, he stepped through a nicely painted door, covered with ravens.
His room was huge.
With all a manner of games.
But, as much as there was, I got the feeling Mokuba hadn't really asked for it, and Kaiba had given it to him to amuse himself when he was out.
Mokuba had walked over to lay his presents on his bed, which was big, and covered in a bed spread with a blue eyes stretched over it.
I lay the other presents beside them.
"So, what did you want to give me?"
I grinned, and urged him to sit on the bed, before kneeling in front of him. I reached into the pocket, and extracted the box. Mokuba's eyes naturally lit up, before he cracked another smirk.
"Sorry Yami, I will not marry you."
I glared. "Nor I you. I'm 5000, and you're 13. Serious pedophilia there kiddo."
"Doesn't seem to bother you when it's my brother."
"He's thirteen?"
Mokuba grinned. "Ok, sorry, continue."
I smiled, and cracked open the box. Immediately, the young boys eyes shone.
"Yami it's brilliant," he breathed.
I grinned. "I thought so, took a little while for me to craft it too. It has protection spells interwoven around it and through it."
He reached forward, his fingers grazing over it softly, and I lay down the box, and took it out.
It shone in the light, it's silver radiance making Mokuba eye's shine even more so. The blue sapphire in the center seemed tinted with black, a nice addition to complement the teens hair.
"What's the symbol called again?" he asked gently.
I smiled. "The Sennen Eye."
"Oh."
I undid the clasp, and moved to secure it around his neck. He leant forward, and brushed aside his hair, then sat back when I was done. He looked down at the beautiful jewel, and I smiled, elated by his awe.
It sat just over his heart chakra.
"It's designed so nobody can take it off but you and me. So you don't have to worry about it coming off, and it doesn't rust, so the shower or swimming won't be a problem."
He smiled happily, then looked up, and lunged forward in a hug.
"Thanks Yami, it even feels warm and comforting."
"A reflection of you Mok."
He pulled away, grinning. "Save the smooth talking for my brother Pharaoh. And thank you, your gift is beautiful."
He smiled at me, then down at it, as he tucked it beneath his shirt.
"I gather you wanted it to be something of a secret, or else you'd have given it to me downstairs, so I'll keep it out of sight."
I smirked. "Another perk: unless you want them to see it, they wont."
"How long did you say you spent working on these spells?"
"A long time. Can't wait for your brothers birthday, I'll be stuffed."
He grinned. "Don't worry about Seto, and don't dismiss him returning anything you feel. He might surprise you."
"What's that spose to mean?" I asked, not daring myself to read between the lines.
"That means I think we should get back down stairs, or they might actually consider your age and mine," he said cheekily, bounding up, away from the bed, and out the door.
My eye's widened. "MOKUBA! TELL ME!" I cried, shooting out the door after him.
Seto's pov
God, how I wished they'd shut up! I didn't think it was possible for people to make that much noise!
I must not maim or disfigure, I must not maim or disfigure….
Joey was jumping around the room, Otogi and Tristan trying hard to restrain themselves from joining him, as he bounded toward the cd player. 'God no!'
I made to stand, wanting to walk over and stuff him in the disc 1 drive, but he grabbed a cd, and stuffed it in. I grimaced, then winced, as he jabbed at the buttons.
My poor player.
I strode over, of the mind to kill him, and the easiest way would be to snap his neck. Mokuba wasn't back yet, I could even hide the body if I was fast enough…
But what about the others? They'd complain. Oh well, I'm sure I have enough body bags…
Then the lyrics poured out.
'This is the first
Thing I remember
Now it's the last
Thing left on my mind'
And from there, Joey began to sing.
Oh god, there goes one of my favorite songs…I though furiously. He's ruined it!
My hand curled out towards him. Please, God….
"Nisama!"
My head snapped round. "Mokuba?"
My brother bounced into the room, looking amused and very happy. Yami followed, looking flushed and embarrassed.
Had it been the other way round, I would have murdered the Pharaoh right there, no questions asked. Perverted bastard…
/Look who's talking…/
My eyes widened. Bad voices…very, bad.
"What are you doing Seto?" I got the feeling Mokuba knew all too well what I was about to do. Still…
"Dancing with Joey?" Argh. Somebody, shoot me. It's the lowest point in my life.
Mokuba grinned. "That's good of you. How bout you dance with Yami?"
Yami eye's darted to Mokuba, and he shot a venomous look at the boy. I'm not 'that' bad a dancer for heavens sake. And why wouldn't he want to dance with me?
A mixture of feelings surged.
Anger, satisfaction, and a pang of regret.
"That's alright, I think Kaiba was just wondering which way would be best to dispose of Joey's body once he killed him. The cd player won't hide him Kaiba."
My eyes narrowed. Damn psychic spirit…
"For your information, I love that cd player."
He snorted, amused. "And every other one in a store that probably has your name on it."
"Jealous."
"Oh yes, because, you know, I just wanna lease out my name like some common whore."
I growled. The anger rose.
Beside him, Mokuba turned around, and seemed to deliver a look to the Pharaoh that made him wince.
Good, at least he was taking after me in some aspects.
"My apologies Kaiba, seems I'm out of line, I'm sure you're not a really sleezy whore, your name only being on the best products."
Did my fury show on my face? It should, because it sure as hell tore through me with vengeance.
Then he threw me. Totally, completely.
He winked at me, then turned, and moved toward the psycho's.
He winked at me? Me?
I turned back to Mokuba.
"Did he just…"
Mokuba grinned. "Yes Nisama, he's not as stupid as you think."
"What's that suppose to mean?"
"Whatever you want it to."
He flashed me a smile, then darted off, into the sea of his friends, where I wasn't prepared to follow.
Honestly, sometimes he's just 'too' much like me…
Yami's pov
"You arrogant useless slimy gits!" I spat, when far enough from the elder Kaiba I wouldn't attract attention, and close enough to verbally abuse them.
I took the next three steps quickly, so I was close enough to physically abuse them, and did so with great gusto, punching and catching the other completely off guard with a knee kick.
Bakura doubled up.
"For fuck sakes Pharaoh, twice in one Ra fucked day!" He groaned, and glanced at Marik, the blonde only holding his chest where my lucky shot had landed.
Thankfully, no-one else was paying attention to us.
"Yes, well, a: I didn't hit you that hard, and b: when I said I was in love with Kaiba, I didn't mean the younger one! So why the hell did you tell him!" I hissed. "Oh, and did I mention you deserve it?"
Bakura death glared me, and I matched him, feeling righteously furious.
Marik glanced between us, and sighed, reaching out for both our hands, and pulling us away.
"Come children, let us discuss this in the kitchen, while we fetch Bakura some ice."
I yanked my hand away with a low growl, but followed anyway.
Yugi shot me a 'don't you dare do anything stupid or dangerous or I'll castrate you in your sleep' look as we left.
I wasn't going to do anything dangerous, I was just going to kill both the un killable spirits. A walk in the park really.
I didn't even notice when Marik lead us both into a pristine, slick and shiny kitchen, and headed straight for the freezer.
Bakura limped over, and sat on the bench. I sighed, and went and leaned opposite him, against another black, shiny bench.
Marik returned from the freezer with a packet of frozen peas, and unceremoniously dumped them in Bakura's lap.
The spirit yelped, then glared.
I, meanwhile, felt sorry for the peas, and hoped Marik didn't put them back…
"Thanks a lot Pharaoh, now I'm probably infertile."
"You're 5000 sodding years old, if you're not infertile by now, we should alert the media. Beside, you're not having kids, can you imagine those little things running round with miniature knives? Hell no do I, or the human race, deserve that."
"I think my off spring would be adorable."
"Then I guess the phrase true beauty is in the eye of the beholder really comes into it."
"Fuck you Pharaoh."
"How bout no?"
"Then I'll fuck your high priest."
I tensed. My eyes narrowed in to dangerously thin slits.
"You wouldn't dare."
He smirked. "Wouldn't I? Wouldn't 'I', evil, psychotic, demon spirit Bakura, enjoy taking the gorgeous servant of Ra? Mmm, let me think about that for about…oh, .3 seconds."
"You wouldn't, because you're afraid of him."
The humor vanished. "What?"
"I saw it before, when you two were having your glare match."
His eye's widened, and Marik seemed suddenly much more interested in our argument.
"I thought I just imagined it, but you saw it too," he said, almost glad. "I thought I really was losing it."
"Huh?"
"You just said you saw Kaiba's eyes psyche out, right? I mean, we were standing there, glaring, and his eye's just flashed this hell born red. I thought I was high, but I haven't had anything today. You did see it right?"
My jaw went slack. I knew Bakura had seen something, but…hell red eyes? Oh ra…
"His eyes changed?" I breathed.
Bakura looked uncharacteristically solemn. "Yes. But why?"
I shook my head. "It could only have something to do with this afternoon, but I swear…"
"Swear what?" Marik questioned.
"I swear I got rid of it."
"Are you certain?" Bakura questioned further. I flushed, and looked at the floor.
"Yes…and no."
Marik snorted. "So long as you're sure."
I glared. "Look, I'm 'positive'. There's no way, if anything, it would have transferred to me, but it didn't, so, next problem ne?"
"You just wanna brush it off like that huh?"
"Yes! Brush brush!"
Marik smirked. "Yeah, cause he wants to know what we got planned."
Bakura grinned. "Oh yes. The plan."
I blanched. "Plan?"
How was that? I've lost the enthusiasm for writing this fic by hand, then typing, so I'll have to set aside time to type to my hearts content. Other than that, apologies once again, and peace out.
R&R my voices. Voices…yes, suits.
