Unum - Part C
As promised, Yami does show up the next day, though only briefly. For whatever reason, the day is rather busy, so they only have time for a few quick words. After that, Yami begins coming more regularly and Seto takes the opportunity to encourage him to attend a service or two.
"You should come to a service, Yami. I'm sure you'd enjoy it," he suggests.
"I'm not sure. Is it okay if I'm not Catholic?"
"It's my church, so I say it is."
"Then I'll come next Sunday."
"What about tomorrow?"
A pause.
"I don't really own anything that's appropriate for church. I need a few days to pick up some things."
"You don't need to buy anything. Come as you are. Like I said, it's my church and I say don't worry about your clothes."
"Thanks, but I wear a lot of leather, and I just wouldn't feel right. Next Sunday. I promise."
"Fine."
"Seto?"
"Yes?"
"So when are you going to tell me your dirty little secrets?"
Seto sighs. Yami is getting to be as bad as Mokuba.
"No secrets to tell, Yami."
"If you say so."
They continue their conversation for almost an hour until someone shows up to use the confessional for real.
Seto can't call their conversations 'confessions' anymore because it's rare when Yami confesses anything. After the incident with Ryou/Bakura was resolved with no charges, Yami had spent most of his free time reading, walking the city or 'confessing' to Seto.
The priest had to admit to himself that he really looked forward to their chats, as they were the only time he spent not fully being a priest except when he spent time with his family.
When the designated Sunday rolled around, Seto was looking forward to finally meeting Yami face to face, but it didn't happen. No one new greeted him at the end of service. He couldn't make a guess at it being one of those who just walked by because far too many people just walked by.
The following Thursday evening, Yami's strong voice greets him in the confessional.
"Bless me Father, for I have sinned. It's been 12 days since my last confession," he rattles off smoothly.
"I didn't see you in church, Yami," Seto intones.
"I was there. I was in disguise. And I didn't shake your hand because I didn't want to meet you yet."
"Why?"
A pause.
"Because I've told you a lot of things and I wasn't sure you'd be okay with meeting me after that."
"Now you understand why priests initially remain anonymous to their parishioners."
Yami doesn't reply.
"Yami?"
"Could I be one of your parishioners even if I'm not Catholic?"
"If I say so, you can. My church. My rules."
"Then I'll join soon." Pause. "I enjoyed your…homily, by the way. Very insightful and inspirational."
"Thank you. Are you coming this Sunday?"
"I will. And I won't be in disguise this time."
"Good."
A light knock comes to Seto's door. It's one of his deacons. There's been a house fire and one of the parishioners is in the hospital with bad burns and smoke inhalation.
"I have to go, Yami," he calls authoritatively, exiting the confessional. "I expect to see you Sunday." With that, he's gone. Yami leaves quietly a few moments later.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Seto smiles politely to the grinning brunette and the man at her side as they approach him after Sunday's noon mass.
"Good morning Miss Mazaki," he greets warmly.
"Good morning, Father. This is the man I told you about, Yugi Mutou."
He raises an eyebrow and shakes his hand firmly.
"Mr. Mutou." He inclines his head slightly, quickly sizing the man up.
"Father." Yugi nods his head in return.
Seto turns back to Anzu.
"And where have you been Miss Mazaki? I've missed you the last three services."
Anzu blushes.
"We were in Japan, Father," Yugi inserts. "My family wanted to meet Anzu. Then after we got there they wanted us to have a Shinto ceremony with them before we got married here."
"Congratulations," Seto smiles at the couple.
"Father, I've already added our ceremony to the church calendar for November 3rd. I wouldn't want anyone but you to perform the ceremony since you are the one who brought us together," she beams, gazing fondly at her fiancée.
Seto nods serenely, promising to speak with them later about the arrangements and their pre-marital counseling. They head out of the church smiling.
As the last of his parishioners file out, he realizes that he hadn't met Yami again.
The next two weeks, he takes a break from the confessional, having his two assistant priests take over everyday instead of just the few days a week they usually cover. He needs the time to prepare for an upcoming conference where he is the guest speaker. The conference will be hosted by the Archdiocese of the State of New York and will be held in New York City at the end of the month. His being invited as the guest speaker for the entire conference shows the Church's confidence in his abilities.
In his short career, Seto's gained much recognition for his work in his church and surrounding neighborhood and the city of San Francisco. He's even been had priests and bishops from as far away as Miami, FL consult with him on church and personal matters. All who know him trust him implicitly.
'I can't give this up,' he sighs to himself as he sits in his study late one night in the rectory. He's surprised and a little disturbed that the thought of leaving the priesthood still lingers in his mind. It's been almost six months. It should have vanished by now along with all of the self-doubts.
'What if Mokuba is right," he mumbles to himself.
Pushing that thought away, he goes back to work. If this presentation went well, it would bode very well for his career.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The conference was a complete success. Because of that, the demands on his time tripled. The archdiocese of San Francisco constantly sent him to other churches for evaluation. The archdiocese for the State of California had him on speed dial and sometimes expected him to drop everything and come to Sacramento for important meetings. And suddenly, politicians and their families wanted his counsel as well as several Hollywood types.
He knew what was coming. They would be making him a bishop soon. He'd oversee several churches in the Bay area. As excited as that prospect made him, he still had his doubts. If he became a bishop, he'd have to give up his parish and he didn't want to do that. Maybe he could convince them to let him keep his parish even with the promotion.
He hears the door to the confessional open and close and clears his mind of all career concerns. Truthfully, he isn't supposed to be here. He had a meeting across town that started 10 minutes ago, but he decided he needed some down time after the whirlwind of activity overpowering him for the last month and a half. Listening to people's confessions and offering his advice always soothed him because it brought back the feelings of accomplishment he had after saving Mokuba.
"Before I start," the strong male voice begins, "which one of you do I have today? Mark? Jeremy? Or is that you Deacon Carmichael? And if it is you, Carmichael, your advice sucks! Tanji hated that movie! He didn't speak to me for days afterward!
"Actually, on second thought, I don't care which one of you it is! I'm tired of talking to you anyway! None of you understand me like he did. Good-bye! And I won't be back!"
The confessional door slams open.
Seto quickly scrambles out of his side.
"Yami, wait!" he calls to the swiftly retreating figure.
He stands rigid then spins to face him, eyes narrowed angrily.
"Where the fuck have you been?" he yells.
"Yami! You're in a church!"
"And? Where the fuck have you been?"
Seto's eyes narrow and he stands straighter, crossing his arms.
"I won't have you swearing in here, Yami," states commandingly.
"Fine," Yami mumbles.
Seto calms.
"Have a seat. I'll get Jeremy to cover the confessional and then I'll change and we can go for coffee and I'll tell you where I've been."
"You don't have to change," Yami replies casually. "It'll be kind of cool to be seen walking with a priest."
"Fine. Just wait here."
As he walks off to find Jeremy, he wonders what possessed him to even offer to go for coffee with Yami. Closing his eyes momentarily, he uses his photographic memory to reconstruct Yami's appearance.
The spiked red, black and blonde hair, the black leather pants, the long-sleeved black tee clinging to his frame…
Seto's eyes fly open as he realizes his attraction to the other man. Oh great. Well, he's had to fight down those urges before, so he'll just do it again. That's really the only drawback to the priesthood, celibacy.
After speaking with Jeremy and heading into the rectory to change, he feels more comfortable in public without the collar, he remembers the last time his vows of celibacy were nearly broken. Mai Kujaki.
It happened four years ago. Seto had just been assigned his own church August 3rd. The tall blonde with the incredible body, beautiful legs and perpetual pouty lips had come on to him while he ate out with Simon and Mokuba that night to celebrate. He invited her to join them and never once mentioned being a priest. He'd gone so far as to meet her for drinks a few times and share a few really good kisses before his moral compass reminded him of his commitment and vows.
He broke it off with her gently one Wednesday night over dinner, explaining the situation and even inviting her to his church. She came that Sunday. As it happened, Mai found a place next to Shizuka and her brother Katsuya.
Seto performed Mai and Katsuya's wedding ceremony the following spring. Now they have a three-year-old son and a baby on the way.
Finding Yami in the same spot he'd left him, he motions toward the door and they head out.
"So, I guess you're going to tell me all your dirty little secrets now, huh?" Yami teases.
Seto laughs, glad to have finally met Yami face-to-face.