Title: Hope for Tomorrow
Author: Crimson Eyed Dragon
Rating: R
Pairing: Seto X Yami
Warnings: language (Yami has a dirty mouth), sexual content, violence, and yaoi.
Disclaimer: Yugioh does not belong to me
Summary: Yami is an 18 year old that has lived on the streets most of his life taking care of his brother, Yugi. Seto is a rookie cop that soon finds himself drawn into Yami's world

Chapter 14

Yami blinked before he narrowed his crimson eyes. Crossing his arms over his chest, he took a defensive stance as he glared the taller man down before him.

"How did you find out?"

"I was putting your clothes away when I accidentally knocked over your box. I didn't want to find all this out today or ever really, but now I'm glad I did."

"So you found the runes and the money?

"Yes I did and that's when it all seemed to click. I must commend you on your excellent performance. All this time you had me fooled, not to mention Bakura and Yugi, since I doubt that even you would let him know what all was going on."

Outwardly, Yami held himself together, looking as if nothing was bothering him, as if this little revelation was just a boring as yesterday's news. But on the inside, Yami was breaking all over again. He knew this was all going to come out sooner or later but he wanted to be the one to tell Seto about his life, his mistakes. The last thing he wanted was for Seto to find out this way.

And with this all his hope and faith for a halfway decent outcome crumbled. The all-to-soon acknowledgement of his new found feelings of love flew out the window now that his secret life was known.

Seto wouldn't love him now.

But he couldn't blame Seto for hating him. He was the embodiment of everything the cop stood against. Yami had taken lives in the name of a mad man; he had sold his body with no regard of the outcome as long as got his money in the end. He had stolen more things than he could count and all for his brother's future, his life.

Gods, how would Yugi feel about it once he found out about him once he was told? His little bother would find out the truth after all these years and he wouldn't even be there to try to get Yugi to understand why he did what he did. But he supposed that wouldn't really matter. Whatever 'excuse' Yami tried to give it wouldn't change the fact that he had killed those people.

The one person that had stuck by him all this time, loved him… would turn his back on him right when he needed him the most.

Would Yugi be ashamed to call him his brother? Would he shun him and curse his name. Would his brother wish that Atemu's body had been killed that day along with their mother so Yami could never have existed?

He fought hard against the deep sorrow that was flooding his very heart and soul, constricting his chest, making it harder and harder for him to breathe. Dull, lifeless crimson eyes stared into the darkness that was suddenly engulfing him. Desperately, he hugged his arms closer to his chest, trying hard to bring some warmth back into his sudden cold, cruel surroundings

"Tell me about the money Yami."

Seto's whispered voice was barely heard over his harsh breathing as he answered like a mindless drone, devoid of life.

"Taro paid me five grand a killing, ten if I had been able to carry out the last job. I saved every last penny I could that my Johns forked over; all stolen possessions were sold to the highest bidder on the Black Market. I hacked into the local bank, started an account in Yugi's name with 'false' amount of five hundred and used a P O Box as the address. Once I was able to make the first deposit, I hacked back in and corrected the amount."

"But why Yugi's name? Why live in filth when you had all that money?"

"I…I did it all for him. It was never for me, never." Yami closed his eyes as he sank back against the couch, his body finally unable to support itself under the weight of the events.

"The account is in his name so it would never be tied to me if I were to get killed or caught. I promised him long ago that he would have a chance at a normal life." A cold bitter chuckle escaped his lips, "Well as normal as I could give him. He wanted, dreamed of going to college to become a teacher and made sure I saved enough money so he could live his dream. I only kept enough to make sure he was fed, had some clothes and I always made sure he had something to open up on Christmas." He shrugged his shoulders, "Always, always for Yugi. And….and I would do it again."

Seto walked quietly over to the couch and sat beside Yami who seemed to withdraw further into himself as Seto looked at him. For the first time, the crimson-eyed teen looked like the lost twelve year old that had been so mercilessly thrown into a world of nightmares.

"You said you were to be paid more for the last job if you had been able to finish it, what happened to keep you from your next target?"

"Taro sent some of his men after me, they pistol whipped me when I wasn't paying attention and next thing I know I'm tied up in his 'punishment' room." He paused and drew his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them. "That day me and you were talking on the park bench, one of his employees saw us but didn't hear what we were talking about. He went back to Taro and told him what he saw. The bastard thought I was ratting him out."

Seto frowned, "And that's why he marked you?"

Yami chuckled lifelessly, "Yeah, I let him think what he wanted to for the most part. I tried to tell him that I didn't do what he was accusing me of, but in the end, I just let him live with his delusions."

"If you had told him the entire truth would it have saved you?"

"Probably not." For the first time those crimson eyes looked into emotionless sapphire. "He would have punished me anyways just for the hell of it. But I know for a fact that he would have come after you. If he thought for an instant that a cop was willing to take the time to get to know me, lure me in, he would have eliminated the threat."

"Why the hell did you protect me? You don't give a shit about me."

Yami flinched at the harshness of his tone of voice. "I may kill, I may not give a damn about most people out there but I am not a total heartless bastard, Seto. Have you ever wondered why after all this time I keep my distance from the one person that has tried to help me, has helped my brother? I can't let certain people know that someone I value in my life.

Bakura has been like a father to me whether he knows it or not. And I know for a fact that he looks at Yugi like his son. In my own harsh way I'm protecting him. It's bad enough they can use Yugi against me, I will not add more to that list and put Bakura in harms way.

And your wrong Seto, I do and did give a damn about you. Yes even then. But I had to keep you away, protect you. No I didn't love you at that time, but you had shown me something that no one other than Bakura and Yugi had given me and that was concern without pity.

That business card you handed me that night was the first step for me to understand that I needed and wanted what you were offering. I don't know when you fell for me, or how or even why but I'm grateful…but now it seems I'm too late."

Yami shifted in his seat, making sure he was facing Seto. He was thankful that the cop had allowed him the time to say what he needed to say before they never saw each other again. But it was now or never. He was going to go ahead and say what he wanted to tell Seto before this little twist in the game plan made itself known. There wouldn't be any second chances even if there never was really a first chance when it came to them.

He just hoped he would be allowed some private time with Yugi after this.

"Seto…I need to tell you something." Crimson eyes bored into sapphire, willing the truth to be seen through his eyes.

"I was going to tell you this anyways. I had all the intentions of telling you the truth about my past. I wanted to be the one to tell you but it seems you unfortunately found out on your own. But what you don't know is that I…" he looked away briefly, trying to find the courage to say what he felt before his eyes flicked back to passive blue of the cop.

"I think I'm falling in love with you. I'm not sure if that is what I'm feeling or not, I've never allowed myself to feel before. All I know is that I long to be around you, I crave your words, your voice, your touch. I feel sort of empty when you are not around. I enjoy waking up to you every morning and I worry about you when you go to work." Yami closed his eyes and furrowed his brow. "Is that what love is?" he whispered as if speaking to himself.

There was a long silence, neither of them speaking before Yami risked opening his eyes, seeing the slightly shocked expression on the rookie's face he continued.

"Please do not think I'm telling you this so you will feel sorry for me and waver your decision in turning me in. I didn't say those things for that reason. I only told them to you 'cause I felt you deserved the truth. I did horrible things and I know its only right for me to pay for them. I was expecting it, just not this soon.

"Anyways," Yami sighed, hanging his head and holding his arms out, fists closed, to the other man. "I know you hate me now, I don't blame you. So why don't we get on with this. I'll go quietly and I promise not to say anything that would ruin your job for letting me stay here."

Yami expected to feel cold, smooth metal against his flesh accompanied by the sound of clicks as the handcuffs were locked into place, he expected to hear that voice he had come to enjoy read him his rights, he expected to be roughly pulled off the couch but he didn't expect what happened next.

The firm flesh of pale hands wrapped easily around his wrists forcefully pulling him off his position on the couch and into the waiting lap of the rookie. Straddling Seto's waist, Yami starred wide-eyed as the cop nuzzled his hair. The faint sound of chuckling reached ears. Confused, Yami pushed himself back from the taller man.

"Seto? What?"

"Idiot," he smiled as he tucked some of Yami's golden bangs behind his ear. "Didn't I tell you that I love you? And didn't I tell you that day on the park bench that I would never turn my back on you?"

Running pale calloused fingers down Yami's cheek, Seto leaned in gently brushing his lips across the other's, shocking Yami even more.

"There is something else I need to tell you," Seto began, looking back into Yami's now slightly hopeful eyes. "When I first found out the truth, I was furious. To think all this time the one I had been looking for was right under my own roof, sleeping in my bed."

Shameful crimson eyes looked away as Seto continued. "The first thing I did was head for the station, after all I had a shift to do an I needed to think about some things."

"I don't blame you for being angry. Hell, I'm angry with myself."

Seto made a small noise of agreement as he nodded his head. "I was mad…but I'm not anymore. I understand why you hid it from me; I would have done the same thing if I were in your shoes. But I'm glad you did, I'm glad you had the courage to tell me how you are feeling even if you are still confused about it." He paused and smiled, "I also told you I wouldn't turn my back on you… so I did the only thing I could think of in order to keep that promise…. I quit my job."

"W-what?"

Seto smiled as he rested his forehead against Yami's. "I quit, plain and simple. I couldn't go on being a cop with the knowledge I had so I made a decision."

"But…" Yami's mind was swirling with this new information. Seto did this for him? Threw away everything for him? "You really do love me, don't you?"

"Of course I love you Yami. You are everything to me, so if that means I have to live a life on the run then so be it."

Yami shook his head, anger flashing in his eyes. "No. That will not happen. I will not bring you down with me. I will think of something but you will be no part in it do you hear me? I don't want you to wind up like me."

Seto nodded his head, conceding for now. They would have plenty of time later to sort things out. "Alright my little hellcat, we'll play it your way for now."

Yami cocked an eyebrow. "Hellcat?"

Seto had the decency to look sheepish. "Yeah, its something I've been calling you ever since I first met you."

He narrowed his eyes, giving the cop a good glare before he let out a breath of air, shoulders shagging as he leaned into Seto's embrace. "As much as I would love to knock the hell out of you for calling me that, I think I would rather ignore it for now and ask you a favor."

"And what would that be?" Seto rested his chin on top of Yami's head, closing his eyes in contentment.

"Can you take me to see Yugi tomorrow? I think its time I came clean with him too."

"Sounds like a good idea." The blue-eyed cop began placing feather-light kisses Yami's hair.

"And another thing…."

"Yes?"

"…show me again how much you love me?"

"A thousand times over."

Dragon: I got lazy and didn't write a lemon… forgive me? Hmm… wonder how Yugi will take the news? Guess you'll have to wait and see!