Disclaimer: Just own the words, not the folks.

Pale

Sometimes it's good to have money and clout. I'm sure they'd never have let me see him otherwise.

I run my fingers across his cold, pale face.

My Yoshi.

I couldn't save you. Again I failed you. Like I have all this time. I failed to share my mom with you. I failed to show the world how much I loved you. I failed to prove to your family how much you meant to me. I failed to keep you safe from my father. Not once, but twice. Though this time cost more than the last.

Bruises. Some blood. Discomfort. But you still had your life then, Yoshi.

A brawl in the courtyard. He'd only been here a week. That's all. He wasn't even involved in the fight. But some inmate took exception when he wouldn't choose a side and stabbed him in the back.

I run my warm fingers over your cold ones, noting the tan line.

"I'll want his ring back," I instruct the prison doctor behind me.

"Yes, Mr. Kaiba. I'll get it right now."

I finger my matching band in remembrance. At the time, I hated the idea, since it wasn't like we were married or could ever be married. But you said they were symbols. Just for us. Something to remind us of our eternal bond. Our love.

My Yoshi.

I'll avenge you. I promise. And I won't do it quietly, or behind the scenes. I'll make sure he pays publicly, Yoshi.

"Here you are, Mr. Kaiba," the doctor offers, giving me a small bag with your ring in it. I dump it into my hand and slide it onto my left pinky.

I'll wear it from now on, Yoshi.

"Thank you," I reply, giving him the bag back.

"We're very sorry for your loss, Mr. Kaiba," he lies.

"Leave us."

"Yes, Mr. Kaiba."

My Yoshi.

I'll never touch you again. Never taste you again. Never make love to you again. I'll miss you so, so much.

"Good-bye, Yoshi."

It breaks my heart to touch my lips to your cold forehead.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As expected, his family didn't invite me to the private service. They blame me. Rightfully so.

I look up from the final paperwork on my plan to see him here again, my best friend.

Valon won't go away and he won't shut up, always asking if I'm all right.

"No, Valon. I'm not," I answer truthfully for the hundredth time.

"Seto, I'm just worried about you."

"You should be."

"See, when you say stuff like that, it scares me."

"It should, because I mean it."

"Seto…"

"Get out, Valon. You can't help me now. And I have work to do."

He doesn't move. My barely held rage breaks the surface. I stand slowly and level my fury.

"NOW! GET OUT!"

He actually looks scared as he stands and almost backs out of my office.

I don't want to hurt him, but he's distracting me from my goal, the complete destruction of Gozaboro Kaiba. I'm too close to lose focus now. Just a few more days and it will all be ready.

It's taken me several months, Yoshi, but you will be avenged.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The look on his face…

He didn't think I'd do it. Not right there in front of everyone. Not with his bodyguards nearby. Not with police in the area. Not in front of the news cameras. Not during the big unveiling of 'his' masterpiece that he stole from me, Kaibaland. He thought I wouldn't want to taint it's unveiling. Thought I'd care if its reputation got soiled.

But I fooled him.

Why would I care if anything under the name 'Kaiba' thrived? Everything named 'Kaiba' should die. Especially him. And me.

But I can't die, because I have to live to remember my Yoshi.

At first I took the rings off, Yoshi, because I didn't want them to get messed up. But then I thought it appropriate that they be stained with our destroyer's blood.

And they're very stained. Yoshi.

Very stained.

Ha! I carved him like a roast! I'll bet he was sorry he ever gave me that set of three ceremonial blades. He probably thought they'd be too dull to do anything with, but they weren't. At least not after I sharpened them a little. I didn't want them too sharp, because a dull blade causes more pain. And I wanted him to hurt.

I remember how much pain that letter opener caused him. I should have killed him then. And I would have, but others stopped me.

Not this time. I couldn't allowanyone to stop me this time. I had to avenge my Yoshi.

I'm sorry for those others, but they would have been fine had they left me alone. After the bodyguards, and that lying bitch, I only wanted him. Not any policemen. Not any bystanders. But they tried to stop me. And I needed to kill him. I needed to carve him. He needed to feel my wrath for what he took from us, Yoshi.

For all the pain he caused.

So I carved them too.

But only his blood stained our rings, Yoshi. Only his.