Mentions of Platonic!puzzleshipping in this chapter. And mentions of DSOD events.

Chapter Eleven

Warmth stretched all around him, an endless sea upon which he willingly drifted. But there were no waves, only this soft, glowing aura wrapped about him, accompanied that scent, spicy and masculine and utterly divine. He sighed happily, fingers curling into smooth, slippery material. He met firmness and warmth and softness when he nuzzled.

"Seto…" he whispered, ecstatic and languid and tapering into an airy breath.

The groan that answered him vibrated through him softly, tickled his nerves, and he squirmed a little, nose wrinkling. A big hand, slender fingers, carded gently through his hair and stroked tenderly down the bare skin of his back. The pads of fingertips teased his senses, left tingling streaks behind, and he arched appreciatively beneath the touches.

"Yugi…" deep and raspy and rough with sleep. Yugi shivered at the breath that ghosted down his neck, along the fine hairs there.

Yugi nuzzled until he found bare skin, upon which he slowly puckered his lips. A collarbone, smooth and warm and hard and shapely. He sighed again, imagined his hot, damp breath fogging against that flesh like it would on glass. "Morning…" he hummed instead, happily twining his legs with Seto's. He rubbed a toe on a silk-clad calf. In fact, he could feel the silk all the way up his thigh. "Why am I in my underwear?" he asked on a sleepy breath. His tone was entirely playful.

"Because you were being a brat last night," Seto responded immediately. "No way in hell I was going to try to wrestle you into a pair of pants."

Yugi frowned against Seto's neck. "I'd definitely rather you wrestle me out of a pair of pants."

The snort that huffed from Seto's nose ruffled the hair lying on Yugi's forehead. "Trust me, it was not as fun as it sounds."

Yugi hummed a chuckle. "We'll have to try it again when I'm coherent." The hand on Yugi's back stilled, then continued with its slow petting. Yugi held his breath for a moment, suddenly awake. "Seto…?"

A strangled grunt. "Hn?"

"What am I to you…?" Yugi murmured, so quietly that if they weren't pressed so closely together, Seto might've never heard it. "What are we?"

He could hear Seto's gulp, and heard his lips part and his short breath. "I'd like to think that we're… together. Dating. Going steady," Seto said quietly, and he kept petting Yugi's back. "That is, if you're willing."

Yugi chuckled. "I am. One-hundred-percent willing." He nuzzled Seto's jaw. His lips fluttered along the defined bone, the warm, smooth flesh. "I've never wanted anything more." Up, until their noses were brushing, and he was holding himself above Seto, a single hand braced on his chest. Yugi felt his long bangs hang down and skim pillows and skin. "Boyfriends?"

"As much as I fucking hate that word," Seto began, his hand settling on Yugi's hip. "Yeah. Boyfriends."

"Boyfriends," Yugi repeated, feeling his grin widen until it felt like it was going to split his cheeks open. "Seto Kaiba is my boyfriend," he whispered, leaning down, pressing his lips to the warm ones just below. They pressed back, reciprocated softly, eagerly.

Yugi hummed, delighted, his hand sliding up to cup Seto's smooth jaw, to feel it work slowly with their seeping, melting kisses. He could feel the warmth of Seto's cheeks, no doubt blushing from his playful quip. The hand on Yugi's hip migrated up. The pads of Seto's fingers traced up Yugi's spine, made him shiver but arch into the touch. Those long fingers reached the hair spilling over Yugi's shoulders and ducked under, and then that big, hot hand was cupping the back of his neck.

"Seto," he mewled against the other's lips when he felt those fingers twine into his hair and grip just the slightest amount.

And then Seto's other hand was splayed on Yugi's bare ribs - all hot and desperately grasping, and Seto was whirling, rolling, the hand on the back of Yugi's neck cushioning the impact. Yugi gasped, his hand falling down to brace against Seto's chest, and Seto held himself just above him and slowly kissed down his neck.

Yugi hummed appreciatively and tilted his head back. But those lips were moving, lifting away, and a big hand was stroking through his hair again.

"You're hair is getting so crazy," Seto chuckled.

Yugi snorted. "Getting crazy? As if it weren't already there before I started growing it out."

"Touche," Seto said, voice thick with amusement and the dregs of sleep. "But really, it's getting even more so." A wobbling breath, a stifled laugh. "I like it, though."

"I've noticed," Yugi murmured. "You can't seem to keep your hands away from it."

An embarrassed grumble. "No lie there, I guess."

"I like that you like it," Yugi murmured, hands sliding up to twine around Seto's neck. "I love it when you play with it."

"Noted," Seto breathed. A butterfly kiss - fluttering and brief, and he moved to sit up. But Yugi held on tight, rather like a sloth to a tree branch. "C'mon, we should get up."

"Just a few more kisses," Yugi begged, sweetly caressing the back of Seto's neck with his thumbs.

Seto grumbled something, but it didn't matter, because he leaned down again.

Yugi hummed happily, his toes curling into the sheets.

Seto kisses were the best way to start the day, by far.

Yugi knew that there had been four major waves of media uproar surrounding the circumstances in the past half year or so:

The first occurred when it became public knowledge that, yes, the game shop had burned down (it had become somewhat locally famous since he gained his 'King of Games' status).

The second occurred when it became public knowledge that, yes, he was in fact permanently blind because of the incident. There was even a huge protest, demanding that the companies that had built the game shop and other buildings like it do abatement as soon as possible and free of charge. That, apparently, didn't go over well, but now there was an awareness for it that hadn't existed before.

The third occurred when it became public knowledge that, yes, Yugi was now under legal contract to support KaibaCorp products and vice versa.

The fourth occurred when it became public knowledge that, yes, Yugi and his grandfather had taken up residence at the KaibaCorp manor.

Which sparked all sorts of wild conspiracies and topics, if one watched those ridiculous channels that followed celebrities' every moves, or if one followed online fan groups and websites or whatnot. Little to Yugi's knowledge (since something or someone managed to keep the media from directly interfering with his recovery rather efficiently), there was already speculation that Seto Kaiba and Yugi Muto were now in a relationship of a more romantic kind. Most of it was dismissed as wildly unlikely and utterly ridiculous.

That was, however, until the photos were leaked that revealed the truth.

Hence came the fifth surge of media uproar.

Yugi Muto and Seto Kaiba, having dinner at an expensive restaurant. Yugi Muto, hanging off of Seto Kaiba's arm at the local theater. Seto Kaiba, intimately touching Yugi Muto's face at said theater. All photos from different anonymous sources, too.

Rumors: confirmed with flying colors.

After surveying the net reaction from several popular media outlets on his ride to work, Seto Kaiba couldn't say that he was all too surprised to see the paparazzi ambush awaiting him at KaibaCorp Tower.

"Mister Kaiba!"

"Mister Kaiba, are the photos real?"

Flashes, so many flashes that left multi-colored spots on the back of his eyelids, but he remained stoic.

"Are the rumors regarding your relationship with Yugi Muto true?"

Luckily for him, he towered over most of the people crowding near him. "Any of you lay a finger on me, and I'm pressing charges," he rumbled, and, like a charm, the bubble of space around him grew a precious foot or so.

"Sir, is Yugi Muto your boyfriend?"

He strode through them, and they parted like the Red Sea for Moses, although the shrill questions continued.

Right as he was about to enter the building, a flustered, frenzied journalist cried, "Mister Kaiba, do you have anything to say?"

He paused, though the KaibaCorp doors had already slid open for him. He turned, and, like magic, all the "journalists" became dead silent. They were strained, poised to lock anything that might pass from his lips into their memory for later melodramatic recounting.

"Yes, actually, I do have something to say," wry and sneering, but the crowd became all that much more quiet and eager. He snorted. "If you put half as much energy into reporting real stories with real consequences, instead of trying to stick your noses into people's personal lives, this world would be a much better place to live in."

Stunned silence.

"Half-wits," he snapped, and strode into the building.

Seto Kaiba didn't mind actual journalists and reporters - the ones concerned with his products, about the welfare of his workers and the customers buying his products, or even the ones that were wondering just what KaibaCorp facilities were doing to reduce their conglomerate impact on the environment. They had actual concerns with actual consequences.

But those, the heathens pressing up against the glass of the building to get just one more picture of the famous CEO, were just sensationalist scum.

And his day had started on such a damn good note, too.

As omnipotent as Seto Kaiba liked to think himself to be, he could not keep the paparazzi away from Yugi forever.

"Yugi," Michael said low, close to his ear, as he made to leave Joey's apartment. "I fear we have company outside."

"Paparazzi?" he asked with a sigh.

"Yes."

"Okay," he shrugged. "I trust you to keep me safe. I don't see how it will be a problem,' he said back.

Michael said nothing, only keep a hand on Yugi's shoulder as they walked down the hallway to the vestibule.

"See ya, Yug'!"

"See you, Joe!" Yugi called back. His next words were quiet, for Michael's ears only. "I hope you don't mind driving me around to visit my friends. I know it's probably boring for you though."

Michael chuckled. "Boring is better, in my experience. I'd prefer driving you around to meet your friends to fighting off armed men any day."

Yugi laughed. "That's true. 'Excitement' is probably a bad word for a bodyguard like you."

"It is," he agreed. "Excitement is good for a vacation but not for the workplace."

"Can I be candid with you, Michael?" Yugi asked, stopping at the stairs leading down to the apartment vestibule.

"Of course, Yugi."

"I don't say this with the thought that someday you will be fired, or anything negative like that. But, if you ever move on in your career, you know, find a better opportunity for you and your family, I would be more than willing to be a good reference for future employment." He winked, and Michael found the whole thing to be rather ironic. "Just thought I'd let you know."

Michael simply stared at Yugi. Yes, he looked down to see Yugi, who was much smaller in stature in build, but he wondered if he'd ever looked up to another human being more than he looked up to Yugi Muto. "That… that means a lot, Yugi."

A recommendation from Yugi Muto would probably carry a lot of weight if he were to ever go onto the open job market again. And while, of course, Yugi had his own merit, Michael knew for a fact that any decision Yugi made would be backed by Seto Kaiba.

Michael gulped.

"Like I said, I don't mean that I think you'll have any bad reasons for leaving, but, even if you do, I would still rally in your corner, you know?" He lifted his shoulders. "Anyway, let's get this show on the road, yeah?"

"... Okay."

Within seconds, they were among the heaving throngs.

"Mister Muto!"

"Mister Muto, the photos-"

"Seto Kaiba -"

" - relationship -"

Though it was probably unprofessional, Michael smiled the whole way to the car and then some.

"Damn paparazzi," Seto hissed when the topic was brought up later. "I fucking hate them with every ounce of my being."

Yugi shrugged. "They're just doing their jobs."

"Well, they should get better fucking jobs."

"It doesn't always work like that," Yugi responded. "For some of them, this might have been the only job in the field that they could get."

Seto grumbled, and Yugi just laughed.

"Well, just think of it from a community ecology perspective. Wherever there is a niche, there is an organism to fill it," Yugi continued.

"I hate the fact that there's a damn niche for it, too," Seto growled. "People should just mind their own damn business and leave me alone with mine."

"It's true that we live in a society that objectifies the rich and famous as a source of entertainment and stimulation. But, I think that's a small price for the rich and famous to pay," Yugi said, frowning himself. "In fact, that's how many of them make their money."

"Coming from someone who is rich and famous," Seto scoffed, shaking his head.

Yugi held up a finger. "I may be famous, but I'm not famous."

Seto arched an eyebrow. "Have you checked your checking account balance lately?"

And then Yugi gulped and chuckled sheepishly. Then his face fell blank, and he was thinking a moment.

"Is it ethical? For us to be in a relationship while I'm on your payroll?"

Seto rolled his eyes. "Now you're worried about that? Listen, you work for your money. I've never seen a model so patient for photoshoots and promotionals. Our relationship is completely separate to that. If it still bothers you, we can sever the contract."

"I'm not sure if it does," Yugi admitted quietly.

"Well, think on it. I don't care either way, now," he said, and he slowly stepped up to Yugi and placed his hands on Yugi's cheeks. "I've still got you whether you're an employee or not."

And Yugi beamed. Those unnerving violet eyes were affixed on Seto's face. "That you do." They leaned together for a slow, chaste kiss, and then they were pulling away. "Well, I wouldn't have anything productive to do if we severed our contract."

"You wanted to make your own games, didn't you?" Seto asked quietly.

Yugi's lips twisted to the side. "Yes. I mean, I still could, but…" Then he smiled and lifted his shoulders. "I should probably start thinking about it again. I could probably think of ways to make games that would be just as much fun for the blind, you know?"

Seto felt himself smile back, and he stroked a hand through Yugi's hair. "I'm sure you will. I'll be very interested to listen to any ideas you'll have."

Yugi feigned a gasp, though he was leaning into the petting touch like a cat into a scratch behind the ear. "I always knew you had ulterior motives."

"Yes, because the best way to make money off of you was by dating you," Seto scoffed.

They shared a chuckle, but Yugi's face grew serious. "It means a lot that you have so much faith in me."

"It's not faith," Seto said quietly. "I've seen your tenacity too many times to count. I know you will do whatever you set your mind to. I have too much evidence for it to be simply faith."

"Oh, Seto," Yugi whispered, touching Seto's cheeks, and Seto was sure he could probably feel the warmth in them. And they were kissing softly again, lips fluttering like butterflies.

"Agh!" came the cry from the other side of the kitchen. "Mine eyes! Mine innocent eyes!" Mokuba yowled, holding his hands over his fiercely red face. "This shall scar me forever!"

Though Seto was quick to pull away from the embrace, he frowned over to his little brother. "Says the young man who's used the family network to watch some rather questionable videos." And Mokuba's eyes widened, horrified, mortified. "Yes, don't think I don't know about it."

"Seto!" Yugi gasped, slapping an open palm on the taller man's chest.

"He started it," Seto grumbled.

"And you escalated it far beyond appropriate!" Yugi hissed back.

It was safe to say that everyone's face was a bright shade of red.

Mokuba was gone, off to skulk and lick his wounds in much-needed privacy.

"Just saying. He should know better. He has a personal computer. I don't know why he used one tied to the manor network. It records search histories and everything. He didn't even bother to use an incognito tab," Seto continued to grumble.

"You're evil," Yugi admonished, giggling a little now, pressing his face to Seto's sternum. "Savage. Shoot-to-kill."

"And you just figured this out?"

"I never thought you would use it on Mokuba."

"I was flustered. I was working on pure instinct at that point."

"I didn't realize that the Seto Kaiba got flustered so easily."

Seto was silent a moment, and he was sure his blush was crawling down his chest and climbing up to his ears. "When it comes to Mokuba seeing that side of me, I do," he admitted quietly.

"What?" Yugi's hands slid up to play with the collar of Seto's shirt, and a playful grin curled his lips. "Affectionate? But in the… romantic way?" he cooed, sidling closer.

Seto gritted his teeth. "I've never dated anyone before. I've… but not…"

Yugi's grin softened into a smile. "I get it, but you don't have to explain yourself to me." He arched up to brush their noses together. "I was just milking the moment. It's too entertaining to poke fun at you."

"It's nice to know that my discomfort and misfortune offers at least something to you," he grumbled back, and pinched Yugi in the side. It resulted in a rather satisfying yelp.

"Hey!" Yugi laughed, wriggling from Seto's grasp. "It's only fair! I know that you've taken pleasure in my struggles in the past."

"Hey, I was a douche back then."

"Like you aren't one now! Look what you just did to Mokuba!"

"I already stated that was in self-defense."

"Talk about excessive force."

"Civilians can't use excessive force. Only police and other militant authorities."

The playful bickering continued until dinner. Which Mokuba did show up for, and no one brought up the incident in the kitchen again.

But Seto still thought about parts of the conversation as they prepared for bed. Settling into the sheets in the near-dark, Seto looked up at the ceiling.

"Do you miss playing Duel Monsters?" he asked quietly, almost a whisper, as if speaking any louder would somehow disturb the warmth beneath the sheets or break the darkness about them.

"Of course," Yugi replied, just as quiet. "My life revolved around Duel Monsters for many years. Of course I miss it. How couldn't I?"

"Hn," Seto responded, though he made sure his tone indicated that he wouldn't mind if Yugi continued talking.

"It wasn't the same after… after…" a tight breath, "... but I still loved to play."

"I imagine that it would be different." That was all he could do. Imagine. Because he had no idea what it was like, and nothing of reference to even compare it to.

"I mean… it was something that… that we did together," Yugi whispered. "I learned so much from him." He laughed, bittersweet. "He was like the big brother I always wished that I had." Seto could hear Yugi's gulp. For a strange moment, he thought about how the dark put them on equal footing. "It… I'm going to be honest with you. I really fucking hated you for what you did, when it was happening," Yugi said quickly, and the strangled quality of his voice made Seto's heart seize in his chest more than the words themselves.

"I was trying so hard. Trying so hard to get over it," Yugi sniffled. "I'm sure they all thought I did. I didn't say anything about it. Kept on smiling every day like nothing happened. Because I knew if I brought it up, I would turn into a sobbing mess." His voice wobbled as if to demonstrate the point. "I thought it was so selfish of me. I thought I should've been happy. Happy that he moved on, happy that he finally got to rest after all he had done and all he had been through. Happy that he would get to live on his own instead of living vicariously through me." A choked inhale, and Seto reached out to stroke Yugi's hair and back. "But I wasn't. I was so torn up inside. And I thought, maybe, just maybe, I had put it all back together, and you came around like a bat out of hell with talk of bringing him back and…" a half-sob, "... and I realized that I wasn't and I hated you for it."

Seto pressed a kiss to Yugi's temple, embraced him, comforted him as he tried so valiantly not to cry.

"I'd say sorry, but… I wasn't. At the time, I didn't care," Seto said. "I am now, though," he whispered into Yugi's hair. "I'm sorry," his voice was soft, almost crooning. "You're not selfish. 'Yugi Muto' and 'selfish' don't belong in the same sentence together, period. You have every right to feel how you felt. Trust me, I'm an expert on selfish behavior. I know what I'm talking about."

"No, no," Yugi whimpered back. "Don't say that. You've never said it, but I know all you have done was so that Mokuba could live his life without worrying ever again." His hand was stuttering as it petted Seto's shirt, but Seto appreciated the sentiment. "You're not selfish. You wouldn't have helped me if you were selfish."

"Of course you think so," Seto replied softly, a fond smile curling his lips. "You always see the best in everyone."

A wet laugh, and they snuggled closer.

"How could I not with you? Seto Kaiba always gives it his best," Yugi said, playful and affectionate.

"Damn straight. Don't you forget it."

With a few more kisses and soft words, they settled to sleep.

And as Seto drifted off, he thought about how he had some very important phone calls to make the next day.

END PART

I guess it was about damn time that I broached the subject of Atem.

Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I'll see ya next time!