Kaiba's laugh echoed loudly, ricocheting off the study walls.
"There is no way on this planet that –"
"This ritual is different, Kaiba. It's the same concept, but you don't have to kill anyone. I would never suggest that! No one is coming at you with a knife, Jou," Yugi said to his flabbergasted friend.
"Well, thanks." His sigh of relief was audible. "What would I have to do, then?
"Well, that's the thing, it's not really that much safer."
"Oh, that's way reassuring, Yuug."
Before Yugi could explain further, however, Kaiba broke in, stern and authoritative.
"It's not happening. Whatever it is, it's not going to happen."
"You don't get to make that decision alone, Kaiba. If there's something I can do, I'll do it. At least let Yugi explain what it is before refusing to even consider it!"
Kaiba hesitated, conflicted between the desire for information and the desire to retain control of the situation; and as he vacillated, Yugi seized the opportunity to continue, barrelling ahead quickly.
"Basically, instead of taking an innocent life, you offer something – someone – you cherish as…spiritual collateral, I guess you could call it. In a way, it's stronger than…the other option. Love is always stronger than death."
"Why didn't Set do that?" Jou asked.
Yugi took a moment to figure out how to put his thoughts into words. "I don't think he could have. The concept of eternal life is itself inherently unnatural, evil. It requires an equally evil act to accomplish it."
"Like straight up murder," Jou stated, and Yugi nodded.
"Besides, he was possessed. I don't know if he had anyone he loved, but if he did, all that love would have disappeared anyway. I mean, I don't know if someone who could do that would even…"
Yugi didn't bother to finish his thought, it would be useless getting into a discussion about that now. He personally didn't think it was possible that someone could carve up a human sacrifice of their own free will and still have love in their heart, but he'd seen so many people do so many twisted things in the name of their supposed love that he honestly didn't know what the real answer was. He darted a glance at Kaiba, who was just listening quietly, steepled fingers pressed against his lips, clearly irritated as he stared at a spot on his desk.
"So, blood magic for evil, love magic for good?" Jou asked, still diligently trying to comprehend these ideas that were so entirely alien to him.
"Uh, I think that's an over-simplification, but in this case, sure."
"Ok, I think I get it. I'll do it, whatever it is."
"Do not agree to something you know nothing about." Kaiba was instantly back in business-mode, poised and calculating. He fixed Yugi with a chilling stare and addressed him directly.
"If there's one thing I know in this world," he said with a sardonic smile, "it's contracts. So, what's the fine print, Yugi? What exactly does 'spiritual collateral' mean?"
"Just what it sounds like, I suppose," Yugi said. "Jou's soul will be your collateral, in case anything happens to you during the ritual."
"In case what happens to me? You haven't even told me what it does yet."
"Right, sorry." Yugi was getting ahead of himself, he was so focused on convincing Kaiba to believe him that he'd completely forgotten to inform him of the most salient fact – the ritual's intended purpose.
"Basically, we'll create a space between this world and Set's where you can meet him, face to face."
"Meet him?" Kaiba echoed in disbelief. "And what would we do, exactly? Talk it out? Or maybe have a friendly game of cards?"
"Not exactly. You have to…do battle, I guess?" Yugi screwed up his face and then shook his head in exasperation. "I'm not really clear on what that means, exactly…I wish I could say that it all came down to a game of Duel Monsters, but…"
"No such luck, huh?" Kaiba said wryly.
"I honestly don't know," Yugi shrugged. "I wouldn't rule it out. I mean, I guess it could be a game of Duel Monsters, but it would probably be the way they played it back then."
Kaiba looked at him blankly.
"You know, real monsters?"
"Ah," Seto said. He lowered his head into his hands and let out a long, frustrated sigh.
"And what happens if Kaiba loses?" Jou asked, and Kaiba's head snapped back up. They both peered expectantly at Yugi, intent on his answer.
"Set takes over his body, and he lives out the rest of this life as Kaiba. Kaiba's consciousness will replace Set's in the void and he'll disappear."
They contemplated this possibility in deafening silence for what seemed like half an eternity, before Jou asked another question.
"And what about me?"
"I'm not entirely sure," Yugi confessed hesitantly. "If Set wins, your soul is forfeit, and he can do whatever he wants with you."
"So, he'd kill me?"
Yugi's head tilted slightly. "He could. Or…"
"Or what?"
"He could keep you."
"Keep me?! Like a pet?" Jou was wide-eyed and incredulous, his voice almost a shriek.
"Nnnn…more like, an acolyte? Someone to ease his transition into this world. I imagine he'd have a lot of catching up to do since his last reincarnation."
"And he could do that? Make me do things for him?"
"He could make you do whatever he wants. He could make anyone do whatever he wants," Yugi said ominously, and Jou's shoulders twitched, as if a shiver ran down his spine. Yugi wished that there was another way out of this, looking at Jou, obvious worry and fear creasing his features. But there just wasn't.
"The truth is, I really don't know what would happen. All I know is that if Kaiba does nothing, Set taking over is inevitable. At least this way, there's a chance of stopping it."
They both looked at Kaiba who hadn't said anything for the past few moments.
"I'd like you to leave now. This has gone on too long."
"Hey," Jou said softly. He walked over to Kaiba and grabbed his chair handles, swivelling Kaiba's chair to face him before hunching down in front of him. "I am doing this. I believe in you. You won't lose."
"I don't want to hurt you."
Jou chuckled softly, but Kaiba was dead serious, and Jou's expression became gentler.
"You never hurt me, Seto," Jou murmured. "Even when it hurts, it doesn't really hurt," Jou said in an intimate whisper that made Yugi a little uncomfortable. He cleared his throat to remind them that he was in the room too, but they just continued to gaze at each other.
"This is different," Kaiba said, almost plaintively.
"I can take it," Jou stubbornly insisted up at Kaiba.
"Can you? Can you really?!"
Seemingly instantly, Kaiba was heated, and he swiftly grabbed Jou's wrists that were resting on the arms of the chair, sliding his grip up Jou's forearms. Yugi saw Jou's initial flinch, he assumed from the contact shock he'd described, but he was surprised to see Jou's face slowly contort into a mask of pain.
"Let him go!" Yugi said anxiously, but Kaiba had already released him. Jou fell backwards and fetched up against the nearest bookcase.
"What the fuck was that?!"
"It's getting worse," Kaiba said, calmly stating the obvious.
"Yeah, no shit! What…Yugi, what the hell is this?"
"It's like, energy overflow. Everyone has their own energy, one body, one soul. But now Set is trying to take you over, his energy is forcing its way in and it's too much for one body."
"How come I'm the only one that feels it?" Jou asked, righting himself and getting to his feet again.
"Well, Jou, I think you're the only one who touches Kaiba," Yugi said, a hint of pity creeping in, unbidden. Yugi stole another quick peek at Kaiba, but the latter showed no indication that he even registered Yugi's comment, again pressing his fingers to his eyes.
"This is so crazy…" Kaiba murmured, but Yugi was done letting Kaiba waver on this. It was imperative that they didn't waste another moment on indecision and confusion. Unless they took immediate action, Set's return would be certain, and Yugi was willing to do anything to prevent that from happening, even if Kaiba wasn't just yet.
"Look, we have to do this as soon as possible, Kaiba," said Yugi. "We're running out of time. I don't think we have much longer before he takes over completely."
Twin glares lasered in on him, which Kaiba returned balefully, switching back and forth between Yugi's determined stare and Jou's steadfast one, with neither party showing any sign of relent.
"I'm doing this," Jou said finally, steely resolve glinting in his eyes, and Kaiba just glowered back, finally giving the tiniest nod. Jou sighed his relief and turned to Yugi.
"What is this ritual? What do I have to do?"
"We need an empty room, lots of dirt, some pigs blood, and oh yeah, you guys have to have sex on an altar."
o.o.o.o.o.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.o.o.o.o.o.
If you thought I wouldn't find a way to make this sexy, you clearly know nothing about me or my life goals. Thanks again to everyone who's read and reviewed!