Chapter Five

Domino City
Arcadia Planitia
Kaiba Corporation Colony, Mars

Despite the fact that he was definitely not a morning person, Yugi awoke early. He peeked into the living room where Yami was still sleeping peacefully on the pull-out bed, then padded into the kitchen and set about making breakfast as quietly as possible. Once the coffee-maker was brewing -- he had broken into Grandpa's stash of the real stuff, Kona roast all the way from Earth -- he pulled Yami's clothes from the dryer. He turned to take the clothes to Yami and "eeped!" when the other man was, once more, right there instead of where Yugi expected him to be. He fell back a step and pressed a dramatic hand to his thundering heart.

"Do you ever make noise when you walk?" Yugi demanded. He knew his cheeks were bright red -- again -- and that his lower lip was protruding in a bit of what could only be called a pout, but… Dammit, why did the man have to keep sneaking up on him? It was embarrassing! "I've never seen anyone as quiet as you!"

"I'm sorry." Yami smiled faintly. "I didn't mean to startle you."

Yugi sighed. He found it hard to stay mad at anyone for very long, and there was something about Yami that seemed to go straight to his heart. He smiled. "It's okay, Yami. Are you hungry? I was just about to make some breakfast."

"Thanks." Yami took the clothes from Yugi's hands. "I'll go get dressed, then I'll come and help you. All right?"

"Um, okay."

Yugi watched his guest leave, then shook himself and wandered over to the cabinets to look for the pancake mix. As he did so, his thoughts turned to something that had been nagging at the back his mind since the day before -- the notion that, somehow, somewhere, he had seen Yami's face before. He didn't think it was simply because of the slight resemblance between them; other than their hair, the two of them really didn't look that much alike. Yami's features were sharper and lacked the roundness that still plagued Yugi, making him look far younger than his twenty-one years. Yugi's eyes were a weird shade of blue (in elementary school, the other kids had called him "Grape Eyes"); Yami's eyes were a deep, beckoning brown. Where Yugi was pale, Yami had the golden tan of one who loved the outdoors.

Lost in his musings, Yugi bustled around the kitchen, gathering the necessary ingredients for scrambled eggs and bacon, fresh fruit, and pancakes. He couldn't ask Yami -- it would seem too much like prying -- but he really wished he could figure out why Yami's face seemed so familiar. He climbed onto the top of the step-stool in order to reach the upper cabinet where someone taller had so inconsiderately stored the mixing bowls. Could he have seen Yami somewhere before? Maybe on--

His thoughts crashed to a halt as his socked feet slipped out from under him and he began to tumble backward off the stool. Yugi barely had time to yelp in surprise, arms windmilling as he tried without success to regain his balance. He grimaced in anticipation of the upcoming hard landing… and then he wasn't falling anymore. Startled, he looked up in shock at his rescuer's faint smile.

"We have to stop meeting like this. People will talk," he said breathlessly, and allowed himself a cheeky grin at the look of utter surprise on Yami's face. Then Yami righted him, set him back on his feet, and smirked.

"Then let's give them something to talk about," Yami said.

And kissed him.

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Yugi froze. Yami's lips were warm where they brushed lightly against his, a soft butterfly kiss that left him breathless and thoroughly confused. He stared up into brown eyes as seemingly startled as his own, as if Yami had surprised himself by his actions as much as he had Yugi. Then Yami drew back, his features settling into an unreadable mask as he stared down at Yugi.

The uncomfortable tableau was broken by the sound of the door chime from downstairs.

Yugi tore his gaze away from Yami and practically fled down the stairs to the street-level entrance. His heart was pounding wildly in his chest and his thoughts were in chaos. Was he upset that Yami -- someone he had only just met, and another man, at that -- had kissed him? Yugi's face burned with embarrassment…and something else. Innate honesty forced him to admit that he was more upset by the fact that he wasn't upset that Yami had kissed him than by the act itself. Unable to untangle his own feelings, he forced his thoughts onto safer territory. Like who could be ringing the door chime at this hour of the morning. It would be another hour before the usual opening time posted on the shop's front door. So, whoever was there, they probably weren't customers. A friend of Grandpa's, perhaps, come for an early visit?

His feet skidded on the polished laminate flooring as he barreled down the stairs and into the narrow hallway connecting the apartment with the game shop. Catching himself against the wall, Yugi took a deep breath to calm himself a bit before going quickly to the door and peering through the security lens. He was surprised to see two towering men wearing identical business suits, dark glasses, and stern expressions on the other side of the door. With some trepidation, Yugi pulled open the door.

"Uh-- C-can I help you?" he stammered, not knowing quite how to react to the unexpected presence on his doorstep.

"It's okay, Yugi," Yami said quietly, coming up behind him. Yami frowned, recognizing the men as two of his father's security people, though their names eluded him. For a second, he wondered how they had known where to find him. Then he remembered the GPS transponder installed in his phone. While the device was no longer capable of making calls, the transponder was obviously still functioning, and its signal had led them right to this very doorstep.

The thinner man addressed him directly. "Your father expected to see you yesterday, Mr. Kaiba. We have orders not to leave the planet without you."

So his father didn't even trust him to make the trip from Mars to Earth without an escort? Yami would have been angry, but honesty made him admit, if only to himself, that his father might have a point for once. After all, he had been expected to return home the night before… and here he was, still on Mars. He sighed. "Give me a moment and then I'll come quietly."

The bulkier of the two nodded. "Please hurry, sir."

Yami didn't bother to reply. He knew his father must be furious with him for not coming directly home. He wasn't looking forward to the confrontation. But he wasn't going to be able to avoid it, not this time. He saw the worried look on Yugi's face and summoned up a reassuring smile for him. "It's okay. Really. But I have to go, now."

Yugi didn't look convinced. In fact, he looked more worried than before and there was the beginning of a pugnacious expression surfacing in his eyes, as if he were preparing himself to defend Yami -- physically, if necessary. "Yami… Who are these guys? Are you in some kind of trouble?"

"Not really." Yami sighed. He shoved his hands in his pockets and tried to look more nonchalant than he felt. "These men work for my father."

If anything, Yugi's eyes got even wider. "Who's your father?"

"Kazuki Kaiba, CEO of Kaiba Corporation."

"Yeah." Yugi gave a little chuckle. "And I'm the King of England."

Yami didn't laugh at the joke.

"Uh…You're not serious?"

"Yes."

For a second, Yami thought Yugi might actually be choking, but Yugi managed to pull himself together with admirable speed. However, his eyes were still comically huge. "What?"

"Sorry I didn't tell you last night, but..." Yami shrugged. "It didn't seem important."

"No, it's… all right." Yugi still seemed on the verge of hyperventilating, but he was making a fast recovery. "I'm just… surprised." After all, it isn't every day you find out you've been entertaining the heir of your home colony's founding family.

"Yugi, I--"

"Sir," Suit Number One interrupted, while Suit Number Two looked pointedly at his watch. "We have transport waiting. And your father is not a patient man."

Yami flinched at the reminder. "All right. I'm coming." He glared at the men. "Wait outside. I'll be right there."

Suit Number One looked as if he was going to argue, but his larger partner tugged discreetly on his sleeve and the two of them stepped back from the open doorway. Yami sighed and turned back to his host.

"I want to thank you again for your kindness, Yugi," he said with quiet sincerity. "And, I promise you, I will replace your cart."

"You don't have to do that, Yami. It was an accident--"

"Yes. An accident I caused with my carelessness." He looked away, shame filling him as he remembered how reckless he had been. He was just grateful that Yugi's injuries had proven minor. "Please. It's the least I can do."

"Well…" Yugi bit his lip, gazing up at Yami from underneath his bangs. "Okay. If you really want to."

"I do." Yami stepped forward, one hand half-reaching for Yugi before he caught himself. Confused by his own actions, Yami shoved his hands back in his pockets. "I'd better be going."

He was halfway out the door when Yugi's soft voice made him hesitate in mid-step.

"Yami?"

"Yes?" Yami stopped, but didn't look back. He wasn't sure why, but he knew looking back, seeing Yugi, would only make it that much harder to leave.

"W-will I ever …see you, again?"

The words were barely audible, but they went straight to Yami's shuttered heart. Inside his pockets, his hands clenched. Consciously, he forced them to relax. When he replied, his voice was nearly as soft as Yugi's had been. "…I don't think so."

Flanked by his father's security guards, Yami strode swiftly down the sidewalk -- but not before he heard Yugi's breath catch in his throat. Yami's body tightened with the inexplicable impulse to return, to gather Yugi into his arms and comfort him. The feeling terrified him.

Without another word or glance, Yami fled.

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Yugi closed the door and slowly made his way back upstairs. Feet dragging, he made his way to his bedroom and slumped onto the unmade bed. He knew he should go clean up the kitchen, but somehow he couldn't find the will power to move. He fell back against the pillows and stared up at the ceiling. When he was five, his mother had decorated the ceiling with little stick-on, glow-in-the-dark stars. They were still there. He pursed his lips and attempted to blow his unruly bangs out of his eyes. No wonder everyone still thought he was a kid! Not only did he look the part, he was surrounded by childish things.

Rolling onto his side, he scowled at the Duel Monsters tournament poster tacked to the opposite wall. Reminded of the game he and Yami had played -- well, started to play -- the night before, he scrubbed at his burning eyes (he was not crying, dammit!) and sat up. Yami's reaction to the Dark Magician had scared him; at the time, he had thought the man was having some kind of fit or something. Now, it just puzzled him. What could have made Yami react like that? And did it have something to do with why he had run away?

The thought brought Yugi up short. Run away? Was that really what Yami had done or did Yugi just want to think that to salve his own bruised ego? He couldn't deny that it hurt, thinking that Yami did not want to see him again. But… Was that what Yami's reaction had meant? Or could it be that Yami was every bit as confused as Yugi felt?

Again, he thought back to their duel. Right up until the moment Yugi had played the Dark Magician, he had been certain Yami was enjoying their friendly competition. Unless he had completely misread Yami -- and he didn't think he had -- Yugi wasn't the only one who had felt that ineffable sense of… connection…between them. He shook his head. Maybe he was grasping at straws, but… No. No, there was something there. He was sure of it. Yami had kissed him, after all. It had to mean something.

Didn't it?

Yugi sighed. Moping around all day wasn't going to get anything done. A glance at the clock showed him he still had some time before he had to open the store. He was torn between what he knew he should do -- clean the kitchen -- and what he really wanted to do. Finally, he gave in to the temptation.

Leaning over, he pulled open the drawer on his nightstand and retrieved a small metal box. He sat back, the box cupped carefully in his hands. The lid and sides of the box were covered in hieroglyphs. From the front of the box, a raised Egyptian eye his grandpa had told him was called an udjat, seemed to stare back at him. Yugi sprawled onto his stomach, spilling the contents of the box onto the rumpled sheets. The golden pieces of a puzzle glittered in the early morning light. With the confidence of long practice he began to fit the pieces together. The first few were easy. He had been attempting to solve this particular puzzle for eight years and, although he had yet to complete it, he could practically assemble in his sleep the bits he had figured out.

In his hands, the pieces swiftly came together to form a partial pyramid. As he clicked the last of the familiar pieces into place, he felt a peculiar thrill run down his spine. The chunky puzzle pieces seemed to shimmer in the light from the window and, where he gripped it loosely, the puzzle itself seemed warm against his skin. He stared at it. The puzzle had never done that before…

Almost of its own volition, his hand moved to pick up a new puzzle piece and set it into place. Yugi's eyes widened. His hand almost trembling with excitement, he reached for another piece and, as before, locked it easily into place. He couldn't believe it. He had never been able solve this much of the puzzle!

Feeling his mood lighten as his anticipation grew, Yugi reached for another puzzle piece.

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Traffic out of Mars was heavy, but that didn't hinder the private shuttle as it blasted past Phobos and headed for open space. There were advantages to being the son of a rich and powerful man, Yami mused sourly, as the small ship was given priority clearance by Mars orbital traffic control. They were shuffled to the head of the queue at the nearest civilian jump-gate and, fifteen minutes later, were on approach for Earth, the KC pilot exchanging radio chatter with Antarctica traffic control.

With a barely suppressed groan, Yami settled back in his plush seat. Suit Number Two had already informed him that a car would be waiting at the spaceport to take him directly to his parent's estate. Obviously, his father was taking no chances Yami might decide not to keep this "appointment," as he had sometimes done in the past. His stomach clenched at the thought of the confrontation to come, even as the blue-white sphere of Earth filled the forward windows.

It had been a year since he had last visited the planet of his birth, a year since he had refused to leave the SSDF after sustaining near-fatal injuries in the battle that had claimed his Anchor's life. That decision, like so many involving Yami's future, had been made over his father's vehement objections. Yami had a sinking feeling he already knew the topics that his father felt it so necessary to discuss with him in person. One would, of course, be Yami's resumption of the duties his father had designated for him within the company. The other…

"We're entering final approach, sir," came the voice of the man Yami was still thinking of as Suit Number Two. He supposed he should ask the man his name, but found he couldn't really summon up the will to care. In fact, he was finding it difficult to care about anything. Unbidden, the image of wide, concerned violet eyes drifted across his memory.

Yami suppressed the urge to groan. Only a blind man would have missed the hurt in Yugi's eyes at the cold way Yami had taken his leave. He still wasn't sure what had made him so eager to escape; he just knew that the impulse had been irresistible, and he had obeyed it, practically fleeing from Yugi's presence as if the younger man was an alien mech out to blast him from the skies. Yami shook his head, then leaned his temple against the chill window beside him. The cold did little to dull the headache he could feel building behind his eyes -- or the nagging ache twining about his heart. Why did Yugi affect him this way?

And why had Yami kissed him?

Without warning, pain spiked through him like someone had slammed a blade into his temple. Yami gasped, hands flying up to clutch his head, all thoughts lost in the sudden agony. Behind tightly closed eyes, images of blood and gold, shadows and piercing light flared, flickered, and were gone.

With a low moan, Yami followed them into the darkness.