Akeifa went in a secret tunnel, holding his finger to his lips. Jonouchi nodded, remaining silent. Looking around, Akeifa put his hand on the wall, fingers nimbly searching for something...when, suddenly, the brick wall swung open. Akeifa headed in, motioning for Jonouchi to follow. Jonouchi followed, looking around. It was a small room with a bed and a table. Shutting the door, Akeifa turned to him. "I need you to stay here. I have to get back to the bedroom. Zorc cannot know you are here, or he will kill you. Understand?"
Jonouchi's honey eyes studied Akeifa. "And how am I supposed to keep my eyes on you if I am in here?" He raised an eyebrow.
Akeifa glowered. Pointing at a small hole in the wall with black netting over it, he sighed. "You can look into the room from here. Whatever you do, whatever you see, you cannot interefere...or you'll be dead and the Pharaoh will be in danger. Understand?" Jonouchi glared, but nodded, sitting down on the bed. "I'll be back with Yami, so you can travel back with him, okay?"
Jonouchi nodded again, kicking off his shoes and laying on the bed. Akeifa quickly left. Mind drifting to the Elders, Jonouchi had no idea what would whet their appetite for entertainment. The Elders were a peculiar bunch. While not necessarily evil nor sadistic, they weren't really good either. They thrived on drama. Usually they wanted Jonouchi to stir shit up. He didn't know what they wanted him to stir...The sound of a grunt and bone breaking drew his attention to the netted hole. Quietly getting up, Jonouchi looked through the hole.
Standing, blood trickling out of a corner of his mouth, Akeifa looked at the tall, dark haired man in what appeared to be a bedroom. Akeifa's left arm hung at a sickening angle...the shoulder was dislocated. "I apologize for displeasing you, Zorc." Akeifa stated.
Zorc sneered. "My Love, you rarely displease me. However, I know that you are sleeping around on me. I can smell the lover on you. Though why anyone would choose you, I do not understand. You are weak, and pathetic, and yet I took you and your brothers in, and this is how you repay me?"
Akeifa looked blandly at Zorc. "I have done no such thing, my dark demon. I do not know what you smell on me, but it is not that of a lover. I have had no lover but you. You took my virginity, and no one but you have I shared a bed with. You have taught me what love is."
Zorc spat at Akeifa's feet. "I can smell your lies, Akeifa." Backhanding Akeifa, he went flying back into the wall, not far from where Jonouchi was watching. Hearing the sickening crunch of Akeifa's head hitting the wall, Jonouchi balled his hands into fists.
Standing up, wobbling slightly, Akeifa walked over to Zorc. Putting arms around the taller man, Akeifa bowed his head. "My Life, I would want no one but you. My heart is full with you...No other can fill the space. Please, punish me for upsetting you, for I do not deserve to go unpunished for upsetting you, my Lord."
Zorc sneered, looking Akeifa over. "Well...you do seem to be genuinely contrite, so I will only partially punish you." Grabbing Akeifa by the hair, pulling his head back painfully, he sneered, nose to nose with Akeifa. "You do like it when I punish you, don't you?"
"Of course, Lover." Akeifa whispered. "Because I know that you do what is best for me."
Jonouchi frowned. This did not seem like the Akeifa he met. Was he playing a game? And if so...who was being played?
Throwing Akeifa on the bed, Zorc ripped off Akeifa's shirt and pants. Clucking his tongue, he eyed Akeifa. "Really, Akeifa...can't you watch what you eat? You have gained at least another three pounds. You are becoming quite unattractive." Akeifa bowed his head.
Jonouchi was shaking with rage. This bastard was an emotional dick!
"I'm sorry, Zorc. I will do better."
Zorc glared at Akeifa. "Roll over, assume the position." He ordered. Akeifa complied, his head facing Jonouchi as he was on all fours on the bed, ass in the air. Jonouchi was ready to pull back as he didn't want to watch sex between these two, when he noticed that Zorc was going to a closet, pulling out a cat o' nine tails. Jonouchi also noticed Akeifa's eyes...and how beaten they looked. Watching in horror, Jonouchi watched as Zorc beat Akeifa to within an inch of his life, blood flowing freely as Akeifa flinched and lay weakly on the bed. When finished, Zorc spit on Akeifa's face. "Clean yourself up. And clean the bed up...you bled on it. I'll be back in the morning." Stomping out, Zorc slammed the door behind him.
Jonouchi was shaking in rage. He hated bullies, and that is all that this Zorc guy was...a big bully. Waiting a few moments, Jonouchi snuck out, going to find Akeifa. Sneaking into the room, he saw Akeifa still bleeding profusely, trying to get up on shaking arms. Jonouchi ran over to him. "What the hell, Akeifa?"
Akeifa looked up, pain in his eyes. "Get out. Or he will hurt you, damnit."
"Fuck that." Jonouchi picked up Akeifa, who moaned in pain. Carrying him back to the room, Akeifa whimpered.
"Damnit, stop...he will smell me. I can't leave." Akeifa winced.
Jonouchi wasn't sure why he felt compelled to help the thief...but damnit, he was going to. "Tell me where the others are."
Akeifa was slipping out of consciousness. About then, Yami walked out. Stopping, he stared. "Jonouchi? Fuck, what are you doing here? What the hell happened? Akeifa hasn't been that bloody in a few months!"
"Whoever he cares about, get them out, take them to the palace. Atem said he'd meet you at midnight. I refuse to let him stay here." Jonouchi kept carrying Akeifa out.
Yami raised an eyebrow. He didn't understand this care Jonouchi was showing. Shaking his head, he sighed and went to gather the others. There was no turning back now. As he was ready to walk out the door, he suddenly thought of something. "Wait, Jo..." Jonouchi stopped, turning around to face Yami. "...meet me at the market on the edge of town. Everyone can stay at a house I have. Taking them to the palace will just force the Pharaoh to fight sooner. I don't know if he's ready."
Jonouchi nodded, heading out with Akeifa.
()()()()()()()()()()()()
Atem looked at his appearance once more. Smoothing his hair, he went out his door, knocking on Seto's. Seto opened it in a white shirt, khaki pants, and nervous eyes. Smiling, he looked at Atem. "Hi."
Atem smiled back. "Hi."
Both stood there, staring at each other for several minutes. Atem chuckled. "You know, we've known each other for almost ever, we really shouldn't be nervous around each other."
Seto chuckled as well. "That's true, but there hasn't been so much to lose before." The raw honesty and vulnerability in his eyes made Atem's heart melt. Leaning up, he cupped Seto's face gently, pulling him into a gentle kiss. Pulling back, Atem looked at Seto.
"You're not going to lose me, Seto. Maybe...maybe Yugi leaving was the best thing to happen to me." Atem admitted.
Seto swallowed, hard. "But he hurt you. I cannot forgive that."
Atem smiled at Seto. "But if he wouldn't have left, this wouldn't have happened." Atem leaned up, capturing Seto's lips again in a hungrier kiss. Groaning, Seto pulled Atem to him, gripping his hips.
Pulling back, eyes dark, breathing heavy, Seto looked at Atem. "I'm not going to be able to keep going slow if you keep kissing me like that." He admitted honestly.
Atem smiled and pulled back. "You're right, I'm sorry. Please, let's go eat and enjoy the evening. I want you with me at the midnight meeting, too."
Seto nodded. "Whatever pleases my Pharaoh."
As Atem led the taller man to the dinner he ordered to be laid out, cheeks dusted a light pink, Atem murmured, "You please the Pharaoh."
