Let Us Dance

By Ocean

Chapter Two: Abstrict

Seto headed further into the obscure club, bypassing the raised gaming region and the men gathered around one of the pool tables. He skirted the edges of the small area sectioned off as a dance floor and eyed suspiciously the lone microphone that stood quietly in the corner as he made his way to an empty table against the wall. The small candle on the table flickered in the breeze created by the haste of Seto's need to sit and distance himself from the crowd.

"Can I get you something, Hun?"

The waitress had descended on him like hot coals, and after her departure with a scrub of his table and a presumed drink order, left him feeling burned and heated to the point he felt he needed to remove his coat or else die from exposure. When one arm was free and his other hand clutching his hair, Seto forced himself to stop, to breathe, to think, and to remember where he was. He swallowed thickly, his swollen tongue sticking to the roof of his mouth, and proceeded to remove his jacket, tossing it onto the table.

A few moments later the waitress returned with his drink, winking at him as she set it on the table and moved on to her next customer. Seto stared at the drink for a long moment, contemplating, before dipping his fingers just below the wet surface and combing them through his hair. The alcohol on his fingertips tingled when it came in contact with his scalp and burned lightly when it was exposed to the air.

He wasn't sure why he had done it. In hindsight the gesture had probably been an act of self-comfort, an aid to help ground himself and qualm the panic that was ever more present and volatile. Increasingly he was discovering that physical contact was the only means he could employ to break the hold of the nervous energy that boiled in his stomach and infected his mind. The sense of his own touch was all that protected him anymore. And even this security was beginning to fail. His touch was becoming as routine as the stresses it was meant to subdue.

Gasps followed by a chorus of cheers and one loud shout of disbelief pierced the small club, heard with surprising ease over the pulsing music. Seto turned his eyes towards the sound coming from his left, not really interested, more wanting something to do to combat his unease.

The crowd around the pool table shifted like waves as the people maneuvered so they could better see the players. Money exchanged hands while new wagers were made and the excitement for the next game slowly began to rebuild. The end of two pool cues could be seen like periscopes above the crowd, but their owners remained hidden from view until there was a part in the waters and their profiles were suddenly revealed.

Seto choked on his breath as the crowd submerged the two players again, the recognition of that profile freezing his mind and body into complete stillness. The chiseled features of his rival could hardly be mistaken. It was a face he had memorized as he had tried to find some sign of weakness on the other end of the dueling arena. But the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle was one of the few people Seto could not intimidate into submission, and this memory alone was enough to make his skin prickle and his pulse quicken.

He and Yami were similar in many ways, including their attitude that any place they were in was automatically their territory. Yami was perhaps even more territorial than Seto, his years of imprisonment instilling in him a possessive streak that demanded he lay claim to all he saw to insure he would never again be so confined. It took little more than his presence and will to stake his claim, and Seto felt himself bristle mechanically in response to the abrasive challenge. He had little intention of acting on it however, and in fact felt more like he had walked into a lion's den and that it would be best for him to remain anonymous. The fact that he was in the bar at all was evidence enough that he was in no condition to confront Yami.

The crowd parted again, this time stepping back to a respectable distance to allow Yami and his opponent the room needed to play. Seto's grip around his drink tightened as Yami came into full view. He didn't know why his reaction was so strong. But it happened every time he saw the spirit. It had happened every time since the moment he was first defeated by him, and the intensity of his reactions was increasing beyond his control.

Yami was seated on the edge of the pool table, one leg bent teasingly over the plush surface while he tilted his head against his cue stick. He gestured behind himself with his free arm, his finger hooking in a manner that both asked and demanded it be answered. Seto narrowed his eyes as Yuugi sauntered through the crowd, walking the path created for him as he lovingly took Yami's outstretched hand in his own and circled in front of him. Seto wasn't surprised to see Yuugi. He and Yami were almost never parted. But he certainly didn't appreciate his presence as Yuugi nuzzled Yami's ear and thread his fingers through his hair. It was a show of affectionate ownership that soured Seto's stomach. He had never accepted public displays of any sort that weren't business in nature. Such acts offended him because he was being forced to witness an intimacy he wanted no knowledge of.

Nor was he in any mood to deal with one Motou Yuugi. Though he was not his main rival, there was much in Yuugi that Seto found threatening. His skill with words and the ability to get one to admit their deepest secrets without intent to do so made him a very dangerous rival of anyone who had something to hide. And lord knew Seto had many things to hide. Unfortunately for him, so did Yuugi.

Seto watched the quiet exchange between soul partners, Yuugi answering Yami's question after a moment of consideration and disappearing back into the crowd when Yami accepted his answer. Seto's eyes remained on Yami, watching as the spirit stood slowly and smirked in a manner that announced his impending victory. Seto ground his teeth as Yami played, lengthening and flexing the game to suit his roguish will.

His table shook suddenly as someone came and sat in the empty chair, but Seto didn't notice the intrusion. His focus was entirely on the graceful pool player with flowing hair and limbs that played with his opponent as a cat would with a fish in a bowl. He didn't move or blink. At one point he even ceased his breath as he focused his every sense on the single image that had brought him peace since his panic had first taken root.

"Pretty, isn't he?"

It took several moments for the question to register with Seto, though it only penetrated enough to elicit a soft hum in response. And it was this that captured Seto's attention and turned his head to the face that was watching him as intently as he had been watching Yami.

Seto scoffed at the look he was being given and matched it with one of his own. "What do you want?"

Yuugi raised his eyebrow at the irritated question. "I saw you sitting here." There was no response other than Seto's stern glare. "This isn't your part of town."

Seto chuckled darkly. "Don't I know it."

If Yuugi was dissatisfied with the response he didn't show it as he reached forward and took Seto's untouched drink. His actions, again, went unnoticed as Seto's gaze had been magnetically drawn back to the pool table. Yuugi took a long, slow sip from his stolen drink as he studied Seto over the rim of the glass. He could tell Seto was ill at ease through the stiff manner he held himself and the coat that was flung carelessly on the table. Seto was never careless about anything he did, be it straightening his desk or removing his clothes for the evening. It was a red flag to someone like Yuugi, a scream of alarm that muted out any noise the club could make.

Yuugi wasn't usually suspicious around Seto, though he did treat their encounters with a cautious flare. A man as powerful as Seto demanded such an attitude. But Yuugi had an instinct for knowing when something wasn't as it should be, and right now the sirens of warning were beginning their litany of wails.

"You didn't enter the last tournament," Yuugi said.

Seto's finger taped lightly against the table. "I wasn't interested."

A pause. "I find that very difficult to believe." Yuugi played his finger around the rim of his glass, his searching gaze fading off over the crowd and towards the gaming area and Yami. Seto took the opportunity to steal a glance at Yuugi, to notice that this Yuugi was not the one who walked with his friends down the street or manned the game shop when Sugoroku was unable. This Yuugi was someone very different. If there was one thing Seto knew, it was the difference between who a person truly was and the mask they showed to the world.

"Kaiba Corporations hosted the tournament," Yuugi pressed over the cheers that erupted around Yami's latest shot.

"Imagine my surprise," Seto drawled. "Too bad I wasn't informed."

Seto turned his eyes to Yuugi, and the two stared at each other while Yami won his game and those who had bet correctly on the outcome collected their winnings. It was the continuation of the challenge that had risen between them since the moment Yuugi had confronted Seto's intrusion onto his and Yami's territory. Seto tried to suppress the anger that clenched his jaw and hands, tried to swallow pass the urgent need to flee from Yuugi's emotionless gaze. Yuugi's eyes stared at him blankly, revealing nothing as the jaunty tilt of his head and the thin line of his lips indicated very clearly his agitation and willingness to fight.

A man with a very sour expression saved Seto from being the first to look away as he roughly set down two drinks and a basket full of chicken wings in front of Yuugi, the price he had to pay for loosing the game to Yami. He glared a promised threat at Yuugi, who ignored him completely while he gathered his gifts and nodded his head in thanks in Yami's direction. Seto watched the brief exchange curiously, not noticing the bead of sweat that tickled its way down the back of his neck.

He turned back to Yuugi. "That's all he plays for?"

Yuugi glared at him from beneath his bangs. "He likes to give me what I want." His tone was remarkably flat for the implied sentiment of the words. Seto didn't have to guess that he had severely insulted him, and though this worried him slightly, it wasn't enough to dissuade him from pressing the matter further.

"To spend so much time to gain so little," Seto nodded his head at the items on the table, "I see no reason to engage in such useless endeavors."

Seto was surprised when Yuugi didn't try to defend himself. He had expected an aggressive retort, especially based on Yuugi's recent behavior. He was actually looking forward to sparring. A fight with words was familiar ground, something he was use to, and he needed to feel something familiar again. Yuugi's refusal to partake in the game only left Seto feeling more off balance. He was in a part of town where he didn't belong in a club he shouldn't be aware of with a person who antagonized him and experiencing feelings that were so foreign and erratic he had nearly lost all hope of finding home. The sweat continued to bead on his skin as he absently unbuttoned the collar of his shirt.

A fast tempo exploded in the club, pounding against Seto's eardrums painfully. Yuugi's drinks vibrated with the music that was too loud, and yet was at just the right volume to create a mood of excitement and energy that seeped its way into Seto's very being. He watched as people slowly filled the empty space of the dance floor, swaying in rhythm to the music. He watched as Yami sauntered into the middle of the crowd, grabbed the hand of the nearest woman, and spun her around as the two picked up the beat.

Seto's jaw dropped at the sight, the moves Yami and his dance partner were going through on the brink of being inappropriate in their suggestiveness. Their moves were quick, close, and sensual, much more indicative of the dance of lovers than that of strangers. Seto found himself entranced by Yami's movements, his pupils dilating in response to his body's sudden arousal, his mind automatically analyzing the fluid and flexible dance Yami guided both him and his partner through.

It wasn't long before Yami gave himself completely to the dance, his eyes sharp in crystal clearness with an engaged stare that never ventured from his partner. The woman was breathing heavily through her mouth as she tried to keep up with Yami's ever increasing pace. The smile on her face was slowly giving way to fatigue, and it wasn't long before she found herself abandoned for a dance partner that was fresh and light on her feet. Yami showed no signs of feeling the effort of his first dance at all.

Seto expected the woman Yami had first danced with to be angered by her sudden dismal, but all he could see was the breathless smile on her face and the exhilaration in her eyes. He didn't understand until he looked at the situation more closely, at the small circle that had formed around Yami, the women who stood in line as jittery as children waiting at an ice-cream truck, and the men who stood disapprovingly to the side that this was not a one time occurrence. This was something common, something expected. It was something Yami had done before.

"You come here often," Seto commented.

Yuugi took his time in answering, and in that space his voice lost its edge of confidence and was replaced with a hint of sadness. "Often enough."

Seto instantly noticed the change in tone. He was trained in detecting weakness in his opponent, and to him the underlying longing in Yuugi's voice rang a bell that echoed in his own heart. It was still difficult for him to turn his eyes from Yami's erotic dancing, but his predatory nature was eager to assert its dominance.

When he did look at Yuugi, his gaze fell upon a man who had slipped into another zone. His posture was slouched as he rested his forearms on the table. His eyes were distant as he looked out onto the dance floor, idly trailing Yami and his latest partner while they glided through their steps. Though his inherent strength was still quite apparent, Seto could easily tell that Yuugi was more vulnerable now than he had ever wanted Seto to know.

Seto observed Yuugi quietly before offering his comments. "You let him dance, even though it bothers you."

Yuugi shot Seto a glare that quickly melted into a sorrowful expression before he turned away. "Let," he began. "You say that like I have some sort of authority over him. Or that he needs my permission."

"Doesn't he? For something like this?" Seto accused.

"Yami doesn't need my permission for anything." Yuugi's tone was filled with bitterness, and he followed his response with the downing of one of his drinks. Now he was refusing to look Seto in the eye after so easily challenging him and Seto knew he had hit on a very raw nerve.

"So why?"

Seto was genuinely curious why Yuugi would allow Yami to not only partake in, but initiate an activity that obviously bothered him. The more partners Yami danced with, the more uneasy Yuugi became, shifting nervously in his seat as he watched Yami's movements become more and more energetic. Yami was at a point where he needed three partners per dance, his energy showing no bounds and his actions no care. Seto noticed Yuugi wince when the next song began and Yami chose yet another partner.

"Why do you let him do it?" Seto demanded again. "I don't get you! Never would I allow someone to hurt me like this!" He couldn't understand why Yuugi was putting up with it, why he sat in the corner like a scared little mouse and watched the cat play. He would never be the mouse. He would never allow another to be in such a position of control over him. His company was the only entity of power he tolerated, and even that was a great strain on him. Were he in Yuugi's position, Seto would have demanded that Yami cease his dancing at once. He would have demanded that Yami-

"... because he needs to," Yuugi said softly.

Seto stared at the man sitting across the table.

"You're an idiot."

Yuugi clenched his eyes shut and turned his head away, hiding his face in the shadows of the club. Seto thought he saw him bite his lower lip and his brows furrow, which only served to confuse him more.

Yuugi slammed his hand suddenly on the table, making Seto jump as his hand was brushed by Yuugi's fingertips. Ice shot up his arm from the point of contact, numbing his skin and mind and thoughts. He took a quick, ragged gasp of air. For that brief moment of skin-on-skin contact, all of Seto's doubt and insecurity, his feeling of being on the edge of his sanity, his panic and fear – all of it, for that single moment, stilled.

It was so near a climatic experience that he almost lost himself to the bliss.

Thankfully the music of the club was loud enough to swallow the minute squeak that escaped Seto's lips when Yuugi pulled his hand away. Seto nearly found himself lunging across the table for Yuugi's hand, his panic returning tenfold when his source of comfort was taken from him. He had never suspected that something as simple as someone else's touch could have such a profound affect on his distress. Even his own touch had never provided such solace.

He wanted more. He wanted to feel that stillness again. That calm that so fervently eluded him as it danced just on the tips of his fingers.

"You misunderstand me," Yuugi forced out his clenched throat.

"What?" Seto asked, forcing himself back into the conversation.

"You don't understand," Yuugi repeated, though it was said more to himself than it was to Seto. "He doesn't have a choice. If he didn't he'd... he'd die..." Yuugi's voice cracked as he spoke, the pain of his words slicing him deeply.

Seto's eyes widened in surprise, but he remained silent as he waited for the shivering form in front of him to continue his explanation. Though why Yuugi was going to explain it to him he didn't know, but he had to admit he wanted to know the reason that brought his most seductive rival to an out of the way bar to dance with such reckless abandon.

"You don't realize the power his magic has. You don't know how hard it is for him," Yuugi said.

"He certainly doesn't show it," Seto said skeptically.

Yuugi looked at him from the corner of his eye. "You expect him to? Don't be daft." He paused as Seto answered with a haughty snort. "It isn't Yami's nature to advertise his weakness any more than it is yours. Why else do you think we come here? It's so he won't be seen."

There was a quiet moment before Yuugi continued that allowed Seto to focus on the one word he was certain Yuugi never meant to say to him. The one word he refused to acknowledge in regards to himself, but pounced on when it was used for others.

Weakness.

Though for some reason, Seto felt a pang of sympathy for Yami. It didn't sit well with him that the one he considered to be his strongest rival would have any weakness at all.

"His magic, it's only energy when you get down to it," Yuugi continued. "He manipulates energy to do his will."

"The Shadows-"

"No, it's not the Shadows. They are completely independent of Yami's magic. His magic is based on energy. The Shadows' magic is based on life." Yuugi chuckled darkly at this, leaving Seto to wonder about him and the statement. Yuugi waved it away. "Whatever. The amount of magic Yami has... it's near infinite. And it's constant. Energy never disappears. It just builds up until it is used and put elsewhere. It builds without any regard to hi- ... to anything. And too much energy, well, we all know what can happen then."

Seto rolled his tongue in his mouth as he listened to what Yuugi was telling him. "So... he comes here to release the excess build up of energy." He took Yuugi's silence as the conformation it was. "And to use his magic..."

"Too dangerous."

"What's the best alternative?"

"Sex."

Seto blinked in surprise at the bluntness of Yuugi's response. He would not have expected him to be so comfortable about it, and yet Yuugi had answered with all the ease of telling someone his eye color.

Yuugi picked up on Seto's next question before it was voiced. "Sex is the most strenuous activity you can put your body through. It takes a lot of energy. But for what he needs... I can't give him what he needs. It would simply be too much for me. And he refuses to share his bed with anyone else." Yuugi said this last line with a bit of pride and a small smile on his lips. "And so, we come here so he can dance. As long as he needs to."

Yuugi pushed his chair back and stood, leaning against the table, his posture indicating clearly to Seto that their conversation was over. Seto watched him as he made his way to the dance floor, maneuvering between the dancing bodies like a quiet breeze that goes by unnoticed. It was curious how invisible Yuugi could make himself when he didn't want to be bothered with people. He didn't disappear; he just sort of melted into the haze of his surroundings. The effect was very creepy, and was probably the reason for the few yelps of surprise Seto heard coming from the women who were still waiting to dance with Yami.

He watched as Yuugi walked up behind Yami and placed his hand on his shoulder. His face was full of a sadness Seto couldn't identify, even though he felt it was familiar. Yami jerked around at the touch, his features falling into clarity as though he had just woken from a trance. Yuugi leaned forward into Yami's strong chest, his hands folded gently under his chin and his face nestled in Yami's neck. Yami immediately abandoned his dance partner, ignoring both her protest and that of several other women who knew that he would not be available for the rest of the night. He circled his arms around Yuugi's shoulders and hips and held him close, bowing his head so he could press his cheek against Yuugi's ear.

Seto watched as Yami slowed his movements into a hypnotic swaying motion that rocked Yuugi gently despite the fast pace of the music. He watched Yami sigh in contentment, and Yuugi's body shiver as his worries melted away with Yami's touch. He watched as the two found a peace he had only ever heard of. He watched the healing touch Yami had on his lover, his body jumping to attention with the memory of stillness Yuugi's touch had aroused.

Seto watched for the rest of the night.

to be continued...