A/N: After a way too long of a hiatus, I have finally decided finish this fic. I don't really remember how I planned this initially, but this fic will end how I originally intended. Hopefully, I won't go on another 3 year hiatus. The fan base has probably changed by now. Not even sure if anyone will read it, but it's a shame to let a good story go unfinished. Well enjoy… the days of long before GX, 5D and whatever else has entered the Yu-gi-oh universe.

Disclaimer: Nope, own nothing. Zip, nile, nada, cero… etc… etc.. etc…

Chapter 3

We Have a Problem

"With the festival of harvest drawing nearer, for once the citizens of Kemet weren't talking about who had the best and most fruitful harvest. Instead the talk of the empire was of the pharaoh and his intended.

Word had reached even the lowest of slaves that the young king would soon wed but not to the princess of the neighboring land but instead to someone close by… one in the royal court. Beside that the peasants didn't know who their future queen would be.

When the pharaoh had declared his intentions to royal court… his priests and priestess, the bearers of the Sennen items and Shimon, he was returned with loud and enraged protests. Akunadin, Seto's father, looked murderous. It would take months before servants were willing to enter his room, for rumors started circulating that any servant that even dared to approach him were sent away in tears.

It would be countless hours and days later with the pharaoh threatening to unleash his powers and declaring that he never marry any other before the royal court finally begrudging consented on the condition that he took on "decoy wife", a young maiden who he would declare was his queen but only in name not power.

The pharaoh wasn't pleased with such an arrangement. He didn't want a "decoy wife", nor did he want put up a charade every time a foreign ambassador wanted an audience. The pharaoh glared down at the room as his priests and priestess left the room… only Shimon remained. He had predicted that sooner or later, the elder advisor would seek individual counsel with him.

"You do not approve. You think I'll tarnish him, ruin him, and make him an ineffective high priest?"

Shimon sighed. He rubbed the bridge of his nose. "To speak opening, Per-a'a," Shimon began, "I wasn't surprised when you made your declaration. Only a blind fool couldn't have detected it although I never imagined hem-netjer-tepey to have given in."

"You've always been like a grandfather to him."

"You couldn't possibly have expected them to give in so easily," the pharaoh's love and high priest admonished as he watched the pharaoh pace around his room. It reminded the boy strangely of their childhood, back before their lives became so complicated. Back when the pharaoh was still a prince and he was just a priest-in-training. The pharaoh always paced when he didn't get what he wanted. He would never yell or throw things like a normal person, only pace and pout.

He had just returned from a long campaign to all the temples in the empire. It was a right-of-passage for the pharaoh's high priest to obtain a blessing from every temple's high priest or priestess in the empire. It had been many moons since that night when he passed his trial-by-priest test, and the pharaoh had proclaimed his love. They had decided that when he was gone; the pharaoh would break the news to his royal court.

"Actually I'm surprised they even agreed at all," the high priest continued.

"You actually sound disappointed." The pharaoh glared down at youth… inches from the other's face. "Do you not want to marry me and rule Kemet together?"

"You know this is the first time you actually asked…" The high priest was quickly silenced. The pharaoh had dipped down. His thin lips closed over the other's. The high priest's eyes momentarily widened. It was so easy to give in, so easy to taste the other's fiery aura.

Kissing came so naturally these days unlike that summer night so many moons ago…

They had both been stunned by pharaoh's declaration. A cold silence gapped the two. No longer could they hear nor care about the festivities in the background.

The young priest blinked. He wished greatly for a staff or scroll at that moment… anything to preoccupy his fingers with. It seemed that the gods like everything else would fight a little longer to prolong a reunion. "Re-pat!" Mana's shrill voice cut through the silence. The pharaoh cursed under his breath as the spell was broken. Mana glanced up sheepishly realizing her mistake. "I mean Pera'a. Master told me to tell you it's time for the lighting ceremony!"

The pharaoh simply nodded, cursing at his duties. He didn't want to have to deal with these pity rituals or traditions, yet when he turned around the young priest was no longer there. As he turned back, he realized the other was already following Mana back to the festivities. The lighting ceremony was as mundane as always. The royal court would chant a blessing while the pharaoh lighted a number of candles. For the rest of the night, the pharaoh didn't try to seek an audience with the other instead he wandered through the booths, his head slowly filling with more and more nasty thoughts.

The pharaoh cursed at his forgetfulness a week later. He forgot that after induction into priesthood; the other would be forced to spend a week in isolation… it was time to cast away all corporeal worries. How he could have forgotten when as a child that was all the other sometimes spoke of. Every time another priest was indicted; the other would express his worry. It was a week without food, drink or sleep, a week of pure prayer. He remembered how thin Mahado was when he left the chamber. It would be weeks later before he regained his former physique.

After having solely annoyed Mahado during magic practice, the pharaoh had slipped into the other's bedroom. He hadn't been the boy's room in years. They used to frequent each other's rooms daily… playing games or talking into all hours of the night. The boy's room used to more colorful and playful. Now it was like every other room in the palace. The walls had an ugly golden tan to them.

Years ago the room was filled with games and toys. Where the toy chest had once been was now replaced by a table with mounds of scrolls and papyrus paper. The pharaoh settled himself on the other's bed. It gave off a pleasant fruity scent.

It wasn't till hours later that the other finally arrived. The pharaoh had dozed off when the door swung open. The pharaoh instantly thought what a horrible idea this all was… and a little cheap… catching the other off guard after such a week. Much to his surprised, the other didn't appear tired or hungry. He seemed almost at peace… until he realized he had a guest in the room. "Pera'a! What are you?"

The pharaoh immediately stood up. The pillow that he hadn't realize he was clutching dropped to the ground. "I… I wanted to…that night… what I said."

"Ooh," the boy looked startled. "Right." He blushed.

"I hadn't meant…"

"I've been thinking about what you said. Strangely, it makes everything fit together when you think about it long enough. I used to think I had done something wrong actually. You start thinking a lot after a week in solitude. I thought about it a lot. I'm actually surprised I haven't been blasted or cursed yet." The pharaoh noticed the way the other's words seemed to slur together. It used to happen quite frequently when they were young, and the other become particularly nervous or anguished.

"I do want you… khenmes." The pharaoh added the childhood name he used to call other. "I want you to rule Kemet with me… not only as my high priest but consort." He stepped closer to the other till they were face to other. He hadn't realized at it but over the years the other seemed to have caught up with him height although he still had those boyishly, unnaturally, large radiant eyes and puffy cheeks.

"I…" the other's voice dropped. The space between them decreased. The young priest hadn't realized that he had grabbed a hold of the other's shirt. The pharaoh's eyes softened as he pushed forward, his head tilting to a slight angle. For a second, the priest thought he had just realized something before it wiped clean. The pharaoh had gripped his chin pulling it closer. The pharaoh's lips closed over his, and he found it really simple to copy the other's movements… and was he actually kissing someone? Was he actually kissing the pharaoh? For a split second he wanted to pull away and laugh or run out of the room and hide in one of the servant quarters to think. Yet kissing was decidedly simple and felt so good. Yet he wondered if he was really bad for unlike the pharaoh who had lessons in the matter and had grown up learning how to kiss girls… he… but the best way to get good at something was practice and practice meant to keep kissing which sounded good too. Was that saliva? He was tasting the pharaoh's saliva… and it tasted pretty good…

Pulling away was weird. He didn't have time to think. He could only look into those bright eyes. He couldn't help wondering what the other was thinking. Kissing hadn't been how Isis or any of the servant girls had told them. They all said how awkward the first kiss was: the nose banging into each other, the bruised lips, the confusion of whether it should be open or closed and even the complete horror of missing and biting the other. Yet kissing the pharaoh had been different… a good different. The pharaoh was clearly flushed, and his breathing came out as shuddered pants. Yet the priest was clearly at bit of a lost. He felt positive that if his brain ever decided to work again he would freak out or faint. Yet looking at the confused and lost look on the pharaoh's face, he felt he should start thinking real soon.

"Web iI…"

The pharaoh merely grunted as he fell back on the priest's bed. From the years of knowing the pharaoh, he knew the other was just as confused and lost as he was. As much as this has been his first kiss, he knew this was also the first kiss the pharaoh had given to another willing. Many wouldn't have spotted the difference, but he did.

He joined the pharaoh on the bed. Lying side by side, absently he laid his hand over the other's. They lied there like that for a long time… each reliving that kiss over and over again. The hot Egyptian wind blew through the open balcony window. It wouldn't be till hours later that the young priest finally broke the silence. "I think we got a problem."

The pharaoh simply grunted still too stunned and confused.

They broke apart. This kiss like the first still ran chills through the pharaoh's spine. He glazed down at his priest. A small, warm smile glazed his lips. All the previous worries and annoyances seemed to have seeped away.

"A decoy wife isn't that bad. Right?" The pharaoh mussed over the lingering thought. The thought immediately slipped away as the young priest pulled him on to the bed.

"They were to have a winter wedding. It would be a private, secluded affair where only the royal court would be present. No one would know of their marriage for in the public's mind, the high priest would still only be high priest. For to Kemet, the pharaoh had married a maiden from a far off land. They had chosen a temple maiden from Memphis. The high priest chose her, for the young girl had always desired to see the palace and had been particularly nice to him when he lived there. She was a pretty girl with long blond hair and eyes of sea blue. Her skin was ghastly pale. She seemed foreign which went well with the story and didn't understand the language very well.

"The palace instantly noticed a shift in Priest Seto's attitude. It seemed the pharaoh's cousin who had been tasked with teaching the girl the Egyptian language had taken a strong liking to the girl." Yuugi's voice trailed off. He noticed that his grandfather had long fallen asleep, and he had been speaking mainly for the purpose of speaking for the last hour.

"What a lovely, enchanting story," a voice shattered his train of thought. Yuugi immediately turned away startled. There standing at the door in a very regale way with his arms crossed, was the man from Club Krystal. Yuugi had a hard time recognizing him at first, for he was so used to the other in a bartender uniform: a black vest and shirt. The sight of the other nearly took his breath away, for as stunning as he looked in cotton; he was twice as stunning in his leather jacket and pants. They seemed particularly tight us the man's toned body. Only then did Yuugi realize the other was hiding a six pack.

"What are you doing here?" Yuugi mouthed. The other smirked, for he had noticed the way that Yuugi had looked at him.

"Today's my off day. I haven't seen you at the club for long time, thought I did something to offend you. It was only after I asked around a bit that I learned that your grandfather was sick, and you were running his shop and going to school that I realized how busy you were. Man was I surprised at how good you are at telling stories."

Yuugi blushed. "Just a silly tale," Yuugi waved off the praise. "Jii-chan wanted to hear a story. It was only thing I could think off, but seriously, what you doing here?"

The other man laughed. "Man you're persistent Partner. You're interesting. I like interesting people. I just moved here and don't know many people. Thought we could entertain each other."

"Entertain huh?" Yuugi laughed. "I don't even know your name… strange stalker person." Yuugi chided. Yuugi knew had he told anybody else about this man; they would immediately tell him to get a restraining order. Anzu would probably force Honda and Jounouchi to tail him like a dog, and the two would probably do so quite delightfully. Yet strangely, Yuugi felt as if he had known the other for years. He even felt strangely attracted to the other.

"Nah, my name isn't important." The other waved it off.

"So what should I call you? Other person?" Yuugi joked.

"Sure, Partner. Since your grandpa dozed off, you want to spend the day with me? Show me around Domino? I haven't seen the city much. All I seem to be doing lately is eat, sleep, and work. It gets very repetitive."

Yuugi laughed. "Well." He glanced over at his grandfather. The old man had reprimanded him for frequently for spending so much time here and not with friends. Spending the day with this stranger did seem really tempting. "Okay, sure why not."

The other helped Yuugi collect his things before issuing the other to the parking lot. "You drive?"

"No, I ride." He motioned Yuugi to his ride… a jet black motorcycle with red flames along its side. Yuugi thought it oddly appropriate.

It was an exhilarating experience, speeding through the streets on the back of a motorcycle, the feel of other's leather jacket against his skin. Yuugi took them around Domino, to the shopping centers that Anzu frequently visited and would often drag him to. Yuugi was met with a pleasant surprise when he learned that the other had in the time he had lived in Japan became an avid manga and anime fan.

"There isn't nearly as much good animation where I come from. I was so surprised when I learned that you can film drawings." The other proclaimed as he picked particularly popular weekly manga subscription.

Yuugi, who wasn't nearly as into manga, absently picked up a gaming magazine and started flipping through it. "You're joking right? When did you grow up? The Stone Ages?" Yuugi gibed. He was startled to see a picture of himself prominently displaced with a 4 page spread: other famous duelists like Seto Kaiba and Rebecca Hopkins were also mentioned.

The other slipped a glance over to Yuugi. "Whoa! I didn't know you were a celebrity!"

"I'm not." Yuugi quickly closed the magazine and placed on the rack. He didn't like talking about his two year sudden rise to fame and sudden drop out of Duel Monsters. Duel Monster had suddenly become very popular and like everyone else Yuugi got into dueling. He showed great potential and had won many titles from Battle City Champion to Duel King.

The other didn't want to drop the matter and picked up the magazine that Yuugi had so hurriedly dropped. He found the spread on Yuugi and read over it; a smile formed on his lips when he stopped reading. "Duel Monsters?"

"Card game," Yuugi waved away. He took the magazine from the other and forced it back on the rack. "It was really popular, still is actually. You sure you didn't live under a rock or something? Duel Monsters became like a national phenomena a few years back. "

"Strict parents… all about education and getting ahead in life."

Yuugi stared at the other, a little quizzically. "You're joking!" Immediately reasoning how pompous that sounded, he immediately blushed. "Sorry."

"Oh no. Funny how life works, huh? My parents, bless their souls, passed away. I was left with their fortune and title. It was okay for a while…" The other's eyes suddenly grew forlorn, a look of longing and hurt appeared on his face.

"Life stops giving you lemons?" Yuugi added.

"Yeah."

The rest of day passed without anymore unpleasantness. Yuugi had shown him around Domino… taking him to big tourist traps and some of the smaller finer things that he and his friends frequented. Yuugi couldn't help but notice that the other seemed to like those small finer things… like the arcade, a small ma and pa store more than say Domino Tower. Their conversation had long veered away from the cordial, acquaintance talk of weather, of politics, novels or different momentums and become more like how two people who had been friends their entire lives.

Only after it had gotten considerably dark that Yuugi decided to check his watch and was startled to see it was almost midnight. "The Game Shop is up ahead. I can just walk there."

"No, I'll come you. I'm dying to see your grandfather's game shop."

Yuugi blushed. "It's not much." They had stopped riding on the motorcycle after their last stop at a local bar. It wasn't Club Krystal. Yuugi thought it would be weird to take the other to the bar the other worked at. The drinks weren't as good but were strong enough to get them inebriated. The other pushed his motorcycle along as Yuugi walked beside. Occasionally they would lightly brush up against the other. The street lights did funny things.

"My parents were archeologists." Yuugi continued. "They were world renown before they passed away. They specialized in Egyptian history. The last time I saw them I was five. I had flown into Egyptian to spend the summer there."

"A particularly hot time," the other stated.

"I guess. I don't remember much." Yuugi continued. He was stunned he was even discussing his parents. He never wanted to talk about his parents before. He couldn't even remember them. He only had the pictures and even they were fuzzy. "Jii-chan says they were nice people but not very good parents. I was an unplanned baby. They had me right out of university before they were established. Jii-chan volunteered to raise me. Obaa-chan had just past away. I could keep him company besides the field wasn't a place for an infant. They took me around Egypt. On the last night, we were flying back from the Valley of the Kings. They said there a strong wind. The plane crashed into the Nile."

The other gasped. "I was the lone survivor…" Yuugi shrugged his shoulders. "Well that's my story what's yours?"

"Not nearly as intense," the other said. "I was the only son of a… politician. I was born into a family of politicians and was expected to carry on the title… raised and bred that way. My mother died when I was very young. I think from childbirth. My father, well he was very old. I did have… a good friend, the dearest," the young man's voice dropped. The street lights played tricks with his eyes. Yuugi felt his breath hitch.

"We're here," he mumbled.

"Yeah," the other breath dropped deeper. A streak of red glazed over Yuugi's cheeks. The air seemed to have dropped a couple more degrees. Their faces now inches apart. Yuugi coughed. The spell was broken. They both chuckled… a little embarrassed. Yuugi stepped back, reaching for the doorknob.

"You want to come in?"

"Yeah…"

TBC

A/N: I give you fic. You give me review.