"Mr. Kaiba? I do apologize for the interruption, but you have visitors."

Seto's blue eyes sprang up sharply from his cluttered desk, furious at being distracted. The porter at the door made a tremendous effort not to flinch when the icy daggers settled on him. Instead, he focused on straightening his posture and wringing his hands behind his back.

"I believe, Mr. Anuya, that I specifically requested not to be disturbed under any circumstances," was the crisp, harsh reply.

"Ah, yessir, as you well know, sir, under normal circumstances I wouldn't dare. However, it is Yuugi Mouto at the door."

At the mention of Yuugi, Seto finally set down his pen and pushed his chair back, standing up. He brushed passed the porter and started down the hall.

Mr. Anuya visibly relaxed as Kaiba pushed by him and was preparing to return to his duties when he heard: "The next time I say 'under no circumstances,' I mean 'under no circumstances,' Mr. Anuya. Please remove yourself from my residence before I return to my study, or I will have you escorted out." Still with his back to his ex-employee, Seto Kaiba continued down the hall, making a mental note to further weed down his staff.

The round, grizzled face still standing in the doorway nearly hit the floor upon his termination. Green eyes began to water silently, and he hurried down to clear out his room. Being escorted off the premises by Kaiba's security sounded less pleasant than losing his job.

What could Yuugi Mouto possibly want? Scratch that; Seto was sure he knew what the younger man wanted, but was more curious as to why it couldn't wait.

Silver stairs with a gorgeous blue rug (imported directly from Persia, mind you) guided his slipper-clad feet down to the foyer, where he assumed his guests were waiting.

Indeed they were. Instead of the small, innocent Yuugi milling about, with—of all people—Katsuya Jounouchi, the taller, darker-looking Yuugi stood there. Kaiba had seen the man during their duels, but never outside of them. Vaguely he could recall the group of twerps cheering him on and calling him…salami? Kwami? Eh, something like that anyhow. Seto had never really cared enough to pay that much attention.

Seto took a closer look at the other blonde from the top of the stairs. Katsuya was wandering around the lavishly decorated front entrance as if he had never been there before. The owner of the aforementioned objects watched as Jou carefully examined the various photos and awards held by Kaiba Corporation and its CEO. The same hands that had so delicately drawn his likeness earlier now brushed themselves ever so lightly—no, tenderly across each and every display. As Seto watched, he briefly wondered what it would be like to have those same gentle hands brush themselves over his skin. He wondered what it would be like to have those hands—whoa, now; that was not the thought to be having when receiving guests. To further emphasize this point to himself, Seto cleared his throat, finally announcing his presence.

Jou's fingers were in the middle of caressing (Seto wished he could stop himself from using such adjectives—they were having an adverse effect on his business mindset) a display case holding a Certificate of Achievement when the noise reached his ears. The blonde jumped, causing one of the trophies to rock violently, threatening to tip and crash to the marble floor. Quickly, the lesser duelist threw his hands out and caught the item, steadying it gingerly. Sheepishly, his chocolate brown eyes darted between his friend and the owner of the house, waiting for the reprimand from either, more-so the latter.

Eyes narrowing, Seto chose to ignore the mishap and instead glide gracefully down the large staircase to greet the two. Katsuya exhaled quietly.

"Yuugi. Jounouchi. I wasn't expected visitors." There. Seto chastised the pair for showing up unannounced. "I'd like to know why you're disturbing me at home." Short, succinct and definitely to the point. If possible, the other Yuugi's eyes grew darker.

"This isn't a social call, Kaiba," he said. Yuugi's voice was much deeper, much more serious and dangerous than the other. "I was most intrigued by the conversation held this afternoon. I'm very interested to see what Pegasus has concocted to lure us to Egypt."

"I was under the impression we would discuss that at a later time," was the disapproving reply. Purple met blue in a brief battle of dominance before Jou offered his two cents.

"You're draggin' us halfway across the world Set—Kaiba. I think we deserve a better explanation."

Seto inclined his head imperceptibly in the blonde's direction. "I didn't ask you to come along." The challenge was clearly met.

"I invited him, Kaiba. It'd be nice to take something with me I won't have to worry about." Yami was clearly trying to soothe the bristles that had formed along Jou's back upon hearing the reply.

Yami! Maybe this was a bad idea! I don't want Jounouchi and Kaiba getting into it. Maybe we should—

It will be fine, Yuugi. If they are going to travel together, it is only prudent they work together. Better to let them get their animosity out of the way now rather than later.

"Hmph. Very well. I will show you the information Pegasus has given me. Just, please, keep your dog on a leash."

"And we get right back to the canine insults. Will you ever get new material, Kaiba?"

Set had turned to go back upstairs—with his guests in tow—but something in the tone of Jou's voice made him pause and turn back.

A playful smile was barely recognizable across Katsuya's plush lips. Kaiba almost missed it himself, but years of reading people in the business world allowed him to pick it up. His eyes shifted and locked with the other man. Jou stared unflinchingly back, the brown hue morphing into a lighter, more translucent color. The exchange was short, Seto pointedly returned to ascending the stairwell, and if Yami noticed anything, he kept it to himself.

Back upstairs, Kaiba led his two visitors through the most direct route back to his study. Paintings of duel monsters lined the hallways, all in various styles and color schemes. At least, some of the stronger ones. As they walked both Jou and Yami noticed they were all monsters from Kaiba's own deck: Baby Dragon, Gemini Elf, Niwatori, and of course, the Blue-Eyes White Dragon took up every other painting. Not a single one was by the same artist.

"All that has been sent to me are Pegasus' thoughts and theories. I haven't gotten very far into it—what with the constant interruptions. He's sent a few photographs of the tomb itself."

Across the large wooden desk in his study, Seto began to sort out the notes he had been examining earlier. His deft hands and quick eyes separated everything into smaller piles by content. While he did that, Yami went through the photographs, slowly, trying not to miss a single detail.

There was something familiar about the picture in his hand, he noticed. Yes, the longer he looked, the greater Yami's sense of déjà vu grew.

Various carvings encircled the walls in the small altar room. Light was so sparse that the grooves outlining the ancient guardians took on a form of their own, making them look alive, standing protectively over the raised stone slab in the middle. Yami could almost see the torches that should have been on the wall come alive, flickering and casting even deeper shadows.

Yami, what's going on? Are you alright?

But, Yami couldn't hear Yuugi. Purple eyes lost themselves into the picture, reconstructing the scene as it had been all that time ago.

Five people would have been gathered around that altar, barely big enough for two people to stand in front of it. A priest was chanting something from a thick, bound book—held by his younger apprentice. Only the pharaoh stood behind the stone, arms raised with a deadly sharp blade in his hand. To the sides stood the man responsible for guarding the tomb, and the Captain of the pharaoh's royal guard. On the altar itself, a naked man lay unbound. His eyes were closed, and he was silently praying to the gods to give him a swift and honorable death. That man knew no greater glory. Yami could see the priests' mouth moving, but he couldn't hear anything. Everything was silent until the pharaoh began lowering the knife to his sacrifice.

The picture blurred and receded quickly from his vision. Yami could hear noises, but wasn't quite sure he could make them out.

…Yam-…okay?...Yami…Yami!

Suddenly, Seto Kaiba's study came back into focus. The ancient spirit dropped the photographs onto the table as if they were on fire. His golden locks swayed as he tried to clear his head.

It was clear that Yami's moment had not been missed by his companions. Seto was still leaning over the desk with a stack of papers in his head, staring incredulously at Yami. Jou looked on with concern; he had seen the pharaoh go into a state like that before, but never for that long.

"You alright, man?" Jou swung a friendly hand around to pat Yami on the back, just to make sure he was still physically there. The small gesture was reassuring, and Jou was rewarded with a small, relaxed smile.

"Yes. I'm fine now. Thank you."

Seto opened his mouth to repeat everything he had been saying for the last few minutes, but was thwarted once again when Jou asked where the can was. Kaiba's blue eyes were still narrowed in annoyance even as he gave directions.

Katsuya departed the room, apologizing to Yami and insisting that the two carry on their conversation.

Looking up and down the hallway to identify the landmarks Kaiba had described, Jou cursed himself for not taking care of his business earlier. Kaiba's mansion was huge, and he knew that he'd get lost somehow. Following the plush carpeting, Jou turned right at the end of the hall as instructed. Was it the fifth door on the left or the third? Was it even on the left side?

The blonde started down the second hallway with trepidation. With his luck, a booby trap would be set off and Jou would be cast down into a pit of rabid Rottweiler's. Halfway down the hall, he managed to find one ajar. Jou smiled in triumph. He had found it! Quickly, he wrapped his slender fingers around the knob and pushed the door open, bursting into the bathroom.

Except it wasn't the bathroom. His first hint was the sheer size of the room. The walls in the room were a deep-sea blue, absorbing any feeble attempt at lighting. A hulking four poster bed dominated the center of the room, and reducing the light even further with black satin sheets and a matching down quilt. As his feet maneuvered on the carpeting, Jou couldn't decide if the color matched the walls or the bed. Naked, was how the room felt. Next to the bed, a table with a single picture frame stood, the only other furniture to be seen. All thoughts of the bathroom were banished, and Jou wandered to the bedside table to investigate.

A single picture of Mokuba and Seto was set inside an ornate silver frame. The happy smiles on the brothers' faces were almost contagious. Jounouchi found himself smiling at the thought of Kaiba being happy…ever. Gently, he set the photo down. As he did, something else caught his eye—a disheveled piece of paper looked awfully out of place on the table. Curious, Katsuya flipped it over.

Black and white, Seto gazed back at him. He was leaning comfortably against the side of a building soaking wet. Staring transfixed, Jounouchi wasn't sure if he should be upset that his artwork had been so heinously defiled or if he should be happy that Seto had even kept it—in what seemed to be his bedroom, no less.

Coughing from behind rooted Jou to the spot. The picture in his hand crumpled at the unexpected tension. Please don't be Kaiba, please don't be Kaiba, please don't be—

"I thought you had to go to the bathroom?"

I never win.

Taking a calming deep breath, Jou turned to face the owner of the house. "Erm…well… f it makes you feel any better: I still have to go to the bathroom."

Seto was slowly advancing on him, like a hunter cornering his prey. Jou was backing up, attempting to put some distance between them, all the while trying to diffuse the situation.

"It would make me feel better knowing that you hadn't been snooping around my bedroom at all."

"I couldn't remember which door you said—so I tried all of them."

"And decided to stick around in this one?" Jou flushed at being caught in a lie.

"Erm—I'm sorry? It was an accident, honest! I'll leave right now!" Attempting to take the opportunity, Jou pushed his way past Seto. Homefree!

Something caught his wrist sharply. Jumping, Jou turned to look behind him. Kaiba's larger hands held him firmly and snatched the sketch away. Once his eyes glanced over the picture, his face softened (the pressure he held on the other man's wrist, however, never wavered).

"I can't believe you actually kept that."

"I can't either."

"Yeah, that's real nice. See if I ever draw another picture of you." That hadn't quite been what he'd meant to say. The sarcasm had sort of leaked out on its own. Unfortunately, Kaiba picked up on it.

"And here I was hoping to hire you to paint my portrait. I was going to hang it over the fireplace."

"Really? I saw it hanging over your garbage cans with raccoons living in it."

"That's a possibility, too."

Kaiba dropped Jou's arm, finally. Both men stood in the center of the room, eyes locked.

"Is it now? What would it take to convince you to showcase one of my drawings in your living room?"

"I'm sorry, what?"

Jou shrugged. "Seriously. Think of the money I could make with as many people as you have coming and going from your house."

"And what makes you think I'd allow that?"

Jou shrugged again. "I'm not saying you would. I'm asking what I'd have to do for that to happen." His tone became more playful, lighter, almost…flirty. When Seto didn't answer, Jounouchi moved closer, so their chests were almost touching. If the move made Kaiba nervous, he sure wasn't letting it be known. Jou tilted his face up, still maintaining eye contact. His breath ghosted softly across Seto's neck, goose bumps being the only sign of movement from the man. "What do you say, Seto?" Jou was so close he could smell the cologne emanating from Kaiba's skin.

"Jounouchi! Kaiba! Where are you?"

Both men jumped when Yami's voice boomed through the hallway. Tension broken, the blonde began walking back to the bedroom. He looked back once at Seto, who remained where he was by the nightstand. "Think about what I said, hmm?" he winked and yanked open the door, shutting it swiftly behind him.

"Yami! Didja find the can yet? Thirty thousand doors and still no porcelain…" Kaiba heard Jou call out, his voice growing softer as he lured the curious spirit away.